Broadcasting
Digital Spam: Retailers must Strike a Balance between Staying Visible and Avoiding Marketing Communication Overload
By Isaac Akanni, Customer Growth Manager – Africa at Infobip
In the rapidly evolving landscape of retail, where businesses strive to capture the attention of consumers in a fast-paced and interconnected digital world, marketing communication overload is becoming an all-too-common phenomenon that could actually have the opposite effect – turning customers off their brand. Consumers are overwhelmed on a daily basis by the sheer volume of messages they receive in their inboxes, social media feeds and mobile devices, and this aggressive approach could see businesses lose substantially more than they gain.
To make matters worse, consumers are burdened not only by the sheer magnitude and frequency of adverts across multiple channels, but also by the unfortunate reality that much of this marketing communication fails to resonate with their interests or needs. In some extreme instances, such messages can even come across as inappropriate or offensive, disregarding their unique preferences and personal boundaries.
Consequently, instead of attracting prospective buyers, an overabundance of marketing communication could essentially leave consumers frustrated. This frustration, in turn, can foster negative perceptions surrounding the brand and significantly impact long-term customer loyalty. When inundated with excessive marketing messages, individuals may perceive that the business lacks respect for its customers’ boundaries and prioritises profit-seeking over genuine customer relationships.
Such perceptions are not good for business as they are likely to negatively affect the company’s reputation, erode customer trust and impact sales, which in turn will hit the bottom line. Marketing communication overload is thus a sure way to make consumers feel disrespected and damage customer engagement.
Show what is relevant
It is very important that retailers strive to strike a balance between staying visible and avoiding communication overload. It is actually quite simple – show people what is relevant to them. The easiest way to achieve this is to segment your customer base and refine your messages based on individual preferences and behaviours.
Organisations must adopt a customer-centric approach, leverage data analytics and understand individual preferences. Only then can retailers tailor their marketing efforts to provide meaningful and engaging experiences. This shift towards strategic, targeted communication not only helps mitigate overload, but also builds stronger, long-lasting customer relationships.
At the same time, retailers must also recognise the importance of personalisation to remain relevant and strike the right chords with their customers. In sales, there is a concept known as “Show Me You Know Me”, which alludes to leveraging personalisation to let your customers know that you’ve done your groundwork and you care about their personal interests and needs.
Personalisation says to your customer: “I know you and I want to share this with you because I think it would benefit you”. But personalisation cannot happen without data and people generate mountains of data on a daily basis, which forms the bedrock of decision making.
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
Once data about a consumer has been gathered, harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to perform data analytics and gain customer insights is key to tailoring marketing messages that are relevant to individuals, and this will avoid overload. With so much data available, businesses that are not targeting their messages to individual consumers can be perceived as lazy and are sending out the message that they are just not prepared to put in the work.
In an effort to regain customer trust and loyalty, retailers must be prepared to be transparent about their communication practices, while sending out content that resonates with their audience. In addition, by listening to customer feedback and by offering exclusive benefits or rewards to their customers, businesses can build a community around their products.
Ultimately, finding the right balance between staying visible and avoiding communication overload can be tricky, but retailers need to adopt strategic, targeted communication that will mitigate overload and also builds stronger, long-lasting customer relationships.
As part of its commitment to promoting a healthier and more resilient banking workforce, the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) is organizing a special Aerobics Fitness Session on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at the Lagoon Front of the Eko Atlantic City.
The session is open to all bankers and marketing communication professionals within the industry and will feature a lineup of fun and energizing activities aimed at boosting physical and mental wellbeing.
With stress levels and burnout on the rise in high-pressure sectors like banking, ACAMB is taking, as it has done over the years, proactive steps to encourage lifestyle habits that support overall wellness and productivity.
Participants will begin the morning with a body warm-up and short walk to get their energy flowing, followed by an exciting dance aerobics session designed to elevate heart rates and lift spirits.
The day will continue with interactive fitness games that promote movement and team bonding, and will wrap up with a friendly but motivating fitness challenge to inspire healthy competition and personal bests.
“Bankers are vital to the financial ecosystem, and their wellness must be a priority,” said Rasheed Bolarinwa, President of ACAMB.
“This aerobics session is a powerful way to foster a culture of health, team bonding, and preventive care. It reflects our belief as ExCO that a strong mind and body, are essential for long-term professional excellence.”
The session is expected to kick off early in the morning to take advantage of the fresh morning air, allowing participants to start their weekend with energy, movement, and connection. It also presents an opportunity to unwind and build camaraderie amongst colleagues outside the traditional office setting.
This initiative is one of several wellness-focused programms ACAMB is rolling out to reinforce the importance of employee wellbeing in corporate and marketing communication and the broader banking ecosystem.
The Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) is the recognized professional association for marketing communications and public affairs executives in Nigeria’s banking industry.
ACAMB drives ethical communication standards, promotes internal and external stakeholder engagement, and supports member banks in advancing reputation, trust, employee growth and wellbeing.
Broadcasting
DStv Makes History: Inducted into Brand Africa Hall of Fame as Africa’s Most Admired Media Brand
DStv, Africa’s leading entertainment platform, has been officially recognised as the #1 Most Admired African Media Brand in the Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands 2025 rankings.
This recognition also sees DStv inducted into the prestigious Brand Africa Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for iconic African brands that have significantly shaped the continent’s global image and competitiveness over the years.
The announcement was made at a high-profile ceremony hosted at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, where leaders from across the African media and branding landscape gathered to honour the continent’s most impactful brands.
Launched in 1995, DStv has evolved from a digital satellite television pioneer into a content powerhouse, transforming the African viewing experience through continuous innovation, investment in local content, and a deep commitment to telling African stories.
“This honour reflects the incredible journey we’ve taken with our audiences across Africa. Being named Africa’s most admired media brand and joining the Brand Africa Hall of Fame is not just a celebration of where we’ve come from—it’s a reaffirmation of where we’re going.
“Our commitment to local storytelling, cultural authenticity, and innovation remains stronger than ever.
“We are proud to be a brand that not only entertains but uplifts and connects Africans through stories that matter.” States Calvo Mawela, Group CEO of MultiChoice.
Each year, the Brand Africa 100 survey identifies the most admired brands across the continent, based on independent research conducted in over 30 African countries, representing over 85% of Africa’s population and GDP, with more than 150,000 brand mentions and 5,930 unique brands.
The rankings are compiled through a rigorous process led by research partners including GeoPoll, Kantar, Integrate, and Analysis, making it the only pan-African, research-led and non-commercial brand equity study of its kind.
DStv’s induction into the Hall of Fame further cements its position not just as a media brand, but as a cultural force that continues to shape narratives and inspire pride across Africa. Through its investments in local productions, partnerships with African creators, and focus on quality storytelling, DStv remains at the forefront of Africa’s growing creative economy.
DStv was also honoured with the same top recognition in 2024, reinforcing its consistent excellence and enduring connection with audiences across Africa. Since its launch 30 years ago with just 16 channels, DStv has evolved into a dynamic content powerhouse, offering a rich mix of local productions, global entertainment, and integrated streaming options.
Today, it serves millions of households across the continent, delivering hundreds of channels and platforms that reflect the diversity, creativity, and aspirations of African viewers.
Broadcasting
The Silent Killer of Great Companies: A Guide To Why Your Processes Will Break (and How to Fix Them)
By Tolulope Obianwu
Every high-growth company experiences a moment when its engine sputters—quietly at first. Emails slip through cracks, customers wait too long, and once-smooth systems start breaking under pressure. This rarely looks like failure; it feels like chaos.
Tolu Obianwu
The truth? Your team didn’t fail. Your process did.
More accurately, the process you never designed to scale.
I’ve led operations and strategy at some of Africa’s fastest-growing fintech companies, building teams and systems that power complex payment infrastructure. And I’ve seen it repeatedly: velocity hides inefficiency—until it doesn’t.
This isn’t just a fintech problem. It’s a scaling problem. And if you’re a founder, operator, or builder, this article is your early warning: poor process doesn’t announce itself. It accumulates, silently, until your best people are fighting fires they didn’t start.
So, before things break, let’s talk about what makes processes fail, and what it takes to build operational structures that scale with your ambition.
DO NOT Confuse Speed with System: Startups are built on hustle. That’s part of the magic. But hustle without design leads to fragile outcomes. What works when you’re a 5-person team becomes a burden when you’re 50. Manually sorting payments, ad-hoc decisions, Slack approvals; these shortcuts become operational debt.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Build systems early. They don’t have to be perfect, but they must be repeatable. Even lightweight process maps give your team breathing room and build investor confidence.
DO NOT Build Around Individuals: We romanticise “indispensable” team members; the only person who knows how X works. But hero-driven execution is unsustainable. When your process depends on one person being online, awake, or available, you’re not building a company. You’re gambling on burnout.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Document workflows, spread context, and make knowledge transfer part of your onboarding and offboarding. Structure should outlive talent.
DO NOT Mistake Micromanagement for Control: I’ve seen it too often: leaders respond by inserting themselves into every decision when processes start breaking down. It’s understandable, but counterproductive. Micromanagement is not a fix. It’s a symptom.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Create trust frameworks. Use process audits, not pressure. Empower teams with clear guardrails, not constant approvals. The goal of an exemplary process isn’t control – it’s clarity.
DO NOT Design for the Happy Path Only: Most processes look beautiful on paper until real users, real edge cases, and real stress tests come in. If your refund process fails when the volume spikes or your reconciliation breaks on public holidays, that’s not a people problem. It’s a design flaw.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Anticipate failure. Ask “What could go wrong?” Run simulations. Processes must bend without breaking. That’s true resilience.
DO NOT ignore the Role of Culture: Even the best-designed processes die in hostile environments. If your culture rewards shortcuts, ignores documentation, or treats processes as bureaucracy, nothing will stick.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Make ‘process’ a language, not a punishment. Celebrate people who fix broken steps. Tie operational excellence to career growth. Culture is what makes a process sustainable.
DO NOT Launch Processes Without Data Loops: If you’re not tracking turnaround times, errors, or usage, you’re not managing a process; you’re just hoping it works.
DO THIS INSTEAD:
Instrument every stage. Set KPIs that matter. Let data flag inefficiencies before customers feel them. A great process isn’t just followed – it’s monitored.
Final Thoughts
The truth is: every fast-growing company outgrows its old ways of doing things. There comes a time when velocity alone can’t carry the vision anymore. That’s inevitable. What isn’t inevitable is being caught off guard when it happens.
If you’re building for scale, process isn’t a bottleneck; it’s your runway. The best systems don’t slow people down; they let good teams move faster, with clarity and confidence.
Don’t wait for failure to expose what structure could have prevented it. Build deliberately. Review often. Automate what you can. And above all, make sure your process is strong enough to carry the weight of your ambition.
Because in the long run, it’s not speed that wins.
It’s the ability to move fast, without breaking yourself.
Tolulope Obianwu is a highly experienced professional in operations and technology strategy and currently is Head, Core Operations at TeamApt Ltd
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