Sony sets eye on Africa with new strategy

By Standard Digital Reporter

NAIROBI, KENYA: Sony has announced extensive blueprint for expansion across the African continent to tame rising competition in the electronics business.

Defined by a rigorous 360 degree immersion plan, Sony will look to transform the African consumers’ experience in the electronics sector through launching the latest technology products, introducing experiential Sony brand stores, and setting up authorized service centers in almost every country in Africa.

“Africa is undoubtedly one of the most important markets for Sony. By 2015, we hope to achieve a $1.4 billion share in the consumer electronics space, including the fast-growing mobile phone business,” said Hiroyasu Sugiyama, Managing Director, Sony Middle East and Africa.

“The numbers certainly look exciting, but our immediate focus is to identify tactics that help us move towards our target. The Sony roadmap for Africa constitutes a four-pillared strategy based on ‘product’, ‘customer’, ‘community’ and ‘operation’,” he said

Recognizing the demand for its top-of-the-line products in local markets, Sony aims to synchronize its international launches to include the African continent in its entirety. From smartphone, tablet and the BRAVIA 4K TVs to the world’s most powerful audio system, the Shake 7 stereo, Sony will look to reduce the wait-time and increase the availability of its products, especially those tailored for African consumers.

In Africa, Sony commands over 40 per cent market share. In South Africa alone, one in two customers seeking audio products has been found to opt for Sony.

Looking to transform the experiential prospects for African consumers, Sony is also set to roll-out its unique branded stores, Sony World, in key markets to give potential buyers a chance to see and feel the unmatched quality of its products. The first of these open-display stores has been successfully launched in the Ivory Coast.

The announcements, which came at an exclusive dealers’ conference in Cape Town, South Africa, highlight Sony’s global ambitions and the significance it places on Africa in the international marketplace.