We know that globalisation is an ever-increasing factor in the world. And that really international boundaries, rules and commercial laws are hopelessly outdated as they try and cope with e-commerce. We are effectively already in a phase where brands are having to be international if they are to have the muscle to sustain themselves. So the driving force today? Change!
We see South African brands like SAB, Vodacom and Shoprite all in a state of change and spreading through Africa and the world in their quest for commercial Valhalla.
Here in South Africa we’ve seen the tsunami of international brands roll in over the past decade – new motor car marques like Kia, Mahindra, and Daihatsu and the return of Alfa, Fiat, Volvo and GM while Samsung and LG have taken Phillips and Telefunken’s market space. The point? The world and our environment are turning faster than before – things are changing exponentially, and we hardly notice anymore!
This is evident in the media scenario in South Africa too. Subtly, the entire environment is changing shape, adapting to the new reality, experimenting, and trying different things.
New magazine titles continue to be tossed onto the market almost hap hazardously. There seems almost a war going on out there as to whom can bring a new product to market quickest. Who can carve out an ever-diminishing niche for yet another “closely targeted” product.
Just let’s look at a couple of sectors. Consumer motoring for instance. Media Manager lists at least 45 (including newspaper supplements) but realistically there are probably 10 “real” competitors competing for what used to be a sector of three or four.
Take the leisure outdoor travel market. We were happy with Getaway. Then war broke out and we now confuse ourselves with Weg, Go, Getaway and Wegbreek! Let us not even discuss the home and décor market where titles are so interchangeable you have to confuse yourself with Top Huis, Tuin Paleis, plus House and Garden, Garden and Home, House and Leisure, Home Owner, Tuis, Home and Home and House! (All right, I made up Home and House!)
Also, retro is surely now cool! The format of the Reader’s Digest was always seen as a pain in the ass! But the world has changed. Smaller handbag size formats are seen as chic, cool, and different. Not only have agencies and marketers alike accepted the novelty of Glamour, but indeed Sarie is testing the water with its trial of a smaller format.
So clients are definitely ending up buying the same circulation that they did in days of yore for a far higher price today. Where four or five titles would have covered a market sector adequately then, now we schedule anything between six and 10. But it’s not all bad news. Tighter scheduling and market reach result in reduced wastage and other promotional, editorial and educational opportunities are more plentiful with the increased competition.
It may be a more complicated, more confusing environment in 2006. However, it’s the way the world is turning, and clients who are in tune with their market should embrace the change with open arms. Dynamic, evolving, and innovation are after all words that are music to the ears of any marketer. That’s what the magazine sector in South Africa is all about at this moment in time. Tomorrow? Who knows—
Harry Herber is group managing director at The MediaShop Group.