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Blu Dot surpasses 2,000% ROAS with self-serve CTV ads
Home furniture brand Blu Dot blew up on CTV with help from Roku Ads Manager. Here’s how:
After a test campaign reached 211,000 households and achieved 1,010% ROAS, the brand went all in to promote its annual sales event. It removed age and income constraints to expand reach and shifted budget to custom audiences and retargeting, where intent was strongest.
The results speak for themselves. As Blu Dot increased their investment by 10x, ROAS jumped to 2,308% and more page-view conversions surpassed 50,000.
“For CTV campaigns, Roku has been a top performer,” said Claire Folkestad, Paid Media Strategist, Blu Dot. “Comping to our other platforms, we have seen really strong ROAS… and highly efficient CPMs, lower than any other CTV partner we've worked with.”
Using Roku Ads Manager, the campaign moved from a pilot to a permanent performance engine for the brand.
Africa’s daily intelligence on business, policy and power—what changed, what it means and what to watch next.
OPENING SIGNAL
SA commodity exports surge to China under zero-tariff deal
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Bulk exports of South African raw materials—including chrome, magnetite, iron ore, and agricultural corn—are surging through the deep-water Port of Ngqura following Beijing's implementation of a zero-tariff trade framework for African exporters.
The Eastern Cape port facility reports exponential growth in cargo shipments bound for East Asian industrial hubs, driven by robust Chinese infrastructure demand. The rapid expansion highlights a growing strategic shift as Beijing eliminates import tariffs to secure critical African minerals and agricultural supplies right as new U.S. policy shifts introduce higher tariffs on African goods.
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BUSINESS · VENTURE CAPITAL [#FeaturedPost]
CANEX WKND 2026 Opens Deal Room to Africa's Investment-Ready Creative Businesses
Ahead of its flagship gathering in Lagos this November, Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus initiative has opened applications for its Deal Room, offering film, fashion, music, and sports enterprises direct pitch access to global investors.
POLICY · TRAVEL & IMMIGRATION ACCESS
Philippines Grants 30-Day Visa-Free Entry to South Africa and Kenya, Omitting Nigeria
Opening entry points to 157 countries globally, Manila expanded 30-day travel access across 46 African markets to drive tourism and cross-border trade while maintaining standard visa requirements for Nigeria, China, and India.
POWER · GLOBAL DEFENSE & MILITARY NETWORK
China Expands Overseas Military Footprint Beyond Africa with New Flight Center in Laos
Building on its strategic military foothold in Djibouti, Beijing established a joint flight training facility in Southeast Asia, advancing its global sea line security strategy across vital international trade corridors.
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See what's really happening in every deal
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AS OF APPROX. 11:10 WAT, OCT 7, 2026 · BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA MARKETS
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GEOPOLITICS & INTERNATIONAL JURISDICTION
Sahel military junta leaders cut ties with International Criminal Court
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—the member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—have formally notified the United Nations of their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Led by military sovereign Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the coalition denounced the international court as an instrument of neocolonial repression and Western geopolitical bias.
THE AFRICA ANGLE: Multinational companies and risk analysts operating in West Africa must navigate shifting legal and regulatory environments as Sahel governments replace Western alliances with sovereign and bilateral Russian frameworks.
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It’s your always-on revenue engine: agents and workflows build pipeline, chase every buying signal, and move deals forward alongside your team.
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