Investigating Word of Mouth as Advertising Tool for Mobile devices in South Africa

Samsung Electronics entered the mobile device market on the back of their successes in other markets for electronic devices. The mobile device space in South Africa was dominated by Nokia and Blackberry and in a short space of time Samsung stormed into a tie for the top spot alongside Blackberry with a market share of 23%. In 2013 Samsung’s market share dropped 5%, moving down to 18%, placing them second to Blackberry as they entered 2014. Samsung’s IMC strategy for their mobile devices has been consistent and well-thought throughout the years. The influence of WOM suggests a greater need for Samsung to determine the effectiveness of WOM as part of their IMC strategy for mobile devices in South Africa. It is important for Samsung to understand how WOM shapes South African consumer purchasing decisions, what causes WOM, and what types of marketing are available to drive WOM for their mobile devices in South Africa. This study therefore attempts to investigate WOM as advertising tool in an IMC campaign, with a focus on Samsung and the South African market for mobile devices. The research indicates that 94% of South African consumers trust WOM from family and friends more than any other form of advertising. This statistic clearly indicates that South African consumers trust WOM from family and friends more than any other form of advertising. It can be deduced that if 87% of consumers actively seek WOM when purchasing a mobile device, and 94% of consumers trust WOM, then WOM is indeed powerful. In conclusion, it is clear that for Samsung, WOM is effective as part of an IMC strategy for its mobile devices in South Africa.