Now to brand positioning . In recent years marketers have increasingly been focused on promoting and activating their brands . This is a key part of our role , and no doubt is key to delivering short term sales uplifts . However , I think we have drifted away from ensuring we have rock solid brand positionings . A great brand positioning is the foundation brands need to have to ensure they can be activated with consistency and in a way that builds a more memorable space for the brand with consumers .
As marketers we must ensure there exists a great foundation for our brand strategy to be built on . Great brand positionings are true to a brand ’ s history , connect to the brand ’ s real product offering , give a sense of personality , and try to connect a consumer insight with an essence of what the brand stands for at its most essential level .
There is no more contested idea in marketing today than brand purpose , and I am reluctant to open that can of worms , but all marketers need to have clarity on what the brand stands for and be confident this is interesting and motivating for consumers .
Agility
Agility is all about moving quickly , but for
As marketers we must ensure there exists a great foundation for our brand strategy to be built on . Great brand positionings are true to a brand ’ s history , connect to the brand ’ s real product offering , give a sense of personality , and try to connect a consumer insight with an essence of what the brand stands for at its most essential level .
marketers that means moving quickly in a way that enhances your brand and is in line with emerging consumer behaviour .
In Indonesia we tackled the off-trade ban with a range of activities , investments , and innovations . However , in hindsight we were shooting in the dark . We did not have a real understanding of where our off-trade consumer was enjoying our brands .
And we had not taken control of our brand positioning to ensure our activations and promotions were building consistency . We were moving fast , but we were not making sense of a big disruption for the business . While we recovered over time , our business lost market share during this disruption .
Marketers in emerging markets are masters of winning in volatile times . Covid-19 is the biggest disruptor we have faced collectively , but if we get the basics right marketing can be the function that leads their organisations forward to emerge stronger post pandemic .
Graham Villiers-Tuthill is the Marketing & Innovations Director , East African Breweries Limited . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Villierg @ gmail . com or Twitter : @ graham-vt .