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Threefold TGI innovations put the spotlight on the humans in and behind the data
The Target Group Index (TGI) just launched their latest data release with game-changing innovations in both data insights and data access. 10 Oct 2024 Read more

Discovery takes first 2 places on Ask Afrika Orange Index winners podium
The 2024/5 winner at the Ask Afrika Orange Index®, South Africa’s leading, independent benchmark study in the field of customer experience (CX) was announced on 28 August 2024 at Gibs Business School in Illovo. Discovery Bank took first place on the podium, while Discovery Private Bank took second place overall. 29 Aug 2024 Read more

Who will be the leading CX brands in the 2024/5 Ask Afrika Orange Index?
The Ask Afrika Orange Index® has been the leading, independent benchmark study in the field of customer experience (CX) in South Africa for 23 years. The 2024/5 Ask Afrika Orange Index® results will be announced on 28 August 2024 at Gibs Business School in Illovo. This year, the survey has grown to include a significant 46,000+ interviews. 23 Aug 2024 Read more

Discovery Bank takes gold at the Ask Afrika Brand Index 2024
Discovery Bank takes the first position in the first-ever Ask Afrika Banking Brand Index, winning their customers' hearts and minds! Investec and African Bank came in second and third place respectively. 23 Jul 2024 Read more

Challenging to achieve Ask Afrika Icon Brands status in the FMCG industry
In the complex South African FMCG landscape, achieving Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ status is no small feat. These brands have a tough battle to attract and retain consumers' attention, conquer places in hearts and wallets, and build a loyal consumer community. 18 Mar 2024 Read more

The 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands winners announced
The 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ winners were announced at an insightful webinar hosted on 5 February 2024. Brands can rightly boast about the honour of achieving this coveted Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ status. 7 Feb 2024 Read more

Which brands are 2023/2024‘s most iconic?
The 2023/2024 Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ Insights and Winners announcement will take place on 5 February, 2024, during a webinar at 2pm. This annual benchmark, the largest of its kind, empowers marketers and CX professionals with knowledge and insights that will drive brands’ success into the future. 31 Jan 2024 Read more

Ask Afrika makes bold appointments for global expansion
A year of reinvestment into benchmarking expert research house Ask Afrika has borne fruit, and the company has announced appointments and promotions to reflect its growth and global expansion strategy. 25 Jan 2024 Read more

Why winners win! CX, the big differentiator for RMB Private Bank in the 2023 Ask Afrika Orange Index
There is clear evidence that customer experience (CX) is the key differentiator when it comes to both overall business success as well as the ability of organisations to attract and retain customers. RMB Private Bank was rated the leading private bank in South Africa based on its positive customer experience in The Ask Afrika Orange Index® 2023 and was ranked the overall winner across all industries. 26 Oct 2023 Read more

Polarised consumers do respond to advertising
Unprecedented market disruption in recent years means that a brand's strategy today could determine whether it spends the next two decades as a leader or a laggard. 16 Oct 2023 Read more

Ask Afrika Orange Index 2023 survey reveals that CX becoming crucial for business success
Customer experience (CX) has become increasingly critical in attracting and retaining customers as well as its overall impact on business success. Companies that focus on CX - enabled by service standards - typically exhibit increased revenue, are more profitable, have more engaged employees and have customers who are willing to pay up to 18% more for products, says Andrea Rademeyer, founder, and CEO of Ask Afrika. She adds that it's therefore no surprise that a growing number of organisations are making significant investments in CX. 10 Oct 2023 Read more

Mzansi's financial savviness surges: Banks must adapt to the shift in customer psychographics
Banks play an important role in most people's lives, matching up creditors and borrowers, enabling domestic and international payments systems and, ultimately, making financial inclusion a reality. 7 Aug 2023 Read more

Ask Afrika supports SAHARA's efforts at preventing substance abuse
Market research firm Ask Afrika has selected non-profit organisation (NPO) Smoking & Alcohol Harms Alleviation & Rehabilitation Association (SAHARA) as the recipient of its 2023 philanthropic donation which forms part of the company's annual corporate social investment. 19 Apr 2023 Read more

In a changing environment, openness, and inclusion are critical features of a CX benchmark study
Openness and inclusion are core principles of the Ask Afrika Orange Index®. Not only do these principles provide the study with integrity but they also provide customer experience (CX) strategists with the assurance that the data - and the way it's interpreted - will have strategic impact if properly implemented. 13 Feb 2023 Read more

"It's Corn"
Would you ever have believed it possible that, "It's Corn" could drive a connection between a brand and its consumers. 4 Nov 2022 Read more

Stepping into the future of brand and customer experience
Ask Afrika, that had established the Ask Afrika Orange Index® in 2001 and Ask Afrika Icon Brands™ in 2010, is proud to announce that the winners of these two benchmarks will be announced during a luncheon at The Venue, Melrose Arch on 3 November 2022. 10 Oct 2022 Read more

The importance of humanised targeted marketing within townships has never been stronger
Township consumers in South Africa represent an important market for brands given that 50% of the country's urban population live in townships or informal settlements. This large and diverse informal economy has often proved to be more buoyant than the formal economy in some areas. 5 Aug 2022 Read more

Are you suffering from infobesity?
Many organisations are facing a new phenomenon called infobesity - or information overload - which is negatively impacting their ability to make decisions. In theory, having so much information should be a positive, but only if you can effectively work through it, triangulate it and optimise the use of it to inform business decisions. 19 Jul 2022 Read more

SA's follow through on their plans to shop Black Friday specials
South African customers have followed through with their intention to make the most of the Black Friday specials with 75% of research firm Ask Afrika's Power Panel sample making purchases on Friday and over the weekend. 1 Dec 2021 Read more

SA's won't stay away from Black Friday like they did from local government elections
There is light at the end of the tunnel for retailers given 77% of consumers1 are gearing up for Black Friday shopping this year with only 10% saying they will not be shopping up a storm. The two main reasons provided by consumers for not participating in Black Friday deals is not having money to spend this year or simply never participating in Black Friday deals. 17 Nov 2021 Read more

For richer or poorer - financial habits are not determined by size of wallet
Given the rapid rate of change in the last 18 months, what has become increasingly evident is that a number of long-held assumptions about consumer behaviour is no longer true. Target Group Index (TGI) data reveals that income and particularly disposable income levels have shifted significantly as consumers spend and even think about money differently. 14 Oct 2021 Read more

Marketers turn to stable research in the midst of large consumer changes
The consumer landscape has been inexorably altered by the Covid-19 pandemic which has meant that brands and businesses have had to adapt to new consumer habits while at the same navigating through a labyrinth of complex challenges. More than ever before, current, relevant and credible data is key to business decision making. 12 Oct 2021 Read more

Customer experience has undergone a major shift in past 20 years
The social context to service expectations and customer experience has undergone a fundamental shift in the past two decades, says Ask Afrika founder and CEO, Andrea Rademeyer. 5 Oct 2021 Read more

The impact of riots and looting on spaza shops in Johannesburg 2021
One-third of spaza shops in Johannesburg suffered looting or damage in the recent violent riots that took place in July with most requiring assistance to repair structural damage and capital to replace stock before they can resume trade, according to research conducted by Ask Afrika in partnership with Yebo Fresh, a tech start-up that is on a mission to rapidly restock spaza shops. Ask Afrika interviewed 200 spaza owners during July 2021. 18 Aug 2021 Read more

Ask Afrika celebrates its 26th birthday with 2 high-level staff appointments
Ask Afrika, which turns 26 on 1 August 2021, continues to grow from strength to strength. Established at the dawn of South Africa's new democracy in 1995, Ask Afrika was founded by research psychologist, Andrea Rademeyer. From the outset Rademeyer has founded the company on ethical business principles with a mission to make a meaningful and positive impact on society. 30 Jul 2021 Read more

Who are the people most likely to be SA's Covid super-spreaders?
South Africans can be divided into two broad groups: those that are largely adhering to Covid-19 preventative measures, and those that show only limited adherence to the recommended guidelines. It is this latter group that should be of concern as they are potentially super-spreaders of Covid-19. 13 May 2021 Read more

One year into the pandemic: SA shows small signs of recovery on most fronts
The past year has been a traumatic one for many people. Encouragingly, however, overall distress levels are now at their lowest level since the start of the lockdown, driven by an increase in the number of people who report that they are now managing better emotionally, according to the latest report from Ask Africa's Covid-19 Tracker study which compares the data collected between April and mid October 2020 to data collected between February and early April 2021. The provinces faring the best currently in terms of reduced distress levels are the Western Cape and Gauteng, while Limpopo and Northern Cape fare the worst. 30 Apr 2021 Read more

Like their global compatriots, many South Africans remain fearful of Covid vaccines
In the same week that the World Health Organisation celebrates World Immunisation Week (24-30 April) with the theme 'vaccines bring us closer' to show how vaccination connects us to the people, goals and moments that matter to us most, research conducted locally has revealed that many South Africans are still concerned about the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccinations, potentially impacting vaccine take-up. 29 Apr 2021 Read more

Ask Afrika nominated for 3 prestigious awards at the NSTF Awards
Ask Afrika has been nominated for three awards at the NSTF-South32 Awards this year. The awards, the flagship project of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF), in partnership with South32, recognise outstanding contributions to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa. 22 Apr 2021 Read more

'Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo' (You strike a woman, you strike a rock.)
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the women of South Africa emotionally, mentally, physically and socially. In the past year women have had to face a higher rate of unemployment than men, were more dependent on social grants to survive and struggled more than men to manage financially during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, despite these traumas, women continue to prove their resilience. 8 Mar 2021 Read more

Customer experience within the medical aid industry
The Ask Afrika Orange Index® is at the forefront of service benchmarking since 2001 and is the broadest, independent and most widely referenced service excellence benchmark in South Africa. The benchmark has been tracking customer experience, and the changing trends and expectations since 2001. The 2020 measurement offers insight into consumer behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic within the local South African context. A national representative sample of 16,786 interviews with South African consumers enable a comparison of service performance across 26 industries, ranking 159 companies. 3 Mar 2021 Read more

Study finds that not enough South Africans are prepared to be vaccinated against Covid-19
South Africans are torn with regards to whether or not they get vaccinated against Covid-19. According to the Ask Afrika Covid-19 Tracker study, just over half of respondents (52%) said they planned to get vaccinated when the vaccine roll-out programme reaches them. This is a concern given that the country needs to vaccinate two-thirds of the population - or around 40 million people - if it is to achieve so-called herd or community immunity. 19 Feb 2021 Read more

To buy or not to buy?
Around a third of consumers chose not to participate in Black Friday this year, largely as a result of financial constraints (61%), but also because they don't believe prices are meaningfully reduced (21%). 1 Dec 2020 Read more

Have our politicians forgotten the legal principle of common cause?
Government has said it is prioritising an economic recovery and fiscal consolidation and that the social compact agreed to between government, business, labour and civil society will prioritise short-term measures to support the economy. 4 Nov 2020 Read more

Mask-wearing the new normal, despite its discomfort
The Covid-19 pandemic has presented a unique number of challenges for governments across the globe. In South Africa, as in many other parts of the world, the implementation of preventative measures such as mask wearing, both for healthcare workers and members of society, has been encouraged to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 29 Oct 2020 Read more

Food insecurity in SA takes centre stage
Many South Africans are paying a high price for the economic devastation caused by the hard lockdown implemented in late March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 16 Oct 2020 Read more

Covid-19 implications for brand strategists
Andrea Rademeyer - Ask Afrika CEO and founder - was recently invited to address The Abstract Club, a unique association for seasoned marketing strategists, in SA and shares with us: 15 Oct 2020 Read more

Rising grocery costs are impacting shopper behaviour
The perception amongst the majority of consumers is that the cost of groceries has increased since the lockdown was first implemented in South Africa in late March and this is having an impact on shopping habits.  7 Oct 2020 Read more

TGI: Providing an in-depth understanding of how markets have changed as a result of Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has been unprecedented, impacting markets around the world with profound market changes. During this period, consumer beliefs have shifted fundamentally with significant changes at both brand and retailer level. Successfully navigating through these myriad changes requires in-depth, insightful and current information. Data has become key to strategic decision-making. 15 Sep 2020 Read more

Time for SA to put proactive and ambitious relief measures in place
South Africans are paying a high price for the prolonged lockdown and consequent devastation of the local economy with levels of emotional distress nearly as high as at the start of the lockdown five months ago. 3 Sep 2020 Read more

Data companies collaborate to advise on SMME recovery strategies
At a time when more than half of all small to medium-sized businesses (SMMEs) are under severe strain, many are doubting their ability to survive the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to research conducted by TransUnion's Consumer Financial Hardship report, 90% of small businesses are either struggling or have closed temporarily because of the pandemic, and half are extremely concerned about their ability to meet current payment obligations. 25 Aug 2020 Read more

Forecasting post-Covid financial behaviours based on lessons from the 2008 financial markets crash
In August, after more than 130 days of lockdown, Covid-19 infections in South Africa surpassed the half-a-million mark, leaving the economy devastated. The economic impact of the lockdown will linger even once the health threat associated with the virus has passed. 13 Aug 2020 Read more

South Africans on the verge of a lockdown meltdown
Ask Afrika's Covid-19 socio-economic research shows levels of distress not abating 28 Jul 2020 Read more

Covid-19 preventative behaviours: A dangerous game of Russian roulette
As the number of positive Covid-19 cases rises across the country, the fear of contracting the virus is growing amongst the citizens of South Africa. The majority of people have come to the conclusion that they are responsible for their own health and, as such, are committed to social isolation and playing their part to prevent the spread of the virus. However, the danger is that the longer the current status quo continues the less likely some South Africans will be to limit their social interactions. 14 Jul 2020 Read more

Have we lost the 2020 academic year?
Despite escalating numbers of Covid-19 cases, schools are returning grades back to the classroom based on a staggered approach. The turmoil in the South African education system in the past few weeks stirred a saying of 'the mistake of a doctor kills one person, but that of a teacher kills the entire generation'. This quote refers to the shortcomings of the system within which the teacher practises their craft. This is the collective impact of the decisions and actions of those running educational institutions, practitioners, governing bodies, parents and other influential members of society. (https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/whats-happening-in-education-during-lockdown-is-bound-to-deepen-the-crisis-in-our-schools-49365786) 7 Jul 2020 Read more

Being locked down with your killer
Most citizens feared the Covid19 pandemic. Many others fear being locked down with their killers in the same house. 6 Jul 2020 Read more

SA youth exhibiting strain amidst surging Covid-19 cases
Younger South Africans are not having an easy time currently showing the highest levels of fear and depression amongst all age groups, according to recent quantitative research conducted by research firm, Ask Afrika.  19 Jun 2020 Read more

How Covid-19 is impacting your employees
The Covid-19 pandemic is accelerating business transformation, and although it may be a crisis, it also presents an incredible opportunity for organisational change. In these uncertain times it is critical to reassure your employees that while everything is evolving rapidly, your organisation values them and their unique experience and contribution. Managing a partial or fully remote workforce requires an understanding of the impact of the home environment, and lack of social interaction and other workplace benefits on employee wellbeing. 15 Jun 2020 Read more

Dwindling financial resources weighs heavily on the minds of South Africans
South African consumers are paying a heavy price for the prolonged lockdown. According to quantitative research conducted by research firm, Ask Afrika, unemployment and a subsequent loss of income are a growing concern for most South Africans. 2 Jun 2020 Read more

The Target Group Index (TGI) data set - Empowering students and business leaders of tomorrow alongside the University of Pretoria
The TGI (Target Group Index) survey, of which Ask Afrika owns the South African rights, is the global standard for integrated and rich consumer profiling. TGI is used by the majority of top 50 advertisers in South Africa, as well as by diverse media owners and agencies. TGI complements local and global currencies and offers the most comprehensive insights into consumer demographics, behaviour, product and brand usage with rich attitudinal statements. TGI empowers strategic solutions that can help to improve a brand's competitive positioning. It empowers unique selling propositions through rich consumer profiles. 16 Mar 2020 Read more

South Africans stick to icon brands in an increasingly complex consumer landscape
The relationship between consumers and brands have never been more complex. We have never had more data available, yet we see a decline in both customer experience and brand commitment. Consumers are overwhelmed, and are becoming extremists, self-orientated, demanding and tech-savvy. 12 Nov 2019 Read more

Target Group Index research achieves phenomenal year-on-year revenue growth
Target Group Index (TGI) research had an astonishing year, achieving a 22% revenue growth, servicing close to 70 top companies, with 12 Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed companies, 14 multinational companies, eight media owners and eight banking and insurance service providers topping the list. 24 May 2019 Read more

South Africa's favourite township brands revealed in Ask Afrika's Kasi Star Brands survey
The South African township market is vast and diverse - it is essential that brand owners understand the distinct lifestyle segments within each township and that marketers are able to get a granular understanding of the nuances that lead to brand loyalty. 29 Apr 2019 Read more

Ask Afrika's Da Vinci Awards reveal how effective market research marries art and science
The art of market research lies in the ability to tell a story that can change the world. It starts with observation, investigation and interviews to gather data that is collated and analysed to find significant statistics - this is science. Interrogating the data to find meaning and discover trends, ultimately making it useful for the greater good, is an art. 22 Nov 2018 Read more

Knowledge and emotion are central to the service industry
The services industry forms an important part of South Africa's economy and it provides many jobs. Service excellence is a core element of brand reputation and is rooted in customer satisfaction, which can only be achieved if a company truly understands its customers and their expectations. 18 Oct 2018 Read more

Ask Afrika to deliver best practice in customer experience management
In an increasingly competitive and fast-moving environment, customer service is becoming a business-critical tool to survival. With customer needs changing faster than what business can comprehend, implementing service measurements is not only relevant, but it is a business-enabler. Technology has changed the game, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution is creating an 'everything on my terms' consumer and, resultantly, an ever more demanding customer experience (CX) landscape - forcing elevated levels of service. 15 May 2018 Read more

How to harness the power of your target market
Market research and data can be an invaluable tool when crafting a brand strategy, providing brands with the power to harness their target market. Today, marketers have a multitude of choice of available data; however, being given a plethora of statistics does not necessarily translate into the ability to create a winning brand strategy. There is an art to using data to develop a brand's personality and key messaging, and to finding the right channels through which to engage with consumer segments within a target market. 8 Mar 2018 Read more