Kenya’s outdoor advertising industry is booming, thanks to brand competition and elections

It is a season of good business for outdoor advertising companies in Kenya as campaign fever sweeps across the country ahead of the March 4 general elections. Billboards have been erected across the country, as politicians make last minute efforts to sell themselves to the people. How we made it in Africa’s Dinfin Mulupi caught up Stanley Kinyanjui, founder and CEO of Kenyan outdoor advertising company Magnate Ventures, to find out more about the opportunities, challenges and trends in this booming industry.

Increasing competition among brands is boosting the outdoor advertising industry.

What is driving growth in the outdoor advertising segment?

The major reason is the robust growth within the economy. This business also booms when there is competition among brands. We are finding it very interesting moving forward, especially in the alcohol and beverages market. It looks like East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) and SABMiller are set for battle. Other players like Keroche Breweries and Distell seem to want a bigger share of the market and PepsiCo has just come in. As brands compete and the economy grows, we should see increased spending in outdoor advertising.

Right now, it is all about campaigns ahead of the March 4 elections. There are some counties that are so competitive such that from last October the majority of the sites had been paid for. While brands target people with spending power, thus opting for locations in up-market areas, politics is about numbers with locations in low income areas being popular. About 30% of our holding is currently leased for election related communication.