DStv Media Sales Execs Wine and Dine Nigeria's Ad Buyers at Glitzy 10th Sales Event to Assuage Fears: 'Our Digital Tech Stack in Nigeria is Ahead of Most European Markets Within Canal+'

by Thinus Ferreira

At its glitzy 10th DStv Media Sales Industry Event at The Royal Box on Lagos' Victoria Island in Nigeria, Canal+'s DStv Media Sales executives from the West African nation and for the continent tried to assuage the fears of advertisers that the Canal+ takeover will lead to disruption.

At the swanky lifestyle space, Canal+'s DStv Media Sales execs met ad buyers, agency leaders and market strategists on Thursday evening to tell them that everything will be okay.

In attendance were Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee (group CEO of DStv Media Sales and CEO of Canal+ Advertising), Shamiel Sallie (senior vice president for digital advertising at Canal+), Kemi Omotosho (MultiChoice Nigeria CEO), and Doris Ohanugo (senior vice president of DStv Media Sales in Nigeria).

"The coming together of MultiChoice and Canal+ gives us an opportunity to be Africa's biggest stage for your brand," Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee said.

"It is about giving advertisers access to premium audiences at scale in premium video environments. Whether headquartered in Lagos, Cape Town, Nairobi, or Abidjan, Nigeria remains a fundamental anchor of who we represent."

The advertising arm of the pay-TV operator is investing in AI-enabled scheduling, digital automation, cross-platform ad management and other tracking and measurement tools, with Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee promising ad buyers on DStv "Access to richer content and shared tech expertise that allows us to build our digital muscles and deliver true value, because advertising and technology now move hand in hand".

Kemi Omotosho, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, tried to talk up Nigeria's struggling economy with advertisers, although the struggling West African nation's economy remains stuck in a never-ending microeconomic struggle for households who can't get through the month due to a a very high cost-of-living crisis.

"The stats are telling us that this economy is going in the right direction, and there is no better time to invest in your business than right now," Kemi Omotosho claimed.

"We know viewer habits have changed; consumers spend more time on their personal devices than ever before. Our promise is to maintain our local flavour while offering world-class content at scale."

"Nigeria is changing, and so are we," she said.

Shamiel Sallie noted that "Our digital tech stack in Nigeria is ahead of most European markets within Canal+. My single ask to advertisers tonight is simple: lock in your budgets early to secure the biggest moments, premier positions, and maximum return on ad spend".

MultiChoice's DStv Media Sales takes over ad sales for all of Paramount Africa's TV channels from October.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's ad sales arm DStv Media Sales will take over ad sales for all of Paramount Africa's TV channels available in South Africa from October.

From 1 October 2024 DStv Media Sales will represent advertising sales for all Paramount TV channels and brands, including MTV, MTV Base, BET Africa, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and Nick Toons carried on DStv.

"Paramount and MultiChoice have a long-standing partnership and we believe that this decision will further extend and deepen our strategic relationship," says Craig Paterson, senior vice president and general manager of Paramount Africa.

"This evolution of our ad sales operating model in Africa allows us to maximize revenue, align with key markets worldwide, and reduce costs."

Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee, DStv Media Sales CEO, says "The partnership with Paramount provides a wonderful growth opportunity for the DStv Media Sales business and expands our offering to advertisers for the continent".

Lucasta Stephen, executive head of the South African sales division at DStv Media Sales, says "DStv Media Sales will now be able to offer advertisers and sponsors an expanded portfolio of channels, content, and audiences. The addition of these awesome Paramount channels provide increased scale and reach to the DStv Media Sales offering which we are super excited to bring to market".

"We will be reaching out to our valued advertisers to ensure a seamless transition."

HGTV DStv channel launch Day 1: IN PICTURES - 37 photos of HGTV's beautiful cocktail party at sunset at the infinity pool of a Upper Clifton mansion in Cape Town.

Discovery Inc. held a media launch for its new HGTV (DStv 177) channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service in South Africa in the form of a 3-day press tour in Cape Town that kicked off with a beautiful cocktail party at sunset at the infinity pool of a multi-storey Upper Clifton mansion in Cape Town.

The Cape Town based events solution company Show Works conceptualised and executed Discovery Inc.'s incredibly beautiful, unique and extremely impressive HGTV cocktail party on the Day 1 evening of the HGTV media launch week.

The cocktail party took place at Villa Beyond, the stunning home of the South African architect, Stefan Antoni. The 6-level luxury mansion is suspended over the highest point in Clifton - South Africa's most expensive suburb - and its panoramic views over the Atlantic Ocean are some of the very best in Cape Town.

Discovery Inc. executives who jetted to Cape Town from the United States, Dubai and Amsterdam, mingled with the South African and Middle East media, as well as advertisers and ad execs, alongside MultiChoice executives, sipping champagne and nibbling on the light supper on offer as everyone watched a magnificent winter sunset.

High-ranking Discovery Inc. executives included Amanda Turnbull (vice president and general manager at Discovery Inc. for the Africa and Middle East region), Kathleen Finch (Discovery's chief lifestyle brands officer), Lee Hobbs (senior vice president for pay-TV and global brands for the EMEA region), Tatiana Lagewaard (vice president of lifestyle and pay-TV production for the EMEA region), and Henry Windridge (head of brand at Discovery Inc. for the Africa and Middle East region).

High-ranking MultiChoice executives who attended the cocktail party included Yolisa Phahle (MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment), Mark Rayner (MultiChoice South Africa CEO), Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee (CEO of DStv Media Sales), and Aletta Alberts (MultiChoice head of content strategy).

Also in attendance were Stefan Antoni himself, as well as the American TV talent Tarek El Moussa of HGTV's Flip or Flop who flew to Cape Town for the media launch.

The beautifully executed HGTV cocktail evening set the perfect tone for the channel's launch.

"We're incredibly proud and excited to launch HGTV in this market," said Amanda Turbull.

"I must say Stefan, thank you so much. I don't think we could have chosen a more perfect venue to start the HGTV channel launch than this wonderful, wonderful house. It's a wonderful way to start the channel here."

"This has really been a great journey for us to bring HGTV to the South African market. It's one of the first international channel launches since the acquisition of Scripps. We're very proud that our South African partner, MultiChoice, can be part of that journey with us," said Amanda Turnbull.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN PICTURES - 29 photos of HGTV's official South African media launch event presentation.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Lee Hobbs, Discovery Inc.'s global brands boss for EMEA, says HGTV channel will bring 'loads of new and unseen content' to South Africa.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Discovery Inc.'s chief lifestyle brands officer Kathleen Finch says HGTV 'is a channel tailor-made for people who love their homes - and there are a lot of those people'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Announcing Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa and a new teaser trailer.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Tarek El Moussa, the star of Flip or Flop on HGTV says it's 'a magical channel about real people working on real houses' and reveals what home means to him.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Discovery Inc.'s Africa boss Amanda Turnbull says new channel HGTV on DStv is about real people but also aspirational, 'which is why we fought really hard to have it on Compact as well so more people can see it'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: MultiChoice's content boss Aletta Alberts says Discovery Inc.'s new HGTV channel will do well on DStv because 'HGTV fits so well with South African consumer culture'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN PICTURES - 9 photos of HGTV's terrific 'Toolbox' lunch.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Executives press conference opening remarks: 'HGTV is going to be both inspirational and aspirational'.

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ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: MultiChoice on why it decided to make HGTV available to DStv Compact subscribers as well: 'The content speaks to everybody'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: HGTV in HD - why MultiChoice launched Discovery Inc.'s latest channel in high definition on DStv and the factors influencing what quality version a TV channel is launched and seen as.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Will Discovery Inc.'s latest channel have local content? MultiChoice explains how it works with international third-party TV channels.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Press conference - Why Discovery Inc. launched it so quickly in South Africa after acquiring Scripps and Africa's growing importance as a pay-TV market among global content suppliers.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: Executives press conference - HGTV's surprising answer on design trend-spotting and staying ahead of the curve with what viewers want to see next.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: INTERVIEW - Flip or Flop star Tarek El Moussa: 'I feel like I have a very intimate relationship with HGTV because I feel like I've grown with them'.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 2: IN IMAGES - 20 photos of HGTV's gala rooftop dinner at the Zeitz Museum in Cape Town.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 3: IN IMAGES - 9 photos of the media breakfast and press screening & 4 sizzle reels including a special Home Town surprise message.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch Day 3: IN IMAGES - 8 photos of the Grand Provence media lunch.

ALSO READ: HGTV DStv channel launch press tour - An overview.