There are few studies on the use of billboards by advertisers in French-speaking Africa, even though it is a major medium in many countries.
An analysis of the comparative situation in the capitals of Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire shows the very different situations between the two countries and sheds light on how advertisers invest in this medium.
Three times more billboards in Abidjan than in Dakar
There are around 6,000 billboards in Abidjan, compared to around 2,000 in Dakar.
The difference in size and population between the two capitals largely explains this discrepancy. The Abidjan metropolitan area is about twice as populous as that of Dakar and covers an area nearly four times larger.
The number of advertisers using billboards each month is roughly the same: just under 200 in Senegal and just under 250 in Côte d'Ivoire.
It should be noted that the Senegalese advertising market is generally more advanced than that of Côte d'Ivoire: despite having half the GDP, Senegal has an estimated advertising market equivalent to that of Côte d'Ivoire. This shows that there is still considerable room for growth for this medium in Côte d'Ivoire, since, based on the GDP of the two countries, the number of advertisers should be closer to 400 than 250 in Abidjan
. Advertising expenditure is more concentrated in Senegal.
The top 10 advertisers, which in both countries include the main telephone operators, major beer and soft drink brands, and local food champions, account for 25% of the billboard market in Abidjan, compared to 32% in Senegal.
Around 30 brands use at least 100 billboards per month to promote themselves in Côte d'Ivoire. In Senegal, only the top five brands exceed this threshold of 100 billboards.
Taking into account the size of the billboard network, which is three times smaller in Dakar, the situation is nevertheless roughly the same in both cities. Thirty advertisers run campaigns using 100 billboards in Abidjan, while 30 advertisers run campaigns using at least 35 billboards in Dakar.
These thresholds of 100 billboards per month in Abidjan and 35 billboards per month in Dakar are, in a way, a minimum level that must be met in order to stand out in a competitive landscape.
Several types of usage strategies
Based on the information gathered, four types of strategies can be identified
1/ Permanent intensive presence
: this is the strategy of the 10 largest brands (telecoms, beer, food, etc.) which target the entire population and have the budget to occupy the entire urban space for a large part of the year
. 2/ High-impact presence:
this is the strategy of many brands (around 30) that prefer to make a significant impact once or twice a year. These brands may use high-intensity campaigns (more than 100 billboards) but over short periods. (e-commerce, tourism, food, etc.)
3/ Diluted permanent presence:
the vast majority of advertisers use billboards very sporadically, with less than ten billboards per month. This strategy does not, of course, cover the entire metropolitan area. It is mainly used by local advertisers seeking to raise awareness in their catchment area.(car dealerships, business schools, banks, etc.)……………………………………..
DAKAR METROPOLITAN AREA ABIDJAN METROPOLITAN AREA
Population: 3.6 million inhabitants 7.6 million inhabitants
Area: 550 km² 2,110 km²
Number of billboards: 2,000 6,000
Number of monthly advertisers: 170/190 230/250
Weight of the top 10 brands: 32% 25%
Source: Pige Insight 2018/2019