
US pizza chain Papa John’s makes first foray into Central Africa
Brand debuts in the DRC with an outlet in Kinshasa, complementing its existing African presence in Kenya, Egypt and Morocco.
EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
By our News Team | 2021
Nigerian agency boss discusses the need to see beyond the experiential marketing space in ‘the age of the new normal’.
“I think there’s always an opportunity for the experiential industry. However, there’s reason to engage the market in a new way. This is because, along the way, some competitive advantages are going to wane and new ones will evolve,” Victor Afolabi, founder of a Nigerian experiential marketing agency GDM Group, has told Marketing Edge, Nigeria
Photo by GDM Group
Afolabi takes a look at the practice and challenges of the experiential marketing business in the age of the new normal, a recessionary Nigerian economy, and the future.
“Today we have a recession, which has a direct impact on the kind of industry which we have. This is more about creating connectivity, engagements and one-on-one contact with people. It is about creating and involving people’s senses through what I call ‘senspiration’ engagements.
“However, there are opportunities which speak to the core of our activities. Two things will definitely exist: brands and her customers. Brands will definitely want to continue to engage with their consumers,” he says.
Key factors that will underpin experiential marketing
“The key factor is creativity. We ourselves need to be creative and employ technology. We also need to understand and create deeper engagement with our consumers in new ways. I believe this is the best way,” Afolabi emphasises.
“Clearly, there were the times of plenty. I would say that the post-recession is for us to retool and initiate developments of new and fresh competencies. These can help us create deeper engagements, open new markets and build future markets for the brands we represent.
“The experiential agency of the future is an agency which will still be able to create that deep engagement using the five senses.
“However, they must understand how technology is shaping the new narrative, the new world and the new normal. I do not see how an experiential agency that does not understand the power of data and that does not employ the power of technology in its engagements, measurements and assessments aim to survive in the post-Covid world,” he says.
Source: Marketing Edge, Nigeria
Brand debuts in the DRC with an outlet in Kinshasa, complementing its existing African presence in Kenya, Egypt and Morocco.
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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.