Every year, as soon as Halloween is behind us, it seems like the floodgates open. Without warning, there are holiday marketing campaigns everywhere, with countless businesses rushing to cash in on a spending frenzy. There are holiday emails, social media posts, and TV ads — oh, my. It might seem like holiday marketing is out of control. But some brands do it very, very well.

McDonalds

We’re as shocked as anyone to find the fast food restaurant’s Christmas advert as sweet as we do but, come on, it’s lovely. The advert follows a young girl who after a trip to McDonald’s with her dad decides not to eat her last carrot stick, but keep it for the reindeer who will be visiting on Christmas Eve with Father Christmas.

OK

It’s always incredibly exciting to watch proudly South African adverts from local retailers…it definitely hits home. We love the advert produced from OK Foods South Africa to promote their in-store competitions this holiday season.

WWF

#JustLikeUs, elephants feel complex emotions. Just like us, they feel loss. More African elephants are now being poached than born. This Christmas, the WWF advert tackles the illegal wildlife trade that’s putting these beautiful giants at risk

John Lewis

John Lewis’ advert features a little boy who slowly makes friends with the monster under his bed, Moz. The pair play together every night before Moz notices that his friend is too tired during the day, and so buys him a night light so he can go to sleep without the monster bothering him. The trailer ends with little Joe sleeping soundly, while the tagline reads: “For gifts that brighten up their world.”

We’re super excited to speak to the newest member of our team, Monique Burn – Marketing Manager at Get Set Go Media. Here’s what she had to say:

What are you responsible for at GSGM?
I’m still quite new at Get Set Go Media and have spent my time learning the ropes of the industry. My aim is to become the person clients learn to trust and eventually be the person they depend on to manage their campaigns in African countries. Trust is everything.

What are your views on traditional advertising? Do you prefer TV over radio over print etc.
I prefer radio over TV over print, however all three are important to the various different niche markets. Time is always the biggest problem. People are always busy and seldom have the time and luxury of being able to take moments for themselves without any distractions. I personally find that it is always easier to multi-task with the radio in the background. We live in a day and age where there are too many options and not enough time, so if the “guy” in the background says that X is healthier and less time consuming/cheaper/safer (depending on the product) than Y, it helps to eliminate the time needed to make a choice. Advertising is more of a science and those who manage to tap into it correctly have the monopoly. It is not all about sales and promotions, but condensed (truthful) information that speak to people in a way that becomes a point of reference.

Which African countries should be on our radar when it comes to advertising?
Botswana, Zambia, Kenya

Do you have any advice for smaller brands that have limited budget when it comes to advertising?
Figure out who your target market is. Advertise on the radio during the times that your target market will be listening.

Tell us something about you that not many people know
I used to be a Sous chef in a boutique French patisserie in Dubai in my early 20’s.

If a kid walked up to asking for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give them your best tip, what would it be?
Learn how to be REAL, honest and truthful. People who don’t appreciate it wouldn’t have been worth your time anyway.

Don’t care about what people think – what is the use of a mind if it cannot be changed? People will hate something today and love it tomorrow. Stay true only to yourself.

Get to know Jesus. He is your game changer. But that you will have to learn for yourself.

If you could choose one superpower… what would it be?
Teleportation

At a time when traditional methods of publishing are undergoing rapid change, digital allows new opportunities to connect with readers and consumers. However, audiences are no longer a given. Publishers and advertisers need to meticulously tailor their content to survive in a cutthroat media landscape says Josephine Buys, CEO IAB SA.

Where are we with digital?
A recent study conducted by World Wide Worx in collaboration with Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group has shown that as early as 2010 the number of South African internet users surpassed the 5 million mark. Since then, the numbers have been growing exponentially and by the end of 2015 we reached just under 25 million internet users – that’s almost 47% of our total population! Data shows that on average South African’s are spending just over 5 hours a day accessing the internet from laptops and computers and 3 hours a day from mobile phones. PricewaterhouseCoopers has predicted that by 2017 South African consumers will be spending a total of R59.6 billion on internet access (a massive leap from 2014’s R19.8 billion).

In countries such as Kenya and Nigeria, mobile penetration is high which subsequently increases the number of online users who are constantly browsing publisher websites with digital adverts being displayed 24/7.

What does this mean for traditional advertising?
Data has proven that although the number of smartphone and tablet users have increased, but that these users are accessing their mobile devices for multiple reasons including listening to the radio or watching shows. 20 percent of radio is listened to via cell phones. With only 15 percent smartphone penetration in the country, it is likely that this is via the FM functionality that comes standard with many basic handsets. Many users are also accessing their tablets and smartphones during prime time hours meaning that they are simultaneously watching TV and looking at their devices.

Choosing one advertising platform over the other could be a disaster or complete success for your campaign. At Get Set Go Media, we analyse your target market and help you choose the best mediums available. These mediums may include digital, TV, radio and print, and will differ from country to country. Instead of focussing on digital vs. traditional, rather go back to basics. Who is your audience? What is the best combination of ways to reach them? And what is going to delight them? Ultimately it is about great content and getting to know your users! That is always the secret to a winning advertising campaign.