The Nelson Mandela Bay business community will have a unique opportunity to hear first hand the results of a historic survey which gives insight into one of South Africa’s most important consumer sector, the black middle class.

The University of Cape Town’s Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing which conducted the survey in partnership with Research Surveys, is to present the findings of its Black Diamond survey on Monday 27 March at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Boom Town Advertising, a leading strategic marketing and advertising agency, was instrumental in securing the seminar for the city, says it will be the first time that Nelson Mandela Bay has been included, alongside with Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, in the institute’s renowned survey seminar programme.

“Nelson Mandela Bay needs the marketing skill injection in order to become more marketing focused. It has been a key skill lacking in Port Elizabeth which has had a negative effect on the area. We want to change that and see this seminar as one step closer to the goal,” explains Boom Town MD Neil Hart.

Professor John Simpson from the UCT Unilever Institute says that it is important that local marketers don’t miss out: “There has been unprecedented interest in this study across the country. The reason for this is simple, the New Black Middle Class is where it is all happening; it is a market that s mushrooming and will continue to grow for some time to come. Businesses in the Eastern Cape, like their counterparts in the rest of the country, need to understand the complexities and subtleties which characterize this market it they are to embrace the opportunities it presents.”

The three-hour seminar aims to provide delegates with a better understanding of a market segment which saw growth of 368 per cent between 1998 and 2004.
Other insights which the seminar will unpack include:
 The origins and drivers of this economic phenomenon;
 The aspirations and realities of this growing market;
 A model which enables marketers to easily segment this market;
 How to maximize a brand’s potential and effectively position a brand; and
 A range of different media and products affected by the new black middle class.

The survey, conducted in partnership with Research Surveys, also developed a model which further divides the sector into discrete segments by taking into account factors such as age, education, income and location within major metropolitan areas.

“This model leads to a better understanding of the group and enables marketers to target more effectively,” says survey project leader Refiloe Mataboge.

The presentation will be led by Unilever HHC marketing manager Mzamo Masito together with institute’s lead consultant Bridget Baalbergen and business development director Reflioe Mataboge from Research Surveys.

The cost of the seminar is R1,380 and includes the full pack excluding video clips. Bookings can be made directly with the UCT Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing using their website. Alternatively, contact Ashleigh on tel (021) 650-4715
or email unilever@commerce.uct.ac.za