20th Maps Quarterly Survey release
The 20th release of the Marketing All Product Survey (Maps) will be available in mid-November 2025.
The 20th release of the Marketing All Product Survey (Maps) will be available in mid-November 2025 (Image source: © 123rf 123rf)
Announced by the Marketing Research Foundation (MRF), the survey will deliver the most comprehensive view of South African consumer behaviour and media trends to date.
The release will be accompanied by a webinar highlighting top-level data insights for industry stakeholders.
"This 20th release represents a significant milestone for Maps and reinforces our commitment to providing the industry with data that reflects the true complexity of the South African market," says Johann Koster, CEO of the Marketing Research Foundation.
"The quarterly release schedule ensures that our subscribers have access to updated insights every three months, allowing them to make informed decisions based on current consumer behaviour rather than outdated information."
The latest Maps dataset encompasses fieldwork conducted from July 2024 to June 2025, providing marketing, media and advertising professionals with current intelligence on consumer patterns across South Africa.
As the country's leading single-source study, Maps continues to serve as the primary reference for understanding, strategically, how South Africans engage with products, services and media platforms.
Enhanced population framework and weighting methodology
The 20th release incorporates an updated population framework utilising Statistics South Africa's 2024 mid-year population estimates.
This update, verified by international auditors Robert Ruud and Brenda Wortley from 3M3A, ensures that Maps continues to accurately represent the demographic composition of South African society.
In addition to the population update, 3M3A recommended that the weighting framework be updated.
Methodological considerations were identified during the audit process, implemented, and now ensure that current and future survey results more accurately reflect the population.
These updates are in the best interest of data integrity and provide South Africa with a validated and stable platform for consumer insights.
"These weighting improvements provide our users with more reliable insights into how consumers interact with brands, media and products.
“The transparency of making this adjustment in one step allows our subscribers to understand and account for the change in their planning processes,” says Koster.
Maintaining international standards
Maps undergoes verification by international auditors who confirm that all processes and procedures meet global standards for market research.
This independent validation ensures that the survey achieves maximum precision and reliability, giving industry professionals confidence in the data underpinning their strategic decisions.
In addition, both the MRF and research partners, Plus 94 Research, subscribe to and adhere to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and ESOMAR’s Code of Conduct for Research and Analytics.
This code is designed to ensure that users and commissioners of research, and the general publi,c have confidence in the way research is collected and the conclusions drawn.
The survey's methodology has been designed to capture a representative sample of South African consumers, accounting for the country's diverse population across geographic, demographic and socioeconomic dimensions.
This comprehensive approach enables MAPS® to deliver insights that reflect the full spectrum of consumer behaviour in the market.
Comprehensive single-source data
The survey covers a wide range of product categories, media channels and consumer services, making it an indispensable resource for organisations operating across multiple sectors.
From financial services and telecommunications to retail and entertainment, Maps delivers the strategic consumer intelligence required to understand target audiences and competitive dynamics.
Launch webinar to present key findings
The mid-November release will be accompanied by a webinar designed to present top-level findings from the latest dataset.
The session will provide subscribers and industry stakeholders with an overview of notable trends, significant changes and key insights emerging from the data.
Further details about the 20th release of Maps, including webinar registration information, will be available through the Marketing Research Foundation in the coming weeks.
documentation, including detailed reports, analytical presentations, and recordings of previous webinars, is available on the MRF website.