Jonathan Donner (Microsoft Research India) at wtfmediaconf 2011.

Keeping an eye on Mercury and its retrogrades

The only red circle present at wtfmediaconf will be the speaker spot.  After a troubled 2010 conference, which was originally scheduled for the three weeks in Mercury, the planet of communication, turned retrograde.   Never again.

For those not in the know, Mercury turns retrograde three times a year.  Each period is about three weeks long.  It is a time of caution and re-evaluation, equipment will fail, misunderstandings will occur and everything seems to move at a snail’s pace if it moves forward at all.  Indeed some things will actually go backward.

The first Mercury retrograde will start its pre-retrogade period on February 27 – March 12, when retrograde proper beings, until April 4, when post-retrograde begins and live – as normal – resumes on April 23, 2012.  According to those in the know this first retrograde will bring challenges, transitions and transformation.  The second period starts with pre-retrograde on June 27 – July 13, Retrograde July 14 – August 7-8 and post-retrograde August 8 – 21.   Once again those who know more than I state this period will activate winds of change and create situations than branch out into many new directions.

With the conference scheduled for September 1, 2012 we can (fingers crossed) breathe easy.

Whoever has all the marbles wins (Wikimedia Commons)

The theme for #wtf12 is IMPACT.

The 14th annual media conference hosted by CPUT (formerly Cape Technikon) will be about the impact of technology and the impact of social media.  According to all the pundits…this year 2012 is the year that technology is going to have an impact on our lives.

Whether or not it will rival the impact of the toaster, the electric kettle, the computer, fax machine, matches, zippers, barcode, batteries, ballpoint pens, buttons, credit cards, robots, condoms, pencils, ploughs, sticky tape, telephones, thermometers, velcro, rubber bands, radios, disposable razors and the wheel remains to be seen.  But it would be wise to be reminded that although we treat these preceding items as everyday things.  They weren’t always taken for granted.  If fact, at one point in time, they were considered revolutionary and technologically advanced and cutting edge.

But not all the experts consider this impact to be good for humanity, that is the people of the world.  Jim Clifton (The Coming Jobs War) predicts that the next war will be the war for jobs.  With technology replacing people who used to have formal jobs (paycheck and 30 hrs per week meaningful work) and the world already facing a global 50% unemployment rate, whoever controls the jobs, wins the war.  And it will be a war for all the marbles according to Jim Clifton.

Melissa Attree

Melissa Attree is a marketing, social media and digitalPR consultant who is passionate about using new media tools to get consumers and brands talking.

After majoring in Journalism & Media Studies and English at Rhodes University, Melissa Attree started her professional career as a copywriter.  From there it was a logical leap to the world of marketing where she worked for 3 years developing the Eco-Vet brand and later held senior marketing and management positions at L’Oreal for 5 years.

In 2007 Melissa put her varied marketing and communication experience to good use and started GetOn eMarketing. GetOn develops social media strategies and consults to companies in an effort to bridge the offline / online link. In addition to her work for GetOn clients, Melissa is also the social media manager for 5FM, and works with Ogilvy Interactive and Ogilvy PR on social media strategy.

Melissa is a fan of gadgets, music, list writing, anything to do with advertising and branding, good wine and Jack Russells.   You will find Melissa everywhere.  @melattree on Twitter and as Melissa Attree on linkedin.  Alternatively look at http://www.melissaattree.co.za  and  http://www.geton.co.za

Craig Ross

Craig Ross is the Innovations Manager at Rlabs. He has been with RLabs since its inception in 2007 and has graduated in the world’s first Social Media for Social Change training course. Craig is the founder of Social Media Consulting, collaboration between Rlabs and Social Media Factory, which consentrate on Online Media Strategies and Social Media Recruitment Agency.

Craig has a natural research ability that allows him to always bring new ideas to the table. Outside the office, Craig volunteers his time to an organisation Impact Direct, where he provides counseling and mentoring to young men at risk.  Craig also enjoys playing football, loves the outdoors and hanging out with friends.  He is, according to those who know him, a hard worker, motivator, a take the bull by the horns type of guy, and a team player.    You can find him on twitter @craigross316

Brett StClair

Brett StClair has spent 16 years working in mobile media and advertising all over the globe – including engineering, implementing and selling mobile operator infrastructure from London to Mongolia.  After a decade in London, Brett returned to his birthplace, Johannesburg, to start his own mobile media agency.  Brett is now utilising his extensive knowledge of the South African and African mobile advertising market as Head of Mobile in South Africa for Google, Brett is also the Co-Chairman of the Mobile Marketing Association in South Africa and passionately involved in Mobile Monday Johannesburg council.  His passions are family, freedom, the frenetic buzz of developing mobile technology, fine humour and, occasionally, a round or two of golf.

Tim is a valuable contributor to the respected textbook, eMarketing: the essential guide to online marketing (first, second, third and fourth edition), is referenced in “Social Media for Dummies” and works with many local and international blue chip clients in the telecommunication, FMCG, retail, financial services, air travel, tourism and other obscure industries. Tim sits on the Services Seta Marketing Association Board and the Digital Media and Marketing Association of South Africa’s executive committee – overseeing the measurement portfolio.

In 2011 BrandsEye won the Marketing Association of the year awards (Small business category) for their ability to market themselves and in 2008, Tim spearheaded the South African Xenophobic violence social media portal, UnitedForAfrica.co.za which received both local and international acclaim.  When not poised in the online realm of eMarketing and Online Reputation Management, Tim is also a keen close-up magician and is passionate about mentorship and continual personal development.

Contact him on  Tim.shier@brandseye.com or on Twitter on @timshier

Catherine Lückhoff

Chairlady of the 2003 WTFmediaconf and now head of Brand Strategy for Bozza.mobi, Catherine Lückhoff is coming home as a speaker.  Having recently sold her shares in one of South Africa’s leading integrated communications agencies, MANGO-OMC, Catherine was head-hunted by Bozza.mobi (A Hasso Plattner Ventures funded start-up based in Cape Town) to head up the strategy for their Pan-African roll-out.

Accessed through a mobile application, Bozza is a mobihood – a mobile neighbourhood – where communities can tell their stories from the inside out. Focused on contextually relevant made-for-mobile content, Bozza is rooted in townships across Africa, allowing friends and communities to see and share life through local music, videos, photos, myhood (m-commerce platform) and more.

Catherine’s innate love for online and mobile and her constant search to perfect the new has led to her being included in the Mail & Guardian’s prestigious “200 Young South Africans” publication in 2010, and to being featured in the Topco Top Women in Business and Government 2010 edition.  She was also recently interviewed for the first Old Mutual Do Great Things Start-Up Guide.

Contact Catherine on Catherine.luckhoff@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @Cluckhoff.

Richard Mulholland

The oh so very real and a touch irreverent, Richard Mulholland kicked off his career as a rock n roll roadie, operating lights for bands such as Iron Maiden and Deff Leppard.   From there he started SA’s largest presentation firm, Missing Link, and co-founded 21Tanks, SA’s first perspective lab.
Richard is a highly regarded speaker. When not addressing many of South Africa’s top corporations, he guest lectures on courses for Vega,  the Cape Graduate School of Business (GSB), and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).  He was voted one of the Mail & Guardian’s 300 top young South Africans to take to lunch, and Destiny Man’s Top 40 South Africans under the age of 40.   As well as  blogging on www.richmulholland.com, Richard is a columnist for Longevity and Destiny Man magazines.  He has a tattoo of your Mum on his left bum cheek…!

Tim Bishop

Tim Bishop is the CTO of Prezence Digital, one of Africa’s most prominent mobile and online digital agencies, specialising in taming the complex world of digital technology and enabling brands to interactively reach out and engage with their target audiences across multiple touch-points in Africa and around the world.

With more than 16 years in the online and mobile industry, Tim spearheaded Prezence Digital UK’s expansion into South Africa in 2002 to become one of the country’s leading online and mobile creative agencies and branded interactive mobile technology experts. Tim’s focus is ‘mobile for the masses’ and has been instrumental in high profile mobile web and application developments, brand strategy and enhanced user experiences throughout Africa.

Passionate about ‘mobilising’ properly and not just ‘miniaturising’, Tim presents at International and local conferences and judges for multiple global mobile awards. When it comes to making the impossible possible on the small screen in Africa, Tim will more than likely be behind it!