MTI bitcoin

What people are saying about MTI (Mirror Trade International) and its business of growing its members’ Bitcoin.

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When I joined MTI as a member at the beginning of this year, I did so after doing as much of a due diligence as I could. Why so? Because frankly, I had grown tired of losing money through all the scams and dubious business opportunities online.

Just prior to joining, I joined every MTI webinar and Zoom call going in an effort to get a sense of what I was about to get into; to see who was behind it: to see the support structures: to ask questions.

And what I found is that the guys at the top of MTI were much like me ie decent, honest types who had had enough of being ripped off by scammers and Ponzi schemes and who were in search of something they could call “home” – a business they could control and make decisions over. At the end of the day, it was the quality, transparency and honesty of the MTI management team that led to my decision to join. That, and the incredible returns that MTI were delivering its members…

After funding my Trading pool with Bitcoin (MTI trades the forex markets using Bitcoin as a base currency, so funding one’s trading pool with Bitcoin is a prerequisite for all members), I started to speak with a few family friends and colleagues with a view to interesting them in the MTI business opportunity.

More than one of them pointed out the negative write-ups on the internet about MTI, and its founder and CEO, Johann Steynburg. My first reaction upon reading these articles was dismay. Had I made an error in joining yet another “scam”, led by yet another “scammer”?

That was back in February. By March, I was able to proclaim without any doubt that MTI was as legitimate a company as they come, and that Johann Steynburg was just another guy who had previously fallen victim to scams like the rest of us.

Amongst the write ups on the internet were claims that Johann was the brains behind failed online platforms Syntek and Kipi, and was responsible for people losing their money. Another allegation was that Johann was not a trader, not experienced in trading, and therefore had no right getting people into forex trading.

Allow me to hit these two allegations on the head:

Johann WAS involved in Syntek and Kipi, and to my knowledge, had built large teams in both. He openly attests to this. But to allege that he was responsible for people’s losses is taking things a bit far. He was a member in both businesses, NOT the owner or the Founder, so when Syntek and Kipi both folded, he lost as much as the people he introduced to these businesses (very likely, a lot more). So, to my understanding – and forgive me if I have my facts wrong as I was not involved in either of these businesses – he was a victim, and not a perpetrator.

We ALL make mistakes. I, for example, joined a Bitcoin mining operation called Bitclub Network in 2015 and over the 4 or 5 years of its existence, built a sizeable team. Not in my wildest dreams did I foresee the day that the Bitclub Network founders would suddenly decide to get greedy and pocket the money that was paid to them for the purchase of Bitcoin mining equipment – losing myself and my team members their money. As disastrous as this was, we were victims. Being a member of something that didn’t work out doesn’t make you a scammer!

The second allegation, pertaining to Johann’s lack of forex trading experience and resultantly, his disqualification from promoting a forex trading business, is quite frankly, ridiculous.

Sir Richard Branson started Virgin Atlantic, and yet, he is not a pilot. Does this disqualify him from starting an airline?

By his own admission, Johann attests to being a novice trader, and not a very good one at that.

Whilst I have never met Johann Steynberg, and am certainly no apologist for him, the person who introduced me to MTI HAS met him, asked him all the hard questions, and gave him an unequivocal “thumbs-up” following their meeting. In his opinion, Johann is a really nice guy: a programmer, quiet, unassuming, honest and with absolutely nothing to hide.

I found these to be the sentiments of a number of other people, who have known Johann for many years.

If you click on this link below, you can hear what they have to say:

Now, whilst it’s absolutely in order to do a Google search on Mirror Trading International (MTI as it is commonly called), and to type in “Is MTI a scam or ponzi scheme?” or “Is Johann Steynburg a scammer”, it is hugely important not to believe everything you read. Bear in mind that ANYONE can write negatively on ANYTHING on the internet, so some of what you read can and should be taken with a large pinch of salt. For it is a fact that bloggers make a habit of writing articles entitled eg “Is MTI a scam?”, “Is Amway a Ponzi scheme?” “Is World Ventures a pyramid scheme”, KNOWING that these type of questions are the most often-asked, and KNOWING that these type of articles are typically pushed to the top of Page 1 by Google…

(I’m an experienced copywriter and blogger myself, so I know what I’m talking about).

The advice I would give to anyone doing research prior to getting involved in a business venture – MTI or other – is to get onto a webinar, or attend a presentation. By doing so, you will get a FAR better sense of what you’re getting into. Believing what you read on the internet and making a decision based on what you read on the internet is not the way to go about a due diligence!

In the five months or so that I’ve been a member of MTI, I’ve brought a number of people into this excellent business and have taken the opportunity of asking them to provide an HONEST appraisal of their experiences thus far. Here is what they say:

“After doing my due diligence and research into MTI as a company, the CEO and the broker that they trade through, I am very confident in the business model and delighted to see my Bitcoin growing daily. The accessibility of my funds allowing me to withdraw at any time I choose is obviously a major plus. More than happy!“ Dirk, Johannesburg

“I investigated MTI for 10 weeks before deciding to jump in. Just the best decision EVER. No lock in period, no fees, no packages, withdraw funds anytime..and totally transparent. There’s nothing not to like! “ Thinus, Cape Town

“Mirror Trading International is the most transparent company I have ever come across. The way they show you all the calculations and statements is just amazing. What they say is what you get. This is a life changing opportunity!” “ Kyle, Johannesburg

“A good, honest bunch of people – transparent and always available to comprehensively engage with on any level“ Sally, Bryanston

“Very happy with MTI’s support. Other companies could learn a thing or two from them! Very transparent in terms of earnings etc….” Johan, Cape Town

“A friend of ours, who has a Masters degree in Economics, investigated MTI on our recommendation and reverted back with her intention to join. As a registered financial advisor, she understands that alternative ways to invest money in the future is essential…” Pieter, CT

“What an awesome investment. Its returns are realistic and no get rich quick scheme. MTI members don’t just want to sign u up and get your money. They will empower you with valuable information and understanding about the company first” “ Grace, Northern Cape

“I like the idea of withdrawals anytime with MTI, no lock in” Lucky, Eastern Cape

“Now that I’m seeing the monthly returns, I understand why it makes no sense to leave one’s Bitcoin in a Bitcoin wallet. It doesn’t grow sitting in a Bitcoin wallet. This company, MTI, grows your Bitcoin…so a no-brainer for me“ Nathaniel, KZN

“One of the things I really like about MTI is their Support. If there is something we’re unsure of we ask and get answered almost immediately…” Damon, Gauteng

“I’ve only been a member for a short while but it is hugely exciting seeing my Bitcoin grow. I’m a big fan!” Levi, Johannesburg

“MTI is on the right track and I thank the leadership for creating this company. May it grow to change more and more people’s lives…” Simphiwe, Gauteng

“Like many people, the current bleak economic situation globally is very scary to me and my family, although I am fortunate enough to still be working. I have just joined MTI and I am excited to grow my business and start increasing my Bitcoin reserves, as I no longer have faith in the current financial system to provide me with the financial freedom I am looking for. If we are willing to change our mindsets about having a job and earning a salary as the only means of supporting ourselves and our families, or relying on traditional investments eg the stock market and property, opportunities like the one offered by MTI are definitely worth looking at. I am excited!!” Debbie, Johannesburg

These are views of people IN the business. Not from people OUTSIDE the business who base their opinions on subjectivity and often times, hearsay.

Personally, if I were looking to join MTI and entrust the company to grow my Bitcoin, I would ask people in the business what it’s like to be IN the business.

About MTI, the business:

A registered South African company with a Support office in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, MTI’s sole aim is to grow one’s Bitcoin. This it does by trading the forex markets on behalf of its members using Bitcoin as a base currency, through advanced AI software exclusive to the company.
Mirror Trading International has been in business for a year and has grown from a handful of members (mostly family members and friends) to a company with a good 34 000 members from around the world.

The company caters for two types of people:

Those who just want to put in their bitcoin and do nothing further.

Those who want to put in their Bitcoin and then, introduce others with a view to building a business.

Regardless, the company aims to grow the Bitcoin of all its members, and has succeeded wildly in this regard. In the 12 months of its existence, MTI has shown a profit every single day and on average, delivers returns of approximately 0,5% per day. Trading 5 days a week with daily returns of this average sees the company deliver returns of approximately 10% per month. COMPOUNDED. (Expected, NOT guaranteed).

The company’s business model has been found to be low risk and sustainable due the fact that if the company does not make a profit on any given day, members do not get paid.

MTI is a solid and proven business and superb business opportunity and anyone with Bitcoin (or with the funds to purchase Bitcoin) would do well to join. Or, at the very least, to get onto an MTI webinar.
My opinion only, of course….

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic co-administers a cryptocurrency-related advisory service called Captains in Crypto. See www.captainsincrypto.co.za He is also an active and passionate member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa. He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI or details pertaining to MTI webinars and training sessions are welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

What kind of a network marketing or affiliate marketing opportunity is MTI, anyway?

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In truth, an unconventional one.

Unconventional in that:

It has no “packages”
It charges no monthly autoships
It charges nothing to withdraw or deposit
It has no hidden costs or fees
There are no lock-in periods
There is no requirement to buy anything.

In fact, there’s no requirement to “recruit” either.

The fact that most members DO “recruit” (I’m not a fan of the word, by the way..) is besides the point. Building an MTI business is entirely optional and MTI as a company does NOT need new members.

As all profits and income come from trading and NOT from new members joining, it is totally self-sustaining and sustainable as a business.

To those not familiar with MTI (Mirror Trading International as the company is officially known), MTI trades the forex markets using Bitcoin as a base currency.

It’s a registered South African company with a Support office in Stellenbosch – and its sole objective is to grow the Bitcoin of its members. It does this by trading the forex markets with Bitcoin through the use of managed advanced AI software that is exclusive to the company.
As a company, MTI has been in business for 12 months now and has grown from just a few people (mostly family members and friends) to something approaching 35 000 members from all over the world.

The membership comprises two categories of people:

Those who want to put in their bitcoin and do nothing further
Those who want to put in their Bitcoin and then, introduce others with a view to building an MTI business.

In the year that it’s been in existence, MTI has – astonishingly – shown a profit every single day and on average, delivers a return of approximately 0,5% per day. With it trading Monday to Friday, the company is delivering returns of approximately 10% per month.

Returns are COMPOUNDED, daily…and if you are unaware of how compounded interest works, you may want to do a google search. Suffice to say, but Compounded Interest is often called the 8th Wonder of the World..and in the case of MTI, it surely is. (What the amount of bitcoin you COULD have after a few years is simply staggering!!)

MTI’s business model has been found to be low risk and sustainable due the fact that if the company does not make a profit on any given day, members do not get paid. (This is something that has not happened during the last 12 months although that’s not to say that it won’t have days in the future that it won’t make a profit!!)

To network marketers, MTI ticks all the boxes.

As mentioned above, there are no “packages” to sell. There are no monthly autoships (good news for those who dislike autoships that see so many people falling out of network marketing!), there are no hidden fees or charges, there are no lock-in periods in which one cannot withdraw funds, there are no charges for withdrawals or deposits, and there is no need to spend anything over and above your initial investment.

I have been in a number of network marketing or affiliate marketing businesses over the years, and without naming them, the majority of them make the mistake of putting onerous conditions on their members (affiliates).

Examples: you HAVE to buy Book X or Book Y to learn network marketing techniques or scripts. You HAVE to work your WARM list. You HAVE to draw up a list of 200 people to canvass. You HAVE to attend evening webinars.
You HAVE to get prospects onto 3-way calls with your upline sponsor.
You HAVE to buy a book of tickets to sell to prospects to attend the next live presentation. You HAVE to buy a ticket to attend the annual Network Marketing Professional event in Las Vegas. You HAVE to subscribe to an automated online system to generate leads…

I could go on and on, but if you are into network marketing, you’ll get the gist..

Now, whilst I have no qualms about network marketing and “professionalising” the industry, not everyone venturing into the network marketing space and joining  a network marketing opportunity, likes this aspect of the business…where “if you don’t do the following, you won’t succeed..”

I certainly don’t like this aspect of network marketing. And I would not expect anyone joining a business that I’m involved in to do what I don’t do.

I adopt the view that if someone joins my business (my MTI business for example) and decides to go to sleep for the next 5 years and do absolutely nothing, well, that would be his or her right to do so! I would clearly not endorse such an approach, but we are all adults, and we make adult choices. Bottom line: it’s your business and you do what you want with it…knowing that I would be there for that person if he or she decided to get active. What I wouldn’t do is berate them for not getting onto webinars, not buying tickets for presentations, not buying books and not flying overseas to rub shoulders with the world’s leading network marketing professionals..

MTI is great when it comes to the onus it puts on its members. It puts zero pressure on anyone. If you want to get on webinars, it’s cool. If you want to attend training, it’s cool too. It’s your choice and you do what you want to do…so long as you abide by the rules of the company, and so long as you don’t make any untrue claims or promises, so long as you act ethically and honestly. In its webinars, it makes it 100% clear that the network marketing component of the business is ENTIRELY OPTIONAL.

If you want to only open an account and put in your Bitcoin with a view to letting the company grow your Bitcoin for you, then that’s absolutely fine.
And if you want to introduce others with a view to benefitting from additional revenue streams and building your business, then that’s absolutely fine too.

You will not find the leadership in MTI asking you to buy books or tickets, and you will not find the leadership in MTI demanding that you get prospects onto webinars or Training events. You are treated like an adult and left to your own devices. You are in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

(On this note, let me say that MTI’s support is superb. And far better than I’ve experienced in any other online business!) Once you’ve opened an account, you’re added to the MTI Telegram group in which you can ask any questions and expect an almost immediate response.

MTI is above all, a FAMILY and this is something you will feel after joining – assuming that you’d LIKE to join, of course.

One very important difference between the MTI business opportunity and other business opportunities is its product. Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a high interest product.

Network marketers are drawn to MTI because they believe in Bitcoin, have Bitcoin or have the funds to buy Bitcoin. This is not another provider of lotions and potions, or holidays, where one is paid commissions on sales or referrals.

This is a business that helps people get back on their feet. FINANCIALLY.

As of today, there are approximately 34 000 MTI members globally. The next time you read a blog from me, there will probably be 36 000 members, 38 000 members, 40 000 members…..or more.

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic co-administers a cryptocurrency-related advisory service called Captains in Crypto. See www.captainsincrypto.co.za He is also an active and passionate member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa. He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI or details pertaining to MTI webinars and training sessions are welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

How to max out the MTI compensation plan?

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In the less than 6 months that I’ve been in MTI (a registered South African company, trading the forex markets with Bitcoin), I’ve been absolutely astounded by the potential earnings.

Compared to other network marketing (affiliate marketing) businesses that I’ve been involved in, MTI’s compensation plan is incredible. And more importantly, it doesn’t require an MBA (Honours) to understand it,
and it’s really not that difficult to profit through it.

But, first, about MTI – the company:

MTI was borne out of a conversation between programmer Johann Steynberg and a few golfing friends in Polokwane early last year.
All had something in common: an interest in cryptocurrencies and fatigue from being scammed by all the online crypto Ponzi schemes that they had been lured into previously.

With Johann being a programmer, and his friends having the rights to exclusive sophisticated AI software trading the forex markets, their skills and expertise were intertwined. The result: the formation of a small “family and friends” business that would trade the forex markets with Bitcoin as the base currency.

The intention was to profit out of a business that they could control, that was not reliant on some unknown anonymous individual or individuals promising great things over the internet. In no time at all, they were generating returns that really had them excited. And one thing led to another…telling friends, who were telling friends.

Today, MTI – Mirror Trading International – is a registered South African company, with a Support office in Stellenbosch, and a membership of some 33 000 people from all over the world.

A success story of note!

Of course, the fact that MTI is consistently delivering returns of around 0.5% per day – approximately 10% per month – AND the fact that the returns are COMPOUNDED will not be lost on people, and will for sure result in more and more people joining. On average, around 1 000 new people a week are joining MTI currently. Expect this number to increase exponentially the more that word gets out there.

But coming back to MTI’s compensation plan:

Whilst MTI caters for the person who only wants to put in his or her Bitcoin (an “investor” for want of a better word) as well as for the “teambuilder” (a person who also wants to introduce others), it’s the teambuilders who will benefit the most through the earning of multiple revenue streams.

There are three types of commission payable:

Direct commission
Binary bonus commission
P1 and P2 shares in the Leadership Bonus Pool.

Direct commission is a once-off payment based on 10% of whatever the person you’ve introduced to MTI puts into his or her trading pool.
This amount, payable in Bitcoin, needs to be put into one’s Trading pool within 7 days of opening an account. Also, for it to be paid to you, the new member cannot withdraw from his or her account within this 7 day period.
To give an example: if the person you’ve introduced puts in 1 bitcoin, you’ll get paid 0.1 of a Bitcoin ie 10% of the Bitcoin put into the system.

Binary commissions become payable once you become “Binary qualified”. What this means is that you have to have one person on your left leg and one person on your right leg. Both these people need to have funded their Trading pools with a minimum of $100 in Bitcoin, whilst you, as the person who introduced them to the business, needs to have a minimum of $200 in Bitcoin in your Trading pool.

(Assuming that these minimum amounts remain above the minimum threshold – bear in mind that the price of Bitcoin fluctuates continuously – you will remain Binary Qualified, and you will earn according to the BITCOIN VOLUME IN YOUR WEAKER LEG).

I’ve put this sentence in CAPS as it is extremely important. Your earnings are not calculated on the number of people you introduce to the business, but rather, on the Bitcoin volume in your weaker leg. So, assuming you have, say a volume of 8.5 bitcoin on your left leg, and only 0.4 bitcoin on your right leg, your left leg is your STRONGER leg and your right leg is your WEAKER leg – and you will be paid, weekly (on a Saturday), on your weaker leg.

As someone new to MTI, you will soon see which of your two legs will be your stronger leg. Once this has been determined, you will obviously need to grow your weaker leg.

How to do so?

Simple. Help the two people you’ve already introduced to your MTI business to bring in two people each. The easiest way for them to do this? Invite persons of interest to one of the evening webinars that MTI hosts weekly. Let them be presented to, so that they don’t need to do the explaining.

MTI’s webinars are excellent. There’s no hard sell at all. It’s purely a case of putting the facts on the table and leaving the decision to join or not to join up to the attendee.

The more people that you, and your team members, get onto webinars, the quicker and bigger your team will grow. It’s honestly as simple as that.

The third revenue stream comprises P1 and P2 share in the Leadership Bonus Pool. These shares essentially reward you for helping your team members get “binary qualified”, and the more people that you can help get binary qualified, the more shares you’ll be rewarded with.

A P1 share results when you have a minimum of $200 worth of Bitcoin in your trading pool, the two people you introduced to the business also have a minimum of $200 of Bitcoin in their trading pools AND THEY DUPLICATE THIS, with three people, each with a minimum $200 worth of Bitcoin in THEIR Trading pools.

You will be given a P2 share when THOSE people follow the same process (bringing in others who also fund their trading accounts with a minimum of $200 in Bitcoin).

Confused? It’s OK to be. P1 and P2 shares, and how to earn them, are well explained in a weekly webinar that explains the MTI back office and the various revenue streams…

What’s important to realise is that the system is fully automated and that any shares that become due to you will reflect in your back office, so you can log in any time and see who is binary qualified, who still needs to be binary qualified, and how many shares you have. In other words, just focus on building your business and let the system keep track of things!

Any MTI member wanting to max out the compensation plan will need to keep a close eye on the number of levels that he or she qualifies to be paid out on. This is very much dependent on the amount of Bitcoin you have in your Trading pool.

If you have between $200 and $999 worth of Bitcoin in your Trading Pool, you benefit to only 10 levels.
If you have between $1000 and $4999 worth of Bitcoin in your Trading Pool, you benefit to 20 levels.
If you have between $5000 and $9999 worth of Bitcoin in your Trading Pool, you benefit to 30 levels.
And if you have more than $10 000 worth of Bitcoin in your Trading Pool, you benefit to infinity ie from ALL your existing team members, and all those who they might introduce to the business in the future.

So, if your intentions are to build a massive business, you’ll want to keep topping up your Trading account…(hint: regularly move your Binary bonuses to your Trading Pool, rather than withdrawing to your external Bitcoin wallet)

(There’s a video from one of the MTI top earners in South Africa showing the mistake he made in NOT topping up. As a result, he lost out on commissions that he really should have earned. If you message me on whatsapp +27 83 444 9888 I’d be happy to send you the video. It’s interesting and you’ll not want to make the same mistake!).

The bottom line is that MTI’s compensation plan is incredible, and it’s a fact that some of the guys who joined MTI not even a year ago, could probably retire tomorrow if they chose to do so.

So, the vehicle is there…it’s now up to you how to drive it. Assuming that you’re interested, of course?

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic is an active member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa. He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI and the weekly MTI webinars and training sessions are welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

You’ve been eyeing Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for a while now, and believe that this may well be the time to get in. Before you do….

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Know the risks of doing so
Know how to make the most out of any “investment”

The risks

The cryptocurrency space is littered with scams, scammers, fraudsters and ponzi schemes. So before you commit any of your hard-earned money to anything you come across on facebook or You Tube or that’s sent to you on whatsapp, be sure to do a due diligence and don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions.

Amongst those you should be asking are:

How long is the business been operating?
Where are its offices?
What are its contact details (address, contact numbers)
Who are the people behind the company? (Google them)
How sustainable is the business?
Is the business registered? (If so, with whom?)
Can I speak with people who have put money into the business? (Ask for their names and contact details)
How can I get my money out, and how quickly can I get my money out should I need to? Are there any hidden costs that I should be made aware of? (What are they?)

In the 5 years that I have been involved in cryptocurrencies, I’ve lost money in a number of “schemes” – including a recent one, Bitclub Network. Prior to that, I was taken in by the likes of Hashocean, Fab5, ZARFund and the well-known Ponzi scheme, MMM.

They all had something in common: a) websites that made them look legitimate and b) a period over which they paid out. Something else they  had in common? A day on which their websites suddenly went off-line, never to reappear. In the case of Bitclub Network, well, that’s an interesting one, and one that still has people talking. Why” Because for the first few years of its existence, all appeared 100% and its daily Bitcoin mining could be seen on the Blockchain. Who was to know that suddenly in 2015 the founders of Bitclub Network saw fit to maliciously, suddenly pocket the money of those buying shares in its mining pools and PRETEND to be mining? Despicable behaviour indeed. Leaving thousands of people victims of their devious machinations.

Then there are the scammers and hackers..

A few years back, my youngest son had all his Bitcoin stolen from his Bitcoin wallet whilst playing some online game. It was never to be recovered, despite our best efforts…

The lessons to be learnt? DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE DEPARTING WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY. AND TAKE SECURITY PRECAUTIONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE, BY INSTALLING GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR OR AUTHY ON YOUR DIGITAL DEVICES TO PROTECT AGAINST HACKERS.

The internet is full of devious characters, out to steal your assets – be they fiat currencies or cryptocurrencies. And despite being devious, they are canny and know their way around.

I’m well aware that anyone new to the crypto space or looking to get into the space for the first time, could well be put off after reading up to here.
DON’T BE. The cryptocurrency space is a marvellous space to be in, and exciting too. You just need to take care out there and observe safe protocols…

It’s all a question of risk and reward…the higher the risk, the higher the reward. (In most cases, anyway…). Also, “if it looks to be true, it probably is”….

Know how to make the most out of any “investment”

Now, I’m no financial advisor and should not really be using the word “investment” – hence my putting the word in inverted commas – but anyone getting into Bitcoin (any cryptocurrencies for that matter) will be doing so to benefit as much as they can.

Depending on your risk profile (how much risk you’re prepared to take), one or all of the following options might take your fancy:

Bitcoin mining
Bitcoin trading
Bitcoin hodling

Whilst Bitcoin mining (in which a company or platform “mines” your Bitcoin for you based on you buying a share.. or shares…in a Bitcoin mining pool) is for those who are more risk-averse, the trading of Bitcoin typically appeals to those who are more open to risk. Whereas bitcoin hodling (HODLING standing for HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE) will be the preferred choice of those who are ardent believers in Bitcoin and who are intent on holding onto their Bitcoin for as long as they can in the hope that one day, one day, the Bitcoin price will “go to the moon” and make them wealthy beyond their dreams.

Typically, Bitcoin HODLERS will keep their Bitcoin in a Bitcoin wallet. The problem with this, is that their Bitcoin won’t grow. Meaning that 1 bitcoin held in a Bitcoin wallet will be 1 bitcoin in a year’s time, 1 bitcoin in 5 year’s time, and 1 bitcoin in 10 year’s time. (Assuming of course that the 1 bitcoin is not withdrawn or added to).

The same would obviously apply to 0,2 of a bitcoin, or 0,5 of a bitcoin.
That is, the amount of bitcoin you have in your Bitcoin wallet will remain the amount of bitcoin you put in.

In Bitcoin trading, you can absolutely make more of your Bitcoin. But it’s risky. Especially if you are inexperienced, or allow emotion to come into your trading. Whilst one can do extremely well out of trading, you could quite easily lose your shirt too.

What do I PERSONALLY do?

Because I’ve had 5 years in the cryptocurrency space, I like to manage risk. Also, my approach has been coloured by my experiences – a number of which have not been overtly positive. Losing the money I have through Bitclub Network has – unfortunately – put me off Bitcoin mining for life. Trading? Far too risky for someone like me. Hodling? I have a small amount of Bitcoin sitting in a wallet but, as previously mentioned, hodling doesn’t grow my Bitcoin – which ultimately should be a primary aim of anyone getting into the cryptocurrency space.

Four months back, I was introduced to a South African company trading the forex markets with Bitcoin.

The returns? Between 5% and 10% PER MONTH. COMPOUNDED.

That is an astounding return, given the risk factor (LOW), and whilst NOT guaranteed – NOTHING is guaranteed (except for death and taxes, as is said) – the returns are based on historical performance and have been achieved every month, for the 12 months that the company has been in operation. From a small “family and friends” business a year ago to a company with around 32 000 members today, it’s generating huge interest…and excitement.

But each to their own. And if you are entering cryptocurrencies for the first time, you’ll do what feels right for you…and is right for your risk profile.

Just be sure to take care out there…there are scammers and hackers all over the place and it’s a question of doing a THOROUGH due diligence, asking all the right questions and PROTECTING your assets as best you can. Once you find something you’re comfortable with, stick with it. And enjoy it. Getting into cryptocurrencies was the best thing I’ve ever done, and today, I live and breathe the space…

In time, I’m sure you will find it not just as exciting, but as profitable too…

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic is an active member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa.
Together with his partner, he runs a small crypto advisory service in the form of Captains in Crypto. See www.captainsincrypto.co.za He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI and its weekly MTI webinars and training sessions is welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

What could be better than leaving your Bitcoin in a Bitcoin wallet?

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Putting your Bitcoin into MTI (Mirror Trading International).

Why? Because MTI – which is a registered South African company with a Support office in Stellenbosch, Western Cape – is a LOW RISK way of growing your Bitcoin by an extremely impressive 5% to 10% per MONTH, compounded.

This it does by trading the forex markets on your behalf through managed advanced software.

A (projected, estimated but clearly, NOT guaranteed) return of between 5% and 10% per month (closer to 10% than 5%) is astounding, given that over the 12 months that MTI has been in existence, profits have been made every single day and MTI members have profited every single day.

Add in the fact that the returns are COMPOUNDED and you have something to get seriously excited about.

When programmer (and CEO and Founder) Johann Steynberg started MTI in April last year, he did so as a small “family and friends” business. But then word got out, as those family members and friends started speaking to others…who started speaking to others. Today, the company has a good 29 000 members from all over the world and is growing by more than 1 000 people a week.

That is phenomenal growth in anyone’s language – and has certainly caught the attention of many in the cryptocurrency space. (Anyone interested in watching a video of hosts of an American cryptocurrency You Tube show interviewing Johann is welcome to add me on whatsapp +27 83 444 9888. It makes for interesting, and extremely reassuring viewing).

29 000 people is a LOT of people. People who like what they see in the company and who rubbish any negativity on the internet about MTI and its founder.

The vast majority of MTI members are South Africans who own Bitcoin, believe in bitcoin, and want to grow their bitcoin. Collectively, the membership comprises people who have tired of putting money into cryptocurrency and Bitcoin-related scams that invariably crash and burn and who have been looking for a platform that is honest, ethical, transparent and most importantly, SUSTAINABLE.

To this end, the company has started attracting members from countries outside of South Africa ie the US, UK, Canada, Australia and elsewhere on the African continent. This is not surprising. Positive news spreads quickly, and returns of anything even approaching 10% per MONTH, COMPOUNDED are quite frankly unheard of.

How does MTI deliver returns of this magnitude?

By trading the forex markets though sophisticated and managed software that is exclusive to MTI as a company.

MTI does the trading on behalf of its members, so there’s no need to know anything about forex or forex trading.

The joining process is quite simple:

Open an account (by registering on the link of an existing member)
Fund the account with Bitcoin within 7 days of opening it.

Whatever amount of Bitcoin you fund your account with is put into trading and grows from day 1. The minimum suggested is $100 worth of Bitcoin, but obviously the more you put in, the more you’ll make.

To give you two examples:

0.1 of a Bitcoin put into your trading pool will give you approximately 0.37 bitcoin after 12 months, 1.39 bitcoin after 24 months, 5.19 bitcoin after 36 months and a staggering 72.3 bitcoin after 60 months.

Whereas

0.5 of a Bitcoin put into your trading pool will give you approximately 1.86 bitcoin after 12 months, 6.96 bitcoin after 24 months, 25.97 bitcoin after 36 months and a jaw-dropping 361 bitcoin after 60 months.

And

1 Bitcoin put into your trading pool will give you approximately 3.73 bitcoin after 12 months, 13.92 bitcoin after 24 months, 51.94 bitcoin after 36 months and a frankly ridiculous 723 bitcoin after 60 months.

That is incredible growth – and whilst these projected amounts look too good to be true, I’d be happy to send you the MTI Growth calculator and you’ll be able to see for yourself.

Just be aware that these calculations are based on MTI’s daily profit averaging 0.5% per day: something that has been successfully achieved most days over its 12 month’s existence.

Compare the above with what you could expect by leaving your Bitcoin in a Bitcoin wallet:

0.1 of a Bitcoin left in a Bitcoin wallet will leave you with exactly 0.1 bitcoin after 12 months, 0.1 bitcoin after 24 months, 0.1 bitcoin after 36 months and 0.1 bitcoin after 60 months.

Whereas

0.5 of a Bitcoin left in a Bitcoin wallet will leave you with exactly 0.5 bitcoin after 12 months, 0.5 bitcoin after 24 months, 0.5 bitcoin after 36 months and 0.5 bitcoin after 60 months.

And

1 Bitcoin left in a Bitcoin wallet will leave you with exactly 1 bitcoin after 12 months, 1 bitcoin after 24 months, 1 bitcoin after 36 months and 1 bitcoin after 60 months. (unless you withdraw from your Bitcoin wallet, or add to your Bitcoin wallet, during the periods stipulated, of course).

MTI also offers an OPTIONAL affiliate marketing (network marketing) component through which one can introduce others and earn through additional revenue streams – but I will write on this in a subsequent blog.

In my opinion, anyone with Bitcoin – or anyone with the money to buy Bitcoin – should seriously look into MTI. It’s a registered South African company, with an excellent and experienced management team totally au fait with the cryptocurrency space and forex trading. It’s also extremely transparent and big on support, having as it does, a Telegram group and facebook page. Any new member with an issue or question is helped on the Telegram group, and a feeling of being a member of the MTI family is felt in no time.

Because this is exactly what MTI is: a family, borne out of many of us having suffered losses in crypto online scams in the past, and determined not to suffer losses again..

What people like about MTI is its sustainability. It only pays its members on those trading days on which it makes profits. If it makes a loss on any given day, members don’t get paid on that day. It’s as simple as that. In its 12 months of operations, however, there has not been a day on which it has incurred losses.

It has made losses on certain trades, yes, but has ended each day in profit. That in itself is one incredible achievement! Not that this means that there won’t be losses incurred in the future. There can be no guarantees. And management is clear on this. The company’s past performance talks volumes though.

So, given the choice of leaving your Bitcoin in a Bitcoin wallet (Luno, Altcointrader, VALR or Binance if you’re in South Africa) or putting your bitcoin into MTI to let it grow, I’d far rather go the latter route.

MTI is a solid and sustainable business and a fantastic business opportunity and anyone with Bitcoin (or with the money to buy Bitcoin) shouldn’t even hesitate to look at MTI in my opinion…and, at the very least, JOIN AN MTI WEBINAR to get a sense and understanding of what’s on the table….

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic co-administers a small cryptocurrency advisory service called Captains in Crypto. See www.captainsincrypto.co.za He is also an active member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa. He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI and the weekly MTI webinars and training sessions are welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

5 reasons why MTI is definitely, undeniably and 100% a scam and Ponzi scheme…

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Reason 1# Your father-in-law says it is.
Reason 2# Your best mate says it is
Reason 3# Your dentist says it is
Reason 4# Your broke next-door-neighbour says it is
Reason 5# Your financial advisor says it is.

I’m being facetious of course. That said, after the number of people I’ve spoken with about MTI (Mirror Trading International) during the last few weeks, it’s clear that “what people say” and “what one reads on the internet” are hugely influential on what people believe.

Unfortunately, a good old due diligence seems to be too much effort for many these days! Crazy. I’ve been a member of MTI for only a few months now, but what I can say is that my experiences of the company have been positive in the extreme.

MTI is a South African company trading the forex markets using Bitcoin as its base currency. Its aim – its sole aim – is to grow one’s Bitcoin.

The brainchild of programmer, Johann Steynburg, the company was established in April 2019 and celebrates its first year anniversary this month.

In its 12 months of existence, MTI has grown its membership to an impressive 29 000 people, and is now growing by approximately 1 000 people per week. That is a LOT of people who like what they see in the company, and a LOT of people who disagree with the rubbish written on the internet, and who ignore all the so-called “advice” of family members and friends to “stay clear of MTI”.

The vast majority of MTI members are average, run-of-the-mill South Africans: South Africans who either own Bitcoin or believe in bitcoin, and who want to make more of their Bitcoin. People who have tired of putting money into online scams which start well but invariably end up in flames, taking their hard earned monies down with them.

Lately, MTI has been attracting members from offshore eg countries like the UK, Canada and Australia – clearly as a result of positive word of mouth. (After all, which other business or platform can deliver returns of between 5% and 10% per MONTH, COMPOUNDED..especially in this economy?)

How does MTI deliver returns of this magnitude?

By trading the forex markets though managed AI software. (A “bot” to the unitiated, albeit an extremely sophisticated bot in this case). MTI has an exclusive agreement with a reputable and experienced brokerage that trades the forex markets on behalf of its members.

Members need NO knowledge of trading and for that matter, NO in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin. All they need do is open an account (by registering on the link of an existing member) and fund their account with Bitcoin.(Minimum $100 of Bitcoin).

All of their bitcoin is put into trading and will increase by an anticipated but NOT guaranteed 5% and 10% per month, COMPOUNDED. (COMPOUNDED is in caps for a reason – Compounded Interest being the 8th wonder of the world!).

If this is all they want to do ie fund their accounts with Bitcoin, it’s all good. They can just keep it there and let MTI’s trading grow their Bitcoin. (To give an idea: one Bitcoin can grow to approx. 3.5 bitcoin* after 12 months without you doing anything – whilst one Bitcoin left for 24 months can grow to almost 14 bitcoin*. This is PHENOMENAL growth in anyone’s language). *Based on MTI’s daily profit averaging 0.5% per day: something that has been successfully achieved most days over its 12 month’s existence.

MTI also has an OPTIONAL affiliate marketing component through which one can introduce others and by doing so, open up additional revenue streams. (Note the word “OPTIONAL”. One can quite simply just fund ones’ account with Bitcoin and do nothing further if one so desires). Not everyone is into affiliate marketing and network marketing in South Africa and the people behind MTI are absolutely fine with this. MTI is NOT an MLM company and caters for investors and team builders alike.

Once you open an MTI account, it’s your business and you can do what you want with it.

This said, it’s the “affiliate marketing” side of the business that’s likely eliciting some of the negativity that you may come across on the internet. For it is a fact that as soon as you have a business that pays you commission on “recruiting” others, you’re automatically deemed a “Ponzi scheme”, “pyramid scheme” or “scam” in the minds of some. Ridiculous I know, but it’s a fact that some tend to label any model that they can’t understand, and that has a network marketing component attached to it (even though it’s entirely optional), a “Ponzi scheme”.

Think Amway, Network 21, Forever Living, World Ventures…at one time or another, they have all been accused of being some type of Ponzi scheme or scam. The fact that they are trusted and legitimate companies doesn’t seem to be too important to some people who take pleasure in trying to take network marketing companies apart!

MTI is a registered South African company, with a legal team, management team, and soon, an office in Stellenbosch, Western.Cape. It is as legitimate a company as they come.

Much of the “scam” allegations online, however, are directed at the founder and CEO of Mirror Trading International himself – Johann Steynburg. Now, I have never met Johann but in the videos posted on You Tube and in our MTI Telegram Group, he certainly doesn’t look like a scammer to me. Rather, he comes across as just a normal guy: a Polokwane-based programmer who is passionate about golf and who has close-knit friends who have known him for years and who testify to his honest nature, generosity and total trustworthiness. (There is a video doing the rounds showing them testify to this).

The person who introduced me to MTI and the MTI business opportunity (an experienced and astute cryptocurrency trader who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with for a number of years) asked to meet with Johann prior to getting involved as an investor. Following their meeting, we were given a resounding thumbs-up. Johann ticked all the boxes: honest, trustworthy, reliable and with an incredibly good heart. Yes, Johann was involved in previous cryptocurrency ventures that failed. But he was a victim in them, and by no means, a pioneer of them.

He is open and transparent about his involvement in these, and particularly, in one such failed venture – Kipi. Because he was involved in Kipi and promoted Kipi, does it make him a crook? And a scammer? Absolutely not. Fact is, many of us have been victims of online cryptocurrency scams, and collectively, we are exhausted by them.
As a result of losing money in dubious schemes, Johann and his friends set about forming their own cryptocurrency business where they would be in control of things and not be subject to the whims and devious machinations of online scammers.
The result was Mirror Trading International (MTI). That was a year back. Today, as a result of frankly incredible returns, and the transparency, honesty and integrity of the business, its membership has swelled to 29 000 people as previously mentioned. I have NO doubt that within a year or two, perhaps three, the membership of MTI will be in the hundreds of thousands with members all over the world and the company will be a major player, globally.

As things stand, 3820 bitcoin have already been put into MTI. If THAT doesn’t convey confidence in the company, I don’t know what does!

Rather than taking to the internet to express doubt and negativity towards Johann and the very sustainability of MTI, it would good if doubters and nay-sayers would take the time and effort to join one of the many webinars that MTI hosts weekly.

I’m pretty sure that after doing so, and getting a sense of the people behind the company, its business model and its compensation plan, they would have any doubts removed!

MTI is a rock-solid business and a fantastic business opportunity and anyone with Bitcoin (or with the money to buy Bitcoin) shouldn’t even hesitate to look at MTI…and, at the very least, JOIN AN MTI WEBINAR.

Aside from running South Africa’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone – see www.kavonichone.co.za – Gerard Kavonic co-administers a small cryptocurrency advisory service, Captains in Crypto. See www.captainsincrypto.co.za He is also an active member of Mirror Trading International (MTI). He has been in the cryptocurrency space for a good 5 years and is resident in Johannesburg South Africa. He is contactable on +27 83 444 9888 and on [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic. Anyone wanting information on MTI and the weekly MTI webinars and training sessions are welcome to whatsapp him on +27 83 444 9888.

The contributions on this page are Gerard’s personal opinion and do not represent the positions, strategies and opinions of Mirror Trading International as a company. MTI has not specifically authorised the content of this site.

The first job of advertising is to get seen and noticed. Otherwise, what’s the point?

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With the South African economy being on the ropes as it is, many advertisers are faced with shrinking budgets and the added pressure of making their advertising work for them. When faced with this kind of pressure, it’s easy to look at digital advertising and social media to deliver the results as it’s supposedly “cheaper” and “more effective”.

But is it?

I’ve spoken with a number of advertisers recently – business owners and brand managers alike – who bemoan the fact that despite being active on social media, and spending money on online marketing, their ROIs have not been mindblowing.

As someone who has been in the advertising industry for a good 30 years, I’ve never been one to suggest putting all eggs into the digital basket and cling – perhaps stubbornly, perhaps even naively – to the fact that a strategic mix of advertising media invariably produces the best results.

I have always been a fan of conventional media – newspaper advertising, magazine advertising, TV advertising, cinema advertising, and OOH (Out of Home) advertising in the form of billboard advertising.

Whilst I am obviously aware that readership of print titles has dwindled, and that with the never-ending plethora of screens now fighting for eyeball attention, buying advertising on TV has become complex, I do not buy into the “digital and social is everything” mantra.

In my opinion, the best advertising results from advertising strategically across multiple media over time.

The last two words in this are important ie over time.

I have often met with clients who want to see immediate results. (Perhaps understandable in this tight economy).
Advertising very seldom delivers instant results – unless you have an incredible offer, or – for example – a clearance sale with hugely discounted pricing.

Your target market will need to see your advertising a number of times before acting on it, so a campaign rather than a once-off advertisement somewhere will invariably work better for you.

Then, with regards “multiple media”.

Armed with a decent advertising budget, and in-depth market research so as to accurately define one’s target market, a marketing manager, brand manager or business owner should always look to reach the people within an identified target market in as many ways as possible. Once you know a person’s media consumption habits and have an understanding of how, when and where he or she watches TV, listens to the radio and reads print titles it makes it relatively easy to plan an advertising way forward.

An old school advertising-type I may be – after all, I’ve been a copywriter in advertising for a good 30 years now – but I’ve always had a soft spot for conventional media, especially if used correctly.

A good TV commercial can work wonders. Yes even in this digital age.
An eye-catching magazine or newspaper advertisement can gain the attention of many a jaded eye.
And strong creative work on a billboard can sell like no other advertising medium.

On the subject of billboards: I work with an OOH (Out of Home) specialist and can, though her, ascertain billboard availability throughout Southern Africa, and get discounted pricing in many instances.

Billboard owners often have unsold inventory – especially in these tough economic times – and are more open to negotiating now than they normally would be. From their perspective, it’s a case of rather than having a client than no client.

As someone running an advertising agency in JOhannesburg (albeit a small..no, TINY…advertising agency), I have four skills – both honed over the years:

Copywriting
Conceptualising of creative ideas
Organising
Negotiating

So not only can I come up with single minded and strong creative work, I can try to obtain pricing that as a client, you may be able to afford.

Billboard advertising, street pole advertising, maxi pole advertising, washroom advertising, bus advertising, train advertising, taxi advertising, newspaper advertising, magazine advertising, TV advertising, cinema advertising, radio advertising…I can do it all, and I can do it less expensively than a lot of the big ad agencies out there.

Social media? Online advertising? PR? Not my strengths, although I could put you in contact with specialists in these fields. People who don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk. Yes, they’re that rare…

Gerard Kavonic is an experienced copywriter, conceptualiser of advertising ideas and co-ordinator of marketing projects. He resides in Johannesburg and runs This country’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone. See www.kavonichone.co.za He has been in the South African advertising industry for a good 30 years and during this time has won a number of awards for copywriting. He works on a full agency or ad hoc project basis and also offers a consulting service. He can be contacted on +27 83 444 9888 and [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic if you’d like to add him.

How to advertise a low-interest category product?

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As an experienced Johannesburg-based copywriter (I wrote my first ad a good 30 years back), I’ve conceptualised ideas and written copy for many brands across many industries and categories – automotive, confectionary, industrial, hospitality, financial services..you name it.

The majority of brands fall into either the “high interest” category or the “medium interest” category, and by this, I mean that the product or brand could either be of great interest or moderate industry to its intended target market(s). There are of course also brands that fall in the “low interest” category – Eskom and electricity, for instance -although naturally when there are power cuts or loadshedding, they become temporarily “high interest” until the power is restored and they revert to being of “low interest”.

Insurance is another “low interest”category. This is not to say that insurance is unimportant. It is important, especially in our country with its high crime rate and appalling number of motor accidents, but it’s not a product category generally viewed as exciting. Insurance is a grudge purchase. We buy it because we need it, not because we WANT it.

The same holds true of security products. And fencing (I’ll come back to fencing in a bit..)

A high interest or medium interest type of product typically is not difficult to advertise, from a copywriting point of view, anyway. Because the interest exists our task as copywriters is simply to come up with creative work (with our art directors and designers) that converts that interest into sales. This is done by communicating – creatively -the product or service’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

An example of a high interest product in South Africa? Nandos: a brand that has become synonymous with good advertising. Over the years, Nandos has become the benchmark for creative advertising in this country. It’s topical, irreverent, fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. As a result, it’s liked across the divide. Many a time have I been in briefing sessions when the client says “I want a Nandos” ie a campaign that gets noticed and talked about – surely, the job of all advertising?

Now, unfortunately, not all products and product categories lend themselves to a “Nandos style of advertising”.

Some products are just deadly boring.

Take the product I made mention of earlier: fencing.

When I met with a fencing manufacturer in Pretoria last year to discuss their advertising requirements, I confess to having had doubts as to the best way to go about their marketing. After all, fencing is much like insurance: a grudge purchase – unexciting. It’s important, yes, and takes on added importance the morning after one’s property has been broken into.

Doubt aside, I set out to create advertising that a) would show the various products in the range b) highlight he company’s experience and capacity c) create awareness of the company and d) get the campaign noticed.

Points a, b and c were not difficult to achieve. Point e – creating a campaign that would get noticed – was the most challenging. How to make fencing (a low interest category if there was one) interesting is not the easiest job in the world.

The campaign I eventually presented to the client comprised a print advertisement (it would have worked well as a magazine ad or a newspaper ad), online banner ads and a series of billboards. (The billboard shown at the top of this blog articles was one of a series).

With the target market being game farmers and rural folk, and also, property developers and trustees of residential complexes in urban areas, the media agency I worked with proposed various print titles for the print advertising side of the campaign, and a selection of strategically-placed billboards to target the farming and game farming community.

A common denominator across all identified target buyers was their typically South African love for sport, and particularly rugby. The game farmer in the Free State would be an avid Free State rugby fan whilst the game farmer in Polokwane would be a Bulls supporter for sure. They would have a friendly rivalry. Both might have a need for fencing and would have a shared passion for rugby. For this reason, the outdoor (billboard) component of the advertising campaign largely took on a rugby theme to boost its “talkabality”. Other billboards in the series promoted the company’s ability to install one’s fencing requirements speedily, and anywhere in the country.

The fact that the client didn’t buy the campaign was a pity. In my opinion as an experienced advertising person and ad hoc marketing consultant, it would have worked well as it gave the fencing company a “tonality” and “character” – two things that would set it apart from other fencing manufacturers and keep the brand uppermind.

As a copywriter and hands-on creative resource, I’m all for topical advertising and humour in advertising – and count this as a decent piece of work.

If there are any marketers in the fencing industry wanting to see the campaign, I’d be happy to forward it. Just email me on [email protected] with “fencing campaign” in the subject line.

At the end of the day, a low interest product needs good impactful advertising to generate interest. The last thing a boring product needs is boring advertising. Taking a different approach often pays off. It really is that simple.

Gerard Kavonic is an experienced copywriter, conceptualiser of advertising ideas and co-ordinator of marketing projects. He resides in Johannesburg and runs This country’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone. See www.kavonichone.co.za He has been in the South African advertising industry for 30 years and during this time has won a number of awards for copywriting. He works on a full agency or ad hoc project basis and also offers a consulting service. He can be contacted on +27 83 444 9888 and [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic.

What South African political parties need in the run up to the election is some seriously good advertising.

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If there’s one thing one can say about the current South African political landscape is that it lends itself to some strong and hard hitting advertising, and I must say, I’d love to play a part in it.

Not that I’m overtly political or support any particular political party.

I’m an advertising person through and through, and if there’s one thing I really like doing, is writing and creating ads that get noticed and talked about.

Political advertising is a form of advertising that any good creative copywriter would yearn to work on, simply because one is given so much free reign ie one can produce the type of hard-hitting advertising that is often not possible with (for example) fast moving consumer goods. This can be seen in advertising produced over the years, on behalf of political parties in the UK and US.

One campaign that has always stood out for me was the advertising produced for Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party in the 1980’s. Whether one liked what she and her party stood for or not, it was powerful advertising indeed-advertising that got her elected, in three consecutive elections.

The ad agency behind her party’s successes? Saatchi & Saatchi, led by two brothers from Baghdad, Charles and Maurice, who were virtually unknown when their powerful advertising campaign catapulted Margaret Thatcher into power.

The Saatchi & Saatchi agency shot to prominence with a poster that will forever live in the memory of “adlanders” the world over. It showed a dole queue snaking out from an employment office and disappearing into the distance. The headline? “Labour isn’t working”. The copy below read, “Britain’s better off with the Conservatives”. It was simple yet changed the course of politics in Britain, bringing the career of Prime Minister Jim Callaghan to an end, and ushering in the Thatcher era and 18 years of Tory Government.

Such is the power of advertising.

The Saatchi political campaigns have become the stuff of legend, studied by aspiring politicians and aspirants looking to create their own pieces of advertising history.

What this campaign did was alter how politicians viewed political election electioneering. Ad agencies were never really appointed to handle campaigns for political parties before the 1980s. Suddenly, political parties saw that powerful advertising could sway electorates in ways never before imagined and went out in search of ad agencies capable of turning out really good work.

Today, there’s nary an election devoid of advertising.

Now, I’m well aware that South Africa is not the UK or the US and that what may go there may well not work here. Those countries are first world in every respect, whilst only a small section of our electorate are first world in their thinking (the higher LSM’s, across the colour divide). The vast majority of the voting public are not. Advertising a political party in South Africa is more challenging than it might be in a first world country.

From an advertising perspective, it’s a good challenge to have though.

This South African election will be an interesting one, for as much as the ANC are expected to have an easier ride than when Jacob Zuma was at the helm, there are several issues that could cause their normally loyal voters to think twice.

Now, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I’m not overtly political but I AM politically and economically aware, and I do a lot of reading.

The Land without Compensation issue is one that will not lie down and die, in my opinion. It’s an extremely divisive issue that will become an even bigger one as the elections draw closer.

Then there’s crime. Corruption. Racism. Power cuts. High unemployment. And an incredibly sluggish economy.

How the ANC will tackle these, or promise to tackle these, will be closely followed by the electorate. And its opposition. In particular, Julius Malema’s EFF – Musi Maimane’s DA.

The Freedom Front Plus? Well, they will be weighing in for sure – as will Patricia De Lille of the new GOOD political party, Kenneth Mosheu of the ACDP, Mosieu Lekota of COPE and the leaders of all the other South African political parties.

It will be an interesting election for sure, and all the issues mentioned here absolutely lend themselves to good strong advertising.

Typically, election advertising in Africa makes use of billboard advertising, street pole advertising, maxi pole advertising, bus shelter advertising and other forms of outdoor advertising. This, backed by radio advertising – and in the case of the larger political parties with bigger advertising budgets, TV advertising. Bulk sms will also play a role. I’m sure that this coming election in South Africa will see the same advertising media being utulised – but with a sizeable chunk of the budget given to online marketing in the form of social media.

Twitter, facebook and You tube advertising will all put their hands up, and with good reason. It goes without saying that good, strategic online marketing can do wonders if done correctly.

What I’m looking forward to seeing is either powerful and bold “in your face” advertising or more subtle “makes you think” type of advertising from the competing political parties. Both approaches could work well, but will need to be tailored to the different groupings making up an incredibly diverse South African electorate.

For sure, those ad agencies fortunate enough to have political parties as advertising clients will have their work cut out for them coming up with messaging that not only talks to this electorate, but as importantly, is understood by this electorate.

There’s fun to be had though, and for a copywriter like me, I look forward to seeing a few clever headlines playing their part! I’m envious for sure.

Gerard Kavonic is a copywriter, conceptualiser of advertising ideas and co-ordinator of marketing projects. He resides in Johannesburg and aside from his interest and involvement in Bitcoin, runs This country’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone. See www.kavonichone.co.za He has been in the South African advertising industry for a good 30 years and during this time has won a number of awards for copywriting. He works on a full agency or ad hoc project basis and also offers a consulting service. He can be contacted on +27 83 444 9888 and [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic.

It’s a recession. Do you use a big advertising agency or a small advertising agency?

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A difficult question to answer, this. It depends how big your business is, and your personal preference.
There are merits to both large ad agencies and small ad agencies.

By having a large advertising agency service your business, you will likely have a team working on your account, so if one or more members of the team are unavailable at any time for whatever reason, there will always be someone you can talk to.

This may of course also be true of a small ad agency, although it depends on the size of the small agency.

There are of course other benefits to having a big agency. By having a team working on your account, you can have them brainstorm a variety of ideas. With a small agency – or really small agency – with likely only one creative team, this is not always possible.

Then, with a large agency, you will likely have access to different departments ie media, creative, research, production etc. With a small agency, certain of these functions would be outsourced.

If you’re an ABSA, FNB, Liberty Life, Discovery, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Nandos, Famous Brands, Kelloggs or Clientele Life ie a big marketer with a sizeable advertising budget, you’ll likely have a number of agencies service your account. If yours is a small business, or a medium-sized business, your requirements will be simpler and would be better serviced by a smaller agency.

There are a number of really good small advertising agencies in Johannesburg and in many cases, they’re breakaways from larger agencies…..run by people who have served their time in the big agencies and who have tired of working for others.

(I know the feeling: after 5 or 6 years being a copywriter in a number of top ad agencies in Jhb, I had had enough of working evenings and weekends only to make others wealthy). A good 25 years later, I can look back at those years as an employee and count my blessings that I left when I did. I’ve had my own small ad agency, Kavonic Hone, for years now, working from home, and enjoying every minute of it.

Some of these breakaway agencies comprise seven or eight people, but they’re typically all experienced advertising folk, having cut their teeth in a multitude of discliplines. When I started on my own (together with my designer and art director), we had two or three staff and ran a tight ship. A few years later, my partner emigrated and I took stock of things: did I in fact want, or even need, staff?

Being a copywriter with an appreciation of good design and art direction, and with a decent business acumen, I decided I could do everything on my own – a realisation that saw me closing my offices and building an office at home.

Hence, the birth of This country’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone. www.kavonichone.co.za
All these years later, I’m still working from home. Doing my thing, servicing my clients hands-on, with no staff and no need for staff. I work closely with an experienced graphic designer and an experienced media strategist – and I’d have it no other way.

I have a close relationship with my clients, and they trust me to get things done. If a client has a requirement, he or she knows that I’ll be available either on my landline or my mobile, and that if a meeting is required, I’ll make myself available for whenever suits.

While I work unapologetically from home, other small agencies prefer an office environment.
Regardless, working from home, like myself, or a slightly bigger advertising agency working from an office, it’s all good – and as a small or medium-sized business in need of advertising, you’re sure to find a small ad agency that you’d be comfortable dealing with.

With a small or smaller agency, you can expect:

A better and higher level of service
Quicker turnarounds
Lower fees
Generally-speaking, as good a level of creativity as any large ad agency.

Clearly, not all small agencies are equal, and some will be stronger creatively than others and quicker on the uptake than others.

The most important thing is “fit”. The more comfortable you feel with the agency, the happier you’ll be.

Things are undeniably tough economically in South Africa right now, and advertisers – especially small advertisers – are looking for more buck from their advertising rands. The bigger marketers are not exempt: budgets are being cut and questions are being asked: are big agencies actually necessary? Can one not get better, or as good as, from a smaller agency?

If this is you, a small – and experienced – ad agency would be best suited to your needs.

It all starts with Google and googling “small ad agency Johannesburg” or “small advertising agency Jhb” – assuming you’re in Johannesburg of course..

Gerard Kavonic is a copywriter, conceptualiser of advertising ideas and co-ordinator of marketing projects. He resides in Johannesburg and aside from his interest and involvement in Bitcoin, runs This country’s smallest ad agency, Kavonic Hone. See www.kavonichone.co.za He has been in the South African advertising industry for a good 30 years and during this time has won a number of awards for copywriting. He works on a full agency or ad hoc project basis and also offers a consulting service. He can be contacted on +27 83 444 9888 and [email protected] His skype address is gerardkavonic.