Franco-Guinean born in Abidjan. Tania Diallo left Côte d'Ivoire at the age of 12 due to the country's socio-political context. After 12 years in France, she returned to Côte d'Ivoire in 2014, where she joined the Voodoo communications group. She worked there for two years as a digital content manager and, in 2016, was appointed head of the Voodoo Digital department. Today, she manages a team of 10 people.
Can you describe your activities?
Voodoo Digital encompasses several activities: pure development (web applications, mobile applications, and websites); content production; website and social media management; and all activities related to amplification, such as search engine optimization and SEO strategies.
We also have a department dedicated to monitoring, which is gradually expanding because we are in a context specific to Africa where we lack information. All these activities are overseen and coordinated by a department dedicated to strategy.
Who are your clients?
Our clients have very diverse profiles. Our clients include airlines and many foreign clients entering the Ivorian market. We generally have clients whose core target audience is upper socio-professional categories, because the reality of the digital world is that in order to have internet access, a mobile phone, or a smartphone, you have to belong to a socio-professional category that allows for this. Our clients also target young people who are very connected.
Can you tell us about one of your latest campaigns?
We have been partnering with the group since its "rebirth," the transformation of Air Ivoire into Air Côte d'Ivoire in 2012.
Today, we support Air Côte d'Ivoire in their digital communication strategy, even though the group had many fears about digital technology at the outset. The group was the subject of much criticism on social media and was therefore wary of developing its presence on Web 2.0 channels. Implementing a digital strategy was a real challenge!
So we supported them on social media, helping them to communicate and showing them that it is easier to control your reputation when you are present on social media than when you are absent.
In addition, for a long time, Air Côte d'Ivoire wanted to communicate about its means of transport as such, highlighting the features of its aircraft and the quality of its service to stand out from the competition. But this was no longer enough to justify their positioning. We then helped them to communicate in a way that was more focused on their service and the customer experience. The idea was to sell a destination rather than a means of transport.
To do this, we launched the "Embarquez avec" (Fly with) program to showcase the countries served by the airline. In Africa, when it comes to travel, the concept of "recommendation" is crucial because tourism is not yet very developed. To achieve this, we chose influencers who, through the prism of what they love and their recommendations, helped people discover these capitals. With Diane Audrey in Accra and Karelle Vignon-Vullierme in Abidjan, we have matched the influencers' worlds with Air Côte d'Ivoire's positioning to showcase African capitals. This concept has helped to show that these African cities, beyond preconceptions, remain very attractive.
What do you think of influencer marketing?
Influencers are relevant relays for digital campaigns. Even if they are young, they are consumers in the making. They bring together a community of consumers around recommendations. So we need to focus on them. The role of "opinion leader" that an influencer can play is not easy to get across to customers here in Côte d'Ivoire. They are somewhat wary of the internet and do not naturally trust young people. We are trying to deconstruct the "traditional" communication system by helping clients understand that today, there are other ways to communicate, exert influence, and trigger purchases. But to do this, we still need to educate people when it comes to digital technology.
Digital technology is becoming increasingly relevant in the advertising sector in Ivory Coast. What observations can you make about advertisers and the integration of digital advertising into their media plans?
In five years, we have seen a very positive evolution in digital technology, even if we are still a long way from where we want to be. During my first two years at Voodoo, when it came to restrictions, we didn't hesitate to eliminate the "digital" line from communication budgets in favor of billboards and other traditional channels. Today, we are more in a situation where, when we don't have a very large budget, we prefer to focus on digital. Which is positive!
It's important to have a digital presence, build your reputation, interact with your consumers, and understand what they want. However, be careful not to get caught up in the mindset that "it's digital, so it doesn't cost anything." The outlook is good, and brands are becoming more aware of the benefits of digital, particularly when it comes to getting real, rapid feedback on a campaign and knowing whether it has worked or not, since with the internet, the call to action is immediate.
What are your prospects for development?
The media are growing more and more in Côte d'Ivoire. We can't wait to see them come to life and evolve, working in tandem with television, marked by the arrival of DTT, radio, and online media. This is one of our challenges for 2019.
Do you have any announcements to share with us? Any new projects? Any new collaborations?
At the group level, Voodoo is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. We are currently preparing a few surprises for the event. I can't reveal anything at the moment, but we want to make a lasting impression once again.