This document provides an overview of marketing trends in Kenya and advice for brands. It discusses: 1) How marketing has changed in Kenya over time, using the example of old radio promotions that were simple and memorable. 2) Today's marketing often focuses too much on technical specifications, confusing consumers. 3) For brands to succeed, they must understand consumer motivations and focus on building meaningful relationships by demonstrating how they improve peoples' lives. 4) In Kenya, the youth are a large target market, so brands must research and understand their perspectives to remain relevant.

1. 24
COVER STORY
D
ear 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 40
BY ABED MWANGIZA
All brands, local and
international need
to spare reasonable
effort to first un-
derstand the youth
and their motiva-
tions

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3. 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=you
tu.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

4. 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