On the up - Young marketers ascending the marketing ladder
1. On the up - Young marketers ascending the marketing ladder
Lisa Cloete meets an up-and-coming
researcher with a strong interest in what
makes South African consumers tick.
K
ambe Mwaba believes that
the South African market-
research industry is on the
cusp of becoming a lot more dynamic.
And she should know: she has, after
all, been recognised as one of its most
exciting talents.
This kudos was granted in August
by the Southern African Marketing
Research Association (SAMRA). At the
organisation’s 33rd annual conference
held in Johannesburg, Mwaba won the
Bright Young Minds Award, as well as
a bronze medal for her paper: ‘Making
the small screen part of the big picture:
Understanding how South African
Internet and mobile phone users
interact with brands online’.
So, how does a 25-year-old from
Mafikeng – not one of South Africa’s
innovation hot spots, Mwaba admits –
become a leading thinker on brands,
consumers and social media?
It all started with a move to Cape
Town 10 years ago, followed by the
decision to study marketing at the
University of Cape Town. “Marketing
appealed to me because, while I
enjoy the complexities of business,
I also have a strong interest in what
makes people tick. This industry is
the perfect combination of both: on
the one hand, you have to be sussed
On the cusp
of great things
about the strategies companies should
follow, based on market trends; on the
other, you also have to understand
how people think and what motivates
their choices.”
But marketing is an extremely wide
discipline, so why market research?
Mwaba answers that her career
direction was clinched after an on-
campus interview with TNS Research
Surveys, one of SA’s top market-
research organisations, which promised
the scope to explore the psychological
side of marketing.
She’s found this aspect of her job
particularly fascinating. “I’m intrigued
by the factors that drive purchasing
decisions,” she explains. Helping
clients understand those factors is
another part of the job that pleases
her: “Making presentations is my
opportunity to ensure the consumer’s
voice is heard.” She also enjoys the
variety of market research, and the
broad exposure to different brands and
sectors it affords.
This is an especially exciting time for
the industry in South Africa, Mwaba
believes, thanks to the dramatic social
and technological changes that are
taking place. Interestingly, market
research is a sphere that has, until now,
remained relatively unaffected >>
Kambe Mwaba … wise brands leverage
radio and TV to point consumers to their
digital domain
March 2013 strategicmarketing 45
2. 46 strategicmarketing March 2013
March 2013 strategicmarketing 47
PHOTO:SUPPLIED,GALLO/GETTYIMAGES
by these developments. But, according
to Mwaba, it is now poised to catch up.
And, as a young person who interacts
daily with these forces increasingly
shaping our lives, she maintains that
there are a lot of valuable insights
she can bring to the industry. That’s
important, because while South Africa’s
industry may have advanced in terms of
the technology available, the processes
used haven’t progressed significantly.
This is in stark contrast to its European
counterparts, where pen and paper
data collection has long been discarded
in favour of computer-aided processes.
It was her understanding of the
challenges posed by this state of affairs
that encouraged Mwaba to research
the interaction between South African
consumers and brands in the digital
space. “I was first introduced to the
subject through my work on TNS’s
Digital Life Survey, which showed that,
while South Africans enjoy engaging
with one another on social-media
platforms, they’re reticent when it
comes to interacting with brands across
these channels,” Mwaba explains.
Her interest piqued, she approached
TNS client service director, Mark
Molenaar, to act as his assistant on
a project based on the findings of the
Digital Life Survey.
Two key findings
This formed the starting point of
her research. From there, Mwaba
uncovered two key findings, the first
being that there are still several
technological factors inhibiting
engagement.
“Most South Africans access the
Internet through their handsets, and
data costs are high. Since people have
limited air time, they’d rather use it for
actual conversations,” she explains.
Added to this, Internet speeds are
still slow. Mwaba points to the ‘two-
second rule’, with users losing interest
if content is not downloaded literally
within seconds. Then again, with so
many different mobile phones in use
in South Africa – from the most basic
handsets to sophisticated smartphones
– it’s understandable that brands don’t
always get this right.
“Users are downloading sites that
don’t fit their screens, or that are
difficult to navigate,” Mwaba says.
Consumers’ attitudes are also at
play. Many are still more comfortable
with traditional media; the concept
of accessing a company website for
information feels foreign to them
and they balk at the idea of providing
personal details online in case they
receive ‘funny’ e-mails in return.
Mwaba calls this the fear of ‘spam
or scam’. If they consider e-mail too
personal a means of engagement,
then they find Facebook’s ‘Friend’
requests outright invasive. “The idea
just doesn’t sit well with them. They
can’t fathom why brands are in this
space and what they are trying to
achieve,” Mwaba explains.
How can brands overcome these
obstacles? “First, understand what
people want to get out of the interaction
– why they follow your blog or befriend
you on Facebook,” Mwaba advises.
Rather than simply assuming that a
‘like’ is a show of loyalty and support,
consider that users may be on the
lookout for gains like discounts and
competitions. Or that, in South Africa,
many consumers feel that it is easier
to get a response online than from
a call centre.
Overlook these dynamics and
you may miss out on an important
opportunity for effective interaction.
Worse still, consumers may end
the connection if brands and their
marketers are not addressing
their needs. Remember, too,
that traditional channels remain
important, Mwaba advises. TV
and radio are still among the most
powerful mediums, especially in
South Africa; in fact, wise brands
leverage these channels to point
consumers to their digital domain.
“Finally, it may sound obvious,
but online channels are tools for
engagement – so be sure to actively
engage,” Mwaba urges. Her research
showed that many brands set up
an online community and that’s it –
there are no further conversations.
“However, it’s not about gathering
numbers. Use your community as a
forum for posting news and answering
queries, because the consumer has
a short attention span. If they don’t
feel they’re receiving value from the
relationship, they might just exit it.”
Mwaba says that compiling her
paper was a major learning curve.
“Initially, I knew very little about
mobile strategies and campaigns
(because) they’re developing
so quickly as more brands want
to move into the online space.
Seeing how this is happening –
and gathering the opinions from
bloggers, the industry and people
on the street – was an inspiring
process for me.”
Now, she’s looking forward to
seeing her own industry wake
up to the possibilities offered by
technology. “There are ways to
collect data besides pen and paper;
methods that are faster
and cheaper and that make our
jobs as market researchers easier.
I’m so excited to be able to play a
part in fostering this development,”
she concludes.
On the up - Young marketers ascending the marketing ladder
South African
consumers feel
it is easier to
get a response
online
While South Africans enjoy engaging with each other on social media
platforms, they’re reticent when it comes to interacting with brands across
these channels.
