Talking to the townships

Leading outdoor advertising specialist Primedia Outdoor anticipated the trend and maximised advertising opportunities with strategically situated PrimeLite billboards in areas such as Durban townships Umlazi, KwaMashu and Soweto.

Prior to 1990, outdoor advertising was prevalent in townships but shifted to urban areas to target higher LSM markets. However, the increasing number of shopping centres and burgeoning middle class audience in the township areas sees the outdoor medium experiencing another shift to satisfy increasing township billboard demand.

"Advertisers are realising the necessity of communicating to audiences in these areas," says S'khumbuzo Nkosi, the company's CEO. "Townships are recognised as valued economic hubs with growing disposable income."

No matter where situated, billboard advertising reaches a broad spectrum of consumers and outdoor in townships targets not only the residents, but also captures another lucrative market. Many of the higher LSM black economic demographic living in the cities originate from townships and regularly return to visit. In addition, many high-income earners still reside in metropolitan township areas such as Soweto.

As an outcome of the escalating demand for prime billboard real estate, suitable new sites are hard to find. Rental prices - dependant on size and location - are shooting up. The company has secured prime sites in these sought-after areas and its billboards in townships are claimed to offer advertisers high reach and frequency because of their high visibility and positioning.

Generally, media owners constantly develop new channels to reach consumers but the company notes that many advertisers use identical messages in townships and higher LSM areas… advertisers seek to command purchasers in both areas as opposed to one or the other.

"Unfortunately an alarming number of local marketers and advertisers fail to create suitable messages for the appropriate audience and do not maximise reach," Nkosi explains.

The bottom line is, tailor your message to your audience, and then ensure your message is in the right position for the target audience to see it. Location is paramount.