Connected Youth in the Townships

In South Africa over the past 5 years the number of active SIM cards has grown rapidly to over 50 million. This is a staggering number when one considers that the population of South Africa is 46 million. The fact is, that this figure does not relate to mobile phone handset ownership but to how the networks are accessed. The high cost of interconnection between one service provider and another has meant that many people, especially the youth, will own 3 or 4 SIM cards to avoid the charges and take advantage of network ‘specials’.
 

The range of handset makes and models used by Township youth would surprise many. They range from Sony Ericsson, Nokia to mid level Samsung and Motorola. Choice is made by cost versus functionality and not necessarily by brand.



The mobile phone is not only the primary communication device but it is an entertainment centre, social networking channel and the link to the online world of Google and Wikipedia. 19% use mobile instant messaging and 49% are regular social network users including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Where no PC or Laptop is available, mobile online browsing has become the major source of information research for school, college and university studies. Downloaded documents, photos, music and video are freely shared via Bluetooth as most handsets (96.8%) are Bluetooth enabled and the service is free.
 

The social and educational advantages are strikingly obvious and there are many initiatives that are addressing how to further utilise the platform to expand the user experience and value proposition.
 

It is my view that marketers have not adequately researched Township youth mobile communication and as such have ignored a key channel to reach this significant audience. The most common use of mobile marketing has been, and still is, SMS, where the communication is mass focused, premium rated and in general creatively lacklustre. It can be argued statistically that SMS is a successful marketing media but this is due to the fact that other mobile media has not been adequately explored or measured. SMS competitions are viewed with cynicism by the youth as many feel the cost of their entry is paying for the campaign and even generating revenue for the promoting brand. Much more can be done to generate a more positive brand experience and increase the value and impact of the brand communication.
 

Planning and adopting a mobile brand strategy requires insight and knowledge that few traditional agencies fully understand. Most are still fixated on mass marketing and do not appreciate the impact of the “small world phenomenon” in relation to mobile communication. Many strategy plans still refer to LSM (Living Standards Measurement) Groups. These are, in my view, almost redundant and we should be focusing on mindsets, niches, tribes and communities. If as marketers we want to communicate with an audience we should be addressing lifestyle interests, utility and relevance if we want to gain more than a seasonal spike in a sales graph. We need to clearly define our measurement criteria for success beyond ROI (Return on Investment) and include ROO (Return on Objective). By giving weight to ROO marketers will increase the consumer value proposition and gain more consumer ‘trust’ which is sadly lacking as reflected by the fact that 86% of 15 to 25 year old consumers do not trust brands.
 

Brand recall and stark sales figures do not automatically mean that consumers ‘trust’ a brand. Exceptions, such as Nike and Coca-Cola have embraced mobile marketing and are extremely conscious of meaningful, relevant consumer engagement that is rewarding and memorable. Both of these brands have created an environment of participation highlighted by the acknowledgement and use of CGC (Consumer-Generated-Content) that directly relates to how their brands are used by differing individuals, interest groups and communities. This has not only created trust but also developed valuable conversations that have produced new products and increased brand relevancy.
 

The core aspect of mobile communication is to converse in addition to encouraging (incentivising) sales uptake. Strategically this requires campaign awareness, brand communication channels, fulfilment and follow-through.
 

Traditional media channels still do a great job of creating brand awareness and one of the most effective in today’s economic climate is radio in combination with point of sale material that should almost certainly include digital screens where possible. Proximity marketing by promoter ‘Blitz Teams’ with wearable Bluetooth tags has proved to be highly effective in communicating the brand proposition and incentivising ‘pull-through’. Bluetooth is free and delivers multiple rich media brand communications to consumers’ mobile phones; think of it as a “digital handshake” that can slip the user an instant reward. The effectiveness of Bluetooth media is magnified when there is a human interface in the form of a promoter who is able to verbally engage the consumer and help where required adding further brand kudos. Mobile activations with promoters are not like handing out leaflets as multi media content is delivered to the consumer’s phone which will add reach and keep the brand front of mind for longer than dispensed print media. Adding an incentive to the multi media content in the form of a 2D barcode voucher is the next part of the conversation conversion. To redeem the instant win 2D barcode, consumers scan their phone voucher at a strategically situated portable “Brandpoint” unit where they will enter their mobile phone number before receiving their reward. An instant SMS is sent back to the entered number that thanks the recipient for interacting and includes a simple ‘click-through’ link to the brand Mobi site where the conversation can continue and further rewards can be gained that require ongoing brand interaction or pull back to the retail outlet. Think of the impact this would have at a Township Taxi Rank.
 

Brands can’t afford to have promoters activating 24/7 throughout a campaign in which case, integrated Bluetooth networks with digital screens or static Bluetooth enabled poster sites and Bluetooth units (TaxiTags) inside branded commuter taxis can be employed to effectively extend the communication reach. Utilising Bluetooth Networks, time sensitive content can be refreshed and updated remotely as the campaign progresses. It becomes a talking point that, using the small world phenomenon, grows the brand reach exponentially. In addition consumers engage with each other adding trust and relevance to the communication. Usually the first thing that one person tells another with this form of media is “it’s free! I didn’t have to send an SMS.”
 

Using Bluetooth responsibly as a media channel is the key to a successful campaign. This is an ‘opt-in’ media and not a mass media blanket approach. It doesn’t work on lists of prospects, it interacts where it’s relevant and well received, therefore the brand can be assured that each contact is by choice and valued by the recipient.