Launching a new product during a recession can pay off, study shows
Researchers find fewer competitors and lower manufacturing and marketing costs contribute to product-launch successes during a recession.
VODCASTS
Why vodcasts are every African marketer’s flexible friend
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Repurposing marketing and social media content is a smart way to maximise digital spend. This flexibility is why vodcasts are taking off in Africa.
What is a vodcast other than a fancy podcast that incorporates video elements or visual techniques like image carousels, slides or still photographs?
Danilo Acquisto, co-founder and CEO of social video specialist, Special Effects Media, admits the definition is still rather sketchy.
“It’s video and podcasts smashed together, but industry bodies need to start thinking about how we define these terms better,” he says. “For marketers, it does get confusing. Does a radio show that is being filmed and cut down become a vodcast? Or a radio snippet?”
Another question that is frequently asked is: Must a vodcast have a visible microphone with a set question-and-answer format? Or can an existing podcaster film a conversation, stick it on YouTube, and then call it a vodcast?
Photo: Cottonbro Studio from Pexels
While the concept remains broad and still slightly ambiguous, so is the reach of this video-driven format.
“Best practice [on social media posts] is 15 seconds or less, so it’s difficult to cram brand messages or unpack very complex brand needs and customer journeys into such a short-form piece of content,” Acquisto emphasises.
As a result, marketers have developed a fondness for podcasting. This more informal format gives them the opportunity to “unpack at length, and in conversation with people, topics they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do in the short-form space”, he says.
Acquisto believes that vodcasts fall into the same conversational category as podcasts, except they offer even greater potential for repurposing quality content across multiple platforms.
A multi-touchpoint approach
Moses Kemibaro, CEO of Kenyan digital business agency, Dotsavvy, affirms that “TikTok, YouTube and Instagram Reels have become an important aspect of the content mix when any brand is communicating” to an African audience.
In addition to Dotsavvy, he has built a strong personal following thanks to his Pure Digital Passion podcast and his understanding of Africa’s digital media ecosystem.
Kemibaro shifted into podcasting early on, and continued to create content during Covid using the Zoom communications platform. In most cases he opted for audio without video. But after using a professional film studio, he had an epiphany: “It hit me that when you do a video podcast, you end up with a number of assets.”
Today, Kemibaro repurposes video content across LinkedIn, Instagram, his website and podcast. The secret, he says, is to use multiple platforms and multiple formats, but to craft the content in such a way that all the pieces work together. That, he emphasises, leads to significant aggregated reach and engagement.
Find out about vodcasting in Africa, and much more, in the latest Strategic Marketing for Africa – the voice of African marketing and the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC). Read it online or download it here.
A Print Edition of the magazine is also available.
Corruption remains top ethical concern for African PR professionals
On the positive side, annual study finds that the influence of public relations in African boardrooms is slowly improving.
Nestlé appoints a new CEO for its Central and West Africa region
Samer Chedid moves from a leadership role at Nestlé Indonesia to oversee the company’s business across 25 countries in the region.
KitKat leverages its famous tagline and gives it a modern twist
Campaign suggesting it’s time for modern consumers to ‘Take a Phone Break’ wins an Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2025.
Publicis Groupe wins City of Cape Town’s communications business
City says the agency stood out not only for its integrated capabilities, but also for its ‘deep commitment to collaboration’.
Namibian shoppers are under the whip as food prices rise sharply
Fruit prices rose by a significant 15.5% in May, with notable price increases for watermelons, citrus fruits and avocados.
US pizza chain Papa John’s makes first foray into Central Africa
Brand debuts in the DRC with an outlet in Kinshasa, complementing its existing African presence in Kenya, Egypt and Morocco.
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.
Better ports and logistics infrastructure will boost Tunisia’s economy
World Bank report paints positive picture, but emphasises that enhancing ports and related infrastructure could boost GDP by 4-5%.
Australian study finds that confusing labels are driving food waste
More consistent date labels and storage advice – along with bigger print and the use of simple icons – could save consumers money.
Kenya plans to clamp down on the marketing of unhealthy foods
Proposed measures include banning advertisements on television, digital platforms and outdoor media when children are the primary audience.
