Articles
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Nobody reads advertising. People read what interests them. Sometimes it’s an ad.
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Howard Luck Gossage, also known as “The Socrates of San Francisco“. Just like some of us, he was a paddler too who once joined a friend to paddle a canoe for 1 500 miles along the Mississippi river. And he discovered the media theorist Marshall McLuhan.
We write about marketing, media, South Africa, AI, the creative life and whatever else happens to keep us up at night. These aren’t “thought leadership” pieces written to game an algorithm. They’re honest observations from people who’ve spent decades in publishing, branding and digital marketing and who still find the industry fascinating enough to have opinions worth sharing.
RECENT ARTCLES
The Toast’s own perspectives on brand development, communication, media trends and life in general.
From colleagues to friends to family: A tale of long-term relationships
As I reflect on my 21-year relationship with Kim and Louis, it occurs to me this is the longest non-family relationship I have ever had. Not without its break ups and reconciliations, we have remained together, just like a family.
Memories I hold dearest
Twisted Toast is 12 years old, but my relationship with its founders goes back at least twice that long. Kim and Louis, two of the most interesting people I’ve ever met; joined at the hip, yet so different in character. Kim, the doting mother, wife, organiser, boss. Louis, the bachelor, strategist, canoeist, raconteur, dreamer. Here are some memories I hold dearest.
A leadership masterclass from Bruce Springsteen
With Bruce Springsteen and his his E Street Band touring the USA at the moment, it reminded me of a historic live performance performed by The Boss and his band in Leipzig, Germany in July of 2013. It shows that not only is Springsteen a remarkable musician, he can also teach us all a thing or two about leadership. Enjoy this wonderful leadership masterclass. It’s a foot-tappin’, sing-along masterpiece.
When a business bug strikes, turn it into an advantage
We all make mistakes, it’s what we do about them that matters As a business owner or manager, making mistakes is an inevitable part of the job. While it can be frustrating to deal with mistakes, let’s call them business bugs, it’s important to remember they can also present an opportunity to improve customer experience and turn a negative situation into a positive one.
UJ wins three global awards for 4IR campaign
For the past four years the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Marketing and Brand Management Unit has been working on a marketing project to position the university as a leading voice in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Humanity in the Crosshairs
As the days flow into one another, we are all increasingly aware of the long-lasting impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus two (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).