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Marketing education s someone involved in again: “This shift has been driven largely of the globe, including the stagnant concentrations of consumers that can be the education field in Africa, Marketing and by increased government spending and developed world economies. reached by formal retail developments like a i’m often asked about the state state investment in infrastructure. As Africa shopping centres, as well as marketing of marketing education on the continent has started to generate its own growth, the macro marketing channels such as radio and Tv advertising, and, indeed, about the role and future of higher consumption levels signal that living environment billboards, mobile communications and the African marketing as a whole. the African standards are improving as well.” While there are many positives to be like. To quote Anna Tibaijuka, executive Firstly, being someone who lives and A growing population in 1950 the taken from the above, how does this director of the United nations Human works here, let me say that i’m bullish estimated population of Africa was translate into an environment in which settlements Programme: “Africa is about the continent and its prospects. growth story 221-million. in 2012 that figure stood at marketing can flourish? i believe the urbanising faster than any other continent, And when it comes to the marketing 1,033-billion people and by 2050 it is following are key points. so much so that by 2030 it will cease to profession, i’m even more upbeat – not expected to rise to 2-billion people. While Rise of a middle class For marketing to be a rural continent.” just because i’m involved, but because that many poor and unemployed people flourish there needs to be a solid base Growth of mobile technology the facts speak for themselves. Africa is Marketing and marketing education will can be a potential disaster, this number of middle-class consumers. since 1980 This has been one of the true game- on the move; consumerism is on the up; have a key role in promoting African growth in an empowered and growing economy the number of middle-class consumers changers for Africa, enabling consumers to and marketing will play a major role. represents a potentially enormous – and in Africa has trebled and by 2060 it is relatively cheaply leap-frog infrastructure To illustrate this, let’s look at some of in the coming decades. By nigel tattersall. still largely untapped – consumer base. projected that 1,1-billion people (42% of deficiencies such as a lack of landline the key factors driving marketing in sub- GDP growth sub-saharan Africa the population) will be in the middle-class telephones and limited access to the saharan Africa right now. can expect an average growth rate bracket. According to global management banking system. marketers have now of around 5%, according to figures consulting firm mcKinsey’s ‘Rise of the gained a vitally important marketing channel the broad macro released by ratings agency Fitch at the African Consumer’ report, the continent’s that connects them to large numbers of environment end of 2013. The general emerging market consumer-facing industries are expected sometimes far-flung consumers. Oil and gas An oil and gas boom is slowdown seems unlikely to impact this to grow by more than Us$400-billion Internet connectivity The internet has rejuvenating economies in Ghana, markedly, and the growth figure will by 2020. changed the way the world lives and Uganda, Tanzania and mozambique. This be better than that predicted for much Urbanisation While rapid urbanisation does business, and, helped by mobile is in addition to oil already being a key undoubtedly creates social problems, technology as a substitute for hard-to- economic driver in countries such as Urbanisation it does bring marketing benefits too. come-by laptop and desktop computers, nigeria and Angola. For the foreseeable generates jobs and Urban living generates formal jobs with Africans are able to embrace mobile future, the world will still need oil and gas fosters consumerism steady, disposable income (on average banking, online shopping, digital advertising, to power its economies, so we are in a 80% more than for rural dwellers) and a customer websites and social media. strong position. desire for consumer goods. it also creates Apart from the wide-ranging benefits to Hard Commodities Gold, platinum, diamonds, cobalt, manganese and other minerals, despite their ups and downs, are still in demand and Africa is able to supply. Diversification importantly, the major economies in sub-saharan Africa are starting to diversify so as to lessen their dependence on potentially volatile commodities cycles. To quote a recent panel discussion hosted by dr martyn davies, Ceo of emerging market consultancy firm Frontier Advisory and a senior Fellow of the masterCard Centre for inclusive Growth in new York: “African economies have to some extent diversified their sources of growth and, although sub-saharan African countries are still sensitive to commodities, they are no longer dependant on the commodity price level for growth.” Relative wealth While obviously coming off a low base, there are notable Although mineral wealth continues to be a key driver of many African countries, improvements in the relative wealth of economies are gradually diversifying and becoming more consumer-focused the population. To quote dr davies’ panel 38 strategicmarketingafrica Second quarter 2014 Second quarter 2014 strategicmarketingafrica 39