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FROM THE EDITOR
The innovators strategicmarketingAFRICA
who are the future
PUBLISHING
of Africa Mike Simpson Media on behalf of the
A S WE PUBLISH OUR LAST ISSUE African Marketing Confederation (AMC)
of Strategic Marketing Africa for succeeded admirably and has kept his eyes on Publishing Project Manager
2016, we look back on a busy and, a wider horizon by taking Queens of Africa to Jeanette Simpson
at times, tumultuous year for the continent the US and other markets. We wish him well. Tel + 27 11 609 9222
and its marketers. Email strategicmarketing@imm.co.za
In our previous issue (Issue 3 2016) we jeanette@mikesimpsonmedia.co.za
Obviously the slowing economies in many learned about Peter Kariuki and Nash Barret
– but fortunately not all – African countries from Rwanda, who have created an Uber-like EDITORIAL
have been headline-grabbers. But, for me, motorcycle taxi service that’s designed for Editor Mike Simpson
one of the things that keeps shining through local circumstances. The pair market their Email mike@mikesimpsonmedia.co.za
is the number of good news stories we can business on the basis of providing safe travel Art Director Tamlin Lockhart
continue to tell in this magazine. for customers in an industry not known for
maintaining safety standards. PRODUCTION
It’s not that we deliberately set out to Reproduction Tamlin Lockhart
portray everything in a good light. Far from Issue 2 2016 saw us getting acquainted Printing Business Print
it; effective marketing requires an honest with Uganda’s Yunus Masaba, who had Digital Edition AMC
appraisal of both the positives and negatives another innovative transport concept.
of any situation, and we’ve always tried to Realising that online shopping businesses ADVERTISING
keep that in mind when putting our editorial needed a more reliable way to deliver their Barbara Spence
content together. orders to customers, he founded Transporter Avenue Advertising
Corporation and today has extended the Tel +27 11 463 7940
We’ve been able to highlight so many brand into a number of related fields such as Mobile +27 82 881 3454
entrepreneurs who, despite numerous obsta- restaurant and supermarket home deliveries, Email barbara@avenue.co.za
cles, have come up with innovative products as well as an upmarket chauffeur service.
and clever ways to market them to customers. AFRICAN MARKETING
Botswana’s dynamic ‘One’ Modisane (see pg 26 In our first issue of 2016 we profiled another CONFEDERATION
of this issue) is an example. Where many people Ugandan, Alpesh Patel, the man behind Helen McIntee (President)
would have been disheartened after stumbling Africa’s first branded phone for Africans, Gillian Rusike (Secretary-General)
at the first hurdle, she’s persevered and cleverly Mi-Fone. Patel made a fortune in mobile Ganiyu Adesegun Koledoye (NIMN)
marketed a product that seems set go further telephony, lost it, and then made another. Ruth Ncube (MAZ)
afield than Gaborone. Savvy social media marketing has been a key Mapesa Musongole (ZIM)
part of his success. Shola Safo-Duodu (CIMG)
Africa to the world Maggie Ireri (MSK)
The message is: tough economic times or Nigel Tattersall (IMM)
Someone who has gone much further than not, Africa has many innovators and they will Khalid Baddou (AMMC)
his home market is Taofick Okoya (see pg 24). be our future. We salute them! Cyril Nicolas (IOMA)
Just getting his idea of an ethnic doll to take
off in Nigeria seemed a herculean task. But he Please enjoy, AMC CONTACT DETAILS
Atlas Studios, 33 Frost Ave
Mike Simpson (cnr Owl Street), Braamfontein
Werf, Johannesburg; PO Box 91820,
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Auckland Park, South Africa 2006
Tel +27 11 628 2000
Addis Alemayehou; Cara Bouwer; Gaye Crossley; Penny Haw; Tendai Maguwu; Helen McIntee; One Email info@africanmc.org
Modisane; Tielman Niewoudt; Mike Simpson; Stafford Thomas; Monique Verduyn; Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania, USA; Ailsa Wingfield; Fiona Zerbst IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana
Indian Ocean Marketing Association
Marketing Society of Kenya
Moroccan Association of Marketing
and Communication
National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria
Institute of Marketing Management,
South Africa
Zambia Institute of Marketing
Marketers Association Zimbabwe
Brought to you by the African Marketing
Confederation, Strategic Marketing Africa
reflects an unbiased perspective of African
and international marketing trends and
opinion without compromise, courageously
and coherently.
4 strategicmarketingafrica Issue 4 2016
