Adds Groepe, “Afrikaans also has a very important task of uplifting the many people that use it as their most important - even their only - communication medium to follow a career or to enrich themselves educationally.”
According to Groepe, advertising has been described as the oil in the wheels of the free market system - if it does not work effectively, the whole market system is affected. “While Afrikaans advertising plays such an important role in making the market work, it is obvious that recognition should be given to achievements in this field. Pendoring therefore has a positive mission, because no proper recognition was given to achievers in the Afrikaans advertising business before the existence of Pendoring.”
Groepe says Media24 in the first instance has a commercial interest in Afrikaans because a large part of its turnover is created in Afrikaans. Hundreds of millions of rands worth of advertisements appear annually in Afrikaans in this group's publications and a circulation turnover of comparable extent is created because people choose to read Afrikaans publications.
As one of the most spoken languages in South Africa, Afrikaans therefore plays an important role in uplifting previously disadvantaged people educationally. And, as a good citizen, Media24 is already playing an important role in this regard, he says. According to Groepe, the Afrikaans consumer is not necessarily unique, but is still important because of the large purchasing power of Afrikaans-speakers. “The second important fact is that the most effective way to communicate with people is when it happens in their mother tongue. This is valid for every language in the world.”
“The message that Afrikaans publishers want to convey is that advertising works best if one speaks directly to the mind and heart of the consumer, and it is most successful if the consumer's mother tongue is used. There are many examples of striking Afrikaans advertising that has brought great commercial success for consumer goods,” says Groepe.
According to Groepe, Pendoring has played an important role over the last 14 years to encourage and retain local advertising talent. “Our promotion of the idea that communication in the own language is the most effective, in itself resulted in local talent being promoted. The players in the advertising business - unlike publishers like us - could perhaps play a bigger role in this regard.”
Groepe feels that when the local advertising business is compared with world trends, developed countries in Europe and the US are far ahead of SA with regard to Internet advertising. “Although there is some growth in this field, it is very slight. As a percentage of the total advertising expenditure it is still small, internationally speaking,” he says.
According to Dawid Brand, Pendoring coordinator, Media24 has been active in the SA media market since 1915 and this group sets the pace with regard to long-term value to readers and advertisers. Not only has this group been the most active creator of new newspapers and magazines in the country, Media24 also has a foothold in the field of books and the Internet. Moreover, Media24 as a good citizen favours responsible corporate business.
“Media24 discerns itself from other media groups not only with regard to its many Afrikaans products, but also by means of the group's investment in Afrikaans through the respective Afrikaans festivals, that were able to outgrow their child's shoes thanks to Media24's support.”
Brand says Media24 succeeds in communicating meaningfully with all the readers' markets in the country, despite their language. And, although this group makes a mammoth contribution to bring about reconciliation, it is not afraid to proudly wear Afrikaans shoes as part of its proudly South African outfit.
“The support of a group like Media24 is therefore invaluable to Pendoring. A leader in word and deed, and an indispensable role player that holds the hands of the South African advertising business high and strong.”
Go to www.pendoring.co.za for more information.
