The Digital Revolution in South Africa

Feb. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Will South African brands survive a digital revolution?  

With the world moving towards digital tools like Smartphones and Tablets and its penetration in Africa shows that the mobile devices are the most used communication devices across the continent, it is not a matter of if brands should follow– but must embrace to survive.

The mobile device is morphing into more than just a telephone.  It is turning into a device that helps people interact with the everyday world.  In reality, it is a device in which the world is being trapped in. So much so that people have less actual conversations with one another anymore.  People are having conversations, chats, banking, parenting; the sky is the limit on these devices.

Consumption patterns of information are changing in the sense that we are now consuming content in byte sizes instead of paging through a magazine or newspaper. A person can simultaneously watch television, fast forward ads on PVR, work on a laptop and use an iPad or other handheld devices.  Television is no longer just about watching.  It is also about sharing your experience and emotions around the content the viewer is consuming and digital is now a personal space.

Taking this all into consideration the brands that are going to survive the digital revolution are those who are willing to adapt and change.  Consumers have already started to adapt but the challenge is that brands are not keeping up with the page. A new IBM study features key findings on CMOs in the digital marketing era. Not surprisingly, CMOs feel unprepared to manage the impact of key changes in marketing. And they are still struggling to provide numbers to demonstrate ROI for marketing.

The problem is due partly to old school versus new school ways of thinking.

While in the past CMOs focused solely on market insights, they now have to focus on individual insight, driven mostly by consumer-generated content, digital reporting data, third-party reviews, blogs, and social channels. It’s a whole new way of looking at the customer.

The digital world is becoming business unusual and is an area that allows smaller companies who are willing to embrace change and innovate fast enough to play alongside the biggest brands. What an opportunity! The challenge is that marketing departments are starting to embrace digital however top level executives have not made it top priority.

The power of digital has brought down unsuspecting Governments, the change in operating environments are threatening traditional mobile giants like Nokia, five years ago Microsoft was the most valuable tech company in the world and its CEO was sneering at Apple. Today, though innovation and embracing consumer needs Apple is the most valuable company in the world. Microsoft is building its own hardware, just like Apple.

The key is to understand individual consumers, their needs, their wants, how they want to be engaged from their perspective or die.

The challenge is that most South African brands lack in understanding the digital model which is all about engaging with the consumer and making their lives easier.  Digital should not be at a <a href="http://www.avataragency.co.za/ourservices/content_managem...">marketing strategy</a> layer but at the overall business strategy layer. Let’s face it consumers don’t see digital as a marketing tool as markets often do but a way of life and an extension of their personality. The most successful digital brands are those that integrate into the lifestyle of the consumer and not the other way around.

So next time you embark on a campaign, keep an open mind and remember to think telephone and not megaphone in a digital consumer engagement.

Visit our website http://www.avataragency.co.za for more insights and services.