24

COVER STORY

Dear reader, am tempted to think 40 is an interesting number. Maybe because, it’s close to 60, a point at which many individuals have earned the right to say

anything, anywhere, and not be judged for it. Looking at the marketing field, Kenya has seen remarkable changes in the way brands have connected with consumers, the manner in which communication channels have differentiated themselves and consumers become more self-aware.

I can’t help but remember Mr. Fred Obachi Machokaa, with his popular promotion ever, Sanyo Juu, Sanyo top on KBC. He would go about it in the most interesting way, especially to a 9 year old. He would say “ RRRRRrrrright-Sanyo Juu, Sanyo top” and to this day, the pro-mo has never left my mind. At that time, Sanyo was the leading brand in Radio Cassettes and were now eying new opportunities in pocket size transistor radio Market. To this day, I can’t

help but look over my shoulder, just in case Sanyo makes a come-back to reclaim its lost glory. If memory serves me right, the Sanyo message was simple, Sanyo is top, Sanyo is the best in the world. They used a combination of male voices that literally delivered on diversity and harmony, letting you believes that Sanyo was actually the best.

Many years later, listening to radio advertis-ing of a similar product, I can’t help but won-der where the world is heading to. Selling an appliance has become so technical in today’s world, with manufactures throwing words such as PMPO, expecting a layman, who did physics 20 years ago, to understand. Have we let the technical guys take over the marketing agenda?

Am sure you will agree with me that; in to-day’s world, with increase in technology and material efficiency, many products in the same price range are similar in the value/util-ity delivered. Leaving the average consumer spoilt for choice. What then, would make an average consumer become loyal to your brand in today’s marketing arena? I believe the an-

MARKETING after 40BY ABED MWANGIZA

All brands, local and international need to spare reasonable effort to first un-derstand the youth and their motiva-tions

DO

NO

T OPEN

BEFO

RE

MARCH 2015

Flora & FaunaCultural Diversity

HospitalityInvestment Opportunities

Environmental PracticesPeace & Unity

***

Coming Soon!CROWNED QUEENS

Miss Tourism Kenya-Magazine

WHO WILL WIN COVETED

DiversityINTERVIEW

WITH MISS TUR-

KANA COUNTY.

INTELLIGENCE

BRAVERY, HUMILITY

BRIGHT, COLOUR.

ISSUE 003 - MARCH

>>Nairobi County First Lady’s take Pg 40

EXCLUSIVE

OFFERINSIDE

BeautyPopular

Pageant?

WHO WILL WIN COVETEDDiversityINTERVIEW WITH MISS TUR-KANA COUNTY.

INTELLIGENCEBRAVERY, HUMILITYBRIGHT, COLOUR.

ISSUE 003 - MARCH

>>Nairobi County First Lady’s take Pg 40

EXCLUSIVEOFFERINSIDE

Beauty

PopularPageant?

MARKETING after 40BY ABED MWANGIZA

26

swer still rests in understanding consumers motivations.

Havas Media’s Meaningful Brands® Analytical framework, the first of its kind in the world, has revolutionized the way in which brand are perceived and mea-sured, by connecting human well-being to brands at a business level. It measures the impact brands have in at least 12 different ar-eas of human well-being towards quality living. If you ask me, this is indeed the next step in evaluating the value of brands in the eye of consumers.

As a fact, long-standing rela-tionships between people and brands are broken. Much of the loyalty, trust and respect people had for brands has disintegrated.

We see it every day in the level of cynicism, skepticism and indif-ference that people have toward many brands. The reality is; trust in brands worldwide has been fall-ing for the last three decades. It is not hard to see why. The world has faced the greatest financial reces-sion since the great depression. Studies suggests that; the discon-nect between brands and people continues with majority of people still not caring if, 73% of brands ceased to exist.

Meaningful Brands® Survey 2013, involving 700 brands in 23 countries, statistically demonstrat-ed that; brands that are meaning-ful outperform the stock market by 120%. It demonstrates how in hard financial times, the relationship

between people and brands can benefit from measuring, commu-nicating and delivering increased well-being messaging.

I cannot put it any better than Umair Haque - Economist, Au-thor, HBR blogger and Havas Me-dia Labs Director – 0n this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yOKXH4GVvw&feature=youtu.be

The population of Kenya is ba-sically young and growing. Out of an estimate of 42 million people, 20 million is under the age of 15. Looking at it from a media audi-ence perspective, about 73% of those, age 15 and above are be-low the age of 35 years. This tells us that, Kenya is a young market; therefore its future path will in-

The Youth: The target market

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

27

COVER STORY

creasingly be determined by this age group. From this you can tell the fu-ture potential of the Dettol Heart Run, which has primarily targeted school going children. I was amazed by the sheer size and energy of the last event. Some of the kids decided to take a de-tour off the Mbagathi Round –about into T-mall. In the blink of an eye the, the entire mall was jammed. I can’t help but think that, this brand is onto something.

A national financial survey, Finac-cess 2013, shows that; approximately 30% and 20 % of people between the age 18-25 and 26-35 respectively, are totally excluded from any form of fi-nancial service access, whether formal or informal. This is to show that there is still a large part of the Kenyan market

that is still virgin and begging to grow. What then would any financial service provider do to remain relevant to exist-ing customers and attract new ones, in light of diminished brand loyalty?

All brands, local and international need to spare reasonable effort to first understand the youth and their moti-vations. In this era of ‘Violent Trans-parency’, where news and information reaches the masses before news rooms dispatch it, it is extremely essential that brands learn to listen more closely to consumers.

Imagine a market where brands are constantly asking consumers, what would you like me to know? What are you curious about? What do you need us to care about as a brand? These questions would most certainly guide

brands to find that common topic that best intersects with its belief system (essence).

It is vital for brands to invest in local research, and not ‘once in a blue moon’ kind of research. I do understand that, it costs, however it is much cheaper to be relevant than shoot in the dark. Brand need to make more qualified as-sumptions regarding markets, compe-tition, and possible crisis scenarios.

Brands need to speak more inti-mately to consumers and not be too obvious about making a sale. It’s quite easy to brag to consumers about how big, mighty, affordable you are, and even brand a stadium in the process, but it does not mean these things will position your brand correctly in the long term. Brands need to empathize with consumers and demonstrate how they add value to lives. I remember the Red Bull gives you wings campaign. Simple sketches of life situations where one would need energy, and Red Bull provides it.

Brands need to be stronger advoca-tors of consumer preferences. What if a brand said to me, ‘we know you prefer to live in your own home, here is 105% financing for your new home’. This statement alone differentiates this brand from the rest of the money hawkers.

Businesses that legitimately care for people often become entrenched in the hearts of consumers and even its own employees. It’s quite easy to write a cheque as a business, and shout about it from the mountain top, keep in mind, its been done before. Consum-ers are looking for businesses or brands that are ready and willing to apply both intellectual and financial resources, in the solving of world problems.

Abed .J. Mwangiza GM and Media Director Havas Media Kenya