Page 42 - Strategic Marketing Complete

MARKETING IN AFRICA

Delving into the African truth

To truly get to grips
with marketing to
the modern african
consumer, it is
essential to realise that
you are appealing to
a “peculiar” audience.

Throw away the
theories and rules that
you thought you knew
and spend more time
studying the behaviour
of these consumers.
by lisa Johnston.

llen Kambuni of Kenyan-
based Bean Interactive
says,“It is no longer about
building a product or marketing
it, it is about building solutions to
answer the real African problem and
productising these solutions.”

Speaking at a recent Pan African
Media Research Organisation
(PAMRO) conference held in Lagos,
Nigeria, Kambuni challenged the
audience - comprising media,
advertising and marketing delegates
- to delve into “the African truth”
and apply design thinking aimed
at solving problems, instead of
trying to apply a formal sector or
class approach to a broader African
audience.

It’s all about signals
According to Kambuni, targeting an
audience based on demographics
is no longer relevant or effective.
“It’s easy to say ‘sports is a man’s
game; gaming is for kids; women
are homemakers; and men buy
cars’, but when we look at the facts,
60% of sporting goods shoppers
who engaged with relevant YouTube
content are female; 45% of video
game searchers are older than 35;

p40 - Strategic Marketing