MAL 16/17 MARKETING AFRICA ONLINE MAGAZINE | Page 11

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crowded amongst the shelves of milk and crisps .
Promotion
Our promotions are totally exaggerated . To out maneuver competition , our promotions are way out of tune . I will not be surprised to come across a beer promotion claiming that their beer adds brain power or cigarettes with vitamins . What nonsense ! These superfluous claims do not add value to the product and only makes marketers look phony . No one takes cigarettes to get vitamins nor do you drink beer to be clever .
We must re-look at our promotional messages to resonate with the core consumer needs not fantasies to beat the competition . The amount of promotional information on products out there is simply mind boggling and a total turn off to many consumers .
Just try buying a television set or a fridge today and you will be
overwhelmed by the descriptions and prescriptions out there . I just need a TV set and cooler guys not a scientific examination . It ’ s time to cut out the crap .
Packaging
This has been the most abused . Too much money , time and effort is wasted on packaging to simply out do the competition . Interestingly , we sometimes spend even more resources on packaging than the actual product . We have beautiful phone packages that are not even re-usable . Unless designed for protection during transit , we must resort to those handy packages that just kept the product clean and safe like wrapping meat with newspapers .
Sugar initially was simply packaged in simple brown packages not the fancy polythene bags that are not even environment friendly . If they must improve the packaging , then re-usable plastic containers may do . Is your packaging too overloaded and adding unnecessary cost burden to the consumer ?
Product
Product distortion is now the norm . A number of uncalled flavors and additives are now being added in foods and beverages . Vehicles are designed like planes while most products carry too many added features irrelevant to the consumer . Perhaps you only use and know just about twenty percent of your phone capabilities yet you paid for the full package of what you did not know or asked for .
Time is now to strip bear your products and stop the rat race of beating the competition and instead focus on meeting the customers needs more efficiently and cost effectively .
Evans Majeni sells Apple Products in Westlands Nairobi . He enjoys stepping on big toes and paying the price . You can reach him via mail on this or related issues at : Majeni . Tahidi @ gmail . com .

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