Pick n Pay stores in Namibia to be rebranded as Model supermarkets
Local franchisee terminates its 27-year agreement with Pick n Pay on 30 June and will return to the brand it first created in 1965.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
UN concerned that most influencers don’t verify their information
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Unesco says ‘lack of rigorous critical evaluation of information’ highlights an urgent need to enhance creators’ skills and fact-checking.
Most social media influencers don’t verify information before sharing it with their sometimes-vast audiences, a study by Unesco, the educational, scientific and cultural arm of the United Nations, has warned.
Photo: RDNE Stock project from Pexels
This finding emphasises concerns about the spread of disinformation and misleading claims being made on social media – on topics as wide-ranging as business, politics, climate change, race and immigration.
The Unesco study, titled ‘Behind the screens: insights from digital content creators; understanding their intentions, practices and challenges’, found that 62% of the surveyed influencers don’t vet the accuracy of content before sharing it with their followers. Only 37% said they verified information with a fact-checking site before circulation.
Rather than verifying information, more than four in 10 influencers said they evaluated a source’s credibility by ‘popularity’ – the number of likes and views it had received – and one in five said trusted friends and experts were the most common factor in determining an online source’s credibility. Seventeen percent told the researchers that documentation and evidence was their most important factor in gauging credibility.
Study has highlighted an ‘urgent need’
“The prevalent lack of rigorous critical evaluation of information highlights an urgent need to enhance creators’ media and information literacy skills, including identifying and using reliable fact-checking resources,” Unesco states in the report.
The study surveyed 500 digital content creators across 45 countries and territories in August and September 2024.
More than a quarter of the creators were not aware of regulations covering their work in the country where they operated. Only half of the creators surveyed properly disclosed sponsors or other funding sources to their audiences. In some countries influencers are required to disclose if their post is sponsored.
“The low prevalence of factchecking highlights their vulnerability to misinformation, which can have far-reaching consequences for public discourse and trust in media,” the report says.
You can read more about the study here.
Micro-influencers the way to go when targeting Gen Z consumers – study
Gen Zedders value authenticity from brands – something which big-name mega-influencers cannot deliver, US research finds.
PepsiCo is going head-to-head with Coca-Cola in prebiotic soda market
In February, Coke launched its Simply Pop prebiotic drink brand. This week, Pepsi bought its arch-rival brand, Poppi. Let battle commence!
Nigeria’s CIG Group appoints Adeleye Fabusoro to Group Marketing role
He moves from CNBC and Forbes Africa to spearhead marketing, PR and corporate communication initiatives across a portfolio of brands.
SA’s Spar grocery chain plans to differentiate its brand offerings
Like its main competitors, Spar will split its retail brands into higher-income premium outlets and lower-income discount stores.
UN Tourism to host Regional Forum on gastronomy tourism for Africa
Event in Tanzania brings together influencers, chefs, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others to examine ways to enhance Africa’s tourism brand.
Unilever’s new boss will spend more on social media and influencers
Incoming CEO says brand messaging is viewed with growing suspicion by consumers and having others speak for your brand is ‘very important’.
Study examines how X banter with competitors boosted a product launch
When a smaller fast-food brand launched a new meal, it’s bigger rivals began some banter – which benefitted the small brand most.
Boost your marketing career in 2025 with the AMC’s short courses
Confederation has fast-paced online Express Courses you can complete in a week, to in-depth studies taking up to 10 months.
Moroccan telecoms brand unveils Real Madrid player partnership
With an eye on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in the North African country, Orange Maroc signs Real’s Brahim Diaz.
Concern in Mozambique as counterfeit alcoholic drinks flood the market
‘Networks of corruption’ and inadequate resources at regulatory authorities mean up to 80% of popular brands of drinks could be fake.
