I’ve just had word from one of my sponsors, Web Africa, that they’ve just launched a sexy new business offering set to rival all local internet service providers.

“The Business Uncapped product offers Uncapped ADSL from R299 per month, and now includes, at no extra cost, a .co.za domain, a web hosting package with unlimited traffic and a R400 Google AdWords voucher. In addition, each Business Uncapped subscriber has access to Expert Support in which service queries are handled by only the most experienced call centre agents.”

Nice.

For the full down-low and all the deets you need, click here.

brandslut xoxo

A while ago I blogged about SAB’s great new initiative, No Regret Friday. With all the fun and festivity surrounding the Rugby World Cup, I thought I should share the video [above]. A little wake-up call, if you will. The kind folk at SAB have offered a Good Fellas Smarty 25 subscription to one lucky Brandslut reader. All you need to do is comment on this post by Friday, telling me how drinking and driving has affected your life. You can write this anonymously if you’d like, just be sure to include your correct e-mail address so I can contact you if you’ve won – this won’t be displayed. Easy peasy lemon squeasy. No Regret Friday would like to use these testimonials on their website to drive home this important message. See what I did there?

Let’s make every day No Regret Day. Don’t drink and drive. Ever.

Keep it safe and sexy y’all.

brandslut xoxo

Your good deed for the day is as simple as SMSing Japan to 36585. If you’re reading this now you have access to electricity, running water, food, shelter, your belongings and support - something that hundreds of thousands of Japanese do not. For the simple cost of one SMS (R5), you can help alleviate the devastation in Japan through Rescue SA. Keep updated on Rescue SA’s work in Japan on Twitter here.

“Rescue SA is a non-government organisation whose purpose is to provide disaster relief and response to rescue operations and mass casualty both locally and internationally. They are South Africa’s International Disaster and Urban Search and Rescue Team and the official South African Disaster Response Team made up of volunteer emergency response specialists from the South African public and private sector emergency and ancillary services.

The 40-member Rescue SA team was drawn from emergency services across the country and includes 10 doctors and paramedics who left for Tokyo on the 15th of March with 15 tons of equipment, and 1200litres of water, to join aid workers and rescue teams from around the world that have responded to the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.”

Do it.

brandslut xoxo

I’ve clearly been spending too much time under my rock because I’ve only just found out about Pick n Pay Travel. Gutted. Am I the only person out of the red, white and blue loop? The Bad Boys at PnP have clearly upped their game of late - first ‘The Mecca’ (aka the flagship, PnP on Nicol, retail p*rn) and now this!

Pick n Pay Travel is the retail giant’s new online travel agency, complete with flight scanning functionality, last minutes deals (nice), accommodation, car hire, visa assistance etc. – there’s even an eco-friendly package option.  These are the reasons listed to use PnP Travel:

• Compare all airlines
• Save money with great fares
• Comprehensive car hire options
• Over 30 000 hotels in South Africa
• The widest choice of packages
• Best price guarantee

Could this be South Africa’s answer to www.lastminute.com? I certainly hope so.

brandslut xoxo

Here’s my before and after, with no make-up applied in either photograph…

Before

After - boom!

How ridonculous are those results?!

To get yourself a set of these Bad Boys for only R300, contact Glynne Mitchell (owner and beautician) at Aura Skincare on 011 442 3927 or 071 889 8572 – www.auraskincare.co.za

Yours in all things fabulash,

brandslut xoxo

The Nike + Sportband of Awesomeness

A little while ago I asked the Twitterverse for recommendations on the latest/greatest technology to measure and record runs. Yes, 2011 is my Year of the Beast and I will transform this body into a running machine. 80% of those who answered my plea suggested Nike +, so off I skipped to the new Nike concept store in Sandton to find out more. I left 20 minutes later with a shiny new Nike Plus Sportband, the grey and yellow one. PS, the service was outstanding.

Being a Running Machine in Training, I wasn’t prepared to drop a couple of gorillas on the Garmins and Polars of this world which are simply too expensive and complicated for me right now.  At a cool R599, the Nike + Sportband left me with absolutely no post purchase dissonance and I hurried home to charge her for my debut run.

The system works like this, courtesy of NikeBlog…

“For those of you who always wanted to join the legions of Nike+ users, but didn’t feel up to investing the hundreds of dollars into an iPod Nano, iTouch or iPhone, your prayers have been answered: Nike has officially introduced the Nike+ Sportband. The Sportband works with the Nike+ sensor, just like the iPod’s do, to monitor a runner’s time, pace, calories and distance, as well as tracking overall progress toward a larger goal or program. And of course Nike+ still works with the iPods, for those who also enjoy a little music or don’t feel like plunking down the $59 the SportBand will run.”

As I don’t have an iPod Nano (I’m old-school like that and my pink iPod Mini, the original, isn’t compatible with the Nike technology), I opted for the Sportband. It’s a neat little watch-like device that monitors time, distance, calories burned, pace and doubles up as a watch. The screen snaps out and can be plugged straight into your computor’s USB port where you connect to www.nikeplus.com to track your progress online:

“Accompanying the launch of the Nike+ SportBand is the news that NikePlus.com has now merged with NikeRunning.com, bringing the more-than-2-million plus users a plethora of new features, including a fully customizable homepage, improved challenges and integration with a user’s favorite social networking website, allowing Nike+ users to meet new running partners and share their progress publicly.”

The watch works with a little chip which you insert into your shoe. You’re advised to buy the Nike running shoes with the special compartment for your chip, however I wasn’t prepared to do this so I created my own version by inserting the chip into the tongue of my current running shoes and this works perfectly. Yes, I’m also thrifty like that.

It’s really easy to use, straight-forward and fun. I’ve set myself some basic goals on my NikePlus profile online and I’m on my way to achieving them.

Marathon, anyone?

brandslut xoxo

Bad meerkat!

After months of putting off the unavoidable trip  to Vodacare to upgrade my BlackBerry software, I finally bit the bullet yesterday. A BlackBerry software upgrade is relatively straight-forward and can typically be executed from the comfort of your own home. But you see,  my 10 year old Apple PowerBook isn’t playing ball, bless her, and I was forced to make the journey to the Dark Side.

I left Vodacare Sandton feelting frustrated and disgruntled, here’s why…

Thank you for inspiring me on a monthly basis and for the visual feast you provide. But please, pretty please, improve your online subscription facility. It’s 2010, a couple of weeks before Christmas and you offer no online ordering facility. Now, I know the silly season is upon us, but this is just plain silly. In order to subscribe I need to SMS (nah) or e-mail (sigh) and I opt for the latter. The poor sod who has to process orders manually is on training and receiving an Out of Office message when I want to order now is just not good enough.

You’ve realised the value of social media which is great, but what’s the use in enticing brand supporters to become Facebook fans with a nice subscription discount carrot without an online ordering facility? It feels to me as though you’re putting the proverbial cart before the horse.

I’ve just treated the lovely ladies in my life to Christmas gift subscriptions and I would have liked to include Elle Decor as a stocking stuffer too. Hopefully next year ordering will be simple and straight forward, like that of your competition.

brandslut x0x0

I’m contemplating making myself a countdown worm to the start of the holidays. Screw Christmas, I just want beach, book and bed. This time of year is stupid-festive and seventeen Christmas parties down I’m officially shattered. Along with all the merriment comes Champagne and mojitos and sif things like Patron and the last thing you want to contemplate is DUI, or equally as bad, an unreliable/dodgy/smelly taxi driver.

My fabulous PR Ladies hit Madame Zingara last night and instead of using Goodfellas to get home safely, they opted for Cabs For Women (CFW), endorsed by First For Women Insurance. I hadn’t heard of CFW as I’d been living in London upon launch but turns out The PR Ladies use it all the time and swear by it. I’ve only used Goodfellas which are fine if you’re organised, but spontaneous plans often lead to frustration and having to take a lil’ nap on the bar counter whilst waiting for them to arrive. I know this is naughty, but on a few occasions we’ve waited so long that we’ve ‘sobered up’ and driven home ourselves anyway. The intention was pure, okay.

SO, I’ve done some homework on Cabs For Women and this is the vibe in a nutshell:

“Cabs for Women, launched in 2008, is a metered cab service owned by women – and driven only by women. All its cab drivers have professional driving permits; and Cabs for Women vehicles are fitted with GPS tracking and route planning devices so passengers know where they are and where they are going. What’s more, Cabs for Women’s 24-hour call centre has full visibility of the cabs at all times and every cab is equipped with a meter so that pricing is transparent and consistent.”

This appeals to me, especially if I’m out with only my girlfriends. The last taxi driver I had in Cape Town had a quart between his legs. Unfortunately I only noticed this when I got home. Sis.

First For Women policy-holders get a 5% discount (0861 743 222) and you can reach CFW 24 hours a day on 0861 77777 8.

Done.

Oh, and you get picked up in this…

Spice.

Be safe ladies,

brandslut xoxo

Forever New has recently opened its doors on South African shores and I, like many, am elated. The clothing is beautiful, feminine and reasonably priced and it’s great to have an alternative to Country Road and the rest. I had a little spendgasm at the new Rosebank branch a couple weeks back and after much parading and posing in the comfort of my own lair, I decided to return one of the items I’d purchased. And this is where it starts to unravel.

Return Attempt #1: I wait for 20 minutes while the sales assistant deals with a disgruntled customer on the phone. I’m eventually asked to return another time as there is no manager in the store to facilitate the transaction (I’ve been offered a voucher as cash refunds aren’t offered, I gladly accept). Lunch break no. 1 wasted.

Return Attempt #2: I return later on in the day (the same day as attempt #1), assuming that enough time between visits has lapsed to ensure the presence of a manager. As my mother always used to say, “Assumption is the mother of all f*** ups”. She was right. No manager, and it takes the shop assistant about 15 minutes to tell me this. A-mazing.

Return Attempt#3: A week has now lapsed since my previous attempts. Surely a week is enough time to allow this elusive manager the time to make it back into the store? Ding ding ding! And she’s in. They recognise me immediately, talk amongst themselves and then turn to me and say, “We’re out of stock of vouchers”.  I maintain my calm and politely ask when they anticipate their arrival. “We don’t know, we’ve been waiting for a week already, so it should be soon”. Lunch break no. 2 wasted.

So, this is why I’m frustrated…

1. Why does a brand new store not have a manager present?
2. Why does a brand new store not have an assistant manager present, or an alternative way of authorising returns in the absence of a manager?
3. Why does a brand new store have no voucher stock? At Christmas time for Cripes sake!
4. How long does it take to replenish voucher stock? Surely no more than a week.
5. Don’t ask me to return later on in the day when you cannot deal with my request later on in the day.
6. The 4 members of staff I’ve encountered have been sweet and polite I suppose, but their general customer service skills have left a lot to be desired.
7. After 3 return attempts I still have no voucher.

I don’t think I’m being an unreasonable customer, am I? After all, once-upon-a-time in my career I was the sod who had to field the calls of disgruntled Starbucks customers complaining about not having enough drizzles of caramel on top of their macchiatos. C’mon Forever New, pull your sweet little lace socks up. Selling pretty products isn’t enough. For a new brand with a big impression to make in this market, I’m unimpressed.

brandslut xoxo