FROM WHERE I SAT
A Marketers Call : Building A Strong Brand
By Robert Wamai
We are wired to notice what is different , the uncommon . On the morning of 15th June 2021 the newspaper ’ s headlines caught my eye . It was the morning after the passing of the renowned Chris Kirubi , news which broke first on social media as has become the norm .
So why did this catch my attention despite having known it the previous day as the news broke ? It was the fact the news grabbed headline of the newspapers when most headlines are on political news . My conclusion , being a marketer , is that CK , as he was commonly known , was what we can call , a strong brand . This is true whether he did it intentionally or it was a result of unintended consequences .
The question then is what is a strong brand , is it important and if so , how can one go about building one ? This article will try to answer these questions .
Strong brands are characterized by very high , almost universal , awareness , even among those that don ’ t use them . The awareness goes beyond the brand identity encompassing the benefit the brand promises . The benefit goes beyond the rational connecting emotionally with the consumer and becoming a ‘ proud badge to wear ’. This makes it easier for the consumer to ‘ forgive ’ the brand , when they let them down rather than switch to the competitor . This is a huge advantage as it enables the brand to overcome challenges and ride the hard times thus ‘ living a long life ’.
Strong brands have high usage and high loyalty , they have leverage with their partners and are able to negotiate ‘ terms of trade ’ in their favor , and they attract and retain top talent better than their competitors . Given these factors strong brands are in many cases likely market leaders , and highly profitable .
Given these desirable advantages it pays for organizations to strive and build strong
You must appreciate that one cannot build a strong brand as a lone ranger . As it takes a village to raise a child so is a strong brand built through collaboration and cooperation . It ’ s therefore necessary to carefully select the necessary business partners employing a well thought out criteria and thorough procedure . brands . More so in Kenya we need to build and sustain local brands that can cross the seas and play in the international arena . So how does one go about building a strong brand ? What lessons can we learn from the ‘ big boys ’ as it were ?
As a beginning it is important to state that organizations should appreciate the benefits of strong brands and that it is everyone ’ s responsibility within the organization to actively contribute towards building one . Those that do this avail the necessary resources for brand building and therefore have a head start .
It is the norm , however , that the task of brand building falls on the laps of the marketing department . Though this does have its merits , it can be short sighted , a conversation for another day . So , and given that Marketing Africa magazine is primarily targeted at marketers , this article will hopefully provide the readers a few useful nuggets .
Firstly marketers must appreciate that building strong brands is what they bring to the table , their contribution to the party . They should make this their one and only mission and go about it with zeal , passion and a razor sharp focus . Added to this is knowing that they are in it for the long haul . A long term view is necessary as strong brands are not built overnight . It is a continuous endeavor given that the business environment keeps changing bringing with it many challenges that must be tackled .
Secondly they must be intentional about
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