Page 8 - index
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In Short Trends, markets, happenings and musings
– in the spotlight and under scrutiny
Uber to disrupt restaurant Make online ads
home delivery market in SA more appealing
UBER, THE TAXI INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Uber drivers deliver restaurant take- THE WORLD FEDERATION OF
and market disruptor, is now looking out food to customers, who then pay Advertisers (WFA) has called for global
to do the same in the South African using the same cashless system that action from brands, marketers and the
restaurant home-delivery sector with its taxi clients use. UberEats already advertising community to tackle the
a new service called UberEats. operates in a number of global growing problem of digital ad blocking.
cities – among them London, WFA believes the industry as a whole
The service uses its own app which Paris, Singapore and Melbourne. must listen to what consumers are
is based on the Uber ride-hailing app. saying and take action.
The company describes the service
as delivering “the best of your city “Advertising has always been cultural
right when you want it. Our curated wallpaper and we have a duty to make it
menus feature dishes from the local as attractive and engaging as possible,
[restaurant] spots you love and the so that people enjoy it [and don’t] want
ones you’ve always wanted to try. to shut it out,” said association President
It’s the same cashless payment David Wheldon in a media statement.
as an Uber ride.”
In calling for the industry to take
Globally, Uber operates several action, the WFA envisages a three-
other brand extensions based on point process involving the creation
its ride-hailing technology. These of international standards for digital
include UberYacht and UberChopper advertising, allowing consumers to
– products that enable affluent establish clear preferences for the
customers to use the app to order advertising they are willing to see, and
yachts and helicopters. then regularly monitoring their responses.
Poor sentiment, but sales rise According to Luis Di Como, Senior PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Vice-President of Global Media at
DESPITE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSUMER Inflation was running at more than Unilever and a member of the WFA
sentiment being similar to that in the 12% during 2008/9, whereas it’s Executive, marketers and their agencies
2008/09 recession, things are actually currently sitting at 6,2%. need to “focus on creating content that
not as bad as they were then. A study is authentic, relevant for consumers
released by Nielsen research says inflation Henry explains: “Manufacturers and and drives talkability – creative that
levels are better and so is consumer retailers have been diligent in trying to enhances rather than detracts from
demand in certain categories. ensure that they still bring affordable users’ online experiences.”
products to consumers through pricing
“In fact, it’s clear that consumption and promotion strategies, as well as [by
figures were far worse in 2008/9, with offering] affordable packs sizes. This
overall pack sales declining by 7% and includes strategies such as zero-rating
spend increasing by 5%. This is in contrast increases on staples – for example,
to the current situation, where annual ‘same price as last year’ promotions
spend is up by 9% and overall pack sales – to ensure that consumers can still
are up 4%,” says Nielsen’s Craig Henry. afford staples like bread.”
6 strategicmarketing August–September 2016
