African country with a European mentality. In Namibia, the desert meets the ocean… Beautifully said, but we are more interested in traffic. And it is here, good and different. Therefore, a new article is devoted to the experience of the Aff1.com team on what to consider when advertising to the Namibian market.
The main thing you need to know about the country
Namibia borders South Africa and is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Member of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
The population is almost 2.6 million people, and a little more than half are city dwellers.
The average age of Namibians is 21–22 years old.
- Capital: Windhoek. Other major cities: Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Oshakati, Grootfontein, Keetmanshoop, Tsumeb, Gobabis.
- Official language: English.
- Currency: Namibian dollar (NAD), equal to approximately 0.05 USD (in May 2023). The Namibian dollar is linked to the South African rand 1:1.
- Religion: 80% of Namibians are Christians.
- Average income: 3240 NAD/month (188 USD/month).
- Internet domain .na
- Time zones: 1 April 01:00:00 UTC+0100 (WAT) 2 September 03:00:00 UTC+0200 (WAST)
- Tier-3
1.4 million people in Namibia use the Internet. The average mobile Internet speed is 18.5 Mbps, and the fixed Internet connection is 8.5 Mbps. Keep these limits in mind when designing your creatives.
Please note that Namibians use not only Google, but also Bing. We have a special article with tips and useful practical tips about advertising through this search engine.
In Namibia, there are about 730,000 registered social media accounts (but this number is not equal to the number of unique users), women and men are approximately equal.
The most profitable social networks in descending order of popularity:
- YouTube
There are few iPhones in Namibia, so set your mobile traffic mainly to Android. But do not forget about the desktop format, because almost half of the Internet users use desktop computers and laptops.
Please note
Namibia is a typical Tier-3 country, which means that there are many users who are just starting to master the Internet. They are not spoiled, open to advertising and willing to shop.
At the same time, Namibia has a lot in common with South Africa, only more modestly. If you already have successful links in South Africa, you can adapt them for Namibia.
According to the stories of travelers, Namibia lives modestly, but typical negative African features — begging and parasitism are developed to a minimum or are completely absent. The people are friendly and relaxed. Life is well established: drinking water flows from the tap everywhere, a good road is connected to any urban-type settlement (and there are few real cities in Namibia), and there is an ATM (usually more than one).
International ratings of Namibia vary: there is high freedom of the press, one of the most effective governments in Africa, but at the same time, an average level of human development.
At the same time, many notes that the inhabitants of Namibia have a European mentality. Friendly and kind people who are not in a hurry. Historical colonial customs influenced the formation of local culture and habits. A large proportion of Germans live in the country.
What will help in creating ads
Many Hollywood films have been filmed in the Dead Valley of Namibia, including Mad Max, The Cage, 2001: A Space Odyssey. You can make it a trump card in advertising: the worldwide fame of Namibia.
Swakopmund is a resort on the Atlantic Ocean, built by German colonists, which their descendants maintain in a state of perfect German order. Swakopmund looks German, most of the streets in Windhoek still bear German names. Namibians are unhappy that the heirs of the Germans discriminate against them in relation to work and labor agreements. But they will definitely not be against advertising with a “German” vibe and quality.
What offers are the most profitable in Namibia?
Namibia’s healthcare system is considered one of the best in Africa, but it has its drawbacks. There are not enough doctors here, so people have to treat themselves. Offer them dietary supplements and drugs, preferably with a natural composition.
The Namibian sprinter F. Fredericks is a four-time Olympic silver medalist and two-time world champion; world record holder in the 200 meters indoors. This can be done as a feature of advertising drugs for joints, sports nutrition, etc. Strength, agility, sporting achievements are like a ticket to the big world.
Or the classic — getting rid of problems, obstacles, and suffering:
Not spoiled by things, Namibians readily react to the White Hat. They introduce any objects into their lives. For example, a typical picture in a local Spar supermarket: several women in ethnic attire, topless, calmly walk around the supermarket, throwing purchases into the shopping cart. Some girls complement the traditional outfit with a classic handbag and a phone in hand.
13.8% of the population of Namibia is infected with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (5th in the world). Therefore, the tasks of personal security are very relevant here: from contraception to strengthening immunity. Plus the topics of health care in creatives.
Humidity in Namibia is very low. Therefore, you need to use protective agents for the skin. The ethnic population used natural materials like clay, and offer cosmetics with UF filters to modern Namibians.
A big problem in Namibia is common mosquitoes. Therefore, fumigators and insect solutions are in demand.
There are power outages in the country: some stations fail during the rainy season, in January-February. Some areas will be shut down for several hours. Powerbanks and batteries will definitely come in handy.
If you look through the big media in Namibia, you will understand that people’s lives in cities are similar to ours. They are interested in fashion, music and celebrities, go to cafes and supermarkets, study and hold conferences. By the way, training courses and educational programs are good offers for Namibians who cannot afford to study offline but strive for self-development and a career.
Namibia Ad Creative Tips
The official language is English, mainly as a second language for young people. Afrikaans is widespread (60% of the population). Many speak German. Until 1990, German and Afrikaans were the official languages. Keep this in mind when designing creatives and targeting.
Namibia is one of the richest countries in Africa, but income is unevenly distributed, with most of the population living below the poverty line. According to statistics, white descendants of Europeans who once colonized this country earn much more than native blacks. Use this feature when choosing pictures for creatives: people with lighter skin, mulattoes.
In Namibia, out of 34 doctors who head public hospitals, only 2 doctors are Namibians. Therefore, if your creative is based on the personality of a specialist, it could be a German/European doctor.
About half of the entire labor force in Namibia is employed in agriculture, mainly in animal husbandry, with the breeding of karakul sheep playing an important role. Such breeders are a typical portrait of an audience in which it will be easier for people to recognize themselves.
According to eyewitnesses, people in Namibia (and South Africa too) love what other parts of the world were fond of a few decades ago. Fashionable 80s and 90s — in music, style, colors. Places in Road-66 vintage style. Try to use Synthwave’s color scheme and style in creative design.
Precautions
Cryptocurrencies are prohibited in Namibia. All transactions related to them are illegal even for an individual. Entrepreneurs also cannot open and legalize a business related to digital assets.
Conclusions
Namibia is one of the most developed African countries. Wealth is unevenly distributed here, but residents strive for the best. This GEO needs to be addressed both now and in the future.
You will get the maximum benefit if in GEO Namibia your goal is not only to generate revenue but also to gain experience, collect data and test offers and bundles.
While other arbitrageurs are fighting for pennies on Tier 1 or 2, GEO Namibia welcomes newcomers with open arms. The main thing is to calculate everything correctly. And Aff1.com managers are always in touch to suggest the best offers and share creatives and ideas.
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