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Articles by Semona Pillay
3 ways that businesses can support young employees in an evolving work environment Original
Advertise your job vacancies 2 days7 days30 daysBy Industry Show more Millennials (currently aged 28 – 43 years old) and members of Generation Z (currently aged 12 – 27 years old), have very different needs and expectations in the workplace than their older counterparts. By understanding what these unique characteristics are, employers can harness young peoples’ predisposition for innovative thinking, their new-era creativity and their potential to become invaluable human assets.
International TVC created in SA showcases VR dating app
A new international TV commercial showcases the launch of a world-first Virtual Reality (VR) dating app, Planet Theta. Image supplied. A new international TV commercial showcases the launch of a world-first Virtual Reality (VR) dating app, Planet Theta The TVC was created in South Africa by production company, And, and Dragonfly Video Productions in the UK.
ESG: Crucial for businesses to engage employees, espically Gen Z
With Generation Z starting to populate the workforce, issues such as the environment, diversity and inclusion, and privacy are more important considerations to them than to their predecessors. Source: © 123rf 123rf With Generation Z starting to populate the workforce, issues such as the environment, diversity and inclusion, and privacy are important considerations Employees, such as Gen Z, are important stakeholders in businesses.
3 ways to elevate customer trust and confidence in a brand on social meida
With over 4.5 billion social media users globally, the power to convince customers has shifted: customers approach persuasive marketing copy more intuitively and have an affinity with other customers. Source: © 123rf 123rf UJ's Dr Rukudzo Pamacheche gives three ways to elevate customer trust and confidence in a brand It is now easier for customers to test brands from other customers’ shared brand experiences and testimonies on social media.
4 ways to managing privacy and risk when marketing in the metaverse
Despite the numerous benefits and exciting new developments presented by the metaverse, "it could be the most dangerous tool of persuasion humanity has ever created". Source: Bankless Bankless Semona Pillay of UJ gives four ways to managing privacy and risk in the metaverse This is according to Dr Louis B. Rosenberg, a computer scientist and the current CEO of Unanimous AI.
Digital consumer perspectives on data access in an emerging market
Abstract Background: Various data access types influence online purchasing in South Africa, contributing to a digital divide. Literature on consumers’ perceptions of data access and its influence on online consumer decision-making is scant. Objectives: This study explores South African consumers’ perceptions of data access and its influence on online consumer decision-making. Method: Plowright’s Framework for Integrated Methodology (FraIM) guided the study’s methodological choices.
#BizTrends2023: Retail's future is the 'Theatre of Dreams'
Cherryflava futurist and strategist Jonathan Cherry. Source: Supplied When I was a kid - picture the late 1970s, early 80s - there was a small toy store in Cavendish Square called Treasure Island. It was a dimly-lit pokey shop where Cape Union Mart is located today. The sign outside had a dark blue background; a bold palette on which a vibrant, off-white, old sailing ship was illustrated.
SA shopping mall footfall recovers, but dwell time dwindles
The analysis was performed using Terain, the company's new AI-driven geospatial solution using near real-time app location data combined with Eighty20’s customer profiling information to understand anonymised customer movement behaviour. Andrew Fulton, director at Eighty20, revealed insights into the change in foot traffic, from January 2020 to the most recent data, at seven super regional malls across Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
How digital tech, ambience and sustainability drive in-store shopper behaviour
Experiential media company Mood Media has released its new global study, 'Charting In-Store Trends', which highlights how creating the right atmosphere, incorporating the right digital technology, and committing to sustainability are key to tapping into a continued appetite for consumers to shop in-store.
4 ways to increase store traffic by tapping into the spirit of ubuntu
Source: ©Mark Bowden - 123RF South Africans have always been defined by their focus on community, society, socialising, and creating a sense of unity and togetherness – ubuntu. As a country that is more collective than individualistic according the five-factor model of McCrae and John (1992), which describes personality, South African consumers thrive in environments where there is a sense of family and community.
The influence of electronic word-of-mouth adoption on brand love amongst Generation Z consumers
Original Research The influence of electronic word-of-mouth adoption on brand love amongst Generation Z consumers Semona Pillay Acta Commercii | Vol 21, No 1 | a928 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v21i1.928 | © 2021 Semona Pillay | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 Submitted: 15 January 2021 | Published: 24 May 2021 About the author(s) Semona Pillay, Department of Marketing Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa...
South Africa has 19 finalists for The One Show 2021
The One Club for Creativity has announced nine agencies in South Africa have 19 entries selected by its global juries of top creative leaders as finalists for The One Show 2021. All finalists will be awarded a Gold, Silver, Bronze Pencil or Merit at this year’s One Show, to be announced on 10 June 2021 during the online Creative Week 2021.
Growing a sustainable response to food insecurity
The Covid-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact, destabilising the economy and putting pressure on already fragile livelihoods and communities. Restrictions on trade have led to reduced imports and price hikes impacting both industry and consumers. Businesses have suffered further through loss of trade caused by the restrictions on movement and limits on gatherings.
Q1 2021 sees uptick in residential rental sector
According to the PayProp Rental Index for Q1 2021, the South African residential rental sector has shown early signs of recovery with an uptick in quarterly rental growth to 0.5%, measured year on year, following five consecutive quarters of steady decreases. Image source: Gallo/Getty PayProp’s head of data analytics, Johette Smuts, says this number is still far below the rental growth rate of 3.2% seen in the corresponding quarter of 2020.
Why SA's largest grocery consumer market still isn't shopping online
Online shopping grew exponentially in 2020 - mainly as a result of social distancing. Data released by Mobicred that came from 2,000 online retailers using Mobicred payments indicated that online retailing grew by 40% in 2020. With specific reference to online grocery shopping, NielsonIQ’s ‘new shopper normal’ study found that online grocery shopping increased from 4% before the Covid-19 pandemic to 12% in September 2020.
Semona Pillay
Semona Pillay Lecturer and the Programme Coordinator at UJ Profile Semona Pillay is a lecturer and the Programme Coordinator for the Diploma Retail Business Management at the Department of Marketing Management at University of Johannesburg. She lectures Marketing Communications on the Bunting Road campus and Integrated Marketing Communications on the Kingsway campus. Her research interests are focused in the areas of E-Marketing, Consumer Behaviour and Branding.
AutoTrader CEO George Mienie commits to electric vehicles
"South Africa is at a tipping point: We must embrace electric vehicles (EVs) - not just because of the environmental impact, but also because of the economic benefits. This is something I've said time and again, but now I've put my money where my mouth is - by investing in an EV," said AutoTrader's CEO, George Mienie. The car that has been purchased is a Jaguar I-Pace. And he says it represents a bittersweet moment.
8 post-Covid grocery retail survival strategies
Online shopping saw exponential growth rates in 2020, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown regulations. The largest online shopping category in South Africa is fashion, which accounted for 31% of total e-commerce revenue, while food and personal care (grocery retailers) only accounted for 8%.
3 factors impacting online shopping in SA, and how to address them during lockdown
As of 22 May 2020 South Africa is on day 56 of lockdown. The extended lockdown has negatively impacted numerous businesses, employees, overall consumer spending and the economy in general. ©Anastasy Yarmolovich via 123RF To alleviate the pressure on the South African economy, government has introduced a ‘phased approach’ to lifting the lockdown which imposes less stringent measures per phase.
#BizTrends2020: Retail and Gen Z in 2020: Who they are and what they want
As a retailer, it is imperative to stay ahead of the game and identify new trends in order to remain competitive. One such trend that has been essential to the success of many retailers, is 'knowing your customer'. A large part of knowing your customer and understanding their needs involves segmenting the market, of which a popular way is to segment markets by generational cohorts.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution in retail and the low-income consumer
In an era of rapid technological change, and with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on everybody's lips, I ask the question - "But what about lower-income retail shoppers in emerging markets like South Africa?" Are retailers embracing technology in this latest industrial revolution to serve the lower-income segments, or are they being forgotten? Throughout the years, technology has proven to be a force to be reckoned with: it has shaken almost every industry and economy.
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