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No Cheesecake. Since the great majority of Africans are illiterate, the illustration is what sells the product. What matters most is how the African himself is presented. He resents being pictured with G string and spears, yet does not want anyone to suggest that he merely apes the Europeans. Most ads. therefore, picture him as what he would like to see himself as: the African of tomorrow, lightskinned, well-dressed, usually in comfortable surroundings. Coca-Cola successfully uses testimonials from U.S. Negro athletes, Lux from U.S. Negro actresses. One ad firm sold cigarettes in villages with the slogan: "Men about town smoke Commandos." Another company raised sales of its safety razor blade with an illustration that would make any Westerner turn to the electric razor: a scene showing the razor cutting a lion in half, with blood dripping all over the poster. The bestselling bicycle is made by a company that distributes posters showing an African waving gaily as he outpaces a pursuing lion. On the other hand, the African is prudish, does not like come-hither cheesecake. Companies have found that the surest appeal is to stress power, virility and the image of wealth. The most touchy taboo is politics. Barclays changed the color of its giveaway pencils from blue to cream after it discovered that blue was the color of one local political party.
Sometimes companies are surprised at their success, only to discover that Africans have found an unsuspected use for their product. Parker, which dominates the West African ink market, recently noted that its sales had rocketed and retailers were asking for gallon bottles. Parker finally discovered that its popularity was due to a thirst for education: pregnant mothers were drinking ink in the hope that their children would be born knowing how to write. Other companies have found shoe polish used as face cream, soap as fish bait, hair cream as sandwich spread.
Low Rates. For the company that wants to make the effort to tap Africa's market, the cost of advertising in many areas is low. The highest page rate in West Africa is charged by Lagos' Sunday Times (circ.
125,000), which asks $520—and most page rates are much lower. One of the African's favorite pastimes is listening to the radio; a company can sponsor a half-hour show on the Western Nigerian radio for $28, a half-hour show on the Liberian radio for $13.44. Open-air cinemas are also an important advertising medium, where for $11.20 a company can sandwich a three-minute commercial film between movies.
But roadside signs are apt to be costly and useless. Many Africans have found that they make good roofing material.