The status of advertising in Africa

Gone are the days of foreign marketeers and manufacturers dumping surplus stock and inferior products into Africa. Today's African consumer is sharp, smart and incisive and his playground is the next biggest marketing opportunity since the East.

Developing versus developed

The developing world, all 4.9 billion people of it, is different to the developed world from where most marketing wisdom emanates. In the developed world, the average age of the population is 37.2 years, while in the developing world, it is just 24.1years. The average age in Asia is 25.9 years and in Latin America it is 24.5 years - but in Africa it is just 18.2 years.

Africa is currently the least urbanised continent in the world yet it displays the fastest urban growth - growth around three times faster than that in the developed world. The process is simple. As people stream into the cities, they form new communities and forge new identities. They embrace the pace of progress and the need to make a better life for themselves. In so doing they become true consumers.

Certain trends have remained constant, says Frank, such as the significant differences of identity between East and West Africa: "West African countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon have a real desire to see and really enjoy seeing their own culture reflected in their advertising. Kenya, on the other hand, is more critical. It either has to be 100% Kenyan or at the very least European. If it comes from South Africa or any other country in Africa it's just not palatable. I surmise that their close ties to the UK and exposure to European brands over many years has made them less opposed to global advertising."

Television content

Frank comments that there was little on offer in Africa in terms of television a few years ago: "The terrestrial channels were generally Government-owned. They ran a lot of local news content and TV stations were essentially education and propaganda drivers. What's more, the quality of content was generally not great.

"With the advent of cable television like DStv, people have been exposed to significantly better content. Movies, sport, reality shows, dramas and more suddenly pitched television into the entertainment arena. Advertising couldn't afford not to live up to this genre and audiences became increasingly critical of quality. This, in turn, is constantly driving the demand for better quality advertising. If you can't at least look as good as the next guy why should we believe you're a better product? It's that simple"

Unlike SA's developed world experience, the television set in Africa is not merely a viewing medium, but a highly social one. People gather around the television and watch together. Much like we'd watch an important sporting event. People gather to watch soaps and participate loudly and very vocally with the drama of the story. Frank says while there are not that many decoders available, there are enough for large groups of people to be exposed to brands.

"Sport, especially football is huge in Africa, as is brand investment into television sports. Brands are increasingly seeing the value of cable television more and more. In Nigeria for instance, if you are not on DStv, you are clearly not a serious player."

Nollywood

The Nollywood phenomenon is huge and growing huger by the day. Frank says it's becoming an African culture and the films are now penetrating the entire sub-Saharan region and are even making inroads as far down as South Africa and, amazingly, enough Angola. Broadcast on the M-Net Africa channel is gaining a significant following.

Glossy magazines are also appearing across Africa, led out of SA: "Until as recent as two years ago, there was no significant presence of these publications in Africa north of Zambia. They are relatively expensive compared to the average income of people, but they are bought, read, sold, read and resold many times, so the circulation of a single magazine in Africa is very high."

Frank believes that Africa is becoming increasingly more open to youth and youth culture products; to music, Ipod, alco-pops, fashion, energy drinks and lifestyle products: "These products/ brands are going to have a huge future in Africa because they are so definitive of who you are, what you are and where you want to be. Africa is becoming very assertive about its possibility and this is being driven by the majority of young optimistic Africans. Youth brands will surely reflect the character of society."

Not a backwater

Today there are many more very ambitious, progressive young thinkers who do not believe the Africa they live in is a backwater. They are proud to be African. They take what is available from the developed world and make it their own, similar to what youth in the East were doing about ten years ago.

With life expectancy across the continent currently estimated at just less than 50 years, there is a continuously emerging youth market that will remain that way for many years to come: "All facts point to a dynamic market driven by vigorous youthful people wishing to make there mark. If this isn't the biggest opportunity since the demise of communism, then what is?" concludes Frank.