In East Africa’s cluttered ad landscape, grabbing attention is just the beginning. The real power lies in messaging that is relevant, clear, emotional, and memorable. This blog unpacks insights on how to make messaging connect and impact your audiences. Whether you are a marketer, creative, or brand leader, discover what truly makes ads work in our region - and how to make your message matter.

From gatekeepers to connectivity issues, conducting B2B research on the continent demands strategy, flexibility, and cultural sensitivity. But when done right, the insights are worth their weight in gold.
In this blog, we share practical lessons from the field -what works, what doesn’t, and how to overcome common hurdles.

Across Africa, brands are using artificial intelligence to transform customer experience. From AI-powered personalization by fintechs like Kuda Bank to multilingual chatbots from Safaricom, businesses are delivering faster, smarter, and more relevant interactions. Innovations like Salesforce’s autonomous AI agents are raising the bar for proactive service. With growing digital adoption, Africa is becoming a global leader in customer-centric AI innovation, reshaping how brands connect with their customers.

Africa’s booming youth population, rapid urbanization, and projected GDP growth of 4% in 2025 present immense opportunities for brands. However, macroeconomic volatility, infrastructure gaps, and intense competition make brand building challenging. To succeed, brands must localize their approach, emphasize value, harness digital and e-commerce solutions, and foster community trust. By innovating around supply chain hurdles and staying visible, brands can thrive even in tough economic times and unlock Africa’s vast market potential.

Learnings on how to optimize ads in East Africa: How to use humour effectively

Drawing from years of experience in East African markets, this article explores the power of pre-testing ads and using humour strategically. Learn what makes humour work (or fail), why cultural relevance matters, and how brands can drive better ad performance with insights rooted in local consumer behaviour

Conducting market research in East Africa

Effective market research in East Africa requires understanding language diversity, connectivity gaps, seasonal weather, election cycles, and cultural norms. Tailor methods to your audience, using mobile surveys where connected and face-to-face in low-connectivity areas. Localize tools into key languages like Kiswahili and respect cultural practices, such as gender roles in interviews. Plan around rainy seasons and avoid face-to-face research during elections or after mid-December due to holiday travel. Partner with local experts, ensure data privacy compliance, and pilot test your tools for best results.