the ‘ heart of their culture ’ for it shapes their beliefs , feelings , and values , even ‘ what they eat ’. He called this ‘ understanding the mission field ’. This enables one adapt and craft a message that is relevant and deliver in a way that resonates with them . He was candid and said ‘ one must not reproduce what we do at home ; for it ’ s not a franchise like McDonalds ’.
He learnt this lesson when the stark differences between the congregants in Africa and North America dawned on him as he began to fulfil his mission . He said that in Africa he used to preach to people who were ‘ going through something and needed breakthroughs and hope for tomorrow and to understand that God is able to open doors and heaven . Most are striving to put food on the table , pay school fees . Not so in his new territory where the congregation was well off , and the issue is not poverty but materialism . So the message had to be different otherwise it will not make sense , losing its relevance and impact .
He went on to say that as Africans we tend to ‘ open our hearts easily and an emotional sermon hits home faster and is more impactful ’. Not so with his new congregation who respond better when one first appeals to their minds before heart and one ‘ must be direct and not go in circles ’. They also value their space and are more guarded , so this habit of saying ‘ turn to your neighbour ’ does not sit well with them . He said that ‘ The African delivery style where we preach loudly with vigour and lots of energy , more so in Nigeria ’ was found wanting in his new territory . His audience composed mostly of more mature Caucasians who are soft spoken and reflective . So , when enthusiasm got the better part of him , the congregation reminded him that ‘ God is not deaf , nor are we ’ and he had to tone down . This was a baptism of fire for him and he advises that you need to ensure the message and delivery is tailor made for each audience otherwise it will fall on deaf ears .
My take out for us marketers is that , as we take our brands out there , an intimate knowledge and understanding of the target buyers is critical enabling us align the P ’ s of marketing accordingly .
This need to understand the audience was echoed by two other preachers . The first is Brother Abdi Walalo , who was born a Muslim , but accepted Christ when he spoke at the same conference , God Send Me Conference . His session was entitled , ‘ Engaging People of Other Faiths ’. He said it is important for him to really get under the skin of those he wants to know Christ , some who may ‘ even be hostile to his faith and the message ’ given that they are of other faiths . He takes time to unearth the barriers that may stand in the way of him fulfilling what he is called to do . Some barriers he faces include long held beliefs , unfavourable past experiences and lack of knowledge of the Christian faith and Gospel . He has learnt not to make assumptions nor underrate them as it may lead to ‘ talking down to them , being condescending or even patronising ’. He has found it useful to be ‘ present living in their midst , modelling the right Christian behaviour and letting them experience the word by reading the Bible together ’.
When I reflect on how difficult his task must be , I correlate this to marketers in unfamiliar waters , either a new territory or a different demographic some who could have misgivings or even negative perceptions . His approach provides an apt lesson given that the challenges have lots of similarities .
The second pastor who mirrored Rev Dr Owusu ’ s message of understanding those we are targeting is Pastor David Ndegerege aka ‘ Ndez ’ who is in charge of the Youth Ministry at St Andrews Pentecostal Church , Nairobi . His calling is simple ; to bring the youth to Christ as they are the majority and on whom the future of the church depends .
He delivered his sermon to the main Church titled ‘ Preach the Gospel Approaches to Evangelism ’, on 5th May , 2024 . He spoke of several approaches he uses to reach and engage the youth and two things stood out for me in his tactics . The first is his empathy for them . He says it ’ s important to accept them as they are and not be judgemental meeting them at their point of need . Thus , when they come to his office or at the various Church functions he organises ; ‘ the first thing I do is to hug them and pray for them . I make them feel welcome , accepted , and loved for they are in their Father ’ s house ’.
The second tactic is creating and looking for opportunities to preach the word to them . Having realised that the youth are always on line and he cannot afford not to be there , he uses ‘ Digital Evangelism ’. To this end he leverages Social Media especially Instagram ( for Bible Study ), TikTok and Facebook . For example , on TikTok every Wednesday he posts a one minute sermon that includes reading scripture , preaching and a call for action . ‘ The short videos match their fleeting attention span ’ he explained .
The lesson for marketers here is that to reach our audiences effectively we must use different approaches . When it comes to the message the creative idea must start with the medium .
This is a belief that Lenny Nganga , the CEO of Saracen Media , strongly holds . ‘ The creative idea must be conceived with the medium in mind . In fact , the brief should be given to media first or at least brief the creative and media department together ’, he never tires to tell me .
In conclusion these ‘ men of cloth ’ have reminded us of the need for an intimate understanding of the target customer especially as you take brands into new territories . Thus , putting adequate resources and effort in formal and informal research cannot be taken for granted . In the very competitive , fast changing and unpredictable business terrain , knowledge is an indispensable asset for a brand that wants to be impactful . In addition , it ’ s important to have clarity of purpose , put adequate resources behind the marketing effort , be agile and resilient , and always play for the long haul .
Listening to the men of cloth from where I sat , I was reminded that we can learn from anyone and as brand builders we are called to keep doing so .
Robert Wamai is a trainer and advertising consultant , a passionate consumer advocate and believer in the power of brands . You can engage him on this or related matters via email at : Wamairobert51 @ gmail . com .