April presented an extraordinary opportunity for a heady mix of leisure mixed with work, not just marked by a series of significant public holidays, but also for me, by unforgettable experiences in the waters around Cape Town. Freedom Day weekend specifically, provided a powerful backdrop for reflection, as I had the privilege of participating in a series of remarkable surfski paddling events.
14 years of freedom Fourteen years ago, Kim Browne and I took a leap of faith, leaving the security of corporate media life to embark on an entrepreneurial adventure. We envisioned a creative hybrid brand marketing agency that would seamlessly blend traditional strategies with innovative digital solutions. Thus, Twisted Toast Digital was born—a name symbolising our intent to put a unique spin on conventional marketing approaches.
Imagine you’re facing a tight deadline—campaign ideas aren’t flowing and your inbox won’t quit. It’s a grind I’ve seen wear down marketing teams time and again. The latest wave of large language model (LLM) AI, such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, Gemini and xAI’s Grok—can lighten that load. But here’s the catch: Raw tech isn’t enough. At Twisted Toast Digital we’ve been mastering this since ChatGPT first hit the scene and our expertise turns these tools into super results you can’t get on your own. We’re in an AI surge right now. OpenAI’s GPT-4o and various reasoning models juggle text, images, deep search and voice with slick speed. DeepSeek’s R1 offers budget-friendly reasoning. Claude 3.7 Sonnet keeps it safe and polished. Gemini 2.0 Flash blends words and visuals.
The wildlife industry stages a pyrotechnic comeback amid renewed demand for top genetics Hoogenbomen, Lindleyspoort, North-West Province – Two huge LCD screens, framed by bright green LEDs blinking in sync with booming speakers filling the marquee with powerful sound, towered imposingly over the standing-room-only Piet du Toit Wildbedryf auction on Saturday, 15 February 2025. A massive, majestic buffalo bull appears on-screen, while in front of the auctioneer’s stage flame bursts reach up almost to the roof. The bull snorts, mock-charges the camera and shakes its formidable horns, holding the audience spellbound. Outside, a welcome drizzle continues, much to everyone’s delight.
Blending logic and emotion for effective marketing In the dynamic world of marketing, the art of persuasion stands as a cornerstone for creating compelling campaigns. At Twisted Toast Digital, we believe in the seamless integration of logic and emotion to craft messages that resonate deeply with our audience. This balanced approach not only captures attention but also drives action, ensuring our clients achieve their marketing goals effectively.
Data-driven Insights to optimise social strategy In the dynamic realm of digital content marketing, social media platforms stand out as powerful tools for connecting with audiences and building brand loyalty. However, the sheer volume of content and the rapid pace at which social media evolves can make it challenging for brands to capture and maintain audience engagement. At Twisted Toast Digital we understand the critical importance of not just participating in social media but strategically harnessing its full potential.
Opinionated positioning In the vibrant world of marketing, brands stand as more than mere logos or names; they embody personas that resonate with their audience, akin to individuals in society. Establishing a brand personality is not just about crafting a unique identity; it’s about articulating opinions that speak volumes, positioning brands as relatable entities with which consumers can form meaningful connections. This professional discourse delves into the pivotal role of brand opinions in distinguishing brands in a market rife with uniformity, underscoring the strategic imperative of aligning these opinions with core brand values.
Navigating towards a next frontier The recent disruptive, management, board and shareholder upheavals at leading generative artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has focused the technology world’s attention firmly on its next frontier, the search for systems with artificial general intelligence (AGI). According to an analysis created by The Economist, this has divided the AI cognoscenti into two basic camps. Doomers “believe that, left unchecked, AI poses an existential risk to humanity and hence advocate stricter regulation”, while boomers “play down fears of an AI apocalypse and stress its potential to turbocharge progress”.
Poultry Bulletin magazine, the official mouthpiece of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), has won silver in the prestigious International Content Marketing Awards 2023, which were announced in London on Thursday. Editor Melinda Shaw of Shaw Media expressed the significance of winning an award in such a competitive field, in which Poultry Bulletin fought off fierce competition from over 30 countries, to stand alongside international brands such as Qantas Think Event Series (gold winner), Porche Post Magazine (bronze) and Barclays Avios Rewards - A connected journey for Barclays and British Airways (shortlisted) in the category Best Use of Monetised Content.
Safety on the ocean: Lessons learnt As I finished final preparations for my intended Reverse Miller’s Run downwind surfski paddle on the beach in front of my local club, Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club (FHBSC) at just before 16:00 on Thursday afternoon, 21 September 2023, I activated the South African National Sea Rescue Institute’s NSRI SafeTRX app. I selected its continuous tracking setting, sealed my smartphone in its special waterproof bag and made sure its lanyard was securely fastened to my personal floatation device (PFD). This is the best thing I could have done before heading out, as soon enough, I needed to be rescued.
