Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The emerging black middle class in South Africa provides immense opportunity for marketers who
wish to capture this segment of the market. However, in order to be relevant, a deep understanding
of this ever-evolving segment is absolutely necessary. Characterised by complexity, the black
middle class is heterogeneous and evolves at rapid speed. Studies by the Unilever Institute of
Strategic Marketing highlighted the immense value of black middle class women, coined Black
Diamond™ women.
The primary objective of this research was to gain insights into the life of young black professional
women and, secondly, to understand the driving forces behind their decision-making. This was
achieved through an in-depth exploratory study. The first step in this study was to conduct a
literature review on the black middle class in various African countries and the black middle class
in South Africa. A review of literature on marketing communication provided the basis for reasoning
on the appropriateness of different marketing communication tools. Literature also revealed the
emergence of a possible new consumer type, the hybrid consumer. The literature review provided
the framework for designing the interview schedules used in the expert interviews and interviews
with the Black Diamond™ women.
The findings of this research assignment were that the modern black middle class women face
many complexities in their daily lives. Brands can, therefore, be significant to them by supporting
them in their lives. Brands should customise their offerings, meet the black middle class women in
innovative ways at different touch points, and bring meaning in their lives. Brands should also know
that culture is prominent in all areas of their lives, which presents unique challenges.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/97301 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Babu, Theodore Duncan |
| Contributors | Herbst, F. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 volume (various pagings) |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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