What to expect from this week's ROOTS 2016 launch!

ROOTS provides marketers, advertisers, media and creative agencies with the intelligence and insights into the consumer's media, shopping, tech and leisure habits at local community level. Besides the usual datasets of demographics and general info, ROOTS digs deeply into categories like digital integration, activities and entertainment, and many retail categories.

Chatting exclusively to SPARK Media’s CEO Gill Randall, we can reveal the research showing that on average every issue of Caxton’s local newspapers reaches 63% of urban South Africa and 83% of readers confirm they use advertising within these papers to shop.

Those attending the launch presentations will hear more about how, on any given day, there are approximately 3,500 people shopping for furniture in urban South Africa while around 54,000 are shopping for clothes. Attendees will also find out which retailers are more frequented in which communities.

ROOTS 2016 also shows the highest concentration of marriages with babies is the Somerset West, Stellenbosch and Wellington area; while the Gauteng community with the highest concentration of cat owners is Rosebank.

“ROOTS started in 1984,” says Gill. “Since then, 180,000 interviews have been conducted and in 2001 we partnered with TNS, ensuring that the past 15 years of data is consistent and trendable at a community level. This year, we delve even more thoroughly into the digital and technology aspects that take up so much time and resources of a consumer's daily life.”

“ROOTS 2016 will provide you with the tools to plan your advertising campaign and gives insights into the consumer's purchase decisions in today’s tough economic climate,” states Gill.

Another interesting fact is that the number one reason for visiting a garage forecourt is to buy airtime followed by a soft drink and to top up groceries. Actually filling up the petrol tank only comes in at number 4!

It is important to note that research is done at a community level, 120 in all. Examples include; Sandton, Alex, Rustenburg, Chatsworth, Tzaneen, Constantia, George, Gugulethu, Kimberley and Retreat. When reaching the consumer it is critical to know and understand demographics and habits at a local level. A shopper at Sandton City, for example, is not the same as a shopper in Cresta!

For more information contact Samu Makhathini, research manager at SPARK Media on az.oc.aidemkraps@ms. Follow the launch on Twitter @sparkmediasa with the #ROOTS2016 hastag or find them on Facebook at SPARK Media.