Ignore Africa at your own peril!

According to Cowper, recent research indicates that by the year 2010, 60 % of Africa's population will be urbanised. "Despite the threat of AIDS in Africa, this poses an enormous opportunity for marketers and their advertising agencies to seriously start looking at Africa. The openings for brands, services and businesses are vast.

"When local clients start speaking about Africa many South African based agencies have no clue where to start and the tendency is to ignore the topic and hope it will go way. 'African media' per se is ignored primarily because there is currently no qualitative research available to back media plans. There is also a complete lack of understanding of the African market and media.

"Marketing in Africa does pose a number of barriers to entry such as transparency, distance, cultures and languages to name but a few. But where there is a will there is a way and these can very easily be overcome by building relationships with local professionals in each country.

"Relationships build on trust are the most fundamental attributes to being able to work successfully in Africa. Through such relationships the barriers become a lot easier to overcome which we have already proved through our recent launch of Starcom Africa.

In conclusion, Cowper cautions marketers and agencies to go into Africa with their eyes wide open. "Africa is not for the fainthearted or for those who are set on having all their decisions backed by research and numbers. You need to secure the 'right' partnerships or to reduce the risk, work through a local agency who already has a firm foothold in the door with established relationships with 'best of breed' associates. And always remember that Africa has the potential to delivery beyond your wildest expectations. Africa is the future!"