The University of Cape Town (UCT) is offering a course to teach businesses how to make use of the latest Internet and mobile marketing techniques.
The aim of the course is to "bust the intimidating jargon that many businesses perceive as the realm of 'techies', and give companies clear insight into what is available to them and how to make the most of digital marketing opportunities".
Course director Dave Duarte says this is the first formal course on the topic offered by a South African business school, and it has been specifically structured and contextualised for any businessperson to grasp and implement.
The course, called Nomadic Marketing, will allow businesses to gain certainty about the fundamentals of the "new Web" and become Web-fluent. It will offer an understanding of the size, shape and trajectory of South African Internet and mobile usership. It will also empower companies to use social media to facilitate participation and idea-sharing through their organisation and market.
Duarte says the course is targeted at non-technical, early-adopter visionaries and market leaders - whether they be corporates, SMMEs or individuals - particularly those who are marketing executives, marketing managers, brand managers, entrepreneurs, and people whose business involves many dispersed stakeholders.
One of the guest lecturers on the course is Graham Knox, co-owner of Stormhoek Wines, who has used the digital revolution to boost his brand. Sales of his wine are projected to surge to 350 000 cases this year, compared with 50 000 in 2005.
Duarte explains that launching a new wine label in a crowded marketplace is a difficult task. However, Stormhoek has made a name for itself as one of the first consumer brands to leverage social media for its launch and to differentiate itself in a packed marketplace, he notes.
Other guest lecturers include Vinny Lingham, chief strategy officer of Incubeta and Yahoo advisory board member; Rudolph Muller, a lecturer in the Department of Business Information Technology at the University of Johannesburg and founder of MyADSL; Heather Ford, executive director of iCommons; Mike Stopforth, MD of Cerebra and founder of Afrigator; and Emma Kaye, a gaming and mobile marketing expert.
The course will run from 17 to 19 July at UCT's Graduate School of Business executive education unit.
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