realme, formerly an OPPO sub-brand, has arrived on South Africa’s shores.
Since its inception in 2018 by Sky Li, the brand has reached the 140-million-user mark and has been available in 61 markets, including Kenya, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. It has garnered four international awards, including smartphone of the year at the 2020 TechRadar Awards and the 2021 GSMA GLOMO Awards.
In a press release sent to reframed, the brand says “realme comes with an infectious youthful vibe that is sure to be a hit among a largely underserved demographic – of Gen-Z users between the ages of 18 and 25.”
This targeting of the Gen-Z demographic is nothing new among smartphone manufacturers, specifically in their mid-range series, just look at the marketing and positioning for Samsung’s Galaxy A-series, Huawei’s nova series and Xiaomi for any device that it’s a flagship. It also means that Gen-Z is anything but underserved but rather misunderstood when it comes to how brands market their products to them.
How realme intends to differentiate itself from its competitors remains to be seen as everyone targeting Gen-Z appears to focus on camera, particularly the selfie camera, funky device colours and good battery technology.
Gareth Clarke, realme’s Account Lead, says the company wants to recreate the same zesty appeal among Gen-Z content creators in South Africa as it did in India and Southeast Asia.
“Gen-Z is leading the charge in determining the value and direction of creative content. And they are looking for cost-effective ways of creating that content, which is where realme comes in. Our smartphones are very affordable, high-tech and aesthetically pleasing to this market.” says Clarke.
Value for money appears to be the name of the game for realme, in fact the company says that it is in the press release. To that end, realme is releasing its C-Series range, which they say is “a product line with flagship standards, leading the segment on image, storage, charging and design,” consisting of the C55 and C30s.
“Although spoilt for choice, we believe South Africa is ready for our devices. It is a dynamic market steeped in creativity. It has a youth population that, while explorative and inspired by global influences, manages to keep their own identity,” says Clarke.
The C55 has a 64-megapixel camera, 16GB RAM and 256GB storage, and has an RRP of R5999 and available at Takealot and MTN.
The C30s comes with a 5000 mAh battery and a 16,5cm (6,5-inch) full screen with an RRP of R 2499 available at local retailers, Truworths, Edgars and Woolworths.
Drealme says that despite the C-series entry-level status, they don’t compromise on the quality of its specs. “Our intention is to exceed users’ expectations and to raise the benchmark on the entry-level phone market, ensuring that we retain the ‘champion’ title within the segment,” says Clarke.
He added: “In other markets around the world, we have seen our devices gain traction among young consumers looking for a top-quality entry-level smartphone that is affordable. We expect the South African market to behave similarly.”
The brand has also stated that South Africans can look forward to more than just its range of smartphones. realme is introducing smart TVs and smart bulbs; wearables such as fitness bands and smartwatches; audio devices that include headphones, speakers, and wireless earbuds; and accessories such as cases, screen protectors, chargers, and power banks.
“South Africa is just the start of the realme revolution in Africa,” says Clarke. “We want to become the continent’s leading smartphone brand, empowering young content creators who look to cement Africa’s place as the world’s creative powerhouse.”
