BRANDS AND PRODUCTS

There is a vast difference between launching a product versus launching a brand. Take the launch of yet another bottled water. What is the difference between the new product and the rest on the market. This differential is the first step in working out a brand strategy. Researching on what customers expect from a brand is the usual step. My experience is that many of us don’t know what we want until we see it. The element of mystery and creativity must prevail in the formation of brand identity. This article is inspired by David Kombe, the President of the Zambia Institute of Marketing. Before taking the podium for his opening speech, at the Africast Marketing and Advertising Info Fair, on Tuesday 7th September, 2010 – David talking almost to himself asked what the difference was between the two bottled mineral waters on the luncheon table. He then gave a brilliant expose on how products rather than brands are launched on the Zambian market.

Since the global crunch there has been a squashing of marketing spend. This means that the launch of new products do not have the luxury of a branding profile. This short changes the product, the overall product range of the business and the ability to get maximum buy in from the customer.
Look at the range of products in your business, do they have synergy? What thought has gone into how the market perceives and buys the products. It is key to review the return on investment on all products and there may be some that are culled, others kept and others withdrawn for a period of time. Where is 80% of the revenue coming from? It is usually from 20% of the products.

List the products, do the maths and clinically decide on the fate of the product range. Then reserve budget to brand this product range. Look at the different logo designs on your products and again see if the overall mission and message is coming through.

In the age of the internet it is presumptuous to think that brand building is not necessary. The message that the product has plus its distinct features and the design and communication elements all build up brand profile.

Consideration goes into distribution, into the people that sell the product and also the environment.

Today the 7 P’s in marketing are the ideal touch points to ensure that the brand is successfully launched. There are various experts in brand strategy in Zambia and the Marketing and Advertising Info fair was not short of these.

I am convinced we take shortcuts in the market because we can! The Zambia Institute of Marketing have a serious role in creating a platform for an advertising watch dog. There must be a governing body and I understand that a technical committee is in place to address this. The media are critical to sales and marketing and it seems that there is a culture where the customer must source information rather than be, “sold to.” A rate survey in the region needs to be conducted as certainly the costs make it difficult for new entrants into the market to afford media . Can there be an “sme” rate card for advertisers.

David Kombe, made the point that the marketing and advertising industry is supposed to be fun. It is vibrant and a closer look must be made at how the various companies employ sales people. It brings me back to the issue of disparity between marketing and sales. There is a fundamental difference between the two disciplines and too often the functions are melded. I worked out that the media reluctance to participate in this info fair was because the management were marketing biased more than sales. They didn’t have sales people to send.

Another evident point was that some companies still send junior marketing staff to visit exhibitions because they have other commitments. I am not sure what it takes to get the right people to attend. Free entry doesn’t work. Charging doesn’t work. Emails don’t work. Face to face calls help. Actually face book helped. It has to start with marketing and advertising managers taking their industry seriously. Managers are stuck behind computers doing proposals and budgets and not getting out into the market place. We have all been there. Its time for a change in focus. If the marketing people can create a new paradigm then who can. Interestingly those exhibitors that were owners of their businesses had their own hype compared to some who were yawning and reading the newspaper and letting people walk past their stand.

The info fair exhibitors interacted with each other for the first time at a professional forum. Cautiously yet probing and seeing that they were not the only ones with great products. This was good for the industry.
There were questionnaires for the delegates attending the info fair and congratulations to the award winners:

Best Customer Service : Associated Printers. Most Innovative stand: Lazer Digital. Most interesting product range: Magic Advertising and Promotions. Best depiction of marketing services: Inzy Productions.

The Marketing and Advertising Info Fair was the seed for showcasing this exciting business segment. A big plus for the 27 pioneer exhibitors who practiced what Woody Allen the actor says about being successful in life and that is just showing up.

Email: ideas@carolwhiteconsultancy.com
See the new Africast website: www.africastzambia.com