Minding the Gap Through Competitive Strategy
Last year, corporate strategists converged on London for the maiden edition of Mind The Gap seminar as put together by alder consulting. Tunmise Adekunle writes on the 2004 package
In July 2003, Nigeria's corporate strategists converged in London with other counterparts from United Kingdom for the maiden edition of Mind The Gap seminar, which was put together by Alder Consulting, Nigeria's first consultancy outfit. Mind the gap is a business executive programme focused on brand progression and marketing strategies. It is a two-in-one programme comprising of a seminar and a networking & business exchange event.
Going by comments from the 2003 experience and the plan for the 2004 the safest to say is that Chief Executive Officers , Strategy & Planning Executives , Brand Managers, Corporate Affairs Executives, Marketing Executives , Sales Executives, Entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the brand building business now have the programme that provides a training programme, that specifically tackles Brand Management issues and takes them to an environment that speaks volume.
What are other benefits? It equips managers and entrepreneurs to function effectively in today's dynamic brand economy through knowledge empowerment. It provides information that turns branding into a wealth creator rather than a cost centre. It provide practical ways to create financial value from branding efforts and to measure such value. It educates managers and entrepreneurs on how successful strategic initiatives of international brands can be adapted for local use.
It prepares managers and entrepreneurs for foreign competition and market sophistication. It educates managers and entrepreneurs on how to create truly distinct products and services beyond marketing initiatives. It helps prevent the gross underutilisation of an organisation's most valuable asset - the brand asset. It explores the possibilities inherent in a networked world.
What about the venue which in corporate parlance is said to make the event? The venue, Hilton London Paddington is situated right at Paddington Station from where Heathrow Airport is just 15 minutes away on the Heathrow Express. There are check-in facilities with all the major airlines at Paddington Station and a 15 minute rail link via the Heathrow Express directly to all terminals at Heathrow Airport.
The calibre of speakers as was revealed by THISDAY last year seemed stand out. For this year are speakers of repute.
Mark Ritson who speaks on Strategic Branding: The Art of War, is Assistant Professor of Marketing at London Business School, where he teaches a number of Executive Education programmes as well as the core MBA Marketing course, and an elective in Brand Management. Having gained his PhD in Marketing from the University of Lancaster, Mark took on a visiting scholar position at Wharton and went on to become an Assistant Professor in Marketing at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. In 2002, he was awarded the Best Teacher prize at London Business School.
Mark's whose research is based around advertising and branding has researched on subject for numerous press articles including coverage in the Observer, FT, Daily Mail, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and BBC TV's Newsnight.
Mark has worked as a consultant all over the world for a number of leading global clients in the area of brand management. These clients include Adidas, McKinsey, Aviva, ABN AMRO, Marks & Spencer, Land Rover, Benetton, Bank of Ireland, HSBC, Ericsson, Legal and General, Sodexho, Roche and 3M. He currently consults with LVMH in Paris on luxury brands.
Pranesh Misra who talks on Strategic Growth through Corporate and Product Branding is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Lowe India. He obtained an MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and has over 25 years experience in communication, marketing, marketing research, brand planning and international client management.
As head of the Market Research division of Lowe during the mid 1980s, he initiated VALS research and Ad Tracking in India and launched several innovative financial products.
As Lowe's International Client Director (Asia) on Unilever, responsible for leading eight Regional Advertising Centres across Asia he has garnered a diverse category of experience ranging from FMCG, banks, insurance to oil & gas, automotives, mobile telephony and internet connectivity.
He took over as the Head of Lowe India in January, 2003.
Judy Everett who comes up with Alternative Brand Marketing & Unconventional Strategies is part of the Shell Group's Corporate Identity (C I) team with responsibility for managing global advertising. The C I programme was launched in 1999 to respond to the changes in society's expectations of multinational companies. The programme aims to proactively engage with Shell's special public audiences on a wide range of important issues such as business performance, climate change, biodiversity, economic progress and human rights. Within Shell, Judy has also been VP External Affairs for Shell Renewables, where she covered all aspects of communication to both external and internal audiences; and Brand & Communications Manager for the company's marketing operation in Oman. Prior to joining Shell, Judy was Business Development Manager for Scottish Enterprise, an economic development agency, where she initiated projects on tele-commuting, developed a high street outlet for career advice and training, and worked with local companies to help diversify the region's economic base from oil and gas. She is an International Relations graduate, and holds an MBA from Edinburgh University.
Bode Agusto is an acknowledged authority on issues of economic import speaks on: The Global Brand Economy: Implications for Business Strategy.
He was appointed as Director General, Budget to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2003. Bode Agusto was a Partner in PriceWaterhouse before founding Agusto & Co Limited, the first Credit Rating Agency licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in Nigeria. The corporation is engaged in economic research within and outside Nigeria, credit risk management and credit ratings. An accountant by training (with a merit award in the qualifying exams to boot), Bode was once the Assistant Vice President, Citibank, Nigeria and has consulted professionally in Lagos and London.
He has a very sound knowledge of the Nigerian economy and her key industries and is a Faculty member of Lagos Business School. He was invested as a Member of the Order of Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) for his contributions to the Nigerian economy.
Catherine Shovlin who has an impressive track record in market analysis, market research, marketing communications and brand & sales development will present a paper on CompetitiveAdvantage through Customer Satisfaction . Her speaking engagements have taken her to over 35 countries across 4 continents (Asia, America, Europe and Africa) including South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Jamaica, Mexico, Czech Republic, France and Germany.
She has worked with Shell on leadership programmes, change management, loyalty programmes, internal communications and retail, and led the first Shell trans-national launch of automotive oil across South America. She has also worked successfully on brand development, two way communication strategy and developed the "voice of the consumer" (a global team of market researchers) and is focused on corporate profitability and sustainable competitive advantage.
Andy Rice, a brand architect is one of South Africa's foremost brand consultants. He has worked extensively on the evolution of branding strategy as a business discipline in South Africa. He was strategic planning director of Ogilvy and Mather in Johannesburg prior to co-founding Yellowwood Brand Architects in 1997. Yellowwood is a renowned independent strategic consultancy in South Africa, with a client list that includes multinationals such as Coca-Cola, SABMiller, KPMG, Unilever, DaimlerChrysler, BP, Revlon, Tiscali and Bridgestone-Firestone.
Andy speaks regularly at conferences and seminars. He is Chairman of the 2004 Apex Awards for advertising effectiveness, and is on the judging panels of the PRISM awards for public relations excellence, as well as the Financial Mail's AdFocus agency ranking programme.
The last but not the least of the speakers is Leke Alder, conceptual theorist who speaks on Brand Economics and The Soul of Business. Strangely, Leke Alder has a background in Law. He qualified as a lawyer in 1986. He is Principal of Alder Consulting, an image consulting firm focused on progression of ideas, nationstates and brands. Alder consults for the leading lights in the financial services industry as well as leading organisations in oil & gas, telecoms, IT and professional services. Alder Consulting has rendered services to Conoco, SAP, Econet Wireless, Bond Bank, First Bank (Nigeria's largest bank) as well as the British High Commission and the Italian Embassy.
The company pioneered a number of initiatives in Nigeria including the first ever industry wide brand research as well as the first ever brand awards in Nigeria. The Alder Brand Report is used in a number of corporations for formulating and focusing brand strategies, fine-tuning corporate positioning and crafting marketing and business plans. He has delivered concept papers at seminars and international conferences, and recently authored The Wealth of Modern Nations: Branding as national wealth builder, and Nigeria_ A Sigh in the Dark! - an analysis of Nigeria's challenges and presentation of a definitive roadmap for progress.
There will also be an exposure to The Brand Council and its opportunities, which is an international and independent authority on branding. It promotes branding as a discipline and pays tribute to exceptional consumer and business brands around the world. The Brand Council publishes highly respected books including Consumer Superbrands, Business Superbrands and Cool BrandLeaders. These books are widely accepted around the world and contain a listing of brands that have been granted Superbrand and Brandleader status by Independent Marketing experts. The publication also provides information about brand history, values, achievements, communications and future direction.
Feedback from participants of the 2003 edition says a lot about the calibre of the participants and the benefits of the seminar
Simon Knox, Professor of Brand Marketing, Cranfield University School of Management, UK says" I like your open warm approach and I would be happy to work with you again".
Catherine Shovlin, Customer Interpreter, UK says
"What a great group - I've never seen such warmth and enthusiasm. I really enjoyed my time with your organisation and the other delegates and their amazing enthusiasm. I'm a convert to the Nigerian way! Well done to all of you at Alder for organising such a lively and stimulating event".
Andrew Fasedemi, MD, Wisdom Group, South Africa says
"I have been to a lot of seminars and a lot of international conferences, I have been in conferences in South America, I have been in conferences in England, in Europe. This one was phenomenal for me. It was really great - the quality of the speakers and the diversity of the speakers was absolutely balanced, and you had the guys who were technocrats.
THISDAY Newspaper, August 16, 2003, page 30 wrote:
"It was not the first brand-related seminar that was ever held but the participants were unanimous that it was different especially in depth. At the end of the seminar, participants were unanimous that it was worthwhile.
Victor Etuokwu, Access Bank Plc, Nigeria said
"Thank you for putting together an epochal event".
Dotun Olakunri, MD, Speakezee, Nigeria says
"The seminar was fantastic. It was exactly what it was meant to be. It was not only worth the cost, the participants actually underpaid for the seminar. I believe we should actually have paid more for the seminar".
Dapo Odojukan, MD, Rosaab Industrial Design Ltd, Nigeria
"The seminar was extremely enlightening and fulfilling. The depth and power of branding was exposed like I had never realised before. I must commend you for the professional and qualitative content of the programme. Hopefully participants will form the nucleus of a brand-focused revolution in our country".
Arinola Adeniyi, MD, Venivici, Nigeria
"Wow, that was truly a successful outing.Thanks for being so passionate about progression. I'm happy that I was part of it. I believe that it might even become bi-annual, so if you miss one diet, you would be part of the other.Well done".
Sola Akinnagbe, MD, Market Research Consultancy, Nigeria
"The seminar was very illuminating and interesting. What I can see from this is that there are big opportunities for brands in Nigeria".
Bili Odum, Company Secretary/Legal Advisor, Kakawa Discount House Ltd, Nigeria
"I would say, 'Well done!' Seminar organisation was commendable. The facilitators had the requisite knowledge and experience; and were brilliant in the delivery of their presentations. The speakers were excellent.
I came away with the unmistakable impression that value had been promised and value was delivered. I would not forget the brilliance of the presentations".
Jeremy Weate, Philips Consulting, Nigeria
"I only had time to attend the saturday event but this was enough to convince me that things are going to change for the better in Nigeria. There is a need for a regular programme of networking events like the saturday session in the near future".
Babawande A. Majekodunmi, Royal Trust Community Bank, Nigeria
"It was a mind blowing experience in such a short period of time. My business will never be the same. I like the quality of the resource people and the Nigerian professionals in attendance. They represent the kind of people I need in my future.
The speakers were masters in their chosen areas. They displayed uncommon competence in their various/unique methods of delivery. Thank you for the opportunity to attend such a wonderfully planned and executed seminar".
Uzoma Okoye, MD, Etu Odi Design, UK
"The calibre of the people that attended was remarkable. The standard and the organisation was second to none. And most of the passion that exuded from the organisers and the participants was enough to inspire anyone. I was very impressed with what I saw and hope that it becomes a regular event".
Elizabeth Irabor, Business Manager, Wema Bank Plc, Nigeria
"I liked the impartation of knowledge - it will have great impact on my job and personal life.The speakers were great particularly Catherine Shovlin. I would love to be part of the follow up on the seminar.
It is highly believed that the 2004 edition will also do more than just a seminar .
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