Demand For Smart TVs Among Kenyans Hits The Roof

LG Electronics East Africa (LG) has rolled out a campaign to educate consumers on emerging trends in TV technology so as to make informed purchase decisions aligned with their needs, as the company steps up its customer outreach activities in the region.

According to LG Electronics East Africa Managing Director Sa Nyuong Kim, the campaign is targeting consumers buying TVs for both home and business use and is partly informed by the growing demand for smart appliances due to lifestyle shifts driven by the digital revolution.

“The home entertainment market has changed rapidly as seen in the dramatic evolution of the TV from being just a device that relays images on a screen to a multi-media tool. Hence the accelerating demand for smart televisions as lifestyles shifts alter content consumption,” said Mr. Kim.

He further revealed that the latest LG TVs come with cutting-edge technology designed to fit in with the latest trends in home entertainment and the campaign will therefore mainly focus on getting consumers to understand how such innovative features support their evolving lifestyles.

“The newest range of LG smart TVs comes with advanced technology like artificial intelligence which allows users to perform multiple functions using a single device. The LG AI TV, for instance, allows you to control other smart devices at home besides that truly immersive viewing experience for movies, sports, drama, and music.”

The campaign dubbed How to Choose your TV will run for two months and apart from highlighting innovative features of LG’s latest smart TV products, will also educate consumers on how to identify a genuine TV considering the high prevalence of counterfeits in the market.

Consumers will have the opportunity to interact with the latest LG TV technologies and seek advice from the company’s technical team on the products that best suit their lifestyles.

They will also receive tips on how to spot a fake television set as part of LG’s ongoing anti-counterfeit campaign aimed at protecting consumers from buying illicit electronic items passed off as its products.

“Consumers are the biggest missing link in the fight against counterfeit goods. Yet, they are highly exposed to the multiple risks associated with using illicit and sub-standard products,” explained Mr. Kim.

In 2019, the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) seized fake television sets worth Ksh 28 million at the Embakasi Inland Container Deport in Nairobi. A survey by ACA the previous year revealed that fake electrical and electronic goods comprise 15 percent of all illicit goods circulating in the Kenyan market.

The majority of the counterfeited products are popular brands hence the move by companies like LG to educate consumers on ways on how to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous vendors.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, people are increasingly spending time indoors hence the greater interest in indoor entertainment technology. A rise in disposable income coupled with a surge in use of high-end appliances is seen as the major trend influencing the purchase of smart TVs. Available data shows that the television segment accounted for about 48 percent of home appliance sales in Kenya as of 2018.

“With people the world over now spending more time at home, staying connected digitally whether for work or play has propelled the consumer electronics industry increasing demand for items such as televisions with more people seeking to upgrade their experience. This partly informs our decision to educate consumers on the factors to consider when purchasing a television,” noted the LG East Africa MD.

The How to Choose your TV campaign will focus on the LG OLED, LG NanoCell, and LG UHD TVs by showcasing their ability to provide optimal experiences for gaming, sports, and movies.

For example, the LG OLED TV comes with a clearer, smoother gaming experience. The LG NanoCell offers purified colors that deliver the real picture for sports enthusiasts. With its wide viewing angle, LG UHD offers a wide viewing angle that makes it ideal for that superb indoor movie experience.

In July, LG launched the ‘Last Mile’ Campaign focused on revamped customer support and after-sales service through its retail network in the East African region.