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Marketing in africa markets and has an in-depth knowledge of doing business in africa. he is also the author of the book Connect with the Continent, which was published in January this year. Behan says that, at the same time as we are seeing an unprecedented demand for new products and services on the continent, the african consumer is becoming more discerning and aspirational – although not necessarily in precisely the same way as a consumer in sa or a different african country. for example, nigerians did not see Woolworths as an aspirational brand, which is in confict with the high-end positioning it occupies in many other markets. as a result, ‘Woolies’ left the country late last year citing “high rents A major success for MultiChoice has been the Africa Magic TV channel, Finding a reliable means to and duties, as well as the diffculties of which started off as a purely Nigerian offering distribute your product into a market that is often still marketing to consumers in africa’s most 80% informal is a challenge populous country”. nigerians will rather in East Africa, specifcally Kenya, we in many parts of Africa save up to buy a second-hand pair of assisted Orange in communicating to the Levis than a brand they do not view Trade-ofs youth market,” Behan says. Embrace Africa’s many as aspirational. between quality and young people through street dance – the strategy involved engaged a south african marketer needs afordability may underground ‘crews’ dancing off against to appreciate how each country or cultures to enhance your market works at a qualitative level and be necessary each other – which is very popular then understand the business culture in the country and created a digital of the different countries, Behan platform for crews to upload their dance videos and allow the public to vote for says, explaining that in West africa marketing efectiveness conversations are boisterous, sounding happen. If you got married and your them. the videos garnered 2,5-million like they are giving you a hard time. votes and, by using Orange data services, the brand increased its sales. pictures are not there, your wedding did “the east Coast is very polite. But while they will engage with you, they never say not happen. On the east Coast, DJs and “the lesson for international brands is ‘no’, which makes it challenging to get local personalities are infuential – often to engage a local audience contextually then there’s the question of perceived While the potential ne Of the key reasOns ‘quality’, which might not be the same as to a conclusion.” with very large social followings.” and quickly and via the channels they want to be engaged through; then you for him, brands face two main that no easy answer is the other challenge is good old opportunities Oemerging as to ‘how to the ‘quality’ perception in a developed challenges in making the transition fashioned supply chain management. will see results,” Behan believes. in Africa for SA do business in africa’ is because country. although, if you’re talking high- from sa, or another developed market, finding a reliable means to distribute Mark West recently retired after being companies are widely sa companies have, for years, end products from global luxury brands, into the rest of africa: communications your product into a market that is the head of marketing for satellite tV mistakenly viewed the rest of the often still 80% informal is a challenge, giant MultiChoice africa for 20 years. and distribution. Many brands go in then the expectation is the same as acknowledged, continent as a single market, ignoring that of a consumer in London, new york with a communications model that is notes Behan. But a growing number MultiChoice, together with brands such the practicalities of the reality that there are over 50 or singapore. add to this the trade-offs Western-centric, but the continent has of marketers are realising that ‘what as Mtn and saBMiller, is a pioneer gaining a competitive countries with 2 000 dialects and between quality and general affordability leap-frogged ‘through the line’ and is works at home won’t work here’ and brand into the rest of africa. he warns that south africans are seeking specialist advice on the much more responsive to direct, social languages. But simply acknowledging that are sometimes necessary in order to advantage on the this situation is not enough, because gain economies of scale. and experiential marketing. development of bespoke strategies. companies can be viewed on the continent are still even within countries, cities and terry Behan, CeO of brand experience “On the West Coast the blog “We are fnding that clients are asking continent as selling expensive products being debated. By regions there are differences when agency VWV across africa and the www.bellanaija.com is so infuential us to help them communicate their brand and ripping other markets off. Making Middle east, has spent the last two yourself part of the local scene cannot that if you had a product launch, but it in a unique manner and also create it comes to product preferences and Danette Breitenbach. consumer demand. decades living and working in emerging did not appear on the blog, it did not distribution channels for them. recently be emphasised enough, he says. >> 42 strategicmarketing August–September 2014 August–September strategicmarketing 43