Steve Immelman, GM of Die Burger: "Pendoring not only gives us the opportunity to jointly have an impact on the commercial market, but as individual products as well.”
"We at Die Burger are proudly Afrikaans, and like Pendoring, Die Burger is leading the renewal of our language with the presentation of news to our readers. Our participation as a Pendoring gold sponsor is therefore a logical step, which not only proves that we consider the interest of Afrikaans in the media industry as most important, but that we also accept the innovative use of Afrikaans in the advertising industry as an important building block of our industry," explains Steve Immelman, GM of Die Burger.
According to Immelman, Die Burger continuously strives to come up with innovative presentations of content in both its print and on-line publications, making its readers part of the Afrikaans 'family'.
"Our slogan of 'Lees Die Burger en praat saam' (Read Die Burger and join in the conversation) also encourages people to read in Afrikaans and then to become part of the conversation. In this way we extend the Afrikaans family, while also strengthening the language ties daily. Our own advertising is also telling proof of the creative use of Afrikaans. Posters advertising our participation in a number of events promoting Afrikaans, provide ample proof. In fact, at the various arts festivals and shows, these items are sooner than not snatched up as favourite collectors' pieces.
"Through ongoing market research into the preferences of our readers, we address the needs of our readers through a whole range of niche publications. These include JIP with 417 000 readers, Buite for outdoor enthusiasts with 419 000 readers and Leefstyl focusing on general lifestyle with 464 000 weekly readers. AMPS figures of readers of these publications confirm that we are spot on with targeted Afrikaans reader content. This also allows the commercial sector to focus directly on its various markets with clearly targeted advertising.
"It is precisely through our involvement in a selection of publications within the Afrikaans media world that we are able to remain at the forefront in delivering news to our target audience and of the regeneration of Afrikaans as a colloquial language through the creation of new words and terminology," stresses Immelman.
According to him, Die Burger's involvement in Pendoring proves that the newspaper supports the Afrikaans market and Afrikaans advertisers. "Die Burger is not only an excellent advertising vehicle, but builds Afrikaans at the same time.
"Die Burger boasts with highly affluent readers, most of whom are in the top 8-10 LSM-group, with 48% of its readers involved in the economy full-time - 32% being economically active men and more than 51% in the highly active economic age group of 25 to 49 years - providing the ideal way of reaching the 'engine' of our economy."
Immelman reckons the only way to maintain and build Afrikaans, is for the different media sectors to join forces to realise this objective.
"Hence our decision to support Pendoring, and the Awards' recognition of advertising excellence. It breaks down barriers between competitors in the Afrikaans media world and affords everybody the opportunity to celebrate successes together. Pendoring gives us, as the Afrikaans media, the opportunity to jointly have an impact on the commercial market but as individual products as well," says Immelman.
Franette Klerck, Pendoring GM says the fact that Die Burger is also backing Pendoring as a gold sponsor this year, gives these Awards even more clout to realise Pendoring's mission, namely the promotion and acknowledgement of excellent Afrikaans and South African advertising.
"It is gold sponsors like Die Burger that help to take Pendoring forward and anchor it even more securely," she stresses.
