I think we need to start a marketing thread.

Communication means transferring information from yourself to others.This information could be thoughts, messages and feelings among others. The problem is that communication is subjective. It's not what you say,it's what people hear!! Value is both subjective and contextual. People value things differently and different situations change the value of an object.In marketing yourself,product or service what strategies do take to communicate your value(potential and real) in a way that resonates with your audience?

What does the profitably mean? Is it to generate profits or reduce marketing expenses? I ask because of NGO's and other not for profit organizations. But I agree with the rest of the definition.

I think the condi is advertising a product. The value s/he is offering is implied - transport by a car or get a boda boda or walk.

The most important thing which I learnt from marketing and which you should remember if you forget everything else is, 'perceived value must always be higher than the price value'. If you maintain this I believe you'll always be in business.

I like

I agree with you. Advertising especially in Kenya is critical. People might not know it and most will even deny that they've been influenced by advertising on their purchase but her's evidence on influence of advertising, if you are looking for a product or service you are most likely to purchase one that you saw an advert on over one that you haven't seen even if it is of a lower quality. Advertising in my view acts as public endorsement of a product or service. Think of anything eg bread, banks, airlines, cooking oil, fuel etc and I can bet you the ones that come to mind first are the advertised ones. The message is very critical and can be your best weapon eg EA Cables - wire si wire will make you not want to take a risk wiring your house with any other brand while there can be other superior brands.

Advertising is a subdivision in marketing. The primary 4P's of marketing illustrate this well - product, place, promotion, price. (Secondary - process, people, physical evidence)

So you come up with the product/service, look for where it's needed (place/location) eg you're more likely to sell more water in a residential area served by Nairobi City Council than one served by a borehole, or don't open a kiosk next to Nakumatt or Uchumi. Advertising comes under promotion it's what you intend your prospective/current customers to know or believe about your product/service. And price is pretty obvious.

I like your simple definition too. As a marketer, let me try and answer your question to my knowledge. It's not a science and every marketer would have what they prefer.


1.Why do many Kenyan companies market only when they need customers? Marketing ought to be an ongoing process if anyone is keen on building a brand for themselves.

Most companies in Kenya have a marketing budget which the marketers in the company direct to above-the-line. This is expensive and most budgets can't sustain 12 months so they go to media experts who advise them on how to spread (mostly around December).

2. Can aggressive marketing become a nuisance.
I find it so at times esp if the method used is boring.

Unfortunately, a nuisance is not considered to be bad, it's better than no presence at all. Sadly, due to 'limited budgets' most companies produce one set of communication and re-use it over and over. They forget that the customer is not an idiot.

3. Which marketing strategy is most effective in AFRICA?

To get people to talk about your brand positively is the best strategy be it through PR, advertising, sales reps etc.
But if you are asking about advertising strategy then tv, newsprint, magazines and direct mailers would be the best.

4. Do products sell because of Marketing or Brand?

Some products will move despite the brand because of demand, price, place, promotion. When you go to the supermarket, there are many brand names selling eggs but you'll choose the cheapest. You are likely to sell more Tuskers during a Tusker only promo as some will temporarily relocate from Keroche, Castle and other EABL products.
That said, a brand is the best way of selling anything you hope to get repeat customers on.

5. Does Marketing build a Brand or does a Brand make Marketing easier?

Marketing always builds the brand to make it easy to market. A brand in simple terms is 'the promise'.

I think another problem marketing departments face is justifying expenses to finance departments. Marketing is qualitative and finance is quantitative.In the developed economies its not so much an issue of aggressive marketing as it is an issue of intrusion and invasion of privacy.

@Essyk - I think the corporate is right, even generous. The partner is being given an opportunity to profit from the corporate brand. How much or little they benefit from the brand is dependent on their own effort. Thats how I see it. I think they are generous because they are giving the partner leeway to design its marketing strategy which could negatively harm the brand of the corporate.

Somebody told me that, You can have Marketing without Branding but you cannot have Branding without Marketing.

How true is that?