I was ideating a campaign with the marketing director of a Pan-African organisation recently. He asked me a question that stopped me mid-sentence.
“How do I prove this works?”
I have a digital marketing background, so I’m comfortable with data-driven marketing.
But this question was different. He wasn’t challenging the idea, the execution plan or the ROI. It was something else. It was fatigue. In his words, ‘post-campaign reports that no one trusts and data that is fast becoming ‘elusive’’.
He needed more than impressive audience numbers. He needed evidence that this media plan would withstand the scrutiny of Procurement and Finance.
That moment captured a wider shift happening across Africa’s media industry. Procurement and Finance have become key stakeholders in media buying. They sometimes have more authority and influence than marketers.
A Crisis of Confidence
Media sales in Africa and emerging markets, in general, thrive on reputation and relationships. However, when trust erodes, price becomes the fallback. When that happens, everyone loses.
Marketers today operate in a world of dashboards, audits, and global benchmarks. It is not by how creative a campaign looks, but by whether it can be defended to a CFO.
Africa’s media ecosystem still lags in measurement infrastructure that global buyers need. The data is fragmented, and third-party tools are inconsistent. So the media seller is also responsible for creating and controlling the reporting.
That creates a credibility gap.
Proof as Culture, Not Just Data
The solution starts with a cultural change, not another analytics platform. Trusted media is like trusting people. It is through transparency, empathy and consistency. Media sellers who can anticipate a client’s pain points and help navigate them successfully will earn more than closed deals. They’ll earn word-of-mouth recommendations.
Proof, in this sense, is a communication skill as much as a measurement one.
The Process Advantage
Buyers trust discipline because a clear process signals reliability.
This is where Africa’s media sellers can compete globally. You don’t need a Silicon Valley tech stack to show accountability. The limitations and challenges are there for all to see. Instead, a repeatable structure will bring confidence. Pre-campaign benchmarks, transparent reporting cycles, and honest mid-flight updates.
When clients see the rhythmic process, they relax. They know what to expect. That is proof.
The Next Chapter: Verifiable Media
Technology will definitely play its role by simplifying the process, not complicating it.
Simplifying means trustless. Eradicating the need for trust in the stakeholders in the first place.
Blockchain-based verification provides a way for advertisers and publishers to access shared proof of campaign delivery. Imagine being able to verify, in real time, that an ad appeared where and when it was supposed to.
It is early thinking, but the direction is clear: proof must evolve from a PDF report to a shared truth that both buyer and seller can access.
A Chance to Lead
Africa has an advantage here. Our markets don’t have legacy barriers that will stop innovation. It is a young, growing and dynamic advertising market. If publishers, agencies, and platforms embrace transparency as a brand value, not a compliance chore, they will stand out globally.
Buyers will always reward credibility. They may negotiate harder, but they pay for confidence.
Or, will they?
