New opportunities for economic engagement, empowerment and the rise of women have seen three million people in the past seven years move into the middle class spectrum of our economy, fuelling consumerism and opportunities for brands.
However, the desires and aspirations of this moving target are the hardest in the world to get a handle on, and they keep changing. Last year the powerful youth market focused on "me", this year it's the community. Last year it was global, this year it's local.
In this environment, being literally in touch with the market is the strongest weapon for those in the business of building brands. The rise of grassroots, qualitative researchers such as Instant Grass, the Consumer Insight Agency and Ingwe Communications bears testimony to a hunger for information about real people, rather than quantitatively defined market segments.
One of the most exciting indicators for brands operating at the changing edge is the growth of new brands in response to the demands of new markets. The community radio station Jozi FM springs to mind - this spunky team has gone out to the Soweto community with intuitive, truly original grassroots marketing and has nearly doubled its listenership in 18 months. Its growth has been so phenomenal that it has possibly outstripped its administrative capacity. This is pioneer country, and the new brand builders have many challenges to overcome.
Using new market information, old brands can innovate. A regional approach and inside information has turned around Kommando Brandy in the Eastern Cape to the extent that this previously limping Distell brand is now catching up in terms of size with the nationally distributed Viceroy.
The more successful a brand is, the more difficult it is to innovate, which probably explains why so little innovation comes out of the big South African companies. Success requires consistency, which is often at war with innovation. It's a conundrum, because manifesting success is one of the legs on which the potjie of a great brand stands.
Success gets the most shelf space. You don't have to be first in the market, you must be first in somebody's mind. Category thinking is the cue. Be the biggest in the category of Eastern Cape brandies, rather than a contender in the spirits market.
There is some smoke and mirrors in success (there are whispers about a financial institution head office filled with fake art works), and some strategic communication decisions. Bold advertising campaigns give an impression of size - consider that Investec is still a relatively small financial institution. PR that says something authentic about the brand and high public profiles help.
Finally, you can throw all the success and innovation out of the window unless the company has a social vision that resonates with the market. People want brands that stand for something. There is much that is new, courageous and meaningful that our brands can stand for - it is the best of times for South African brands.
