27 November 2009
	PROFILE NOTA BENE

Type of agency Media Telephone (011) 582-6200 Website www.notabene.co.za Key person Ryan Williams, MD Ownership WPP (Int) 70%; Memeza BEE 30% Black equity 30% Accounts gained 2 Accounts lost 3 Clients 31 Staff 53 Biggest clients - Unilever, Vodacom, Nedbank, Brandhouse, Edcon On the face of it, a disappointing year, with more accounts lost than gained. Except that Vodacom alone, at R445m in billings, is worth more than three times the losses - Virgin Mobile, Sasol and Blinck Mobile - combined. Two Roger Garlick awards - a gold and grand prix - underline the agency's reputation for innovation. Williams, though, says it's time to place more focus on measurable results of media campaigns. An example of that emphasis last year was the campaign to increase demand for Axe deodorant among young urban blacks. Features included the launch of two music tracks by a girl band called The Cheesegirls. Williams says the return on publicity was 22 times the investment - Axe's market share target was reached a year early. The agency's rebranded activation business, Nota Bene Access, now accounts for 10% of total revenue.