Township branding comes clean - the car wash provides a new communication medium

Until recently, if one looked carefully, a few billboards and wall murals could be found in townships. But in order for advertisers to tap into the heart of this culturally rich middle class community a new form of branding had to be offered.

Carwashes have always been an integral part of the township community. Not just a place for washing cars, the car wash is a place for socialising, retail, having a haircut and of course, showing off shiny new hubcaps. What's more, informal township car washes are located near taverns and shishanyamas, often right next door. For these reasons people enjoy spending time there, particularly before the big night out on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. Ex-township dwellers living in the leafier, high LSM suburbs will drive many kilometres to the township carwash where they grew up to experience the vibe and catch up with old friends. Informal braais often take place, adding a further social element. Over the weekends car washes have a high dwell time. They're also situated where traditional billboards are limited or not permitted.

Provantage has formalised car wash structures, creating boundaries and areas, and in so doing creating a branding platform for advertisers. The benefits hereof are twofold - it helps entrepreneurs owning and managing the carwash to have a formalised area for doing business - the advertising provides another revenue stream as they receive a percentage of the earnings; and provides advertisers with a large area that can be exclusively branded with one message.

Carwash advertising offers a new and acceptable communication medium in areas that were previously lacking in, or had limited, out of home advertising platforms. Due to their location, campaigns can be targeted at the immediate community. Provantage has secured advertising sites at car washes nationally and has a number of opportunities available. For more info please contact Shamendran Naidu on 0861 776 826 or az.oc.egatnavorp@ymahs or go to www.provantage.co.za.