Page 43 - Strategic Marketing Complete

MARKETING IN AFRICA

in Africa, digital is neither explorative or exploitative. it’s
what we eat, live and need to survive.

40% of home goods searchers are moment to provide simple solutions An example of where digital is
men; and 60% of auto searchers that change the way they live,” says catering directly to its consumers’
on mobile are female. Today it is Kambuni. needs is OTM, a Kenyan retail
all about signals. What is your disruptor that gives instant access
audience telling you about their This can be seen in a recent shift to branded household goods
preferences?” noticed by researchers at Nielsen, and offers credit and discounts,
where people are moving away packaged in easy-to-use apps.
By way of example, Kambuni spoke from hypermarkets and reverting “With access to over 300 000
about a Kenyan nappy manufacturer to shopping at local spazas and traditional trade outlets, OTM will
who wanted to know how his shops. It’s hardly surprising, given be able to offer valuable data and
company could increase sales. He the excessive rise in fuel and insights into untapped consumer
spent time in a slum area in Nairobi transport costs recently; as a result, opportunities and behavioural
simply observing. What he noticed people don’t want to travel, instead trends,” Kambuni says.
was that during the day parents preferring shops close to where they
let their children run around “free” live or commute. “In Africa, digital is neither
without a nappy; only at night did explorative or exploitative. It’s what
they put a nappy on them, to go to Even within more structured we eat, live and need to survive. The
bed. To cater for the practical and shopping outlets like malls, companies that will survive in the
economic needs of this sector, the shoppers are demanding “proximity, next couple of decades in Africa
manufacturer began selling the efficiency, in-the-moment rewards need to delve deep into the data that
nappies in singles instead of just and additional services”. defines this new population.”
bulk packs.
Digital and e-commerce can play a
“In Kenya, this is what we call critical role
the Kadago economy,” Kambuni
says. “Matching modern trade to Digital and ecommerce can play an
proximity trade, to match the growth important role in this, by providing
of the spaza”. on-demand two-way interactions
through easy-to-use apps and Now in its 19th year the Pan
Finding african solutions addressable advertising. African Media Research
“When it comes to finding solutions, Organisation (PAMRO) is the
most people in Africa have cut their Internet banking is huge in Africa. only marketing and media
teeth in an environment of scarcity. According to a study by the World research body that was initiated
No one is waiting around for the Bank in 2014, Botswana, Kenya, and is run by volunteers in
government to offer solutions. Ask Uganda, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire the interest of promoting ‘best
anyone from Nairobi: it’s about and Zimbabwe were ranked in the in breed’ research in Africa.
taking what you’ve got and making top six in the world for percentage As an NPO run by leading
the most of it. [As marketers and of account holders who made professionals in the media,
advertisers] we must stop trying a transaction on mobile in the marketing and advertising
to take a solution that fits in the previous 12 months - coming in industries PAMRO is committed
Western world and forcing it to fit. ahead of South Korea, the United to attaining a uniform research
It won’t. An example is in the DRC States, Sweden and Australia. Digital infrastructure across African
Congo, the robots there actually has opened up banking in areas countries so that the results
wave. It’s an African solution that where it wasn’t previously easily of different nations can be
may seem mercurial elsewhere, but accessible. compared with validity.
it’s sustainable here.”
E-commerce is also thriving. In The next PAMRO conference will
Typical customer experience Nigeria, 65% of Internet users shop take place in August 2019 in
journeys are built on what people online and 24% say they intend Mauritius.
can do, but the African customer to in the future, which means that
experience journey is built on what 89% of Internet users are potential Visit the website for more
people can’t do. “We need to reach online shoppers. In South Africa, this information: www.pamro.org
audiences based on their need in the number is 70% and in Kenya, 60%.

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