MALL ADS Re-Launches MALL TV for Mass Market Audience

Mall Ads™ has re-launched Mall TV™, with a renewed focus on targeting the mass market segment of the South African population.

In strengthening the Mall TV offering, Mall Ads believes it now has a solution that speaks more effectively to clients and brands seeking alternative and engaging ways to converse with consumers, particularly in the attractive mall environment.

The Mall Ads view is that the mass market remains untapped and represents an opportunity for it to reinforce its position as a market leader, by becoming one of the first industry players to build a TV network in the mass market sector.

Digital Place-Based Networks

The re-launch of Mall TV leverages the opportunity presented by the growth, globally, of digital place-based networks and ensures Mall Ads remains at the cutting-edge of Out-of-Home (OOH) trends.

According to recent PQ Media studies, all Digital OOH (DOOH) media silos are on a steady growth trajectory year-on-year, with digital place-based networks at the forefront of that growth, whilst also being the digital OOH medium leader.

Further, that research shows that digital place-based networks are growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.6% for the period 2017-2022, compared with growth of 10.7% it experienced between 2012 and 2017.

“Digital media growth is outpacing conventional media platforms and the proliferation of DOOH is making it easier to present dynamic campaigns to consumers,” says Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage Media Group and Director of Mall Ads.

MALL TV

Mall TV is a digital placed-based network in mass market shopping centres, targeting shoppers close to point of purchase and thereby directly influencing purchase decision making.

The network flights on strategically-placed screens at key high footfall sites and dwell zones in malls across the country. The platform offers retailers within malls, as well as national and international brands, the opportunity to effectively drive price, place and product.

Mall TV fits seamlessly in the shopping journey, and effectively disrupts to bring consumers content that is relevant and brand messaging that is influential. It also offers advertisers a captive shopper audience.

“Mall TV offers an innovative way to build brands and grow reach and frequency in an ever-fragmenting media landscape,” says Deliwe. “What’s more, Mall TV flights within the mall environment, the last point of influence before a consumer makes a purchase.”

How MALL TV Works

Mall TV is a mix of brand adverts and content.

“The content has to supplement the mall experience, so the focus is very much on broadcasting relevant, high interest content that adds significant value to shoppers and their shopping experience,” says Deliwe.  In addition to brand adverts and content, stores situated within the mall can take advantage of on-screen directional messaging to drive shoppers directly to the physical store location.

30-second adverts are available for interested clients and brands at frequencies of twice or four times an hour. In addition, a ‘wrapped advertising package’ offers strategic brand messaging placement alongside the network’s sports and news content.

Mass Market

Mall Ads has conducted extensive research into the South African mall space and believes there is great synergy between the Mall TV offering and a mass market audience – hence the renewed focus on this segment.

That research has resulted in a number of interesting findings and conclusions, as it relates specifically to this market.

• The mass market is extremely brand loyal and brand conscious
• large purchases are mainly on lay-buy
• smaller purchases are limited to taxi travel appropriate
• price and value conscious
• two hours is the average dwell time per mall visit

All of which presents an opportunity for customers and brands who see a fit with this market and are able to tailor a message or product offering that blends seamlessly with Mall TV and the platform it offers.

According to research conducted by the South African Council of Shopping Centres, the spend per head in township malls increased by 6.3% year-on-year between 2017 and 2018, whilst an Ask Afrika 2019 research study was able to determine the following:

• shoppers in the mass market category average 6.9 unique visits per month at malls
• 84% of mass market shoppers find that advertising has an influence on their shopping habits and therefore increases their propensity to purchase
• 82% of mass market shoppers have noticed advertising in a mall environment

Conclusion

Mall Ads has ambitious plans for Mall TV, which is currently available in eight malls across South Africa, with an average audience of 9.3 million shoppers nationwide, monthly.

Growth is a key element in the Mall TV strategy, and with increased scale anticipated in the short-term, the Mall TV offering is compelling for brands looking to engage effectively with this mass market audience.