Page 19 - Strategic Marketing Complete

MEET THE CMO

Marketers must live their

brand positioning

South africa’s banking but then we change this and change that it’s a brand journey that is still
sector is facing that to get it almost to the lowest very much a work in progress. “Many
common denominator because we’re
people feel that money is the root of
significant disruption trying to manage our margins. There all evil and that they can’t manage
from new technologies, is a gap between expectation and their money. But, fundamentally,
money well managed can make a
reality. The minute we close that
changing consumer gap, the banking industry will be in real impact on lives. We are trying
habits, and aggressive a much better place.” to say to consumers that at Nedbank
we will help you to achieve that.
newcomers. perhaps A career marketer with experience
innovative marketing in sectors such as alcoholic “That’s our proposition. But to be
beverages, tea, skin care and
honest we’re not living it at the
is the answer. Mike telecoms, 39-year-old Nobanda moment in the way we should. We
Simpson chats to made her first foray into banking have to challenge ourselves about
Nedbank’s Khensani in September last year when she what it is that we’re offering people
to help them see money differently.”
joined Nedbank as Executive Head
Nobanda. of Group Marketing. Barely eight Nobanda views her role as helping
months later she was promoted to the organisation to live its purpose
s South Africa’s traditional her current role, which also includes and wants to be seen as the “soul
‘big four’ banks struggle to responsibility for transformation and anchor” of what Nedbank is
meet the challenges being and corporate affairs. as a business and a brand. She

sometimes in banks we end up being driven by the
numbers. it’s important, but at the heart of it we should

think about why we do what we do.

posed by multiple disruptors – Although a relative newcomer to explains that there’s a massive
ranging from upstart Capitec to the the banking space, she clearly has culture change, and innovation drive
digital-only branchless offering strong opinions about the way underway within the organisation.
of TymeDigital and the impending the traditional big players – FNB, How those dots are connected,
launch of Discovery Bank – there Absa, Standard Bank and Nedbank and relevant ideas implemented
is one key strategy that the banks’ – operate, market themselves and will determine how well the brand
marketing teams should follow. They interact with customers. proposition is understood and
need to live their brand positioning. accepted by the market.
Khensani Nobanda, Group Executive: “Sometimes in banks we end up
Marketing and Corporate Affairs being driven by the numbers. It’s She declines to be drawn on the
at Nedbank, believes the biggest important, but at the heart of it we merits of Absa’s Africanacity
reason banks tend to be mistrusted should think about why we do what positioning, but describes it as a
and poorly perceived by consumers we do. Whatever your positioning is, “bold” thought. “As marketeers in
is the gap between what they you have to live it. It applies to Absa South Africa we are not being bold
promise and what they deliver. with its new ‘Africanacity’ positioning enough. We need to have more
and it applies to Nedbank and impact. There’s also a lack of depth
“The problem is that the things everyone else too,” she states. and substance. I believe we have lost
we promise [as an industry] … this depth over the past few years.”
beautiful, creative advertising … are Nedbank’s positioning of ‘See
not always delivered on,” she says. money differently’ was unveiled in Challenges and opportunities
“We work on a great proposition, early 2017 and Nobanda believes Apart from the seeming inability

Strategic Marketing - p17