As one of South Africa’s leading digital media agencies, TDMC (The Digital Media Collective) has a front row seat to the evolving e-commerce landscape.
Here are some essential insights from their team members that are shaping the strategies for forward-thinking brands.
1. Platform specialisation vs ‘spray and pray’ campaigns
Brands that focus on building deep engagement and a seamless shopping experience for users no matter where they are consuming content are consistently outperforming their competition.
Using first party data insights to futureproof campaigns and meeting consumers with a unified brand experience across channels are not just nice-to-haves, they are crucial.
The recent shock move of the $700m Coke account from WPP to Publicis after a closed-door review attests to this. The Publicis pitch focused on innovation, data driven insights and a deep understanding of the local market – all of which are key to winning in an increasingly fragmented media landscape
2. Gen Z and Millennials are in the chat
While these generations are digital natives, never having known life without the internet and social media, they are also the toughest nuts to crack in the digital marketing arena.
A recent HubSpot survey notes that over 70% of marketers plan to target Millennials this year since they are now the largest segment of online decision makers.
“Some of our biggest assets are our Gen Z and Millennial team members – we have people working at TDMC who have been here since their early twenties and their insights and expertise are as valuable as the data we glean from our campaigns,” says TDMC CEO Cheryl Ingram.
3. Influencers + content creators are a valuable currency
Relatable creators are growing as a trusted resource and marketing tool for brands. In fact, just a few weeks ago Unilever’s new CEO announced that they would be shifting strategies to invest heavily in the use of content creators.
“This however is not a new space for TDMC. We have always seen the value in using creators, who are also consumers of the brands they work with, for their unique take on the world, their relationship with their audience, and their authenticity in creating everyday content for the brands we partner with. We will continue to emphasise the need to give creators carte blanche to create authentic, relatable content,” says strategic business director, Nicola Ashe.
4. Shopify remains the e-commerce ecosystem of choice
Shopify has evolved from a simple store platform into a comprehensive business solution, integrating marketing, sales and customer service in one seamless ecosystem.
TDMC’s partnership with Shopify is invaluable, allowing the agency to deliver exceptional results across a wide range of clients.
“As one of the few Shopify Select Partners in South Africa, we help clients customise experiences that reflect their unique brand identities and objectives. Our positioning as partners means we are at the forefront of the platform’s evolution – an advantage we are able to pass directly to our clients,” says development director Duncan Colville.
5. Strategic planning is critical
Reactive marketing approaches are becoming less effective. Brands that implement data-driven strategic planning are seeing sustained growth. TDMC focuses on establishing clear KPIs and measurement frameworks before campaign execution, resulting in better outcomes. “That said, thanks to our rich team resources and deep knowledge, TDMC is equally as agile and able to adjust to shifts in campaign expectations or market behaviours,” says Media Director Caleb Shepard.
6. Email marketing is thriving
While social media dominates the marketing conversation, strategically implemented email marketing has shown exceptional ROI year-on-year for TDMC clients, with personalised, behaviour-driven newsletters outperforming traditional broadcast campaigns in terms of conversion efficiency.
“By leveraging first-party data and implementing post-purchase review solicitation, TDMC has seen clients improve conversion rates and customer engagement significantly,” says Shepard.
7. Content quality over quantity
Over the last year we have seen a significant shift with brands increasingly understanding the need for content marketing strategies that deliver on authentic storytelling. Rather than focusing on content volume, TDMC has chosen to focus on quality content that resonates with the target audience and drives meaningful interactions.
“The most successful brands in our portfolio have embraced this quality-first approach, often reducing their content volume while significantly increasing engagement metrics and conversion rates,” says Ashe.
8. Strategic platform partnerships continue to offer competitive advantage
TDMC’s investment into channel partnerships has been instrumental in providing the agency’s clients with a competitive and disruptive edge. Our accreditation as a Google Premier Partner for the 4th year running, as well as being a Shopify Select Partner, a Meta and TikTok Business Partner as well as a Klaviyo Business Partner positions us in the top percentile of performance marketing teams in South Africa.
These accreditations also mean our clients benefit from access to exclusive platform features, advanced training and direct support, ensuring they are staying ahead of rapid platform changes. In a competitive market like South Africa, where margins are tight and the dollar-rand exchange rate is a challenge, these partnerships are crucial for driving platform performance, strategic agility and ultimately, better client ROI.
As South Africa’s e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, Ingram remains enthused at the opportunities ahead.
“TDMC remains committed to innovative, data-driven strategies that deliver measurable business results and that are relevant to our unique context – we’ve been here since the beginning and have seen so much growth in this space. We know there is so much more that can and will be done.”
