Ripple Media’s Milestones in Outdoor Advertising

Deon Govender

Managing Director

Ripple Media

Picture of Deon Govender

Deon Govender

29 July . 4 min read . Opinion

(Credit: Ripple Media)

Expanding Reach with Digital Innovation

In 2023, Ripple Media proudly signed an impactful OOH media agreement with Sibaya Casino and Sun International to install Digital Streetpole LED screens. We successfully erected eight screens along the bustling boulevard of Sibaya Casino and Entertainment. These screens strategically capture the attention of nearby residents from private estates and a local golf course, offering an unparalleled opportunity for brands to enhance their visibility. Notably, Ripple Media’s screens are the only digital presence within a 3 km radius of Umhlanga CBD.

Overcoming Perceptions and Demonstrating Value

Initially, media agencies were hesitant, primarily due to unfamiliarity with the area or misconceptions that our audience consisted solely of casino goers. To bridge this knowledge gap, I personally engaged with buyers and strategists, showcasing videos of past successful campaigns and conducting numerous meetings to highlight the unique opportunity. To date we have secured some amazing deals with TV shows, car dealerships, banks, social content, etc.

The tide is turning as programmatic advertising data has unveiled the true power of our reach, boasting 1.6 million impressions per month. This audience includes key decision-makers such as CEOs, directors, and business owners, making it an invaluable target for advertisers.

The high tech used to record analytics such as cars, people, behaviours is our trusted source and partner Sun International. Cameras are equipped on almost every pole which records every eyeball looking in the direction of our screens.

Strategic Expansions and New Partnerships

Currently, we are aggressively promoting attractive package deals for the Sibaya Streetpole advertising spots. Our growth trajectory continues with plans to expand our Digital Streetpole screens to two additional casinos within the year. Furthermore, we are exploring a joint venture with another prestigious media company to further capitalize on opportunities within Sun International. Our partnership with Vicinity has proven be to the most lucrative to date. We are currently starting with new partnerships with Polygon and Rook Digital. All our software and hardware is managed by Primary Colours in which we use great Hivestack and Broadsign platforms to conduct programmatic and traditional buying. Primary Colours has built a solid reptuation of great quality screens and professional services.

New Launches and Future Plans

May 2024 marks the completion of our latest project—installing digital screens at the upscale Hamptons 5-star hotel in Sandton (formerly the Old Mutual premises). With over 5.6 million people to target and competitively priced, we have introduced our screens to agencies in the month of June. With sales on the horizon and demonstrating our vast rollout, we aim to be a player in the market with agencies.

Ripple Media now manages a total of 29 screens and is diversifying by acquiring iconic static sites through a robust partnership with one of South Africa’s largest construction companies.

A Vision Fueled by Innovation and Resilience

In everything I do, I am driven by a passion for innovation, resilience, and technology. The road to securing bookings from agencies is challenging, but persistence and strong willpower underpin my approach. I view this year as a critical learning period to forge meaningful relationships with agencies that can support and propel Ripple Media to new heights.

Sandton Screens:

Since its inception in 2019, Ripple Media, founded by Deon Govender, has made significant inroads into the media industry. In early 2020, we identified a significant market gap: there was no data-driven elevator advertising. To address this, we launched Pics in Lifts—a digital device installed inside elevators, equipped with facial recognition technology that provides valuable analytics such as age, gender, dwell time, and impressions. Our 21-inch screen is both sleek and visually appealing.

Our partnerships with prominent property groups like Redefine, Growthpoint, Vukile, and Emira exemplify the strength and growth of our initiative. Although breaking into malls has been challenging due to existing exclusive rights held by large media owners, our persistence and dedication have fortified our relationships with these key property groups.

Over the next 12 months, we aim to expand our presence further. Since the lifting of lockdown restrictions in 2023, our elevator campaigns have achieved outstanding results. We now enhance the elevator experience by branding the exterior doors with static vinyl and playing digital advertisements inside, complete with sound. Elevator companies provide us with analytics that help us target the busiest elevators, typically located next to anchor tenants.

The unique environment of an elevator presents a prime opportunity for advertising; riders are a captive audience with minimal distractions. This year, we have integrated programmatic advertising, revealing the transformative potential of evolving advertising technologies. Agencies should seize this opportunity to assess the substantial impact their campaigns can have for clients.

Our recent collaboration with Vodacom through Carat highlights the success and value of elevator advertising. This medium is highly engaging and leaves a lasting impression, making it particularly effective for FMCG, telecommunications, and brand awareness campaigns.