South African rap artist, Kiernan Forbes famously known as AKA, The SupaMega, is launching Beam Digital with his business partners MiCore and Celebrity Services Africa this week, set to revolutionize the way in which artists and their fans engage through the application of innovative mobile technologies.
Beam Digital will empower celebrities (musicians, actors, models and sports-players) to engage with their fans broadcast across exciting digital platforms, celebrities own customised mobile devices, loyalty programs, discounts and an extensive range of value added mobile services.
“The digital revolution is driving technological change at a pace that has never been seen before and followers are expecting more from the artists they support. It’s been a dream of mine to be able to empower my fellow artists by connecting them more significantly with their fans through innovative tech & digital solutions. I’ve been looking for the next big thing and I believe this is it!” says Kiernan.
Beam Digital brings together Kiernan’s own business, The Beam Group, Celebrity Services Africa, a leading, global talent & media agency whose vision is to develop a media and entertainment marketplace across the African continent and MiCore Holdings, an innovation-first, mobile technology solutions provider.
With the spectacular growth of the mobile industry across the continent, Africa will have 560M smartphones in market by 2020. This paired with a booming entertainment industry means that Beam Digital’s entry into the market couldn’t come at a better time.
Beam Digital’s products will include a new, feature-loaded smartphone, proudly made in South Africa, introducing celebrity-branded devices to fans who will receive exclusive content and an extensive range of value-added offerings.
Beam Digital also has an innovative messaging, Tawk2Me, that allows artists to connect with their followers across both smart & feature phones as well as a partnership with iRepair, a network of repair centers in South Africa that will provide job creation and skills development to benefit South Africa’s unemployed. Customers will also be able to have their devices collected, repaired and delivered back, all within 24 hours.
Other products and services, including reward programs, insurance, health car, retail and sports betting – will be made available as Beam Digital rolls out across Africa after the initial South African launch.
For Kiernan, his heart belongs to the artists and the fans: “My greatest wish is for Beam Digital to empower talent to grow their brands by knowing their fans. By owning their data base, artists can engage more powerfully and directly with their followers and, by leveraging data-driven knowledge ahead of brand endorsements & agreements, they’ll become masters of their own destiny.”
