Rapport and Pendoring a formidable force behind Afrikaans advertising

Cathy Pestana, marketing manager of Rapport...“Afrikaans is BIG – and should not be underestimated. It stands to reason that Rapport’s 1,4million readers would prefer Afrikaans advertising and will give preference to brands advertising in Afrikaans.”

"Hence Rapport, as a Pendoring founding sponsor, will continue to support the Pendoring Advertising Awards. Through our involvement we not only wish to emphasise the value of Afrikaans marketing campaigns, but also to encourage young, creative thinkers to think out of the box when it comes to the creation of Afrikaans campaigns," says Rapport marketing manager Cathy Pestana.

"Since Afrikaans is not used in advertising campaigns as readily as English, it requires a little more creativity, but it is precisely this factor that eventually elevates Afrikaans advertisements so that they are head and shoulders above the rest.

"Indeed, Afrikaans is a language with a unique origin and composition: rich in idioms, sounds and humour, just waiting to be explored, so it offers copy writers who are prepared to stretch their minds and imagination countless opportunities. If we talk the language of consumers, their loyalty is bound to follow shortly.

"Afrikaans is BIG - and should not be underestimated. It stands to reason that Rapport's 1,4million readers would prefer Afrikaans advertising and will give preference to brands advertising in Afrikaans," Pestana stresses.

According to her, Rapport's extensive and wealthy readership - who enjoy to spend their disposable income, among other things, on luxuries, cosmetics, outdoor activities and holidays - prove that, despite the recession and other economic factors, the success of a newspaper, is determined by its readers.

"Rapport's readers remain loyal to the brand that for the past 40 years has brought news, opinions, entertainment and sport to their front door. In fact, Rapport readers prove their loyalty to the brand when one realises that more than 50% of the newspapers sales are derived from readers who buy their newspaper at their nearest shop or garage every Sunday. This is a clear indication of their unwavering loyalty and commitment to the newspaper."

Marketers can also take cognizance of the fact that Afrikaans, according to the AMPS 2010 AB survey, is the home language of more than 4,98 million South Africans. Op top of that, an astounding 11,48 million South Africans can read or comprehend Afrikaans, of whom 54% are in the upper LSM 7 to 10 market segments, Pestana points out.

According to this survey, the Afrikaans market represents about 28% of the total market's disposable income. The highest concentration of Afrikaans speaking consumers are located in five of South Africa's nine provinces, namely Western Cape, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Free State and Northwest.

"Despite the fact that these statistics show that the Afrikaans market is a sector to keep in mind, advertisers and agencies mostly spend their marketing budgets and attempts on the mass market. This, while it's been proven that the success of a campaign is more often than not determined by personal communication with the target market, in the language its consumers feel passionate about," says Pestana.

Japie Gouws, chairman of the Pendoring board, says as a valued Pendoring founding member, Rapport, with its gold sponsorship, sets an example worth emulating.

"Rapport is not only a devoted news carrier each week, spreading news in Afrikaans to every corner of the country, but is also an 'institution' without which one can hardly imagine South Africa.

"Like its readers, Rapport is proudly Afrikaans and serves the interests of the entire Afrikaans-speaking community, week after week, leading to their continued support - the dream of many a brand!"