KZN is the second most populous province in South Africa: the residents of its metropolitan and urban areas are well heeled and savvy shoppers.
KwaZulu Natal is the second most populous province (18.4% of adults, according to PAMS 2019) in South Africa and accounts for the second highest proportion of household income after Gauteng. It is a truly multicultural region, being home to 60.7% of South Africa’s Indian population and 61.4% of adult Zulu speakers. Whilst KZN has a high proportion of rural dwellers, the metropolitan and urban dwellers enjoy household incomes comfortably ahead of the national average (+14,7% and +19,3% respectively).
KZN dwellers are open minded and amiable: Brandmapp 2019 shows that they espouse gender equality and value friendship. Originality and being different is important to over six out of ten of them, whilst one in two considers it important to dress well and to look good. Open to change, they aspire to replace or change their cars and jobs. Like most South Africans, they enjoy music (58%), cooking (57%), movies (56%), travel (56%) and reading (49%). Given these interests, it is logical that some 45% enjoy food markets and nearly three in ten enjoy wine tasting events and clubs, whilst 30% like to attend music concerts held in stadiums. No doubt the Moses Madiba stadium is ideal for that, as it is for their favourite sport, soccer. This team sport tops their list at 51%, with gym training (38%) and walking (34%) falling into second and third place.
Their favourite newspaper topics show that they balance their interest in community matters with a broader outlook: PAMS 2019 shows that that 63.2% read community and local news whilst 53.7% follow SA news and current affairs and 43.0% read international news. On a lighter note, just over half enjoy following celebrity news and 44.4% follow sport. Given their past-times and aspirations, it is no surprise that they also enjoy reading about health and fitness (42.9%) and jobs (42.0%).
Advertisers will be interested to know that that KZN dwellers are considered shoppers: Roots 2019 shows that almost six out of ten readers of local titles plan their shopping before they set out for their food and groceries. PAMS 2019 sheds a more specific light on their positive relationship with advertising pamphlets, leaflets or inserts: 34.3% say that they buy products as a result of seeing them, whilst urban dwellers are 20% more likely that the national average to do so. Two thirds of metropolitan dwellers actively use pamphlets, leaflets or inserts to compare prices, and 35.5% regularly page through them to see if anything interests them.
Given their interest in their appearances and making a good impression, it is little wonder that they are 15% more likely than the average South African adult to have looked for, or bought, clothing in the past six months: PAMS 2019 shows that just over three quarters of KZN residents have indulged sartorially. Furthermore, they are 50% more likely to have looked for, or bought, furniture or appliances over the past twelve months, with over 60% of metropolitan and urban dwellers having attempted or succeeded in making such acquisitions
Whilst it is clear that KZN residents are eager and canny shoppers, Neil Tapinos, Media24 - General Manager, KZN News, points out that these difficult times offer an opportunity to form lasting emotional connections with consumers. He says: “Right now a lot of readers might not have an interest in specials and standing for hours in queues to get into a shop. They are interested in who shows care. Keep your brand alive by showing what you and your business is doing to make a difference. This will stick in readers’ minds beyond COVID-19”.
Ads24 provides advertisers with the opportunity to communicate with these economically desirable readers through a number of well-established local titles. One of the oldest newspapers in the country, the Greytown Gazette continues to reach a broad audience who share a love for the Umvoti region. For over forty years, the bi-lingual Maritzburg Echo has ensured its mass-market readers in the Maritzburg region enjoy hyper-local news and guidance as to where to get the best deals on a limited budget. Since 1997, the South Coast Fever has reached a multi-cultural audience on the lower south coast and inland to the southern KZN region, serving as a watchdog for the community.