2021 AMC Relaunch Press Release
COVID-19 crisis demands renewed collaboration between african marketing professionals.
CORPORATE MILESTONES
FMCG giant Tiger Brands celebrates a muted centenary year in 2021
By our News Team | 2021
It’s 100 years since the company began as a small family owned business in downtown Johannesburg. But African expansion hasn’t been easy.
Tiger Brands, the well-known South African-based FMCG giant, is celebrating its centenary this year, meaning it joins the ranks of some the country’s oldest surviving businesses.
Among its brands that have resonated with consumers in its home market and elsewhere in Africa are Black Cat peanut butter, Jungle Oats and Koo canned food products.
“We are humbled that, through our brands, well-entrenched in the fabric of South African society, we have been part of special and memorable events in the lives of so many South Africans over a hundred years,” said CEO Noel Doyle.
“As we start our next century, we look forward to being part of many more of these moments across South Africa and into Africa.”
Tiger Brands began its journey as a small family-owned business in 1921, based in Newtown, Johannesburg. In 1925 the company, then known as Tiger Oats Limited, launched a breakfast oatmeal brand called Jungle Oats which featured the iconic tiger in the grass logo.
Tiger Brands logo via Wikipedia
In the decades to follow, Tiger Brands grew through acquisitions and clustering of businesses that cover food, home and personal care brands to become one of Africa’s largest listed manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods. Several of the company’s iconic brands have been in existence for close to a century or more.
The roar has diminished recently
More recent years, however, have seen Tiger’s roar diminish somewhat – as the publication Biznews recently explained.
“Comparing Tiger Brands 2021 numbers to 2016’s paints a bleak picture. Revenue is slightly lower but, more alarmingly, headline earnings per share – the company’s primary measure of performance – is down by around 50%. Although Tiger Brands spun off its 42% stake in Oceana during the period under review, not being able to grow its topline over a five-year period leaves much to ponder. But where did it all go wrong?”
Biznews continues: “Management decided to embark on an African growth story. Many of the management teams on the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange), in various industries, had a similar idea. Nigeria was an attractive jurisdiction with the country’s high growth rates. In 2011, Tiger Brands bought a 49% minority stake in UAC Foods and, in 2012, a 65.7% stake in Dangote Industries; both Nigerian-based businesses.
“Many JSE-listed counters have lost money in Africa and Tiger Brands is no exception. The stakes of both businesses have since been sold. During this time, management’s focus on growth led to a steady decline in its brands, which have continued to lose market share over the past few years.”
Social media marketing
Study of sports industry in 2021 says Nike leveraged a massive 16 236 commercial partners on social media to produce US$617m in ad value.
Brand Purpose
Prominent fund manager believes the focus is excessive and a factor in Unilever’s poor business performance last year.
Shopper Behaviour
As Africa’s retail landscape shifts in due to the pandemic, festive season shopper research provides new insights.
Advertising
Corporate banker Rand Merchant Bank confirms Grey as its new creative agency as it seeks to ‘energise’ and ‘bring life’ to the brand.
Purpose-led Marketing
Do consumers care how a company behaves, if the product and price is right? Research shows they do favour brands with a social purpose.
Doing Business
Business confidence amongst South African small business owners was decidedly low towards the end of 2021, after a notable increase in the second quarter of last year.
Online Meetings
Pitching a new campaign to a client, or a revised strategy to management, is stress-inducing. Doing it online has added a new dimension.
Consumer Trends
Report reveals the key themes businesses must understand to keep pace with rapidly evolving consumer preferences around the world.
Media Strategy
Marketers wanting to target TV audiences in two Portuguese-speaking African countries now have two new options to consider.
App-based Marketing
It started as a messaging app for connecting families, friends and social groups. Now WhatsApp is an effective marketing tool in Africa.
Reputation Management
Consumer watchdog believes some fashion brands may be making misleading claims about environmental credentials in their marketing.