Actually, 7 in 10 South Africans cannot 'like' you

The bad news first: most of the consumers in SA cannot access your social media, despite the use of smartphones in South Africa increasing by about 20% a year.

Market research

Let's do the sums. A study prepared for the World Bank by Research ICT Africa and Intelecon in December 2012, predicts June this year should see an estimated 14,4 million smartphones sold to the 51 million people of all ages living in South Africa.

This means LESS THAN A THIRD of the consumers in South Africa have a smartphone right now, leaving seven in every 10 people (69,4%) unable to like you on Facebook, forward your pithy tweet, or become a little more brand loyal on Instagram.

The good news is these seven people rely on the traditional media of TV, radio and print, which they access at home, at work, on taxis and in queues. Of this trio, print carries the most authority. As professor Mpine Makoe, head of the Institute for Open Distance Learning at the University of South Africa once said, "In Africa, if it is printed, it means it must be true."

And among the print titles, niche media underscores the almost Biblical ring of truth of the printed word with the like-minded authority of a friend's endorsement. As the authors Knee, Greenwald and Seave explain in their book, "The Curse of the Mogul...", Nike pays more for an ad in "Runner's World" than in a high-end general interest magazine because niche magazines guarantee readers who are interested in specific products and services. With them, you know which half of your ads are effective.

Sparking innovative campaigns

As a publisher my motivation for reminding marketers that smartphones do not make for smart marketing is obvious -- we want your ads. But your clients want your ads to reach those seven in 10 buyers even more than I want their ad-spend.

So how about switching off the screen and come check out what's really happening on the streets? You call them the lower LSM's, but these are Mzansi's most fascinating people with special interests, like paying cash and buying in bulk. Meeting them may just spark your most innovative ad campaigns.