How important is television in promoting your projects in Africa?
Too often neglected in advertising strategies on the continent, television can be extremely effective if you understand the uses and audiences of the medium in Africa.
Why does the private sector tend to neglect television in its advertising campaigns on the continent?
FINANCIAL & GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS
REPUTATIONAL FACTOR
With very uneven digital penetration and relatively high entry costs, television is mainly consumed by urban populations. It is less 'democratic' than radio, for example, which is heard everywhere and by everyone.
In decline in the West, television is not perceived as the most advanced medium by foreign companies investing in Africa. This misconception needs to be overcome because television is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa. Various studies show that the number of households with a television is growing exponentially, average viewing time is increasing, and the range of channels and programmes available on the continent is expanding and diversifying.
OPERATIONAL FACTOR
For operational reasons, communications professionals prefer digital media to television. Digital media are more actionable, and offer audiences and results that are easier to quantify. TV is a difficult medium to access, as it requires face-to-face collaboration.
However, television has undeniable advantages in terms of visibility:
It is a medium with exceptional viewing figures. It is the second most consumed medium on the continent. More than half (54%) of adults use television to follow the news every day or several times a week.
2nd
most popular media on the continent (in terms of users)
54%
of African adults watch TV every day or several times a week to keep up with the news
Media with exponentially growing audiences. By 2030, sub-Saharan Africa should be the fastest-growing television market in the world. This promise can be explained by demographic dynamics, the emergence of a middle class and the continent's rapid digitalization (transition to digital TV, development of offers for accessing TV on smartphones, etc.).
A medium that inspires confidence. After radio, television is the second most trusted medium.
Programs that increasingly meets viewers' expectations. The continent's televisions reflect the explosion of Africa's creative industry, and reserve a growing share of their programming for local productions that are popular with audiences. According to a 2022 Africa No Filter survey, the majority of African audiences prefer to consume visual productions from the continent. The ability of African television to increasingly meet these expectations makes it a media of the future.
Now that you're aware of the added value of television on the continent, here are a few guidelines for maximizing its role in your promotional strategies
Your project is aimed at all age groups, men and women. Television is the medium that discriminates least against its audience on the basis of age or gender. Print and social media are less used by the over 65s. Radio is listened to much less by women than by men (a difference of more than 10 points). Apart from the geographical criterion, television offers greater uniformity within its audience.
Your project is based in West Africa, an African region that is a major consumer of this medium. Although it does not have the largest population on the continent, it is the region with the highest concentration of TV households: Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire lead the way.
Number of televisions per African household - 2020
Your project targets consumers living in French-speaking African capitals. Indeed, it's in the capitals of French-speaking African countries that we find the highest consumption rates. By 2022, 90% of these populations will be watching TV there every day, with an average daily consumption of 4h22!
In a fast-changing media landscape, it's essential to target the channels that are in vogue, and to regularly re-evaluate each audience and program. This process is becoming more and more necessary as the range of channels on offer becomes ever more diversified. Here are some initial benchmarks, with the most-watched channels by market.
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