MARKETING AFRICA MAL 18/17 mal 18:17 online | Page 10

STREETWISE MARKETING
THE OPEN MARKETING
REVOLUTION
By Evans Majeni
G
rowing up, we, the boys
were scolded whenever we
leaned towards the kitchen.
Kitchen was the exclusive domain
of the ladies. Most kitchens were
outside the main house. Even in
urban areas where kitchens were in
the same house, there was a distinct
demarcation.
Food was prepared away from the
glare of the partakers and served
through a tiny window opening
to the dining room. This thinking
informed the closed kitchen idea.
Over the last Easter, I travelled home
with my family. By design, I left
Nairobi very early to avoid the many
police extortion cartels that line our
highways. I was in Nakuru town just
around 7:30 am.
This time, unlike in the past when we
were consigned to roadside kiosks,
we had breakfast in a beautiful Java
House Nakuru branch. I even had a
chance to use their free WIFI and
their toilet facilities which were
sparkling clean. Later, we would take
lunch at KFC Kisumu. They too had
great ambience, super clean toilet and
free WIFI.
Back in our campus days, a close
friend got an attachment as a
salesman selling dog food. Their
‘‘ Old marketing was more about public
image. Packaging was king. One could get
away with a nice looking product processed
in filthy conditions. The customer cared less
about the processes and conditions under
which the product was made. That was left to
the licensing authorities. The assumption was
if it looks good, it must be good.
08 MAL 18/17 ISSUE
supposed production plant was in
industrial Area, Nairobi. They had
a beautiful product on supermarket
shelves.
I never had a chance to visit their
production plant but my friend
confided in me that the product I
admired on the shop floor passed
through disgusting and very
unhygienic processes in the factory.
Another friend working in an eatery
in town also confessed that if I got
to see what goes on in their kitchen,
I would never again patronize their
outlet and would actually puke all the
way to the ICU.
This is not about the emergence
of modern and world class outlets
taking over the country side. That
will be a story for another day. This is
about the new marketing trend where
marketers unwrap their products
right before their clients to show
case what is inside. If it is food, it is
prepared right before you. Both Java
House and KFC have one thing in
common: An open kitchen.
Old marketing was more about
public image. Packaging was king.
One could get away with a nice