Bucket Tech: OPPO Celebrates 3 Years in SA

OPPO South Africa celebrates three years in the country, a significant milestone for the tech giant that has seen its success in Asia and the Sub Continent replicated locally in Southern Africa. OPPO came into the country where other brands already had a stronghold in the market, despite this they still managed to get into the top four smartphone brands in South Africa, underlining its commitment to delivering state-of-the-art technology with accessibility at its core. 

We have hit our target to ship 1 million units within our first three years,” announces Liam Faurie, Head of Go-to-market and Operations at OPPO. This is testament to our success and growing customer base”. 

Our focus now turns to the rest of the continent as we drive innovation, accessibility, and growth. We have established a presence in neighbouring, including Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, and Lesotho. This marks our strides in bolstering our regional presence.  

OPPO's presence across all major South African mobile operators, including Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, Telkom and rain, has played a pivotal role in the brand's impressive ascent. This strategic collaboration has expanded OPPO's reach and made its innovative smartphones readily accessible to consumers from all walks of life.

Faurie underscores this achievement, stating, "OPPO's journey in South Africa has been a story of growth, powered by our dedicated team and valuable partnerships with mobile operators and channel partners who have shared our vision from day one. As we celebrate three years in South Africa, we recognise that our people and strategic alliances are the driving force behind our journey."

OPPO has become a significant employer in South Africa, offering opportunities to over 600 South Africans, a substantial contribution to addressing the country's high unemployment rates.

Empowering Aspiring Creatives and Strengthening Local Partnerships

OPPO's commitment extends beyond smartphones, as exemplified by the recent offering of 50 Reno Academy Bursaries to young women in the Amy Foundation Entrepreneurship Development Programme. The Reno Academy equips aspiring photographers, content creators, and creatives with skills to thrive in the creative industry, contributing to its overall growth.

Strategic partnerships with iconic South African entities, including Orlando Pirates, the Springboks, and SA Fashion Week, exemplify its commitment to embracing local culture and aspirations. These collaborations not only enhance brand visibility but also demonstrate the brand’s role as an integral part of South African culture.

Innovation Tailored for All Stages of Life

OPPO's product portfolio, ranging from entry-level to premium and flagship devices, reflects its commitment to ensuring that every South African, regardless of where they are in their life journey, can experience OPPO's innovation. The brand's focus goes beyond the product; it's about making a meaningful difference at every stage of the customer's life.

Setting Trends: Innovation and Excellence

OPPO continues to lead the charge in innovation with the recent launch of the OPPO Find N2 Flip, a testament to the brand's dedication to pushing boundaries. Stepping into the burgeoning foldable smartphone market, OPPO's entry has been marked by cutting-edge camera capabilities, including AI-enhanced photos and video stabilisation, setting new industry standards.

Moreover, OPPO's SuperVOOC™ flash charging technology has consistently delivered industry-defying charging speeds, ensuring users stay connected and powered up.

“As we celebrate the three-year milestone in South Africa, our vision is clear: to solidify our position as a pioneer among challenger brands in the country. Beyond smartphones, we are committed to nurturing local talent, fostering accessibility, and being a catalyst for change and progress.”, says Faurie. 

Audacia Festival

With the nations support firmly behind the Springboks after their World Cup turn around in form following the shock loss to Japan, it's safe to assume we all have Rugby World Cup fever. With the knock stages just weeks away, wouldn't it be great to celebrate with the Boks by having a festival in place enjoying all the best that SA has to offer? Well the guys at Audica Manor Boutique Hotel thought the same thing and are throwing a two day affair!

Part of the African Pride Hotel group, this unique hotel sits nestled in one of Durban's posh upmarket suburbs, with a view over looking the city, it is the ideal place to host a house party of epic proportions. The Audacia Festival will take place on the 17th and 18th of October, with craft beer and great food on offer as well as screening of the Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals and live entertainment courtesy of Rubber Duc. 

Tickets are now on sale via webtickets for R100, and R120 if you chose to buy them on the day. It's sure to be a cracker and great fun for all. So make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. Uber have also teamed up to bring you a great offer, giving new sign ups using the code "AudaciaManor' up to R150 free on their first ride to ensure you get home safely.

For more information check their twitter and facebook page. 

Twitter: @AudaciaManor

Facebook: Audacia Manor Boutique Hotel

Tsogo Sun: Fly the Flag

With just under 80 days to go to the Rugby World Cup, the country is gearing into Green and Gold fever. Last week I was invited by Tsogo Sun for the launch of their regional 'Fly The Flag' initiative. Held at Durban's Suncoast Casino, we were there to witness the start of a campaign that unify's the nations support of the Springboks in a way that has never been done before. 

Fans around the country can make their way to participating Tsogo Sun resorts to sign ribbons with messages of support to the team before they embark on their tour to the British Isles to contest in the Rugby World Cup and hopefully bring it home for a record 3rd time. These ribbons will be in place from the 24th of June till the 25th of August before they are collected an sewn together to make a 3m x 8m South African flag that will be displayed on the Montecasino Piazza.

Tsogo Sun's Director of Marketing Noeleen Bruton had this to say: "We've created a campaing that would give Springbok fans the chance to do something tangible in support of their team; to be involved in a unifying project that will no doubt be inspiring and encouraging for the Boks as they face this mighty challenge" 

A smaller replica of the flag will be handed over to the team at the Springbok send-off cereomny at Montecasino on September 11th. Tsogo Sun is the proud hotel partner of the Springbok rugby team since 1995, the year that we won the cup for the first time, 20 years on and this partnership has strengthened with Tsogo Sun announcing that they've extended this for another 3 years. 

In addition to this, Tsogo Sun have pulled out all the stops for an amazing competition that forms part of their RWC initiatives where a fan and five friends can win a weekend at the Palazzo Penthouse to watch the final game at Montecasino Boktown, as well as host of great prizes from major sponsors, simply by posting the best Springbok supporters selfie. 

Cape Town Festival of Beer

Beer festivals are becoming as common as guys selling cellphone chargers at the traffic lights, they're all the same, have the same boring theme trying to mimic the German Ocktoberfest and the selection of beer on offer is rather poor. Hence for me, there is only one true Beer Festival and that is the Cape Town Festival of Beer, being held from the 28th till the 30th of November 2014.

This year sees it running for the 5th year in succession and I've been visiting it since it's inception in 2009, bar last year due to poor organisation of a family wedding which clashed with the dates but I'm back to celebrate in the festivities. Organisers have told me that this year is going to be bigger and better with over 200 different beers on offer from local and international, micro and mega brewers. From ale's to lagers they will have it all. Some of the names to look out for are Darling Brew, &Union, CBC and one of my personal favourites, Jack Black. Some of the new comers include, Striped Horse, Brothers in Arms, Red Bridge, Just Brewing Co, Soweto Gold and Savage Brew. Interesting fact about Just Brewing Co, Kyle from there is only 19, he began brewing with his dad and after he matriculated carried on instead of heading to varsity. Obviously he knew beer was the answer to everything.

Apart from beer, there will be a host of gourmet food stalls to keep your taste buds satisfied. You can find the likes of Kitchen Cowboys, headed by Pete Goffe-Wood of Masterchef fame, Black Market Sandwiches, Wicked Waffles, La Pizzeria, El Burro (which I've heard is a must try!), Raith, Tap Room and VOD Biltong to provide the munchies. 

There is plenty of entertainment lined up for the whole weekend with Newton and Red Lettuce playing on Friday, followed by Los Taco's, The Rockerfellas and DJ Marshall on Saturday, with Rivertones and DJ Marshall bring the festival to an end on Sunday. Also there is plenty sport on the go with the big one being on Saturday when the Boks take on the Welsh, there will be plenty big screens for you to catch all the action live whilst sipping on a pint of cool refreshing beer. 

This years festival is sure to be a blast and I recommend you make the effort to come down and enjoy it, trust me when I see it's worth the hype. Tickets are available from www.webtickets.co.za, R150 for Adults and R50 for kids, if you want to book a table for 10 or more people, email: info@capetownfestivalofbeer.com for reservations and queries. Spot you there this weekend!

For more info visit: http://capetownfestivalofbeer.co.za/
Twitter: @FestOfBeer #CTFOB
Facebook: http://facebook.com/CTFOB

Date: 28th - 30th November 2013
Venue: Hammiltons Rugby Club, Greenpoint

Newton and Red Lettuce will be playing on Friday. Los Taco’s, The Rockerfellas and DJ Marshall take the stage on Saturday followed by The Rivertones and DJ Marshall on Sunday.

Bucket Babe: Irene Nell

It's the festive season and it is time to be merry, what better way to kick off things than with a Bucket Babe feature? Today's featured babe hails from the Cape and has become some what of a social media icon, as her beauty has been recognised, not only in South Africa but the world and this has gotten her thousands of followers and fans.  

Irene Nell

If one has to ask, there's many of her assets that make Irene such a stunner, her eyes will leave you mesmerised (yes I'm really talking about her eyes), her lips are probably the most seductive you've seen and her curvaceous body would have you staring for hours. Though there is more to this belter than meets the eye, she's probably one of the biggest Sharks and Springbok supporter I know and  her love for the sport is so great that she's even got her own website for fans of the game to keep up to date with the latest news and results. 

If you follow her on Twitter you would know that by now and you would also know she's a huge lover of tigers, these animals are very close to her heart and you will spot the random picture of her with the majestic creatures having fun together. Apart from that she also loves skiing, her fans might not like this one as much as she because it requires her to cover up that sexy body during that time.

Links

Twitter: @IreneNell

Instagram: IreneNell
Website: www.betweentherucks.com

Q&A

1. Hot girls and hot cars go hand in hand, what ride would you like to see yourself in?

• I'm not the greedy type, so I will settle for the Aston Martin One-77.- I foresee a steamy photoshoot opportunity here!

2. What sandwich are you most likely to make for me? and will it be toasted or plain?

• Definitely a Bourbon steak sandwich with roasted peppers, tarragon mayonnaise on crusty ciabatta (slightly toasted). - My mouth is watering!

3. What type of music gets your booty shaking?

• Depends on my mood but I love House music. Any music is cool except for Country Music. - Not a fan of it either!

4. Everyone loves popcorn (well I think they do) what is your topping/ sprinkle of choice?

• Salt & vinegar and caramel, you gotta try this! Taste bud explosion in your mouth! - I'm the adventurous type so I'll give it a go!

5. If I met you at a bar and offered to buy you a drink, what would it be?

• I'm a cocktail kinda girl, so something like a Strawberry Daiquiri or a Pina Colada. - *makes note*

6. Anyone holding that hand or is it available? 

• I have a wonderful man - Lucky guy!

7. Obviously being a female you would love fashion, favourite label/ designer?

• I love D&G and Guess.

8. You're a big fan of rugby and a massive Sharks supporter, who are the players that you have your eye on the most?

• Pieter Steph du Toit and Frans Steyn.

9. What do you think of the Sharks chances in next seasons Super Rugby competition?

• The upward curve in the Currie cup and the new management with Jake at the steer definitely makes me excited for the upcoming SR. I think we will make the play-offs and top 2 in the SA conference.

10. Which city is your dream party destination?

• Without a doubt, St Tropez!

                ALL PICTURES FEATURED IN THIS POST, TAKEN BY INNOVATE PHOTO

The Great White

On Monday the Sharks confirmed the the appointment of world cup winning coach Jake White as director of rugby at the franchise. Ever since his sudden departure from the Brumbies, his future was under immense speculation with rumours of him joining either the Sharks or Western Province Rugby Union, after much teasing in the media by Sharks CEO John Smit it was finally announced that he had joined the east coast franchise.

Now Smit and White shared a successful time at Springbok level so we know this partnership works. Jake's record speaks for itself when it comes to his past accomplishments and with Smit at the helm he will oversee that things are done the way he has planned on. When Smit took over at the Sharks he did make some drastic changes especially to the coaching staff and many didn't know what to think of it. Most of the loyal supporters back the decisions made, after all Smit was our golden boy, he led the team to some incredible wins and success in the Currie Cup more than once, who wasn't going to trust him right?

Well their faith has been repaid with the team head by Brendan Venter are currently sitting pretty on top of the Currie Cup log. With the team doing well and getting results, one might ask was there really a need for Jake White? Well in short, yes , like I said earlier, Smit has been loyal to the Sharks for most of his playing career with only a stint in Europe that saw him stray away from the Sharks. Smit also tasted victory in every competition bar one, the Super Rugby tournament. He like every other die hard Sharks fan wants nothing more than to see the black and white lift that trophy which has eluded us for all these years.

The Sharks have reached many finals since the competitions inception but have never succeeded in winning it. All finals that the team reached were better left forgotten, none more than the one in 2007, on our home ground, in front our faithful supporters with barely a minute to go, the title was ripped away from us by foul play and shoddy refereeing but as they say we can't cry over spilt milk. White has proven at the Brumbies he has the potential to guide a side through the tough competition by reaching the finals with the team just in one season. Impressive doesn't even come close to the word one can describe that feat. 

Now I'm not saying that next season the Sharks will win the Super Rugby tournament but this appointment does set in a motion a long term plan set by the team to mould this side into a title winning one. If White and Smit can accomplish what they set out to do, the Sharks could be, if not already one of the most feared sides in rugby. Its not something we're used to seeing in SA rugby but something that is common in New Zealand which is why they've been successful for so many years. One thing is for sure, the future is bright.

Think before you blow!

I normally blog about football and my team Liverpool which I love very dearly, this time however I decided to blog about another sport that I am very fond of, rugby. For many it was the 1995 Rugby World Cup that got people into the sport but for me it was the 1992 Currie Cup final, which was contested between Transvaal and Natal at Ellis Park, the Banana Boys (Natal), as they were known back then scraped the nail biter game 14-13 to lift the trophy. Ever since then my fascination with the sport grew. 

Fastforward to present day, the Rugby Championship is probably the biggest competition apart from the World Cup, fair enough the 6 Nations does deserve some credit but when you have 3 out of the top 5 teams playing in one competition, its very difficult to argue otherwise. Many including myself never knew what to expect from this competition from the Springboks, the incoming tour was a good one but it didnt give us a clear indication on what we could expect from Heyneke and the boys. The first two fixtures against Argentina saw two very different performances from the Boks so when they eventually toured down under, the game against Australia was crucial. We ended up smashing them securing a bonus point win and thus setting up the mother of all show downs at Eden Park against New Zealand. 

Now I know Springboks have a history with bad referee's and to be totally honest I wasn't that phased with the IRB selection of Romain Poite, yes Nothern Hemisphere game play differs slightly from Southern but you'd think that he would be able to conduct play in a manner fit for such a big game. He almost had me convinced after the first major call in the game when Kieren Read went over to score the first try of the game, Poite was positioned well to see the grounding but but requested the TMO to check if there was any incidednts leading up to the try being scored. The move itself from the All Blacks was really slick and executed almost to perfection and really there was no problem with it. 

Just when I thought my assumptions that Poite could handle this game were true, he goes and proves me wrong. No denying that the major turning point in the game was the the first yellow card shown to Bismark. It was a crunching tackle on Dan Carter which saw him land awkwardly and damage his shoulder, subsequently he had to be replaced. Now Mr Poite chose to stop play and ask for the TMO to have a look, replays were shown on the big screen for the whole stadium to see, after a chat to the TMO Romain took it on himself to declare that Bismark did not use his hands in the tackle and hit the player high and then brandished the yellow card. 

The stupidness of this decision sent mine and every other South Africans blood pressure up. Bismark and Jean de Villiers both bemused had to accept the ref's punishment. The question I want to raise is, why call for the TMO but not ask him something you were not clear about? Secondly, I'm sure the refs arent barred from watching replays on the big screen. They can over rule the TMO so surely if they see the replay on the big screen, they can change their mind about what they initially thought? This does nothing more than shine a bad light onto the IRB and their referee selection policy. 

Skip to the second half which saw Bismark take the field all for 6 minutes, he took delivery of the ball and ran into Liam Messam, going into the tackle with his forearm raised to protect the ball and try to block off the player as one does. Now your hand wont really stay where it was during a collision so it did slip up and catch the Messam in the throat. Romain once again summoned for help, this time from one of his touch judges, the claim was that du Plessis went in with his elbow but replays clearly show the forearm, secondly he went in at the right height but during contact the arm did move to the throat area. Nothing much was needed for Romain so a second yellow it was for Bismark. 

It was a massive call as we don't see many red cards being dished out in rugby and when you have a big game like this on hand, you don't want to destroy the game by giving another team an advantage. Like John Mitchell said after the game, you have people paying premium for these matches expecting an excellent quality game, yet you get an inexperienced ref making howlers left, right and centre! Fair enough majority of the crowd that day would have liked to see NZ having a man advantage over the Boks but then again they boo'd a lot which proved they're idiots. No one was left more furious than Nick Mallet, the guy was waiting to explode and it was probably a good thing that Supersport made him speak last because I'm sure he had a few choice words like many did at the time for Mr Poite.

After the uproar, the IRB overturned the first yellow card shown to Bismark thus cancelled the red card and the ban. Romain apologised and said it was a mistake. No that wasn't a mistake, a mistake is when you put you wipers on instead of your indicators, a mistake is forgetting to switch close the tap! Can "mistakes" really be tolerated in this form of the game? This isn't Craven week. There is a lot at stake and I feel if the players are professional enough to do their job than so should the referee's. I said that many times with football as well, sure there is human error but bottom line, professionals can't use that as an excuse when make such high profile blunders.

The Springboks return home to start their final leg of the tour which includes games against Australia and New Zealand, they still can clinch the title but it wont be an easy task, lets hope we getting better officials for those game in hand!

Castle Super Fan Experience

On Saturday I was fortunate to be invited to the Castle Super Fan Experience at Growth Point Kings Park. It was a day that was very special for SA Rugby as it was the first time that a single venue hosted two international games on the same day. Durban crowds were in for a treat as the first game was between Scotland and Samoa which was followed by South Africa vs Italy.

The Castle Super Fan Experience provided us with the opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes. When we watch the game at home, we often take for granted what actually needs to be done in order for us to receive the game to our screens. The tour kicked off early on Saturday morning at Berea Rovers Pub, where there was a brief meet and greet with the sponsors and other winners thereafter we were handed some pretty cool merchandise from Castle.

After grabbing a refreshment we made our way to the stadium where we were greeted by Supersport commentator, Matthew Pearce. Being a familiar voice on TV, Pearce is the lead English rugby commentator for Supersport. He gave us a run down on what to expect on the tour as well as warned us that we were entering an active stadium environment so to be wary of our surroundings. 

I've been Kings Park many times to cheer on the Sharks and Springboks being allowed to enter via the pitch gave me goosebumps. Having that view of the stadium as you walk in, seeing the immaculate turf in touching distance and very aptly the singers were practising the South African national anthem, it made the moment very surreal. As we walked towards the players tunnel, many familiar faces were spotted including that of former Sharks and Bok flyhalf Butch James. 

Making our way down the players tunnel was another special moment, thinking about how many legends of the game made their way down that very passage to lead teams in victory and defeat, there was a lot of history there. We then made our way up to the media lounge where Matthew then showed us the commentary booth that he shared with his co-commentator former Bok, Bob Skinstad. I was surprised at how small the booth was, the two of them barely fit inside! From there we learnt about how they prepare for each game, how they keep in contact with the director as well as some trade secrets about the game. 

There was a Q and A session that followed with Matthew and Bobby, where we were allowed to quiz them on their experiences as well as special moments in games that they've commentated or in Bobby's case, played in. 

Supersport then allowed us to take a walk through their HD truck which was brought form Joburg for the game. Impressive is an understated when describing the R104 million Mobile studio, it has more screens than mission control in NASA! The director has 26 cameras to view and has to decide which ones to broadcast and what angles to show all the time. I can hardly concentrate on two, so seeing the task that he has to undertake is just mind blowing and with millions of viewers the margin for error is very small. 

Like I said at the beginning, we almost take it for granted when we watch live sports on the TV but after learning what goes on behind the scenes and the preparations, planning and skill required to pull off a smooth broadcast, one has to take your hat off to the guys that do it week after week. 

Photography by Al Nicholl and myself.