MEDIA SCENE
Award Winning Communication Strategy – Part 1
By Susan Atieno
Earlier this year , during the 2nd 2022 Nairobi Marketer ’ s Night , one of the key note speakers was Mr . Polycarp Igathe . At that time , he was gunning for office , in the capacity of Nairobi Governor and his topic was dubbed ’ Building A City Brand ’. As I keenly listened to him , I did not know that he has so much experience as a marketer and it ’ s his deep passion .
However , there ’ s one thing that he mentioned that ’ s worth noting , ‘ In our world today , all sectors are quickly being digitized and replacing human beings with technology , think about the banking sector , telecommunications or IT . Marketing however , especially strategy development is one of the key sectors that cannot be digitized , this is because at the center of every great communication , we cannot ignore the human element .’ ( paraphrased ).
I totally agree with his sentiments which forms the basis of my article in this issue . As strategists , we MUST go out into the field , meet people , collect data and unique insights that are relatable , purposeful and meaningful .
A good strategist can sit in a boardroom , browse the internet and get some data to work with , but a great strategist will go into the field , physically meet the set target audience , have conversations - most of which will be out of script BTW . The findings then will form powerful communication strategies that will resonate with the TA and will be remembered for such a long time ! In Kenya , there ’ s a common phrase that we say ‘ Kwa ground , vitu ni different ’ translated to mean ‘ the implementation is usually totally different from the written paper work ’.
Let me give one example of a very old campaign that we still remember to-date , ‘ Niko Na Safaricom ’ - the music edition . This thematic ( feel good ) campaign , according to YouTube was released 11years ago . When you watch it today , all of us can still relate to it , why ? Disclaimer - I was not part of the strategic team but as a strategist , I believe that when the strategic team went to the ‘ ground ’ and inquired what Simcard they were using , many people must have said ’ Mimi niko na Safaricom ’ ( I ’ m on Safaricom ).
The phrase was coined and owned by the natural conversations of the consumer . So they took the phrase and built a whole campaign out of it . They added other elements that we as a people have and that matter to us . So apart from having Safaricom , what else do you have ? The commercial was shot in Swahili but translated for our readers ; I have the ability to self-develop , I have the strength for determination , I have been blessed for the work that I do , I have happiness and I have ability … I have Safaricom ! Please listen to the original version here : https :// www . youtube . com / watch ? v = uIBHuqeis3U .
For any powerful strategy , meaningfulness is key ! To achieve meaningfulness , it must have an emotional connection . As human beings , normally nothing is meaningful if it does not appeal to our emotion . One can almost hear the question at the background , what does it matter to me , how do I benefit , what ’ s in it for me ?
I often see so many brands airing campaigns that celebrate 5 years / 10 years Anniversary of existence . And as much as it is a big deal to the company or brand , do you think the consumer cares if they do not associate with the brand ? If they do not feel that services or products of the company touch them or make a difference for them at a personal level ? Does the brand care about my wellbeing , my family , my career , my needs and wants ? This question can only be answered with an insightful strategy , one that almost originates from the consumer .
Purpose is a word that all individuals and brands MUST crack , purpose goes beyond you and spreads to your future generations . Your ‘ why ’ for doing what you do . If today you cease to exist , will your brand or legacy die with you ? If you can answer this question , then you have a strong purpose and strategy !
Simon Sinek , is an American Author who coined the concept of ‘ Golden Circle ’. You can watch a short clip on the link : https :// www . youtube . com / watch ? v = uIBHuqeis3U where he talks more about finding your ‘ Why ’.
Strategy is the most powerful tool we have as marketers and my aim for this article is to set the ground by giving background principles that create a successful strategy . Once this is understood , then we get into the process or guide to write the strategy . These include setting communication objectives , situation analysis , competitor information , target audience description , strategy ( big idea ) then implementation . This I will tackle in Part 2 of this article . Keep Reading !
Susan Atieno is an Account Director at Havas Media Kenya and a seasoned marketing and communication strategist . You can reach her via email at : Suezanatieno @ gmail . com .
68 MAL50 / 22 ISSUE