(South Africa) – The power of crowds possessed by Wildebeests on the move into a new season is unstoppable; as is the two dynamic behaviours of South African when exhibiting ubuntu (love), and xenophobia (hate) for any cause.
Understanding how South African citizens can fall on one side of love in droves, and the next minute propel toward hate, will help brand owners and businesses know what I first called “The Wildebeest Theory” in Zimbabwe. It applies to South African consumers, as does to most of Southern African markets like Botswana and Zambia. Consumers, rather, citizens, move in droves like wildebeests when consuming products and services.
The South African citizen, as a consumer, can be best understood by the behavioural study of the wildebeest of the Savannah woodlands, how they are passive for long then when time for migratory change come, they have power of crowds overwhelms predator or whatsoever challenge ahead.
Therefore, the Wildebeest Theory is a consumer behaviour thinking proving that consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa behave like the Wildebeest herd, possessing Migratory Instincts that engulf Swam Intelligence to move from one season into another, one dispensation into another, and more.
This theory explains consumer behaviour in relation to Herding, Migration, Swarm Intelligence, Rainmaking, and Crowd Sourcing, imperative thinking that brands, businesses and leaders need to understand in pursuit of socioeconomic health.
Understanding the Wildebeest Theory will help brands, businesses, industries, educationists, trendsetters, and even politicians in shaping the socioeconomic matters.
Those that have lost millions of dollars, votes, followers and influence have done so by not having a full appreciation of the way the South African consumer behaves in the market as does the wildebeest in the heat of the Savannah.
The Wildebeest only migrates, moves, implements change when time has come and there cannot be a reversal; in season change is inevitable.
Read More in Cabanga Magazine.
