Marketing Brands in Africa
Perspectives on the Evolution of Branding in an Emerging Market
- 2021
- Book
- Editor
- Samuelson Appau
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
About this book
This contributed volume serves as an authoritative reference and guide for anyone looking to study or build a brand in Africa. Despite being touted as the ‘last frontier’ of global brands, very little research exists that examines brands and branding in this emerging market. Authors cover crucial topics such as the history of branding in Africa, branding approaches used by start-ups, religious organizations, political parties, and businesses in the informal economies of Africa, as well as marketing Africa as a brand using practical cases, empirical and critical approaches.
With the world’s youngest population and the second-fastest growing economies, Africa has quickly become a hotbed for marketing and consumption of local and global brands. While past research has mostly focused on examining the brand image of Africa and African countries, or on branding Africa as a place for tourist consumption, what is missing is a comprehensive guide that discusses the theory and practice of branding and brands in and from Africa.
Through theoretical and practical contributions, the authors of this book seek to fill the knowledge gap about branding in and from Africa.
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Table of Contents
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Frontmatter
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Chapter 1. On the Practice and Theory of Marketing Brands in Africa
Samuelson AppauThis chapter delves into the rich history of branding in Africa, tracing its origins from ancient civilizations to the modern era. It highlights how branding practices evolved in Africa prior to European colonialism, showcasing a thriving economy and successful trade. The chapter then explores how colonialism brought about significant changes, leading to the replacement of local African brands with European ones. This shift has persisted to the present day, with many of Africa's most popular and valuable brands being non-African. The chapter also discusses the motivations behind the recent interest of Western brands in African markets and the threats this poses to the success of indigenous African brands. By providing a detailed historical context, the chapter offers valuable insights into the evolution of branding in Africa and the challenges faced by local brands in a globalized market.AI Generated
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AbstractThere is a dearth of research that seeks to examine and contribute to branding in Africa. In this introductory chapter to the book, Marketing Brands in Africa—Perspectives on the Evolution of Branding in an Emerging Market, the editor explains why we should study branding in Africa. The chapter also provides a summary of the chapters in this edited volume. -
Chapter 2. The History and Evolution of Branding in Africa
Slađana StarčevićThis chapter delves into the rich history of branding in Africa, starting from the prehistoric period where branding was evident in symbols and rock art, through the ancient civilizations like Egypt where branding practices such as livestock branding and pottery marking originated. It then explores the middle ages, highlighting the influence of Islamic and European cultures on African branding practices. The colonial era is discussed, emphasizing the shift in branding due to European influence and the impact of slavery. The chapter concludes by examining the current challenges faced by African brands in the global market, providing a detailed and engaging narrative that arouses interest in the full chapter.AI Generated
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AbstractThe African continent has a long history of branding, which has so far been scarcely documented. The aim of this chapter is to explore the history of branding in Africa from the prehistoric period until the modern day. The first traces of branding in Africa date back to the prehistoric period. However, ancient Egyptian civilisation was the first one to initiate numerous activities similar to contemporary branding: property marking, product differentiation, showcasing of product identity and origin, as well as personal branding. The history of branding was influenced by the mutual contact of old civilisations. Due to a lack of written sources, there is little evidence on the further development of branding in Africa in the middle ages. However, the impact of other civilisations is recorded, thanks to the developed maritime trade routes. During the colonial period, African states largely did not continue to develop their history of branding. Under the influence of colonial policies, they mostly produced raw materials while at the same time they imported foreign finished goods. Today, many African countries are a potential market for multinational companies. Compared to the local African brands, foreign brands take up a significantly higher market share and popularity with the local population. -
Practical Perspectives
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Frontmatter
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Chapter 3. Branding Start-Ups in Africa: A Conversation with Sydney Scott Sam
Sydney Scott Sam, Samuelson AppauThe chapter delves into the rapid growth of start-ups in Africa, driven by factors such as increased entrepreneurship recognition, financial inclusion, and digital boom. It discusses the key hotspots for start-up activity, including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, and highlights the dominant sectors such as fintech, agritech, and retail. Sydney Scott Sam, founder of Workspace Global, shares his insights on the importance of branding for start-ups in Africa, emphasizing the need for professional help, customer-centric approaches, and authenticity. The chapter also provides case studies of successful African start-ups like HomemedGh and Caveman Watches, showcasing effective branding strategies. Sam reflects on his own journey, highlighting the importance of defining a business purpose and the evolution of branding strategies over time.AI Generated
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AbstractSydney Scott Sam is the founder of Workspace Global, a Ghana-based tech-oriented brand communications company and a 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 successful entrepreneur in Africa. He is a branding expert who focuses on start-ups and entrepreneurs. In this interview, Sydney discusses the prospects of Africa’s start-up space, current start-up branding approaches, success stories and offers concrete advise for African start-ups to build and grow their brands to become global success stories while staying authentic to their African roots. -
Chapter 4. Sustainability Marketing and African University Brands: The Case of the University of Ghana
Ebenezer Asare Effah, Robert E. HinsonThe chapter examines the integration of sustainability marketing (SM) in the University of Ghana, focusing on its institutional framework, benefits, and challenges. It discusses the multi-faceted nature of universities and their role in sustainable development, emphasizing the need for effective SM strategies. The study identifies key advantages such as enhanced reputation and stakeholder satisfaction, while also highlighting constraints like lack of resources and management commitment. By offering a comprehensive analysis, the chapter provides valuable insights into the practical application of SM in higher education institutions.AI Generated
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AbstractSustainable business practices are now a non-negotiable way of conducting business globally. We set out in this chapter to investigate sustainability marketing practices in Ghana’s oldest University given the fact that universities around the world are striving to forge symbiotic relationships with their numerous stakeholder constituents for survival and growth. We employed a qualitative research approach to examine sustainability marketing practice in Ghana, using University of Ghana (UG) as a case study. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with key administrators of the university who were selected purposively to address the research objectives. This was complemented with a review of documented secondary information sourced from UG. Thematic analysis was employed in analyzing data collected. Findings of the study indicate that UG has operational structures in place that enable the implementation of Sustainability Marketing. Notwithstanding the numerous benefits associated with it, the study identified several challenges that the UG brand needs to surmount for effective implementation of its SM programmes. -
Chapter 5. Marketing Oil and Gas Brands in Africa
Riverson OppongThe chapter delves into the significant role of the oil and gas industry in Africa's economic growth, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities faced by energy companies. It explores the concept of branding in the oil and gas sector, emphasizing the importance of corporate ideology and customer communication. The chapter also discusses the shift towards sustainable practices and the use of branding to mitigate negative perceptions. It provides case studies of successful branding strategies employed by companies like Springfield, Sonangol, and Eni, showcasing the impact of brand social responsibility, customer-brand relationships, and brand identity building. The conclusion underscores the need for a new philosophy of doing business, emphasizing the strategic importance of branding in transforming energy companies into consumer-centric and transparent entities.AI Generated
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AbstractThe oil and gas sector is one of the most important industries in many African economies. Businesses in this space vary in size and operations but they all face the challenge of negative brand image due to the controversial nature of their operations, notably their impact on the natural environment. How can oil and gas businesses use branding to negotiate these negative images and engender brand appeal in a competitive but controversial market? This chapter addresses this question by examining how some oil and gas brands build and market their brands in Africa and advocate more strategic effort in this regard. -
Chapter 6. Branding and Marketing Nigerian Churches on Social Media
Oluwadamilola Blessing AyeniThis chapter examines the branding and marketing strategies of Nigerian churches, focusing on the use of social media platforms. It discusses how churches adopt secular branding approaches to promote their messages and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their online presence. The chapter provides a detailed analysis of various social media channels used by churches, such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, and how they engage with their audience. It also highlights the challenges and opportunities that come with marketing religious organizations in the digital age.AI Generated
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AbstractThe overall thrust of this chapter is to explore promotional approaches and practices of religious organisations, more specifically, how churches adopt social media to foster brand engagement and brand promotion. Based on a descriptive content analysis of five digitally driven churches located in Nigeria, this chapter demonstrates how churches can sustain their place in the community through brand promotion and particular communication practices. This is achieved by incorporating several social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, mobile apps, Instagram, and Twitter in church promotion. These practices enable churches to fully achieve their goals whilst attaining member needs for spirituality and community. This chapter supports the premise that churches are brands that should consistently and continually seek to adopt better marketing and communication approaches to meet the ever-changing needs of their religious consumers. -
Chapter 7. Political Party Brand Management in Ghana
Kobby MensahThis chapter delves into the intricate strategies employed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana to rebrand itself and appeal to a broader electorate. It analyzes how the party adapted its leadership behavior, communication strategies, and policy positions to shift its image from one of elitism and tribalism to a more inclusive and democratic brand. The NPP's efforts to focus on social justice policies, promote reconciliation, and leverage historic ties are highlighted as key factors in its successful rebranding. The chapter also discusses the challenges faced during this process and the potential criticisms that could arise from such strategic shifts. Overall, it provides a detailed and engaging exploration of political brand management, making it a must-read for those interested in understanding the complexities of political rebranding.AI Generated
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AbstractGhana’s political brands are maturing with its democracy along the lines of global practices. Emerging evidence suggest that political parties in Ghana are managing political brands architecture of party, candidate and policy brands in a far more sophisticated manner in order to meet the growing complexities of the political market. This chapter focuses on the party brand, where the traditional approach has been that ideology is at the centre, has given way to a modernised party brand responsive to contemporary voter needs. The modernised party brand also reflects the needs of other electorally relevant stakeholders. Using in-depth interviews of party officials, media analysts and academics in the subject area, the chapter looks at how the case party in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party, adapted its ideological positions to issues, and in the process moved into and took ownership of the policy terrain of its competitor party. The party used its heritage and ideological identity as anchor to underpin its engagement on democracy and good governance and deliberately reduced its voice on hard core neoliberal economic policies. In addition, internal discipline was enforced as means to regulate leadership attitude, behaviour and communication in order to steer a shift towards the centre of the Ghanaian political market.
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Critical Perspectives
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Frontmatter
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Chapter 8. A Brand Named ‘Shatta’: Self-Branding in Global Enterprise Culture
Samuel K. BonsuThe chapter delves into the concept of self-branding in the context of global enterprise culture, using the case study of Shatta Wale, a Ghanaian musician. It explores how Shatta Wale transformed himself into a marketable brand, leveraging cultural meanings and images to create a highly dramatized representation of reality. The text discusses the economic and cultural implications of self-branding, highlighting how Shatta Wale has used controversy and spectacle to build his brand and achieve significant financial success. The analysis also touches on the globalization of enterprise culture and the unique challenges faced by non-Western actors in this context. The chapter offers insights into the complex strategies employed by Shatta Wale to manage his public image and maintain a coherent brand identity across diverse markets.AI Generated
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AbstractContemporary capitalism has facilitated a blurring between culture and the economy and between the self and the market. The self can now be branded, marketed and consumed in the marketplace like a commodity as punctuated by the rise of influencers and internet celebrities. Whiles there is a growing discourse about self-branding in Western consumer culture, less is known about how self-brain is enacted in non-Western contexts. This chapter examines the self-branding practice of one of Ghana and Africa’s biggest artistes, Shatta Wale, and how he creates and communicates his ‘Shatta’ brand through spectacularization. Contrary to assertions in prior research, by maintaining a consistent dissonance between his brand and person, Shatta achieves self-brand authenticity as real and genuine. -
Chapter 9. Using Local Culture in Brand Positioning and Communication
Marian MakkarThe chapter delves into the role of branding as commercial storytelling, emphasizing the importance of local culture in creating compelling brand narratives. It explores how global brands can adapt to local markets by understanding and incorporating cultural nuances, using Egypt as a case study. The text highlights four key directions for leveraging local culture in branding: embracing a local brand identity, telling compelling stories, integrating symbolic identity markers, and mobilizing key local institutional players. Additionally, it discusses the potential challenges and ethical considerations of cultural branding, including the importance of authenticity and the risks of cultural insensitivity. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for brands to engage with culture thoughtfully and responsibly, acknowledging the dynamic and evolving nature of cultural meanings.AI Generated
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AbstractBranding is storytelling and great brands are those that tell emotive and compelling stories that reinforce or challenge cultural norms and practices. The author examines how businesses in North Africa can leverage relevant local cultural narratives to develop their brand positioning and communication. -
Chapter 10. Unbranded: The Challenges of Branding for Africa’s Informal Economy
Tendai ChikwecheUnbranded: The Challenges of Branding for Africa’s Informal Economy delves into the intricate dynamics of branding within Africa's informal sector, a crucial yet often overlooked economic space. The chapter underscores the significance of the informal economy in shaping consumer behavior and branding strategies, highlighting the complexities and opportunities that marketers must navigate. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for effective brand building in this context, emphasizing the need for innovative and context-responsive strategies. The chapter also explores the role of digital transformation and social media in enhancing brand visibility and consumer engagement within the informal economy. By offering a detailed analysis of the informal economy's characteristics and the stakeholders involved, the chapter presents a unique perspective that sets it apart from conventional branding studies focused on formal markets.AI Generated
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AbstractThe informal economy’s importance in Africa is demonstrated by its significant contribution to the national economies of countries across the continent where informality is more of the rule than exception (ILO, 2020b). According to the International Labour Organization, the informal economy in Africa accounts for about 60–80% of employment on the continent. There are various actors in the informal economy inclusive of micro-enterprises that act as channels for distribution of branded and unbranded products. This creates a foundation for a better understanding of branding in the informal sector in terms of challenges and benefits, missed opportunities and prospects to develop a roadmap that can be used to accelerate and improve brand building in the informal economy in Africa. -
Chapter 11. Africa Is Not a Country: Rebranding and Repositioning Africa as a Continent
Emmanuel MogajiThis chapter delves into the complex branding challenges and opportunities for Africa as a continent. It begins by examining the historical context that has shaped Africa’s perception as a brand, highlighting the impact of colonialism and the resulting economic and political challenges. The chapter then identifies key stakeholders, including governments, media, and technology, and their roles in shaping the African brand. It also discusses the potential for a reputable African brand, drawing on examples such as Rwanda’s successful rebranding efforts. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to rebranding Africa, involving various stakeholders and leveraging the power of technology and media to change the global perception of the continent.AI Generated
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AbstractWhat comes to mind when you hear about Africa? Not surprised most people perceive Africa as a country, oblivious to the fact it is made up of several sovereign nations. The prevalent perception about Africa is that of poverty, war, pestilence, and primitivity. However, with many opportunities being presented about the continent, especially its impending contribution to the global economy there is a need to question whether the prevalent perception is accurate and if not, how to ensure that the opinions and thinking the rest of the world has of Africa and her countries needs to be changed. In this regard, this chapter aims to discuss Africa’s context as a brand and recognise the inherent challenges and the existing perception that has shaped the brand. This chapter contributes to existing knowledge on place branding, especially from a continent perspective and presents practical implications relevant for practitioners, policymakers and place branding researchers.
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Backmatter
- Title
- Marketing Brands in Africa
- Editor
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Samuelson Appau
- Copyright Year
- 2021
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
- Electronic ISBN
- 978-3-030-77204-8
- Print ISBN
- 978-3-030-77203-1
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77204-8
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