Notes on USSD, WhatsApp, promotional mechanics, and the regulatory bits that catch out the brands learning South African mobile marketing for the first time. New posts roughly monthly.
Bulk SMS is still the widest-reach direct channel in South Africa, and the price list is only half the story. This guide covers the real 2026 working ranges per message, the POPIA and WASPA rules every marketing send has to clear, and the situations where SMS is the wrong tool entirely.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown
A practitioners guide to running a win-by-SMS competition in South Africa: the mechanic, short codes, entry costs, and the CPA and POPIA rules.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown
Behind-the-scenes notes on the architecture, surge planning and language coverage from the Vaultbook WhatsApp activation work for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown
Practical working ranges for USSD, WhatsApp and SMS campaign metrics in the SA market. Use these as a starting point for forecasting, not as gospel.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown
A side-by-side comparison of the two dominant mobile marketing channels in South Africa, built around the question every brand team asks before signing a brief.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown
USSD is the dial-a-code service that runs every airtime top-up and banking shortcut in South Africa. Here is how it works and why it still belongs in your mobile campaign mix.
By Sarah-Leigh Brown