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John Moyo
Entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and Africa have for years generally underestimated the impact and role advertising plays in the growth and expansion of their businesses. In a documentary which was aired on the SABC a few years ago, it was noted that the biggest hurdle facing African economies was a general apathy by businesses in embracing and utilising advertising mediums like newspapers and television. Apart from the periodic campaigns by some big retail outlets, most organisations appear to consider advertising a luxury, or an unnecessary expense. This probably is the reason why certain foreign brands are regarded as being superior to local ones. The onus lies with the marketing and distribution of the product.
The Coca-Cola Company gives its flagship brand, Coke, the biggest publicity by promoting and flighting adverts in the print and electronic media all year round globally. Coke has for years been linked to major sporting and entertainment events worldwide. There is even free signage provided for retailers all over the country with the Coca-Cola logo accompanying the traders’ name. While this may seem extravagant and cumbersome, the long-term benefits of such publicity are quite amazing.
The Coca-Cola logo has become synonymous with most shopping centres, be they growth points or modern up-market shopping malls in big cities. This is the cue, which most emerging businesses in Zimbabwe should take and follow. Advertising is powerful. There are some black businesspeople who have effectively utilised the opportunities which advertising offers. The late black empowerment campaigner and insurance leader, Paul Mukondo was one such person. His programme which used to air on radio every Sunday at 0730 hrs informed many people about the benefits of insuring one’s life. Through such mass communication, the company Southampton Insurance became a household name.
Advertising is not expensive; in fact, the opposite is true. The creative element in most adverts enhances product appreciation by the general public. Also, advertising should not be viewed as a once-off, instant prescription to enhance sales. It has to be consistent. In fact companies and even the smallest business should have an advertising budget in the same manner as the one for fuel.
The folly of resorting to advertising when the entity is up for sale is common, but offers very little reprieve as the general public or prospective buyers will be having very little knowledge about the enterprise. It is therefore a matter of survival of the advertisers in this extremely competitive global economy.
In Europe, companies pay huge sums of money to have corporate identities printed on the kits of big soccer clubs. Also, touchline advertising has been automated and is now competing with electronics billboards in appeal and content. The international exposure such advertising avails to corporations, when for instance, big teams like Barcelona and Manchester United are competing in European club championships, is breathtaking.
Television and radio advertising has suffered a decline in Southern Africa as a whole. Although this can be attributed partly to poor programming, it’s also due to the downsizing by international conglomerates who are sorely feeling the effects of the recession globally. The biggest losers are the emerging economies, who are faced with high-end competition from private pay-per view TV networks which are digitally compliant on high definition, digitalised broadcasting and advertisers are opting for cable networks whose picture and sound quality are excellent. Electronic advertising is all about maximising the optical and audio illusion offered by modern TV technology.
The worldwide web or Internet is another medium which local companies are yet to fully utilise.
There is therefore a need for a paradigm shift by our entrepreneurs to appreciate and embrace advertising as a key driver in the growth of their businesses. Advertising agencies also have to adapt to current trends and upgrade their product to suit the demands of high-tech clientele.
Agencies have to be aware of target markets in order to compile and present relevant material to the consumer. In TV and radio advertising, musical jingles entice and attract listeners’ attention to a slot they would otherwise not care to watch. Some corporations have even secured rights to popular chart topping music to accompany their message. In the print media, eye catching, colourful adverts with scantily dressed women have become the order of the day as companies engage in a no-holds-barred scramble for the diminishing share of the market.
Some companies have even gone as far as offering customers “money-back” guarantees in a bid to convince them.
In developed countries, companies contract brand promotion agents to ensure uninterrupted propagation of their market during prime time television viewing. In such instances, the product is exposed to millions of viewers who because of their interest in a particular TV programme would be compelled to watch the clip. Due to such interest by viewers, soap manufacturers in the early 1950s targeted these time slots thereby giving birth to the popular term “soap opera.” Because of the soap adverts in between the serialised programmes, the impact of such slots is shown by the amount of money the TV stations charge for a few seconds of airtime to the advertiser.
The electronic media has the advantage of the many innovations it offers the advertiser. But the print media should not be left behind in as far as being creative to attract advertisers. People buy newspapers for different reasons. Some have an interest in politics, others in sports and yet others go straight to their favourite leader page for letters and so on. Many businesspeople peruse the classifieds in search of bargains.
There are some innovations which the print media can incorporate to attract advertisers. Running columns on popular and contemporary social issues in the mode of the highly popular “Grapevine” and Chamakuhwa’s by TC which was run by Chronicle some years back can resuscitate reading habits in people. People are slowly moving away from an interest in politics as evidenced by the popularity of Zimpapers’ social weeklies B-Metro and H-Metro. Reading is a hobby few people like. But when scandalous scoops are featured on a weekly basis, readers will develop an interest in what will be next. This in turn will force them to buy whichever publication will be running such stories thereby giving advertisers exposure of their commodities.
In this light, it is essential for newspapers to run columns which focus on the lighter side of life. The humour featured in some foreign cartoon strips is irrelevant to the social environment of the newspaper. Tabloids are popular with advertisers and readers alike because of the ease with which the eye moves from one story to another. But the broadsheet gives maximum optical appreciation and better detail in terms of vivid communication to the reader. As such advertisers should be aware of the type of newspaper their product is running in.
In a nutshell, the above facts can ensure a win-win situation for both the advertiser and the medium, that is newspaper or electronic. Advertising cannot be separated from public relations and marketing. The image of a company can be shattered or built by the importance the company places on advertising. By taking this very crucial exercise seriously, businesspeople, no matter how powerful, can establish their brands in the minds of consumers for generations as evidenced by the rural folk who, because of the popularity of Coca Cola, will just ask the shopkeeper for a “Coke” even if they want Fanta, for example.
Advertising works.
Online Reporter