Data & Media

Mediatec.Africa has established itself as a distinctive force in Kenya’s media planning space, primarily by fusing a rare combination of old-school broadcast leadership with modern, integrated execution and a rigorous data-led strategy. The agency sets itself apart by centering its approach around the analytical precision of Gross Rating Points (GRPs) to shape and measure advertising outcomes, ensuring every campaign delivers measurable impact.

Mediatec.Africa's Core Differentiators

Mediatec’s stand-out strategy is built on three pillars: data-led decision-making, specialized execution, and a deep focus on local markets.

1. GRP-Driven Strategy and Broadcast Leadership

While many competitors shift focus entirely to digital, Mediatec maintains strong roots in radio and television, where GRPs remain the primary, non-negotiable measure of audience exposure and impact. Mediatec uses GRP data strategically to:

• Optimize Placement: Identify where audiences are most active and what times deliver the best returns.

• Ensure Efficiency: Guarantee efficient media placement and better control over advertising budgets.

• Balance Reach and Frequency: Apply GRP analytics to balance the total size of the audience reached (reach) against how often they see the ad (frequency) for maximum audience impact.

2. Integrated Structure and Specialized Divisions

Mediatec.Africa manages the full media process—from planning to buying, activation, and reporting—within a single, integrated system. This integration delivers consistency, accountability, and measurable performance through its specialized divisions:

• PRO.MEDIATEC: The engine for radio and TV planning and buying, dedicated to applying rigorous GRP analytics.

• Backstage.Mediatec.Africa: Focused on contemporary engagement through user-generated content (UGC) and influencer-driven storytelling.

• Activate.Mediatec.Africa: The experiential division that brings campaigns to life through on-ground activations and direct consumer experiences.

3. Local Market Insight

Mediatec’s success is underpinned by a deep understanding of Kenya’s regional media behavior. The agency tailors campaigns based on listening, viewing, and digital consumption trends that are unique to each specific local market, ensuring cultural relevance and maximum resonance.

Evolving Audience Measures Beyond GRPs

While GRPs measure exposure, the full effectiveness of a modern campaign requires tracking metrics across the entire customer journey, linking exposure to tangible business outcomes.

Metric CategoryKey MetricPurpose Beyond GRPsTraditional & Digital ExposureImpressions (CPM)The total number of times an ad is displayed. Used as a universal currency across digital and increasingly, linear media.Engagement & InterestClick-Through Rate (CTR)Measures the percentage of users who click on an ad, gauging the relevance and compelling nature of the creative.Conversion & LeadConversion Rate (CVR) & CPAMeasures the percentage of users who complete a desired action (e.g., purchase, sign-up), linking media spend to business goals.Financial & Business OutcomeReturn on Ad Spend (ROAS)The revenue generated for every shilling spent on advertising, proving the direct profitability of the campaign.

📡 Advanced Developments in Broadcast Measurement (Beyond Linear GRPs)

The broadcast industry is rapidly evolving, moving measurement past simple GRPs toward cross-platform, targeted, and outcome-based metrics.

1. Cross-Platform Measurement

The biggest shift is integrating linear TV and radio with their digital counterparts to capture the "Total Audience."

• Hybrid Models: Measurement firms integrate traditional people meter panels (used to calculate GRPs) with massive "Big Data" sets (e.g., set-top box data) to provide a more stable and scalable estimate of viewership.

• Shifting to Impressions: There is a strong global industry push to buy and sell linear TV and radio inventory using Impressions (total number of ad views) instead of GRPs, which simplifies cross-platform comparisons.

2. Radio's Advanced Digital Transformation (Relevant to Kenya)

The Kenyan radio sector, which Mediatec leads in, is seeing its own transformation, driven by high mobile and internet penetration:

• Mobile-Based Measurement: Research agencies use mobile SMS, mobile web, and CATI (Computer-Aided Telephonic Interviews), as well as passive meters like Ipsos's MediaCell, to collect granular data on radio listening:

  • Platform: Tracking whether listening is via a traditional radio set, a mobile phone's FM receiver, or a streaming app.

  • Location: Pinpointing where listening occurs (home, work, car/transit).

  • Time-based Reporting: Providing ratings data daily or in frequent intervals, allowing for minute-by-minute analysis instead of just weekly summaries.

• Programmatic Audio: The rise of streaming audio (Spotify, podcasts, online radio) allows for Programmatic Audio buying. This enables advertisers to:

  • Target: Deliver ads to specific users based on their demographics, behavior, and interests, rather than to a general station audience.

  • Attribute: Link the audio ad exposure directly to a website visit or app download using tracking tags, moving beyond GRPs to a measurable Cost Per Action (CPA).

3. Outcome-Based Attribution

The ultimate goal for all media, including broadcast, is linking exposure to revenue. Sophisticated tools now track the lift in search volume and website traffic immediately following a radio or TV spot, allowing advertisers to calculate a direct ROAS from their broadcast investment.

The top 13 agencies in the competitive media landscape

Mediatec.Africa’s integrated ecosystem is crucial in a highly competitive market where other prominent agencies also offer comprehensive services.

1. Mediatec.Africa

A leading integrated media agency offering end-to-end broadcast, digital, and experiential solutions. Through PRO.MEDIATEC, the agency manages radio and TV media planning and buying across Kenya and East Africa. Its divisions — Backstage.Mediatec.Africa (UGC content) and Activate.Mediatec.Africa (on-ground activations) — make it one of the few agencies bridging traditional and new media under one umbrella.

2. CHARLESON® Creative

Known for bold creative direction and data-led campaigns, Charleson Creative provides full-service media planning, digital strategy, and campaign execution for major local and international brands.

3. Smith Aegis Plc

A full-service marketing and communications firm specializing in media strategy, analytics, and campaign optimization. Smith Aegis uses GRP-driven planning to enhance advertising performance across TV, radio, and digital platforms.

4. Dotsavvy Limited

One of Kenya’s earliest digital-first agencies, Dotsavvy integrates online and offline media strategies to deliver cohesive brand impact. The team combines audience insights, creative production, and media analytics to drive engagement.

5. Scangroup

A WPP-affiliated network, Scangroup is one of the largest marketing communications groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its media agencies — including Mindshare, Wavemaker, and Mediacom — are industry leaders in GRP analysis, audience research, and media optimization.

6. Squad Digital

A digital experience agency that blends media planning with technology and innovation. Squad Digital focuses on multi-channel performance, connecting audiences across broadcast, web, and mobile.

7. E&M Creative Agency Limited

E&M Creative is known for data-informed campaigns and strong execution in media buying, creative production, and integrated marketing. The agency leverages GRP metrics to measure reach and frequency on traditional and digital channels.

8. Brimar Digital Solutions Ltd

Brimar offers a strong mix of digital strategy, media buying, and performance analytics. Its campaigns emphasize measurable returns, making GRP and engagement tracking central to its approach.

9. Oxygène Marketing

Oxygène combines public relations, digital marketing, and media buying to deliver holistic communication strategies. The agency uses GRP analytics and audience segmentation to ensure cost-effective placement and reach.

10. All Seasons Communications Limited

This agency provides integrated marketing services across Kenya and East Africa. Its media planning team focuses on optimizing TV and radio schedules using GRP benchmarks to improve campaign efficiency.

11. Saracen OMD

Part of the Omnicom Media Group, Saracen OMD is a performance-driven agency offering world-class media planning and buying. It uses audience measurement tools and GRP-based data to inform client strategies.

12. Transcend Media Group

Transcend delivers strategic communication and media placement for major regional brands. The agency’s approach merges traditional metrics like GRP with modern performance indicators for complete campaign assessment.

13. Bean Interactive

A creative and media agency focused on digital transformation and content-driven media planning. Bean Interactive integrates GRP insights when blending broadcast and digital strategies.

14. Scanad Kenya

Scanad offers creative and media services under WPP-Scangroup. The agency has extensive experience in media buying for high-profile clients, optimizing campaigns using GRP modeling and audience behavior data.

In conclusion, Mediatec.Africa's strength is its ability to seamlessly execute a fully integrated campaign—anchored in the classic, accountable metrics of GRPs for mass media (via PRO.MEDIATEC), while leveraging modern engagement and experiential delivery (via Backstage and Activate) to provide the granular, outcome-based reporting the market increasingly demands.

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