طفل سوري عمره 10 سنوات يعمل عشر ساعات في اليوم على مدار الأسبوع إلى جانب والده في مصنع للأسلحة في مدينة حلب في الجزء الذي يسيطر عليه ما يسمى بالـ "الجيش الحر" السوري.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to participate at the first Electronic Transactions and Commerce summit which was held in Dubai, hosted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

The event was one of a kind to be held in the middle east region, focusing on the latest trends in the digital marketing techniques, discussing the problems and finding solutions for them, exploring the visions and future of eCommerce, online shopping, and digital marketing.

I was honored to receive one of the event's awards as a representative for RLG Communication Group. 

الدكتور نبيل علي

تصبو العولمة الراهنة في العصر الرقمي إلى احتواء كل أنشطة الإنسان، وممارساته،وعلاقاته وأفكاره وقيمه ومعتقداته وأمور تنميته وبيئته وصحته وشغل أوقات  فراغه، بالإضافة إلى كل ما يتعلق بالسيادة والهوية وحقوق الأقليات والملكية الفكرية. العولمة إذن-كما يقول محمد عابد الجابري- ليست  آلية من آليات التطور الرأسمالي بل هي أيضا، وبالدرجة الأولى، أيديولوجيا تعكس إرادة الهيمنة على العالم.

إن العولمة في حقيقة أمرها، ما هي إلا أدلجة متسرعة ذات طابع انتهازي، تتم في غيبة من الأيديولوجيات المناهضة، وتستند إلى فكر منحاز ومعرفة عارضة وعلم زائف من قبيل نهاية التاريخ وصراع الحضارات، والفوضى الخلاقة، وما شابه، وعلى الرغم من طابعها الأيديولوجي، فهي تقدم رؤيتها الكونية بوصفها نقيضا للأيديولوجيا، زاعمة أن الجنس البشري لديه القدرة لأورة مرة على بناء مستقبله لا على أوهام أيديولوجية سقيمة، بعلى على مجموعة من الأسس والقيم العامة المشتركة بين البشر جميعا. وتنطلق هذه النظرة من اعتقاد مؤسسيها أن حداثة الغرب لا نهاية لها ولا تعمل على نمط نهائي فهي إلى تطوير مستمر، وأن نموذج الاقتصاد الليبرالي القائم على تحرير الأسواق هو نمط التقدم الذي يناسب الجميع.

وما أبعده حلما على الواقع، فها هي حداثة الغرب تعاني الأزمات على عدد من الجبهات، وترتفع الأصوات المناهضة لها إلى حد إعلان القطيعة التامة معها من قبل معظم مفكري ما بعد الحداثة، وتؤكد حقائق الواقع، وأرقام الإحصاءات، أن عولمة الأسواق لا تقيم تلك القرية الكونية الي لا يملون الحديث عنها، وعن ذلك الوئام الذي يعم في أرجائها، ينعم فيه الجميع بسلام دائم على أسس من خلق عالمي يلتزم به البشر كافة، وإن لم ..فإزلام يُفرض بقوة القانون من خلال المنظمات الدولية، وعسى أن يكون في الكساد الاقتصادي الذي حل بالعالم أخيرا، من جراء هذا الفكرة العولمي المؤدلج قصير النظر، عبر لمن يتعظ. 

Individuals in Angola, Namibia, Kenya and Botswana are more likely to access the internet, use social media and engage with advanced mobile services than other parts of Africa according to a recent report by Neilson. They are also more likely to use IM, Skype and other online services daily. Out of 15 countries surveyed, these are described as ‘Savvy Consumers’ as opposed to ‘Simple’ or ‘Selective’ ones.  Neilson also defines seven socio-economic groups and sees the key differentiator across countries surveyed as interaction with print media, mobile and online media.

The report includes case studies on three individuals, to provide a digestible overview of African consumers today. Patrick is from Nairobi in Kenya, for example and behaves just like any young, professional, consumer in Manhattan. He is passionate about gadgets, loves trying new technology and is happy to take recommendations from his extensive social media network.  He is defined as a ‘Trendy Aspirant’ in a ‘Savvy Culture’.

Patrick couldn’t differ more from Nelly, who lives in Kano, Nigeria. Her consuming habits are more like an archetypal 50s housewife, because although she discovers new products through TV and radio jingles, she is happiest taking recommendations from her friends and family. Nelly is identified as a ‘Balanced Senior’ in a ‘Selective Culture’. Finally there is 18-year-old Benjamin from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is an ‘Evolving Junior’ in a ‘Simple Culture’ and is like an excited child who always wants to try the next fun thing on the market. At the moment he and his friends are saving for a cool new energy drink that has received an attention-grabbing advert on the radio.

Part of the reason doing business in Africa is such a challenge for many people outside the region is because the continent is so vast and disparate. There is also often a lot of ignorance on the differences between various countries from people in the West. Although this Neilson report is a trifle simplistic and based exclusively on consumers, it does help provide a cohesive overview of the marketplace as a whole. In addition to which, it rams home the point that word of mouth is extremely important in African culture. In the ‘Savvier’ areas this extends to ‘virtual word of mouth’ but recommendations are still highlighted as more key than elsewhere in the world. 

Doing business in sub-Sahara Africa can be full of disparate challenges, and anyone looking to identify a classic African consumer will struggle. Despite sharing a common border, inhabitants of one country differ from those in a neighboring country with respect to their attitudes, buying and media preferences. Given this degree of diversity within and across geographies, new research from Nielsen shows that marketers need to look beyond the obvious to reach and resonate with both niche and mass audiences.

Significant advancements in digital connectivity over the past decade in sub-Saharan Africa have run in parallel with evolving living standards, rising wages and heightened consumption levels. At the same time, consumers have generally become increasingly savvy in the ways they admit brands and messages into their lives, making the marketing efforts even more challenging.

By observing trends in demographics, lifestyles, attitudes and purchasing behaviors with media consumption, Nielsen identified key patterns to classify 15 sub-Saharan countries into three groups of media consumers: savvy, selective, and simple. These segments offer insight into the diverse media behavior and preferences of the sub-Saharan African consumer, providing a more defined roadmap for marketing success.

For example, instant messaging and social media usage in savvy consumer countries is high. Among users, the frequency of accessing social media is daily. Selective consumer countries, on the other hand, have the largest and most diverse range of consumers who exist at various stages along the development spectrum, from less involved media usage to becoming more engaged. Simple consumer countries, in contrast, have the least media involvement and lowest GDP per capita. While media preferences and availability may differ among consumers in the three country segments, the power of conversation rings true for all consumers—both in person and digitally. While print and electronic media work well to create awareness in these countries, word-of-mouth endorsements can be true game changers when it comes to purchase decisions. According to survey results, respondents rate buying based on recommendations from their families and friends over all other forms of advertising. With the rapid rise of social media platforms across some countries, virtual word-of-mouth messages can be as powerful as in-person conversations. Consumers tuned into social media conversations may also tap into buzz from people they may not know personally, such as celebrities and community figure heads. In Africa, the message and messenger is as important as the medium. Despite growing media exposure—a myriad of TV and radio channels, print, digital, outdoor and mobile mediums—word-of-mouth communication is extremely powerful when integrated into marketing and media campaigns. But it needs to be adapted to the consumer segments within the different countries to be most effective. For more insight, download the Nielsen Blueprint for Media Strategies in Africa report.

ABOUT THE MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR AFRICA REPORT

To help businesses navigate sub-Sahara Africa opportunities, Nielsen surveyed more than 8,100 urban and peri-urban consumers across 15 countries. Through this survey, Nielsen identified seven consumer segments, using variables such as lifestyle, attitudes, demographics, and purchasing behavior, to gain insight into the minds of the diverse consumers of Africa. Further, by observing broad patterns in media engagement Nielsen has been able to delineate key patterns to classify countries into three groups of media consumers: savvy, selective and simple.

A snapshot from a lecture held by Tie Dubai group by Artour Severinov.