There is increased need to develop creativity in building brands and in this dynamic marketing age, competition in businesses is growing and companies are investing heavily in creative/ communication personnel to make their brands more visible. Building capacity in this field to have sufficient and qualified personnel is therefore critical.
International School of Advertising (ISA) facilitates renown brand gurus to come to Kenya and equip professionals with necessary skills to meet the communication needs of brands. During the first quarter of this year, ISA has invited the founder of Mindscapes, Mr Jonathan Dominitz to Kenya from 24th to 31st of March 2017 to have sessions with professionals in the communications and marketing field on creative tools.
Mr Dominitz will elaborate on the gaps in creativity and the importance of building capacity for personnel. Last year, the several campaigns that won in the APA and MSK awards used the Mindscape tools. These tools have been developed through an analysis of campaigns that have won Gold in global awards. He will be bringing those thinking tools in Kenya.
Mr Dominitz spoke to BUSINESS TODAY on how companies can make brand communication more effective.
Brand communication has been evolving over the years, and especially so with the advent of mobile and internet technologies, how should companies manage this change in marketing dynamics?
The first thing I think is to understand the huge opportunities that are now available through this evolution. The opening, accessibility and the democratisation of media opens huge new opportunities to marketers. Once one really understands and sees the opportunities, one can learn to use them skillfully in the service of the vision and purpose of brands and of people.
Are there key rules that brand communication/marketing must follow or each brand is unique and should thus chart its own strategy?
Both. Each brand is somewhat unique, yet a deep understanding of the new rules of marketing-communications game is required in order to shine the uniqueness of your brand.
From your experience, what key mistakes do marketers or brand communicators make, and which often cost them a lot in terms of, first, missed visibility and of course money?
There are so many of them, but I can try to name few which come to my mind:
Underestimating the intelligence of people (consumers); overlooking and underestimating the potential of using people’s creativity and people’s wish to be active participants in content that is created and shared in digital and social media; not being honest in their brand communication; having a superficial understanding of insights and the power of powerful insights to create much more effective brand communications; not understanding the real potential of creativity in driving business and communications, and much more.
How would you rate Kenya’s communications industry when it comes to successful brand communication?
I am not enough familiar with the local communications, but my experience in many other markets makes me believe that also in Kenya there is much potential of growing and boosting skills and know how in this field.
Between Marketing/advertising and PR, which is the best way a brand can be communicated to the various publics?
In my view, there is not any more a real difference between these disciplines. They should be integrated and seen as a whole, not separated.
Brands are often a perception. Yet we see big brands crumbling? What are some of the things that can hurt even the most stable brand and how should managers and communicators avoid or manage this?
Complacence, relying blindly on past success, adhering only to practices that worked in the past or elsewhere, fear to take risk, fear to try and even to fail, are among the big mistakes managers should ovoid.
You will be talking in Kenya and certainly will touch of the Mindscape tools. Briefly explain to us why these tools are important?
These tools are important to help us understand the opportunities that are now open to brand communications; then they help us to make a better use of our minds so that we can:
Uncover powerful new insights on which we can build more effective brand ideas and brand communications; Uncover new opportunities to create more meaningful connections with people (consumers) so that they will become kind of brand ambassadors, and they will freely promote the brand (or the product/service) on our behalf.
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