Panasonic... big plans for Africa and SA

Panasonic yesterday relaunched its brand in South Africa with the tagline 'You deserve better' and intends using South Africa as a springboard into Africa, with Nigeria and Egypt being the company's initial target areas on the continent after this country.

The company's extensive domestic consumer range extends across TV & Audio, Technics (such as home-cinema stereo amplifiers and audio amplifiers), Digital Imaging (cameras and video cameras), Lens, and Appliances (which includes kitchen appliances - bread-makers, mixers, fridges, and personal items such as shavers and trimmers).

The company sees South Africa as a strategic market and to that end has allocated a marketing budget of $5m (about R60m) to devote marketing the company and its products to the country.

There is a significant price erosion, and fierce competition, particularly on TVs - a flat-screen model that sells today for a significant cost will very likely be available shortly at a much lower price, whereas appliance prices have tended to be more stable.

Hence, while the company continues to manufacture a wide range of TVs and has 32" and 40" flat screens, with a 49" due in the next few months, a large part of its effort is in the other sectors it covers.

Ready to compete

Panasonic has been sold through discounters such as Game and Dion; specialised outlets, such as camera shops; and by chains, and the company previously tended to keep a relatively low profile.

This, however, is set to change. With an extensive range of new products across the domestic consumer and business markets - from TVs to cameras to appliances, and then in the business environment, scanners and security surveillance equipment, for example, the company intends to revitalise its image.

A major thrust will be on emphasising the quality of Panasonic products - hence the tagline 'You deserve better'.

The new product range will be rolled out through 2015 and onwards.