Audio Marketing

Growth in audio digital communication

Audio marketing is defined as initiatives with audio content output rather than written or visual content output. For a long time, radio has been the main component of audio marketing. However, the internet and social platforms have created additional components of which this medium is growing within the digital space.

Consumers engage with digital audio communication through podcasts and music streaming, basically if listening is the primary sensory used and it is on a digital platform it counts as digital audio.  The use of digital audio in marketing is gaining momentum globally and translating differently in markets due to the influence of internet penetration in the country or continent.

The mobile economy in Africa is the perpetrator of the growth in audio communication along with the growing reliability of internet connection. This form of communication provides a chance for brands to interact with consumers in different contexts and points in their day.

Music Streaming

The practice of music streaming in the continent is gaining profitable motion outside of internet infrastructure and the cost of data as barriers.  Statista reported that music streaming revenue in Africa is expected to reach $297 million in 2022 and grow to $55.8 million in streaming users by 2026. Popular global platforms Apple Music and Spotify will own a large share of local music streamers. However, local platforms are also gaining attraction and contributing to the market. Local music streaming platforms have tackled nuances impacting their regions or society as a unique selling point.

Mkito is a Tanzania-based platform that tackled the cost of data by allowing a limited amount of music downloads for free. While platforms like Mziiki and Smubu drive representation of local music in the digital world with its platform focusing on African artists and music. The emergence of locally focused platforms creates a platter of opportunities for brands to incorporate music streaming within marketing strategies and campaigns.

Podcast

Podcasting continues to attract interest and impact within audio communication. Research by PWC Media Outlook forecast that the South African podcast advertising revenue will be worth R302 million by 2023 with a monthly audience of 19 million by 2024. The projected growth is accompanied by development investments from the streaming platform Spotify. The company has created the first-of-its-kind Africa Podcast Fund. The initiative will kick off with a focus on podcasts from countries with the biggest podcast listenership. These countries include Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Francophone countries Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire.

Local brands are tapping into the marketing segments achieved through podcasting. Lipton Iced Tea in Nigeria has taken the sponsorship route with the popular podcast TeawithTay podcast. The pop culture podcast series is hosted by actor and media presenter Temisan Emmanuel. Lipton has sponsored the first and second seasons of the podcast series, this is linked to the brand’s goal to build meaningful connections with its consumers. Investment firm Investec has engaged with the podcast space by creating multiple branded podcast series. Each series highlights the company’s services and expertise.

Developing Sonic Identity

Sonic music is the sound or song associated with a brand, product, or service. Remember the Mcdonald’s jingle? Hearing the jingle will spark the brand’s name in one’s mind no matter when or where you hear the ad. The digital landscape continues to expand as the split between online and offline experiences becomes blurred. This notion of immense digital interaction that consumers have is aiding in brands tapping into this form of communication. The novelty of creating a brand identity through sound will contribute to differentiation and recognition no matter when or where the brand sound is heard.  Sonic Strategy Director Steve Keller mentions that sonic identity is not just about developing one sound and continuously using the same asset in every form of communication and interaction. However, it is about developing a sonic experience, an audio identity that can be translated and adapted to multiple environments. Here lies the evolution of sonic sound in audio marketing.