One of the winners last week at the Cannes Lions was an advertisement for a new Gillette razor designed for carers to shave the elderly. The ad by the agency Grey New York is a delicately filmed and moving narrative; it is also three minutes long. Now, with the attention span of most consumers decreasing rapidly, to even 10 seconds for adverts, is this a bold or brave move by Grey New York?

The majority of online viewers skip adverts as soon as the pop-up appears on YouTube or Facebook. Unless the advert is extremely enticing, most people are ignoring the usual 30 second adverts. So the question is, is anyone going to watch a 3 minute advert? By the end of this year, Google will stop allowing such long adverts to run on YouTube unless they can be skipped and is instead pushing a new six-second format, known as a “bumper”.

Last year we discussed using adverts as short stories to market the brand, product and campaign in a more emotive way. This might work extremely well for certain television programs but definitely not for online advertising through social media for example.

We would love to hear your feedback about this advert, did you watch it till the end and did you enjoy it? Leave your comments on our blog or let’s continue the conversation on Facebook.

Lesotho may be a small landlocked country but the population is currently close to 2.2 million with a high literacy rate of 73%. The constitution of Lesotho protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of religion. Thus, although the constitution has no explicit laws regarding freedom of the press, this freedom is enjoyed by journalists and media practitioners. And as with other African countries such as Ghana, Lesotho’s media landscape is characterized by two state-run radio stations in addition to about 10 private stations, and many South African and other foreign broadcasts reach Lesotho. Two community radio stations were recently established in Lesotho. Mafeteng Community Radio was established in 2012 and broadcasts to an estimated population of 70,000 people. Motjoli FM was set up in May 2014 and broadcasts within a 50-kilometer radius of the Thaba-Tseka area.

Radio is the most popular medium of mass communication in the country. This could probably be because there is only one television station in the country and even this one is state-run. The country’s media development is constrained by inadequate funding and resources. Because most media houses rely heavily on state-funded advertising, the government is able to tacitly encourage favorable coverage.

Although Lesotho is a small country, there are currently 13 radio stations all targeting a wide audience. The majority of the radio shows are in English which focuses on millennials. Radio Lesotho’s commercial channel, ‘The Ultimate 99.8 FM’, was launched in 2006. It broadcasts interactive, youth-oriented programmes as well as news flashes in English.

Satellite connectivity exists for Radio Lesotho, Ultimate FM and LTV (following an agreement entered into with MultiChoice) which allows these broadcasters to be viewed and listened too countrywide as well as outside Lesotho’s borders on DSTV. In addition, South African television networks are available in Lesotho, as are satellite links to other broadcasters. Because of high distribution costs and low literacy rates, especially in rural areas, radio is the most popular news medium.

A full range of advertising opportunities exist for brands looking to target an audience in Lesotho including television, print and outdoor but if advertising in Lesotho is something your brand is considering, we recommend starting out with radio advertisements. If you would like to find out more about how to get started, get in touch with our team today.

If you’re reading this blog, then you probably already know the growing importance of traditional media in the marketing world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who think that investing in more online techniques means leaving traditional media behind. Using a combination of traditional and digital marketing techniques is the most effective method of marketing, far more useful than using either on its own.

Traditional marketing tactics like television ads, print collateral, billboards and mailings all have historically high success rates. The success rates for these mediums can only improve when combined with digital marketing techniques. Digital media, though relatively new when compared to the history of traditional media, can provide a company with maximum exposure and more interaction with their customers. Marketing through social media, email lists or online ads is also significantly less expensive and more measurable than traditional media. When combined, the benefits of both plans can be enjoyed while they compensate for each other’s weaknesses.

While newer methods work well, it’s dangerous to let them completely replace traditional methods, especially since each technique appeals to different people and audiences. Combining the two methods is a great way to access a larger audience.

Here are three ways that the two approaches work together in order to maximize the impact of your marketing efforts:

1. Active and Passive

Traditional marketing is generally considered to be passive, while digital marketing actively involves the target audience. This really allows the two techniques to complement each other, working together to achieve the company’s intended objectives. While television and print advertisements are helpful in disseminating information, they can also incorporate a message to look for more information on a website, a “call to action” of sorts. Coca-Cola is an example of a company who has consistently done a great job incorporating fun online bonuses.

2. Multiple Channels

Utilizing both traditional and digital marketing techniques allows your company’s message to be spread across many different channels. Depending on the target market, some media outlets work better than others. Though everyone is exposed to all different kinds of media, your younger audience is likely to be more digitally savvy. By using both methods, your company is able to reach more potential customers.

3. More Personal

Traditional media is a highly effective way to reach a broad consumer base, but digital media is a great way to reach out to a specific audience. Digital marketing can be used to build relationships with the consumer that are deeper and more relevant.

These are just three of the countless ways that traditional and digital media can work together to make your company marketing plan the most effective it can be. In order to maximize the market, it is key that you integrate both traditional and digital marketing into your strategy to ensure that you attract all of your potential customers. Get Set Go Media can help you make the most of your marketing strategy as you target different audiences and reach out to them in the smartest way to maximize conversions. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your company, get in touch with us today.

Andile Smith recently shared his view on mobile advertising in Africa through Buzzfeed South Africa.

The massive increase in the ownership of smartphones in Africa has forced many tech giants to think about how to effectively utilize these big numbers. Most of the social media platforms and mobile apps serve as a platform for potential advertisers to reach their audience; mostly without causing direct financial implications to the users.

The latest move has been made by the communication platform, Truecaller. Recently, Truecaller made some announcement regarding their plans to roll out their ads platform in this fast-developing continent which has experienced a tremendous growth especially in the area of mobile phone technology. The move that was made by Truecaller shows that when it comes to mobile and digital marketing in general, the numbers are the ones that speak.

It all started with the widespread access to the internet in Africa which is still far below other continents but opening up new doors of opportunity. Most brands are now able to reach millions of customers who can access the internet. Going by the latest developments, different brands in Africa will be able to reach to more than 40 million Truecaller users in Africa. Analysts view this as a smart move made by the company in the bid to monetize the app.

In 2016, Truecaller rolled out contextual advertising where brands were able to promote themselves on the app through Call Intent Targeting (CIT). Under this method, brands can engage users through custom messaging right at the moment when they are using the app to search phone numbers. The ads can also appear in the form of notifications after the user has received a phone call. This means there is a likelihood of an app user to see the message that the company is conveying through the app. Truecaller has made it possible for various businesses to engage users further by customizing their ads to reflect the brand image.

So far, their ads platform has been a success story in other countries such as India where the company has worked hand in hand with Google’s Sales Team to expand its business. Some of the countries in Africa that the company is targeting to roll out its ad platform include Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, and Ghana. According to the figures, Nigeria has more than 5 million impressions per day while Egypt has more than 15 million. The volume of impressions is also expected to go up in the coming years because the number of smartphone users is also anticipated to rise.

The company’s chief commercial officer attributes the move to the high number of consumers who spend more hours on a mobile phone than on any other electronic device. He says that the company is optimistic of experiencing immense success in Africa and brands will find a better way to promote their awareness. Right now, it is the matter of waiting to see how the numbers will behave with these new changes and how other popular apps adapt.