Media advertising in Kenya: Development and current trends of the industry

Abstract

This study sought to investigate media advertising in Kenya with special reference to development and current trends of the industry. In particular, the study aimed at establishing the emerging new forms of media advertising due to the advancement made by the Kenya l C'I' sector, the level of exposure and access. The study was prompted by the fact that advertisers and advertising agencies are exploring new forms of advertising and other forms of promotion unlike the much hyped traditional media, the TV, radio and newspapers to reach a wider target audience(s) An extensive study, in the field, in depth exploration with agencies and advertisers and desk study was conducted to establish the old and new forms of advertising media and the changing nature of the advertising .... "environment" in relation to the consumer reception of advertising messages

p. and interpretation.

It also sets to examine how advertisers are interestingly mixing the old and new forms of advertising to maximize mass coverage, flexibility and minimizing on cost. The study also sou~ht to identify challenges facing advertising in Kenya due to its quick changing nature.

Based on the findings, the study aimed at making recommendations on how advertising channels can be integrated and how advertising as an industry can be improved in Kenya.

The study was exploratory that targeted 108 respondents. The study was derived from the city's 3 million residents and within the Central Business District. (CBD) A questionnaire was administered to a purposely selected sample of 105 consumers of advertising messages (56 males and 49 females) one advertising agency and two advertisers for in depth exploration. The study was conducted between October 24th and October 31 st 2008. Nairobi was selected because of its rich "advertising infrastructure", it's the country's largest business unit with well developed ICT sector and

electricity supply.

....

The site has a cosmopolitan population, which is representative enough to

~ allow for the generalization of the findings to the rest of the population.

The information was analyze? by statistical method.

Findings from the questionnaires were augmenting by face-to-face

interviews with key informants in the media advertising agency, advertisers and secondary data obtained through library and research on the internet.

The findings indicate that TV is most preferred medium for obtaining advertising message with 46.7% of correspondents having selected it. Radio is the most used medium with 97.4% of respondents having had a chance to use it regularly and occasionally, closely followed by newspapers at 96.1 % and internet at 78% An interesting finding is that respondents are embracing new forms of advertising due to advancement in LC'T as 79% of respondents indicated that they pay attention to digital outdoor advertising erected along busy streets and junctions, and 78% of respondents visit websites while browsing. 3Y% of respondent also indicated that they receive advertising messages through their mobile phones via SMS. The biggest challenge facing advertising industry is it's over concentration

in urban areas ignoring the rural population .

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Respondents, agency and advertisers pointed that some of the advertising

messages are not clearly unde;stood and thus generating unlike ability. Media planners also face the challenge of selecting the right medium for effective message delivery. The study recommends that media advertisers should take bold steps to improve on message construction and selecting the most appropriate

medium that is easily accessible to the target audience. This can be achieved through doing critical audience analysis. Advertisers should also incorporate old and new advertising channels and combine them with other forms of promotion to achieve an integrated approach in advertising, therefore reaching an even wider and diversified audience.