KAMPALA– Marketing professionals in Uganda have been challenged to use research and data to address the real needs of consumers because this is the only way that brands can continue to be relevant to customers while keeping ahead of competition.
Yannick Lefang, The Founder & CEO of Kasi Insights, a consumer research organization advised marketers to think about the well-being of people consuming their products beyond selling to them.
Lefang was speaking during the Marketer’s Night out on July 1st, at Hotel Africana in Kampala where marketers discussed at length about the relevance their newest products in both local and international markets.
The occasion was headlined by Safaricom’s Mpesa International an innovative platform that won global acclaim for financial inclusion in underserved markets.
Lefand emphasized that professional marketers ought to be innovative and must use data to get a better understanding of their consumers and their preferences because this would also help them come up with new and relevant products.
“There is tremendous innovation being applied to understand people and their lifestyles, serious brands that focus on sustainability are increasingly using these innovations. If you want to increase your market share, you have to do better than the competition by offering what is not offered on the market and also having a deeper understanding of what the consumers need. You cannot manage what you can’t measure,” said Lefang.
Tipping marketers on brand reputation, Babra Arimi, Head of Marketing and Communications at the National Social Security Fund- NSSF said marketing professionals are expected to show the value of businesses by showcasing the impact of their work the organization’s profitability and impact on society.
“Brand equity is about the perception held in the mind of consumers and the general public. This is measured by conducting a survey that tells you about consumer loyalty. When you combine all these things, the data from the survey will help you come up with an index, which is a measure that is synthesized by research firms to help brands become more relevant to their consumers,” said Arimi.
The Kampala Marketers Night Out is hosted by Marketing Africa Limited which conducts similar event in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. The event has been reintroduced in Kampala after a break of about 10 years!
This year’s event was sponsored by Mpesa International, Tusker Malt, Johnnie Walker, The New Vision, KASI International, Power Workshops, Kalsa Consults and Media Age among others.
