ADVERTISING
Top Kenyans To Judge At
Loeries 2018
By Andrew Human
T
hree of Kenya’s top brand
communication leaders are heading
to Loeries Creative Week Durban
in August to join the judging panels. The
Loeries rewards advertising and all brand
communication across Africa and the
Middle East. Megha Dutta, Serah Katusia
and Svetlana Polikarpova are all leaders in
the Kenyan marketing landscape.
Dutta is Creative Director at DDB
Nairobi. In her 15 year career she has
worked across two of the most challenging
economies - India and Africa - and is
one of very few women creative heads in
Kenya.
Katusia is Managing Director at
Mediacom Eastern Africa. She has also
worked in client service and strategy and
lectures at Kenya’s International School of
Advertising.
Polikarpova is the Founder and Director
of Tandem Network, her own automated
influencer and content marketing
platform, and an independent digital
marketing consultant at Right Here. She
has managed the marketing strategies for
some of Kenya’s largest brands.
According to Global Entertainment and
Media Outlook: 2017 – 2021, published
in September 2017 by PWC, total
advertising revenue in Kenya reached
US$1 billion in 2016, and is set to grow at
an average eight per cent over the next five
years, peaking at US$3 billion in 2021.
Internet advertising is one of the fastest-
growing sectors in Kenya’s entertainment
and media (E&M) industry; by 2021,
revenues will hit US$ 227 million.
Polikarpova will be looking for contagious
and engaging ideas that encourage online
audiences to co-create with brands, and a
move away from a broadcasting style to a
networking style. ‘We have to remember
that brands no longer have centre stage,
consumers do. I want to see how they
This year, the Loeries has changed its Official
Rankings to include finalists – in previous
years it only ranked winners. This is good news
for the local industry as it will provide more
opportunity to be recognised, and a deeper
measure of performance against the rest of the
region.
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engage consumers to develop and spread
a narrative.’
She says that last year was challenging for
all Kenyans. ‘Many campaigns coincided
with noisy presidential elections so
agencies had to put extra effort into
getting audience attention. I’m looking for
innovation in cutting through the noise by
using new digital marketing tactics.’
Dutta says that work has to be better than
good to win a Loerie. ‘I’ll be looking for
three must-haves: an idea that cannot be
denied; both the idea and the brand must
be memorable - if you only remember one,
it’s either art or capitalism, not advertising;
and it must invoke a sick case of FOMO –
if I’m not kicking myself for not thinking
of it before, chances are I’m not rooting
for it either.’
According to Katusia, some brilliant work
has been produced in Kenya over the past
year. ‘I know there is great excitement and
participation from Kenya. Last year was
a good year for us. This year I want to be
wowed by brand creativity in this ever-
changing media world.’
In 2017, Kenya brought home 10
Loeries, including two Golds – for Ol
Pejeta Conservancy’s ‘World’s Most
Eligible Bachelor’ by Ogilvy Kenya, and
Safaricom’s M-Tiba.
This year, the Loeries has changed its
Official Rankings to include finalists – in
previous years it only ranked winners. This
is good news for the local industry as it