However, the decision to use Spaza MediaTM is about more than just reaching the right audience; it's a way for socially conscious brands to invest in economic transformation.

This is a media solution that aims to create shared value, which benefits brands and spaza owners and supports enterprise development within townships.

Building brands through shared value

Spaza MediaTM is an offering from Proactive in response to a perceived gap in the market. Since its launch, it has attracted attention from a number of South Africa's iconic brands in the business and financial sectors.

Informal spaza shops form an integral part of township economies, it contributes:
  • to local food security
  • self-employment, and
  • community cohesion.

Yet due to a lack of business skills, access to funding and limited regulatory support, spaza shops often fail to reach their full potential.

One aspect of this is the spaza media industry. Up till now, this has typically been governed by loose arrangements that see spaza owners receive little or no remuneration, with branding frequently:
  • cluttered
  • poorly maintained, and
  • offering little opportunity for brand dominance.

Spazas are often at the heart of township communities, home to many South Africans, and we believe this is a missed opportunity. To address this, Spaza MediaTM has leveraged its network to establish agreements with spaza owners across the country.

Spaza Media uses the storefront to display a single brand, enabling an impactful and clutter-free media opportunity, and placing the brand top of mind at the point of purchase.

This product is able to offer a media solution that allows brands to support sustainable businesses and uplift communities — while getting an impactful message across.

It is not only of benefit to the brand, but it also serves spaza owners, who receive consistent media rentals and a revamped storefront, while developing and sustaining black-owned township SMEs who are responsible for managing:
  • rentals
  • store branding
  • maintenance, and
  • ensuring that branded storefronts look good throughout campaigns.

Why brands are opting for Spaza Media
Spaza MediaTM is a powerful medium — spaza shops are central to their communities and are usually situated in high-traffic areas.

As such, people see this advertising almost every day, either when they go shopping or while passing by.

So, it's not surprising that according to TGISA 2021A: 53.2% have seen spaza branding and 44.7% use township spaza shop branding for important news or information.

TGISA 2021 shows that after seeing Spaza branding, people act in the following manner:
  • 15.2% redeemed a voucher with a mobile phone.
  • 13% researched a product or service online.
  • 21% went to a store to buy a product after seeing spaza branding.
  • 16% talked with friends about a product, service, or brand.

Moreover, spaza branding is generally liked:
  • 27.1% think that spaza branding helps them in their purchasing decisions.
  • 17.4% say spaza media helps promote the Kasi culture.
  • 22% say it uplifts the community.
  • 19% say that spaza branding helps unite South Africans in using the same brands.

Building brands, building communities

Proactive has created a media solution that provides an opportunity for major blue-chip brands to build their presence and brand affinity at a grassroots level, while also fuelling economic transformation.

For more information, visit www.provantage.co.za. You can also follow PMG on Twitter.