Keeping Up With The Mediaheads Newsletter: Season 8, Episode 2 Multiple Platforms, Maximum Power

Loadshedding bingo is a game inspired by power outages, tripped sub-stations and stolen cables! It’s generally played by resilient South Africans, who now braai seven days a week and never leave home without a powerbank (that’s if they can get their electric gate to open!). Words like inverter, solar, battery and panels are key contributors to loadshedding bingo and it’s a game easily played at any “stage”.

Variable power access remains one of the key challenges faced by South Africans in 2023 and the power issues are having a far-reaching impact on our economy.  The average South African has now experienced more than 35 days of no power or more than 150 days of intermittent loadshedding. It is fair to say that no sector is left unchallenged as we roll into the coldest months of the year.

At MediaHeads 360, we’ve been particularly impressed with the way in which media owners and broadcasters have navigated this challenging time with very little disruption to broadcast schedules. The challenge for brands however, is with audiences and their changing consumption patterns and habits. Although loadshedding is not the only driver for changing media consumption, it certainly has played a role in the process.

It is understandable that brands are cautious about advertisement placement with electricity supply being so erratic, and most consumption requiring some kind of power source, either to charge a battery or as direct power to a device. By diversifying your advertising strategy across multiple platforms, you reduce the risk of being overly dependent on a single platform and decrease the potential impact of any negative changes that may occur. Brand integration seamlessly weaves your messages and products into the content itself – when well-integrated, your brand becomes an integral part of the entertainment experience.

Think between the advertising breaks and become part of the content!

Audience resilience has seen consumers become masters at adapting to their circumstances. Mobile phones are key for both audio and visual entertainment. Battery life and internet connection are seamless with modern technology and in the case of audio streaming, an hour of data costs less than R1,30. In the case of radio, listenership is up, especially when it comes to listeners seeking news and information. In television’s case, audiences proactively outsmart power outages by strategically downloading their favorite shows whenever they have internet access. On demand creates new opportunities for consumer comfort, allowing viewers the time and space to decide on their entertainment schedule – when, where, what and how they want to watch! Research* shows that viewers are much more attentive to broadcast video on demand ads than to commercials on other online platforms.

As a Team, MediaHeads 360 thrives in the ‘power off, entertainment on’ environment. Not only do our team use the office wi-fi for essential entertainment downloads, but we are also continually reviewing integration opportunities and multi-platform campaign ideas. When adding power to your next campaign, let us be your solar panels!

*Source: Grab your audience by the eyeballs. The attention habits of consumers, 2022, ThinkTV Australia/Mediascience