Gumboots, Morogo, Smoersnoek and Koeksisters – Silk Road padkos!

Cape Town. March 2009

The third quarter of Nexxus’ Silk Road campaign which focused on Innovation and Respect, 2 of the Nexxus brand values culminated in an event with a difference. Staff were randomly put into teams and assigned a South African culture to research focusing on the content relevant to how cultures impact on the business of Nexxus. The research was to be honest, original and respectful and innovatively presented for judging. Judges of this quarter’s submissions had the pleasure of sampling melk tert, isishanyama, paapa bites, and traditional fish and chips while listening to the adventures of the various groups. Adventures that took some into the Zulu rural lands, others to the spice markets and others on a road trip following the removal of the coloured community from District Six to areas throughout Cape Town.

“ I was intrigued by the little-known facts uncovered by the groups’ original research; information direct from the source and not off Wikipedia or history books,” says Catherine Herbst, MD of Power of 9, the project management company of the Silk Road campaign..

The winners were announced and rewarded at a get-together after work in the Nexxus bar late in February. The menu represented the cultures researched and the entertainment demonstrated the new aspects added to the melting pot of South Africa. But what was most pleasing was listening to the conversations after the formalities of the evening; people sharing the fun facts, the unusual experiences and honestly demonstrating just how well the campaign is working.

Congratulations to the Zulu, Cape Coloured and Cape Malay teams for taking the top 3 spots for the quarter and thank you for the eclectic road trip along the Silk Rd!

It takes courage

Cape Town. December 2008

“You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative.”
Abraham Lincoln

From the winning chakalaka pilchards, to runners-up turkey burgers and marinated vacuum-packed steaks right through to liquid egg, powder ice-cream, cheese sausage, frozen sushi, ginger juice and much more; courage roared proud in the Nexxus Silk Road 2nd challenge.

The challenge was to identify a need within a target market and develop a product that meets that need. Whether it be an everyday necessity to fill a space on a spaza shop shelf or a high priced luxury to be displayed in the fridges of a suburban deli or a wholesale product for the food service industry. The proposal needed to be courageous but soundly based on wise insights and research.

The courage took on many forms; from taking on popular brands, to targeting mass markets and for a few, proposing completely original products for the retail space such as mielie meal fritters and hollowed out snack biscuits with themed tubed dips.

However, Abraham Lincoln also said, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” And he would have been proud of the seemingly insatiable thirst for knowledge and subsequent richness of wisdom that was evident in the submissions.

Courage tempered with profound wisdom acquired by getting personal with the targeted consumers via consumer surveys, focus groups, videoed tastings, product sampling, retailer insights etc. Just how inventive some were in getting inside knowledge was impressive.

With an obvious increase in quality of submissions and more contenders for the top position, this quarter clearly inspired imagination and effort. With less than 2% between our top three scores. But what earned top position was a strong and comprehensive business analysis.

Going Places

Cape Town. September 2008

Nexxus staff who want to go places, traded places over the past few months. As the first quarterly challenge of the Nexxus Silk Road campaign, Trading Places asked Nexxus staff to pair up, absorb the realities of each other’s working world and through this learning and some clever thinking, offer ways to improve and enhance where the needs presented themselves.

Zoe Pedersen and Jacqui Jacobson took to the challenge as naturally as Marco Polo did to trading. “Their passion and commitment was obvious; their submission was a clear winner with more than a 10% lead on second place,” said Catherine Herbst, MD of Power of 9, the project management company of the Silk Road campaign. “From their research right through to the creativity and innovation demonstrated they proved not only that they learnt how to add value to their individual portfolios, but to the company as a whole.”

“We are well on our way along the Nexxus Silk Road; staff are enthusiastic participants in the challenges and eager to put themselves in line to win the Silk Road grand prize which offers the winner and a partner a trip from Venice to Beijing, following the Marco Polo voyage of centuries ago,” says Andre Mapolie, CEO of Nexxus. The Nexxus Silk Road is conceptually based on the synergy the company has with the intrepid 13th century adventurer and trader. Each quarterly challenge is based on Nexxus brand values and structured to experientially entrench the Nexxus definition of each.

The Trading Places award evening was held at Nexxus and staff demonstrated their willingness to get into the spirit of trading places by donning a different hat for the evening. Amidst extravagant symbolic head gear and some comic relief the following winning partnerships were announced:

Zoe Pedersen and Jacqui Jacobson – Trading Places winners
Dean Francisco and Chantal Steyn – 2nd place
Gavin Street and Helga Hans – 3rd place

“I am exceptionally proud of the quality of the winning submissions and am committed to implementing the suggested improvements offered through the proposals,” says Mapolie.

First steps on the Nexxus Silk Road

Cape Town. 23 May 2008

Last night, guests at the Nexxus’ Silk Road launch event traveled from Venice, Italy to the Chinese Empire; virtually speaking of course.

At the unveiling of Nexxus’ new brand and customised brand internalisation campaign,  staff and business partners were taken on an experiential voyage in the transformed foyer of Nexxus’ new offices.  The campaign titled ‘Silk Road’ draws the analogy between the travels of one of the greatest adventurers and traders of all times; Marco Polo and the modern-day and future focused team of intrepid traders working at Nexxus. Just like Marco Polo did centuries ago, the passionate and entrepreneurial staff of Nexxus open up new worlds and uncover realities that make our world smaller everyday.

Cushioned between dancers performing the Italian tango and a Chinese ribbon and fan routine, the new Nexxus corporate video was shown, followed by an inspiring presentation detailing the mechanics of this year-long campaign. “The Silk Road campaign strives to build teams, motivate, recognise and reward top performers and to internalise our new brand, positioning line and brand values,” says André Mapolie, CEO of Nexxus. “The courage, wisdom, innovation and respect that Marco Polo deployed to ensure that he reaped rich reward and left a legacy that has lasted centuries is what we as merchants today want to bring to all our relationships; with each other, our clients, suppliers and stakeholders.”

The menu, décor and entertainment of the evening supported the concept. Staff responded enthusiastically to the new initiative. Robert Gultig, marketing manager of Nexxus said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the event and I believe there is a lot of substance to the presentation and that the rollout will have a culture changing impact, which we need to make the next leap forward.”

In an industry known for its hard line business approach, finding a company that focuses and invest on the softer business issues such as staff motivation, reward and recognition programmes and brand internalisation is not common. “We do and will continue to set ourselves ahead by adopting best practice business and leading brand thinking. And we know that it starts from within,” concludes André Mapolie.