Beyond the algorithm: How African brands are rewriting the rules of growth

83% of African business leaders cite economic volatility and fragmented markets as key challenges to growth. (Source: dentsu Africa CMO Pulse, 2025)

Traditional levers are losing power

• Attention is scarce: Mobile-first audiences are bombarded with content across platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Boomplay (a music streaming and download service, primarily focused on the African market, with a vast catalogue of songs, videos, and entertainment news).
  
• Spending more ≠ better ROI: Media inflation and informal economies challenge traditional measurement.
  
• Fragmented media: From community radio to pan-African influencers, the media landscape is diverse and decentralised.

Welcome to the algorithmic era

In Africa, algorithmic ad spend is growing fast driven by mobile penetration, programmatic platforms, and AI-powered content curation.

• Broadcast Era: TV, radio, print
  
• Precision Era: SMS, search, social
  
• Algorithmic Era: AI-curated feeds, voice search, creator commerce

In the algorithmic era, being ‘average’ is the enemy

In a region where cultural nuance and local relevance matter deeply, brands that blend in are ignored.

• 85% of African consumers prefer brands that reflect their local identity.
  
• -20% brand value for those seen as generic or foreign.

Distinctiveness is the competitive advantage

Being different isn’t just about logos or colours; it’s about culturally resonant experiences.

From Afrobeat-infused campaigns to Swahili-language chatbots, brands win by being locally relevant and emotionally distinct.

Designing for difference in sub-Saharan Africa

To stand out, brands must design experiences that are:

• Unusually shaped: Reflecting local rituals, languages, and humour
  
• Multi-sensory: Leveraging music, storytelling, and visual identity
  
• Community-driven: Built with, not just for, audiences

Our approach: Built for Africa’s complexity

Using our tool’s data, addressable connections, and local expertise, we help drive business growth through precise customer and prospect targeting.

How we think

• Challenge convention: Embrace informal economies and mobile-first behaviours
  
• Best experience wins: From boda-boda delivery to mobile money UX
  
• Everything is media: From airtime top-ups to street murals
  
• Stories shape the future: African narratives, told authentically

How we set up

• Local soul, rooted in Africa: Our teams are embedded across the continent, shaped by the cultures, languages, and platforms that define each market.

• Agile and culturally fluent: We work shoulder-to-shoulder with communities, creating ideas that speak the language of the people literally and culturally.

• Enabled by technology, grounded in reality: We use AI, data, and mobile-first tools always informed by local context, behaviour, and insight.

How we design

• Beyond reach: Focus on relevance, not just impressions
  
• Beyond convention: Design for ecosystems, not just campaigns
  
• Beyond metrics: Measure cultural impact, not just clicks

Data in the African Context

From mobile money transactions to social listening in local dialects, we decode billions of signals to understand:

• Culture: Music trends, memes, language shifts
  
• Commerce: Informal trade, mobile payments, digital wallets
  
• Context: Urban vs rural, youth vs elders, local vs diaspora

Following signals, not stereotypes

Next gen activation: Built to experiment

In a region where platforms evolve fast and consumer habits shift quickly, experimentation is essential.

• Beta-first mindset: Test on TikTok, pilot on WhatsApp
  
• Algorithmic mastery: Train AI with local data
  
• Innovation embedded: From Nairobi to Lagos, we co-create with creators, coders, and communities

Experience beyond

We don’t just build campaigns we build ecosystems that stretch across:

• Platforms: From YouTube to Showmax
  
• People: From micro-influencers to market traders
  
• Purpose: From sustainability to social impact

Ecosystem experience design

In a region defined by cultural dynamism and digital acceleration, the brands that thrive will be those bold enough to challenge convention and agile enough to adapt. At dentsu X, we don’t just navigate the algorithmic era we help you master it. From decoding local signals to designing experiences that resonate across platforms and communities, our approach is built for Sub-Saharan Africa’s complexity and promise. If you’re ready to unlock growth beyond the expected, connect with dentsu X and let’s shape the future together.

Listen to the full conversation on our official streaming platform here: https://iono.fm/e/1580481.