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CONSUMER TRENDS

‘Culture’ is the new marketing currency on the African continent

By our News Team | 2022

The African cultural revolution is permeating how consumers on the continent want to interact with brands, study finds.

New insights into the African consumer are revealing an increasingly confident, connected, creative and culturally aware continent. 

This is according to an extensive study involving more than 3 500 conversations in 2021 with urban consumers across Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa to determine the defining trends across these key regions and their relevance to the marketing fraternity.

The result of these dialogs is the 2021-2022 Africa Life report compiled by data analytics and brand consulting company Kantar; a wealth of insights for marketers, brands and businesses focused on the African continent.

While acknowledging the limits resulting from a sample of just four countries, Ndeye Diagne, Kantar’s Managing Director for West Africa, commented during the official launch of the report late last year that: “we are confident that we are capturing the energy and spirit that drives the people in our region”.

Consumer Trends

Photograph via Strategic Marketing for Africa magazine

Already, however, Kantar is hoping to expand its research to include Ethiopia and Egypt for the 2023-2024 study.

While tracking these trends is pivotal for any brand looking to do business in African markets in 2022 and beyond, one pervasive trend stood out for special mention: The cultural revolution permeating how consumers in Africa interact with brands and how brands, in turn, are being asked to craft messaging that resonates with the essence of being African. 

Although it is relatively easy to track internet penetration in the various countries and to follow mobile phone and social media usage, this cultural revolution is harder to box, more complex to measure and fundamentally unique to each market on the continent. 

Culture, believe the authors of the Kantar report, is the “new marketing currency” of Africa. And it is a trend that can be both a friend or foe if marketers fail to heed the warning signs. 

To read more of this article go to page 10 of the latest digital edition of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC) here: https://africanmarketingconfederation.org/publications-2/

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Dr Kin Kariisa

Group CEO - Next Media

Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.