Kenyan PR Clients Weigh Digital Reach Against Traditional Media Prestige

Kenyan brands are increasingly aware that their customers and audiences are online, but many still place strong value on appearing in established newspapers and television outlets, according to a discussion on the Voices & Visions podcast.

In episode nine of the podcast, Mary, who runs Glass House PR, described the media preferences of some clients. She said they seek digital coverage while continuing to regard traditional media appearances as an important part of a publicity campaign.

Recounting the instructions she receives from unnamed clients, Mary said: I still want to be on Daily Nation, on Business Daily, and added, I want to be featured tomorrow on Citizen TV.

Different objectives

The discussion distinguishes between reaching a relevant audience online and gaining recognition through a respected newspaper or television station. The two outcomes can support the same campaign, but they do not necessarily serve the same purpose.

Established newspapers also distribute their journalism online. Their stories can circulate through search engines, messaging services and social media platforms, extending their reach beyond print. However, the status associated with the publication remains an important consideration for some brands and executives.

Mary also described a perception that digital publications covering startups and technology are sometimes treated as “bloggers” by agencies and clients. She said Kenya is making progress in how it is represented, while noting the role of digital media in telling those stories: We’re getting there, but then it’s a digital media that is telling the story, she said.

Relevance over recognition

The podcast discussion also highlighted the value of specialist digital publications. By consistently covering a particular industry, such outlets can build authority and attract readers who need information about that sector.

For a technology company, for example, a specialist publication may reach technology executives, procurement teams or heads of business divisions. That audience may be more relevant to the company’s objectives than a larger but less targeted readership.

At the same time, appearing in a respected publication does not by itself amount to an endorsement. It also does not show how many people relevant to a campaign read the article, according to the discussion.

Online coverage can provide more opportunities to observe readership and engagement. Publishers may know how many people opened a story, although those figures may not always be shared with the agency or company featured in the coverage.

Defining campaign success

The discussion suggests that brands and their agencies need to establish the purpose of a media campaign before choosing outlets. A clearer brief should identify the intended audience, what that audience should understand and what result would make the campaign useful.

That approach allows companies to assess traditional-media recognition and digital audience reach as separate objectives rather than assuming that one automatically delivers the other.

Voices & Visions is produced in partnership with Tutto Passa Agency and TechCabal. The podcast explores people and ideas shaping Africa’s innovation economy, and the full programme is promoted as available on Spotify.