M.A. (Communication) / This study examines the creative approach of the South African advertising industry towards the black consumer. The study of literature finds its point of departure in the systems approach of communications. The communication process and the components therein (sender, message, communication medium and receiver) are analysed as a system in the cultural context of the black consumer. The cultural context of the black consumer represents the external environment of the system. In this study emphasis is placed on the sender of the advertising message to the black consumer ...

M.A. / The objective of the study was to determine the influence of African-American culture and the impact of African-American advertisements within a South African advertising communications context. The study focused on the urban black South African youth for two reasons: the first is that most of the African-American advertisements are targeted at them. The second reason is that they can be considered innovators when it comes to adopting new attitudes and trends. Before the evaluation could be completed, the singular definitions for the terms African-American, Eurocentric and Afrocentric were compiled with input from people in the advertising industry. The relevance of this study is that the black South African youth are incessantly being exposed to the African-American culture through advertisements and the media. By implication they will increasingly be able to relate to the African-American ideals, values and norms as reflected in the afore-mentioned and they will potentially start to neglect and eventually abandon their own cultural heritage. The issue that was raised was that marketers and advertisers should be adopting the philosophy of "mashakane" and be aiding nation building in South Africa, not encouraging the fragmentation of it. The other concern that was raised was that in South Africa, whites are creating advertisements for blacks. There are cultural differences between the two and therefore inter-cultural communication is occurring. A literature study on inter-cultural communication revealed the similarities and the differences between white and black South Africans. In general terms with the primary difference being that whites can be classified as individualistic and by implication a low-context communication culture. Blacks on the other hand are collectivistic which means that they are a high-context communication culture. On the macro level, the South African socio-economic environment in which the black South African youth are growing up in, was analysed as it will impact directly on them as receptors .of advertising communication. The study then concentrated on the evolution of black market segmentation in South Africa. The future trends that are emerging in the black market, which will assist in advertising positioning strategies, were also briefly discussed. The black South African youth market was analysed in detail particularly from an advertising and consumer point of view. Advertising's psychological implications on them were also discussed. Furthermore a demographic and sociographic profile of the black South African youth market was completed. This demographic and sociographic analysis was based on the results of the 1994 "Youth Survey" conducted by Mkhasibe (1995). The research that was conducted for this study evaluated the shift in the trends (from 1994-1996) influencing the black South African youth (this included their media consumption, their role models and the country they would most like to visit). Furthermore the aspirational appeal that America holds for them versus South Africa was examined. Finally the likabilty of certain African-American advertisements versus Eurocentric and Afrocentric advertisements was determined to assess the effectiveness of African-American advertisements for this target market. From the study it is evident that fashion, movies and music are important to the black South African youth. They also prefer examples of the above-mentioned that are African-American. Fashion is the only exception where Italy and France (specifically Paris) are appealing to them. It is also evident from the study that their Africaness is important to them and they criticise those who have adopted the African-American culture in its entirety. They are considered sell-outs. There is value in advertisers utilising an African-American positioning for advertisements targeted at the black South African youth. However advertisers should be aware that their Africaness should not be ignored and should be incorporated into the advertisements. Therefore by procuring the African-Americans positioning the advertisement retains desirability and by embodying an Afrocentric aspect the identification with the advertisement by the black South African youth is much stronger.

Thesis (M. Sc.)(Consumer science)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

M.Com. (Economics) / The South-African motor-cycle industry has experienced a constant decline in sales since 1981, that is, a drop from 84 000 units sold during 1981 to an expected sales figure of 24 000 units for 1985. This decline in sales poses a threat to the profitability and 'survival of the motor-cycle industry in South-Africa. Up to this point in time the marketing efforts of the motor-cycle industry were mainly directed towards the White consumer market. In order to bring about an upturn in motor-cycle sales, this study looked into the feasibility of a marketing effort, by the motor-cycle industry, aimed at the Black consumer market. The execution of such a feasibility study necessitated the gathering of information relating to the views and preferences of Blacks with regard to motor-cycles. Information was collected by distributing questionnaires to a random sample of Blacks in region nineteen according to the Standard code list for statistical main regions and regions, magisterial districts, cities, towns and non-urban areas. The potential of the Black market has been disregarded by the motor-cycle industry because of the belief that Blacks are apposed to motor-cycles as a result of their cultural traditions.

This dissertation is an attempt to shed light on the impact that global cultural consumption has had in the transformation of perceptions of material and symbolic consumption in everyday life among urban black African Zulu-English speakers that live in the Durban Metropolitan area. The process of transformation within this group has not occurred without resistance, confrontation and struggle against the hegemonic societal forces. Black Africans have suffered spatial segregation and social exclusion during the history of white colonisation and the apartheid system. Therefore, their socio-economic, cultural and ideological social world has been transformed through multi-cultural relationships, politico-ideological power, socio- economic unequal distribution of wealth and class differentiation. Many events have occurred since the 1980's, the most significant being the triumph of the democratic system on 1994 over apartheid power. This led to South Africa's opening the door to the global economy and to neo-liberal ideologies. These processes have had a powerful effect on the material and symbolic consumption of the social group under investigation and particularly in the area of clothing consumption. Mediations such as the media, western religions, European languages, etc. have been part of this very complex process, which affects and transforms the social practices of black African Zulu-English speakers. The influence of western mediation has transformed the habitus and taste consumption of ordinary black South Africans. Therefore, this study is concerned with the transformed thoughts and perception of the material and symbolic consumption within the popular culture of black Africans Zulu-English speakers who live in the Durban Metropolitan Area. Consumption is a very important concept in our understanding of how taste and habitus organise the social practices of black Africans in everyday live. In addition, consumption in general and clothing consumption in particular serves to define and re-confirm symbolic meanings within popular culture and symbolic distinction between classes. This study has used three different methods: ethnographic, archival historical and statistical. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.