Prepaid recharge vouchers have emerged as an advertising opportunity for companies that want to reach mass-market audiences in SA, including millions of people living in townships, informal settlements and rural communities.
This is according to Wayne Miller, head of Blue Label Media, a subsidiary of Blue Label Telecoms, which produces recharge vouchers in SA.
This advertising platform allows advertisers to print marketing messages or calls to action on prepaid airtime and electricity vouchers, explains Miller.
"Once an advertiser decides to take a campaign out with Blue Label Telecoms, we send dimensions for the advertising space. In turn, advertisers will send us artwork, or we will design artwork on their behalf, and from there we incorporate this artwork when we go for a print run on the physical vouchers, before distributing them to our wholesalers," notes Miller.
This form of advertising is cost-effective compared to traditional advertising, with a guaranteed eyeball on the branding for as little as 20c per voucher; its immediate and impactful, says Miller.
"The prices on the vouchers decrease depending on volumes booked. Advertisers and brands are able to reach a large audience in very rural areas as well as very urban areas. It also has a mass-market reach wider than any other form of media in SA. The organisation distributes around 80 million prepaid vouchers every month, reaching a living standard measure of one to eight with its products."
Miller says the average prepaid mobile customer buys between three and six recharge vouchers per month, making these vouchers a prime slice of advertising real estate. "These customers can be reached with a three-sided voucher offering full colour advertising space on the inner left, inner right and back of the prepaid voucher," he adds.
"This makes it convenient and economical to reach low- and mid-income South Africans, including those who don't have easy access to TV, newspapers or the Internet. We provide a medium that offers more immediacy and a higher level of engagement than traditional advertising, in a format that drives a response from consumers. This environment gives you uncluttered exposure of your brand message, driving significant return on investment," concludes Miller.
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