The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Branding

  • Creative Brands makes debut in Nigeria

    Creative Brands, one of the biggest merchandise, custom-branding and printing in Africa has launched in Lagos to power promotional gifts and custom-branded merchandise.

    The South African based firm, which has also launched in Kenya and Botswana, will be offering innovative printing and branding techniques through its massive range of top quality promotional products.

    It has clients such as Adidas, Google and Facebook corporate gifting options.

    The branding solution has on its website quality personalised marketing giveaways to event collateral, branded work wear, tech gadgets, executive gifts and more.

    One of its Managing Directors, Mr Nicholas Markovitz, said Creative Brands is in the country to bring a whole new suite of marketing options to businesses.

    “As the first-of-its-kind in the country, we partnered with Funema Group in setting up in Nigeria.”

    Markovitz said that Amaka Amalu has been instrumental to the launch and expansion of Creative Brands in Nigeria.

    “With such an experienced team on the ground, we’re super excited to see how our sophisticated printing and branding techniques and our range powers growth for other businesses in Nigeria”, he said.

    Explaining what Creative Brands is set to offer businesses and individuals in Nigeria, Markovitz hinted that Creative Brands which has over 18,000 SKUs on offer, an innovative and easy-to-navigate website offers online branding and e-commerce.

    He added that Creative Brands is poised to give efficient services.

    “Customers in Nigeria can expect an amazingly quick 72-hour turnaround time from order to delivery,” he said.

    “From branded work wear, wedding gifts, and promotional and event giveaway merchandise, to corporate gifting and business printing, the Creative Brands range is set to open up massive opportunities for businesses in Nigeria.”

    Markovitz said that based on numerous studies, “It’s clear just how effective custom-branded merchandise and giveaways can be, often allowing businesses the opportunity to truly connect with their customers or cut through the digital noise.

    “Most people keep promotional products for an average of 8 months and will eventually pass them on to others. They are key to brand awareness. A personalised gift (with company branding, bespoke design, logo or slogan) will encourage 71% of customers to continue to do business with a company. 81% of the time, a uniquely picked gift from an employer has a positive impact on their employees.”

  • A question of branding

    A question of branding

    Buy Made-in-Nigeria” is a slogan to promote Nigerian products. But those who may want to buy such products need to know that they are Made-in-Nigeria.  It is counterproductive when products made in the country are not branded to show that they are made in the country.

    The campaign to encourage Nigerians to buy home-made products does not need the approach of Akwa Ibom State. The  Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Matters and Due Process, Ufot Ebong, told reporters that  over two million high-quality pencils produced by a state-owned factory had been sold to buyers who didn’t know they were produced locally because they were not branded.

    Ebong said:  “I have testimonials to prove that people love the product. Your children, wards and relations may be using AKEES pencils without knowing they are manufactured in Akwa Ibom State. We have sold more than two million pencils. Nigerians are buying the pencils without knowing they are produced in the country because of the sleeves. Only one sleeve of the 150 sleeves we ordered had AKEES written on it.” AKEES stands for Akwa Ibom Enterprises and Scheme.

    Under AKEES, local production of plastic products will begin in February, Ebong stated, adding that machines for the proposed plastic factory had arrived and would soon be installed.  He said: “As part of that same thing we are talking about we needed something that can stand and so that people will get off the streets and get something doing. The next in line was something that was commonly used and there was a ready market for it. We thought of plastics and other allied products such as basins, spoons, forks, plates, including paint buckets and all sorts of small things.”

    The question is whether buyers would know that they are buying Made -in-Nigeria products. The same counterproductive approach in the case of the pencils can’t be productive in the new project. Well, Ebong said: “This time around we have learnt our lessons. All our products will be inscribed AKEES plastics because Akwa Ibom people are so passionate about their products.”

    So, why did the government adopt the first approach in the first place? “Our fear was that people would not like to buy our products because of the mentality of Nigerians to prefer foreign goods,” Ebong admitted.

    “Buy Made-in-Nigeria” campaign won’t work if local producers allow such negative considerations to discourage them.  If a government scheme like AKEES lacks branding confidence, what should be expected of private-sector producers?

  • A question of branding

    Buy Made-in-Nigeria” is a slogan to promote Nigerian products. But those who may want to buy such products need to know that they are Made-in-Nigeria.  It is counterproductive when products made in the country are not branded to show that they are made in the country.

    The campaign to encourage Nigerians to buy home-made products does not need the approach of Akwa Ibom State. The  Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Matters and Due Process, Ufot Ebong, told reporters that  over two million high-quality pencils produced by a state-owned factory had been sold to buyers who didn’t know they were produced locally because they were not branded.

    Ebong said:  “I have testimonials to prove that people love the product. Your children, wards and relations may be using AKEES pencils without knowing they are manufactured in Akwa Ibom State. We have sold more than two million pencils. Nigerians are buying the pencils without knowing they are produced in the country because of the sleeves. Only one sleeve of the 150 sleeves we ordered had AKEES written on it.” AKEES stands for Akwa Ibom Enterprises and Scheme.

    Under AKEES, local production of plastic products will begin in February, Ebong stated, adding that machines for the proposed plastic factory had arrived and would soon be installed.  He said: “As part of that same thing we are talking about we needed something that can stand and so that people will get off the streets and get something doing. The next in line was something that was commonly used and there was a ready market for it. We thought of plastics and other allied products such as basins, spoons, forks, plates, including paint buckets and all sorts of small things.”

    The question is whether buyers would know that they are buying Made -in-Nigeria products. The same counterproductive approach in the case of the pencils can’t be productive in the new project. Well, Ebong said: “This time around we have learnt our lessons. All our products will be inscribed AKEES plastics because Akwa Ibom people are so passionate about their products.”

    So, why did the government adopt the first approach in the first place? “Our fear was that people would not like to buy our products because of the mentality of Nigerians to prefer foreign goods,” Ebong admitted.

    “Buy Made-in-Nigeria” campaign won’t work if local producers allow such negative considerations to discourage them.  If a government scheme like AKEES lacks branding confidence, what should be expected of private-sector producers?

  • PLIN empowers ministers on finances, branding

    Ministries would be a lot easier with more resources and strategic branding, coupled with effective media exposure.

    This was the focal point at a one-day effective and impacting leadership workshop for gospel ministers last week in Lagos.

    The capacity-building workshop, which attracted hundreds of ministers, was organised by fast-growing Pastors Leaders Interceding Network (PLIN).

    Convener of the network, Apostle Jide Johnson, identified finances as a major ingredient for ministerial effectiveness.

    He said ministers must learn to trust God for provision while also strategically positioning themselves to attract support.

    To attract support, he said they must emphasise their gifts and talents as well as learn to sow seeds for abundance.

    Warning against covetousness and greed in ministries, Johnson, a former chartered banker, said gospel workers must show themselves approved before all men.

    He added that ministers must project themselves profitably and commit to excellence while also praying aggressively.

    Pastor Joshua Aderinola spoke on ministry branding, saying ministries must have strategies in place to build and maintain good reputation.

    Branding, he said, encourages commitment, creates royalty and allows ministries to maximise revenue and profit.

    He said churches can build brands by identifying targeted audience, communicating brand attributes and improve personal development.

    Dr Ben Efe said ministers must learn to preach short and impacting messages to get positive results.

    Efe said the most effective messages are those that have one point, urging preachers to cut down on illustrations and examples.

    He called for constant practice of messages, planning with a team and critiquing sermons for optimum results.

  • ‘How image branding can help Nigeria’s growth’

    ‘How image branding can help Nigeria’s growth’

    The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has held its 119th Inaugural Lecture, with the lecturer, Prof Nnanyelugo Okoro, of the Mass Communication Department, explaining how the nation can harness image branding to drive growth. JAMES OJO (400-Level Mass Communication) and GIDEON ARINZE (300-Level Mass Communication) report.

    How can Nigeria rebrand to improve its image in the 21st century? This question was answered at the 119th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State.

    It held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium (PAA).

    Speaking on the theme: Positioning Nigeria as a brand for global competitiveness in the 21st Century: Roadmap to best practice, before a group of scholars and policymakers, a lecturer, Prof Nnanyelugo Okoro of the Department of Mass Communication, pointed out that there was urgent need for the country to brand itself and assume a new image that could fast-track its development.

    He said: “Today, no nation can go it alone and as things stand, an unbranded nation cannot take its pride of place in the comity of nations. If these facts are admitted, then it becomes imperative that Nigeria engages in comprehensive branding efforts to extricate itself from the tentacles of bad reputation it finds itself in.

    “It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to move Nigeria from the product level to the brand stage in the absence of a well-coordinated, sustainable programme of continuous and proactive action. Today, nations are becoming more aware of the importance of defining how they want to be perceived by investors and other development partners. Countries have recognised the need to improve and leverage their unique assets.”

    While stressing the need for image branding, the speaker, who is the first professor of the department, said the imperative for nation branding was in response to realities in the global order, noting that a country’s image and reputation are not only germane to attaining success in the global marketplace, but that they are also key factors for gaining a competitive edge in global engagements.

    Every nation, he said, is endowed in history, geography, culture and people, adding that countries’ peculiarities are valuable assets that must be converted to positive image and reputation to earn foreign exchange.

    He said: “In the history of any nation, there are always interesting stories to tell. In geography, there are striking places to show and there is a life to depict in culture. The people, who are inhabiting the country, must show exceptional strength and wisdom to covert these peculiarities to fortunes.”

    The lecturer regretted that there was no “comprehensive and professional” attempt to position Nigeria as a good brand in its 103 years of existence as a geographical entity and 57 years an independent nation.

    Okoro urged the Federal Government to “urgently” create the Ministry of National Branding and Public Diplomacy to address the country’s image and reputation problems.

    He said: “Leaving the business of nation branding to a government agency is merely paying lip service to issues relating to Nigeria’s image and reputation at global level. We cannot continue with the same arrangement and expect different result. Nigeria has all the potential to become a key player in the global affair. To make the country a good partner for other nations, the central government needs to create Ministry of National Branding and Public Diplomacy to engage Nigerians at home and in Diaspora to join hands in creating a fascinating image for the country.”

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, hailed the inaugural lecturer, describing him as a “thorough-bred communicator and public relations professional”. He said the theme of the lecture was aimed at educating the public on the linkage between branding and development.

    The VC, represented by his deputy for Academics, Prof James Ogbonna, reiterated his administration’s commitment to using research to position the institution as pace-setter of knowledge among its peers.

  • ‘Branding is lucrative aspect of agro businesses’

    ‘Branding is lucrative aspect of agro businesses’

    Richmond Omoaka, the CEO of Ray Agro, a consumable packaging and branding venture, is a graduate of Economics from the Lead City University, Ibadan. The Abuja based entrepreneur, who is into packaging and designs of agro products and stationeries for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), spoke with HANNAH OJO on his staying power and motivation for the business. 

    In this present age when young people are occupied with the thoughts of productive business ideas which could cater for their needs, many have forgotten the place of the social aspect of entrepreneurship, which seeks to create innovative solutions to society’s pressing needs.

    A young man, Richmond Omoaka is  exploring this line of social entrepreneurship.

    Asked for his motivation for creating a consumable package which can help the plight of the IDPs, he said: “I discovered several difficulties associated with the centralised system of feeding in many of these IDP camps and thought it best for each household unit to cater for their cooking themselves.

    “This prompted me to develop a unique branding and packaging design for the Federal Government in order to address the problem associated with centralised cooking pattern.

    “Take for example, some individuals in camp might prefer Jollof rice while others might want to eat rice and stew. Based on these differences in taste, I felt developing this idea of packaging the food stuff will help address the taste conflict.”

    Not satisfied with the packaging of food items alone, Richmond also believes that stationeries and educational items should be branded in order to encourage the beneficiaries, especially if they are children of impressionable age.

    Already, he has designed and produced materials that were passed to the Federal Government for onward distribution to  children in IDP camps. Admonishing young people on the potentials of opportunities and benefits in the packaging and exporting of agro products, the entrepreneur believes that packaging of agro products in line with international standard gives one an opportunity to tap into the foreign market.

    Speaking further, Omoaka also said  that by exporting consumable items to non Nigerians as well as Nigerians in the Diaspora, the country would be able to break the shackles of unemployment.

    He said: “Our country also has the ability to increase productivity if there is an increase in demand for service. Young people who want to go into that line of business should also consider the branding aspect.

    “Branding is a lucrative aspect of the agro business that our farmers are yet to have a comprehensive idea of.”

    Richmond who also disclosed that he is constantly engaging in activities that would make his brand globally recognised said he is not deterred by challenges peculiar to his line of business.

    “Every trade or venture would surely have its own fair share of challenges. The major challenges I experienced in the course of running this business are access to capital and prohibitive cost of sustaining the overhead aspect of the business. There is need to simplify access to funds by the government through its various agencies set up to promote young entrepreneurs.”

  • Nigeria, South Africa partner on nation branding

    Nigeria, South Africa partner on nation branding

    Nigeria and South Africa are arguably neither friends, nor foes. Since the former apartheid nation appears hinged on undermining Nigeria’s contribution to its struggle against white imperialists, the relationship has become a sort of cat and mouse affair,-at least at citizen-to-citizen level.

    Despite that, the two countries play lead roles in trade, investment and exchange of ideas that could position Africa as the next global hub.

    However, with the growing attention on Africa, the two countries are on a mission to partner on rebranding. Taking a cue from the successful positioning of South Africa as a global brand, the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has committed itself to collaborating with Brand South Africa, a company set up by the South African government to manage South Africa as a brand.

    PRCAN will work towards participating actively in the Brand Summit scheduled to hold in South Africa later in the year.

    PRCAN President John Ehiguese, who led his team to receive a delegation from Brand South Africa in Lagos, said there are good things Nigeria could draw from the strategies deployed by Brand South Africa, in kickstarting its own destination branding programme.

    According to Ehiguese, there are salient opportunities for Nigeria to consider arising from the successful branding of the South African nation.  He said: “We suffer from a negative perception externally. The image of Nigeria out there is not what it should be. It is not that Nigeria is as bad as it is often portrayed, but that is the perception generally. We think that there is an urgent imperative to do for Nigeria what Brand South Africa is doing for South Africa.”

    He recalled that the relationship between the Association and Brand South Africa began about two years ago, when the then Chief Marketing Officer of Brand South Africa, Wendy Tlou delivered the second PRCAN Gold Medal Lecture in Lagos. He said that PRCAN was quite glad that even with a change of guard at the marketing arm of Brand South Africa, the conviviality between both organisations continued. “We will be glad to partner with you in any area that will enhance the relationship between both our countries,” he assured.

    He told the delegation that PRCAN is committed to outreach programmes locally and internationally, explaining that the association had entered into partnership with the African Public Relations Association (APRA) to organise the 2016 APRA Conference in Calabar next month.

    He said that being a member of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), PRCAN had invited Maxim Behar, ICCO President, as lead speaker on the Consultancy Day of the 2016 APRA Conference.

    Linda Magapatona-Sangaret, Chief Marketing Officer of Brand South Africa, said her team was delighted to be in Nigeria and would explore immense partnership opportunities with PRCAN. She invited PRCAN to get ready to be part of the proposed Brand Summit to be held in South Africa later in the year.

    Magapatona-Sangaret said that Nigeria and South Africa had a lot in common and that the mission of Brand South Africa was to have all of Africa recognise as a quality brand. “Our biggest asset is our people and our rich culture and we must play to our strength in these and other areas,” Magapatona-Sangaret declared.

    In her delegation were Sindiswa Mququ, General Manager for Africa and Middle East for Brand South Africa, and Tope Ogbeni-Awe of TopComm PR, consultants to Brand South Africa, while the PRCAN team included Muyiwa Akintunde, the Vice President.

  • Airports as tool in destination branding

    Airports as tool in destination branding

    Airports play significant roles in destination branding; but strangely, some countries still do not see any reason to invest in building a befitting airport. Experts highlight how airport branding can drive investment into the country, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    The brand experience of a destination is like the first impression one gets of a person. The English man says it is the real impression; it lasts forever.

    In mo st cases, the experience one gets from a destination makes one to form an opinion about the brand. For a reporter who was a first-time visitor to South Africa to watch the final match of the last Orange African Cup of Nations at the Calabash Stadium, between the Super Eagles and the Chipolopolo of Zambia, the brand experience of the former apartheid enclave came on his arrival at the O.R Tambo Airport in Johannesburg.

    The airport presents visitors with a cherished consumer experience, such as convenience and hospitality. Beginning from the airport, ranked as third in Africa and 28th globally by Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based firm specialising in airline and airport research, everything appeared in order.

    As the plane landed, passing through the Avio Bridge, which leads visitors to the arrival lounge, the adverts adorning the airport walls confirmed why South Africa is leading other African countries in the chase for Cannes Lions, the global advert festivals where the world best adverts are showcased and picked.

    The conduct of the airport officials, spectacular billboards, wall and pillar wraps, airport bus transport, among electrifying indoor boardings, all provided an ambience for brand promotion.

    The quick conveyance of luggage and a fast-tracked immigration counter cut short the amazing experience and sight at the airport. The O.R Tambo Airport is not the best in South Africa. It trails South Africa’s Cape Town International Airport and Durban’s King Shaka International Airport.

    The allure of modern technology in O.R Tambo reflects monster media digital platforms, baggage carousel wraps, mobile media, the Digital Passenger Assistance Service Systems (DPASS) and massive light emission diode (LED) screens enhance traveller’s experience. But most travellers passing through major airports in Nigeria on their way to watch the final match wrote them off. The airports they argued, seem not to reflect the multi-billion naira wasted in rebranding the facilities.

    The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, like others, has remained a sour point in Nigeria’s destination branding project. From the hassles of travelling through the dilapidated roads to the MMIA, the heat at the departure lounge, the long queues at the immigration points, all the way to the waiting lounge, it’s all about unpalatable experience. A report by Cable News Network (CNN) rating some Nigerian airports rated MMIA as one of the world’s worsts.

    While the airports of countries such as France leave travellers with memories of its Eiffel Tower, New York for its Statue of Liberty, Singapore for its cleanliness, and Malaysia for the Petronas Twin Towers, Nigeria’s touch point remains an issue brand experts are yet to fully come to terms with.

    Mrs. Funmilola Ashaye, a Void and Allocation Officer at Genesis HA, a United Kingdom-based company, will not forget in a hurry her experience when she came home for the Easter. She was apalled that eight years after she left the country, the MMIA remained in bad shape, even worst than she left it.

    She said she has been seeing some pictures and videos of the airports on social media but felt it was mere marketing stunts of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    “I could see that the ambience is fast changing and it will look better when the current facelift is completed. I think it’s more amazing now. The lounge is looking world class now,” she said.

    Underscoring the importance of airports in nation rebranding campaigns, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DDB Lagos, Mr. Ikechi Odigbo said the airport is the first touch point to position Nigeria as a brand. “It’s the very first touch point to brand Nigeria at the international market place. Whatever brand message you want to pass across to a first time visitor starts from your airport. Although, it goes beyond the rebuilding but the maintenance must be robust so that visitors can experience convenience,” he said.

    The Chief Executive Director of Noah’s Ark, Mr. Lanre Adisa said airports say a lot about a country. The environments have a way of positioning a nation as a brand seeking good perception.

    “It’s a perception thing. Investing in the airport is a worthwhile venture. To a first-time visitor, it speaks volumes about the government,” he said.

    He said a good airport makes visitors see the country as a good investment destination and a good destination for brands.

    With a recent score card on MMIA by the United States Transportation Security Administration (USTSA) over its compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Standard and Recommended Practices, the General Manager, Communication of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said the efforts is aimed at improving the touch points and bringing them to compete with others not only in Africa but across the globe.

    According to him, recent figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attest to the fact that Nigeria has grown appreciably in recent years; from 13,891,677 passengers in 2010 to 14,899,958 passengers lifted in 2013.

    ”Surely this growth is the outcome of deliberate strategic transformation by the government in the sector and indeed, a key performance indicator that the reforms are yielding positive outcomes,” he said.

    On the perception of the airports by tourists, he said people’s perception cannot be easily changed through talking until people go see and have a feel of the new change.

    However, Adisa, said the effort to remodel and rebrand the airports is a step in the right direction. He added that the culture of maintenance must be imbibed so that the facilities do no slip back to rot years after the completion of the remodeling.

    “An airport experience for travelers should exhibit convenience. The rebuilding will open up the country. A lot of travelers under this new rebuilding will be able to take direct flight to their destination rather than having to come to Lagos from U.S and still take another flight to another state,” Adisa said.

  • Maritime embraces branding

    Maritime embraces branding

    Rebranding and brand identity are strange to businesses in the maritime, haulage, oil and gas sectors but the recent adoption of these communication strategies by SIFAX Group underscores the importance of branding in every sector, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Some businesses in certain sectors hardly see branding, brand identity management as necessary tools in brand building. Perhaps, because their businesses are more of  Business-to-Business (B2C) than mass market. Most of the businesses in these sectors often believe creating a logo, selecting colours to enhance corporate identity do not require much labour, or serious creative process.

    Sectors, such as maritime, oil and gas, law, haulage and logistics, have never been known as adopters of these efforts. Findings show that their emphasis is more on the services they render than the corporate identity, or brand architecture of their corporate look. It is often seen as an exclusive job of Telcos, banks, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs}, etcetera.

    However, these notions are changing as the wind of branding is now blowing across some of these unconcerned sectors, such as maritime and law, among others. Few months ago, Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, held a briefing where it showcased its refreshed brand identity and change of name from Olisa Agbakoba & Associates to Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL).

    It was a move that surprised many players in the country’s marketing industry. In the first place, law firms are not known to apply conventional marketing strategies in pushing their business. Conservative in business, law firms are not known to advertise. They are not allowed to by convention and by law. They are not known to care so much about their look and feel and as such, would not create logos and other brand collaterals designed to stand them out in a crowd.

    But Agbaokoba thinks law practice has gone beyond wearing wigs and gowns and standing in courts to help individuals and institutions get justice. They seem to be borrowing a leaf from players in commoditised markets who changed business strategies to the provision of “solutions” in order to make their brands stand out.

    However, with growing competition across all sectors of the economy, aspiration for global market penetration, the rising consciousness of brand building, repositioning is fast catching up with most business concerns in the maritime too. Like AOL, SIFAX Group, one of the fastest growing multinational corporations with diverse interests in maritime, aviation, haulage and logistics, oil and gas and hospitality, has discovered the power of branding in repositioning the brand for its next growth phase.

    The company said the strategy behind the new identity, which was unveiled to the media in Lagos, is meant to create a strong corporate brand identity and reorientation for the SIFAX Group. The Group’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, said the brand was transiting to a global market and needed a strong brand identity to compete at that level.

    ”The consensus about our performance and impact on the Nigerian business environment is that we have done very well. With interests across maritime, aviation, haulage and logistics, oil and gas, hospitality, among others, SIFAX Group has carved a unique niche for itself. With various diverse opportunities emerging globally, we felt the need to launch a new identity that signifies our global business intentions and ambitions.

    “This identity, among other reasons, would bring uniformity to our image as a company across all our subsidiaries, improve our service delivery and establish our brand as a force to reckon with in all our areas and countries of operations.”

    The Executive Director, Dr. Phil Ofulue, noted that rebranding is the end-product of the business re-engineering of the company, which was designed to reposition its business practises, processes and procedures for the ultimate satisfaction of the customers.

    While providing insights into the new corporate logo, the Corporate Affairs Manager, SIFAX Group, Mr. Olumuyiwa Akande, said the choice of the bold fonts and colours (orange and grey) conveys the message of a brand that is bold, solid, strong, friendly and determined to meet and exceed customer’s expectations.

    He said: “All the logos (corporate and sub-brands) have been carefully designed to signify our ambitions and the future business plans. The orange colour signifies warmth and friendliness while the grey colour communicates calmness – a brand that is not under pressure. We have implicit belief in our competence, ability and commitment to deliver on our brand promise.

    “The colour scheme of our subsidiary brand logos also communicates their individual brand promise as well. These include trust, authority, professionalism, dependability, determination and organisation, among others. It’s also worthy of mentioning that at the heart of our rebranding strategy is the drive to satisfy the customer.’’

  • ‘How packaging boosts brands’

    Product branding and packaging are important to the success of a brand in the corportae world. In this age of globalisation, there are many brands competing in the market.

    As a result, they have to analyse not only the product but also the manufacturer, brand name, packaging, price and contents.

    Despite the quality, price, content and other aspect in products, brand builders often place great value on the product packaging, described as the first point of appeal to consumers.

    In a consumer report titled: Universite Laval, France Influences of Brand Name and Packaging on Perceived Quality, an expert, Benny Rigaux-Bricmont, said  packaging plays greater role on product quality perception and reputation. As a result, it can be an indicator of product quality.

    “Research has shown the important role of brand names and brand packaging on quality perception. Brand reputation can be either a common surrogate indicator of product quality or an effective strategy to reduce risk when ease of evaluation is low,” he said.

    “Being almost a part of the product, packaging does not only act as a means of communication but may also interact closely with the evaluation of the product itself,” Rigaux-Bricmont said.

    He submitted both brand names and brand packaging influence the consumers’ quality evaluations. “For example, in a study conducted in Michigan, Roberts and Taylor (1975) investigated with mixed results the effects of the visual cue of granule size on ratings of various coffee types. But here, only the first two cues were suspected to be potential troublemakers for the client firm. In a managerial perspective, the finding that-brand and packaging images help the consumer in differentiating the brands, accentuates the importance of the various firms’ marketing efforts, and more particularly, their interdependence,” Rigaux-Bricmont added.

    While many products continue to realise the importance of product packaging across all market categories to survive the dire competition, brand builders are not relenting in sustaining their brand equity as their product lifecycle move from one stage to the other. As a result of the growing competition in the fruit juice market, one of the brands of juice from Chi Limited, Chivita Active, was given a new packaging as part of marketing efforts to strategic makeover to reposition and convey tangible and intangible attributes of the brand to the consumer.

    According to the Managing Director of Chi Limited, Mr. Deepanjan Roy, the new pack is a fresh and new design that is aimed at effectively communicating the core value of Chivita Active as an “active healthy lifestyle” brand to consumers.

    He added that the new pack parades a bold new logo that is refreshingly modern while exuding the core essence of active health. “With rounded contemporary edges and the forward pointing red triangle, the logo emphasises on advancement, achievement and success,” he said.

    “The design is cutting edge. The rich fruit and juice visuals combine perfectly with the simplistic design and colour pallet to reveal a truly sophisticated pack. It is a pack that exudes confidence and fitness and will resonate with those who lead an active lifestyle and are primed to achieve more,” Roy said.

    The pack features a nutritional information on the six citrus fruits mixed together to form the juice while “Fortified with Vitamin C” is positioned on the pack to further identify with the health conscious consumer.

    Further examination of the pack reveals active images on the side panels that urge consumers to embrace the active lifestyle and an inviting motif of fruits and juice splash.

    The brand managers used the package to message contents in the new package and the product variant. “It contains six citric fruit juices and added vitamin C. The citric fruit juices are Orange, Grapefruit, Lime, Tangerine, Lemon and Mandarine,” he said.