Half an hour with Yvonne Diogo

Marketers across every brand and consumer market are trading in a very challenging business environment, says Yvonne Diogo, GM: promotions & trade marketing for Ster-Kinekor Theatres. Not only is there commercial pressure such as heightened demand for return on investment, but South Africa also has certain socioeconomic issues to contend with, she says.

While brands have to communicate a commercial message to a target market, they cannot be disconnected from people’s real daily lives.

“Every market has its own challenges. Brands targeting the youth market have to consider the unemployment rate, school dropout rates, unaffordable education, declining education standards, and so on – brands must realise they’re operating within an environment that is beset by these social issues and that growth markets are not necessarily affluent,” says Diogo.

Social media has had a profound impact on the marketing landscape and it makes authentic brand messages non-negotiable. The fact that lead times for advertising campaigns are getting shorter requires greater operating flexibility from everyone involved. It’s still important to plan, but brands must use technology and constantly evaluate their operational effectiveness to ensure their campaigns have maximum impact. Retailers, for example, should be combating dips in sales by adjusting quickly and going to market with promotions and specials – but they need agility from their agencies and media channels to do this.

The current environment offers opportunities for marketers. One of these is “talkability” across media platforms, she says. The cornerstone of a campaign idea should not be the creative alone, but rather the execution that will drive content across the various platforms.

Diogo stresses the importance of Generation Z – including their eight-second attention span. While she cautions against “dumbing down” messages for this market, time is of the essence and so the value propositions must cut to the chase as quickly as possible for maximum impact and emotional connections.

Authenticity, too, goes a long way. Don’t make promises that you can’t deliver, she says. “What consumers value above all else is the relationship they can form with a brand, which is why those that are seen to do good and give consumers and communities what they need are far better received than those that simply push product.”

The big take-out: The current market is one where there are new challenges, great opportunities and a need for an authentic, integrated approach, says Yvonne Diogo, GM: promotions & trade marketing for Ster-Kinekor Theatres.