MAZ’s 2026 Marketing Week engages local marketers on key topics

MAZ officially opened 2026 Marketing Week on Monday with a webinar featuring Gillian Rusike, Executive Secretary of the association, and Tendai Simende, Group Senior Director at Promasador, a multinational food and beverage manufacturing company. Their respective topics were ‘The Marketing Agenda – Creating Value, Driving Growth’ and ‘The Reinvention Conversation – Rebranding and Repositioning Growth’. 

Among the standout takeaways from Rusike’s presentation: 

• Create value, not just visibility. 

• Think global, showcase Zimbabwe. 

• Build trust through meaningful experiences. 

• Embrace and lead change. 

• Innovate, collaborate and drive growth. 

• Create Value, Drive Growth. 

• Think Global, Stay Local. 

• Learn. Connect. Collaborate. 

Simende unpacked the realities of rebranding, repackaging, repositioning and managing public reaction in an age of instant feedback and social media scrutiny. Among the standout takeaways from her session: 

• Do Your Research First. Successful rebrands are built on insight, not assumptions. Understand your customers, market dynamics and business objectives before making major brand decisions. 

• Let Data Drive Decisions. Rebranding and repositioning should be guided by evidence and strategy, not emotions or trends. The best decisions are informed by research and long-term business goals. 

• Don’t Be Bullied by Social Media. Social media is influential, but it is not the entire market. Online reactions represent only a portion of your stakeholders and should not be mistaken for total market sentiment. 

• People Adjust. Many successful brands have faced resistance when introducing change. History shows that customers often adapt over time when the rationale and value behind the change are clear. 

• Don’t Wait for Something to Break. Reinvention is not always about fixing what is broken. Often, it is about staying relevant, preparing for future growth and positioning your brand for the opportunities ahead. 

Various other activities 

The week also included a Corporate Catch-Up at a Harare restaurant, which was an afternoon of networking, knowledge sharing and meaningful conversations.  

For those with an interest in corporate communications, a Thursday webinar provided a range of relevant insights from Dr Salachi Naidoo and Silence Muchemwa. There respective topics were ‘Beyond Media Relations: Refining the Exceptional PR Practitioner in 2026’ and ‘Digital Tools, AI & The Future of Development Communication’. 

The Marketers Association of Zimbabwe is a founder member of the African Marketing Confederation. Gillian Rusike, Executive Secretary of MAZ, is also Vice President of the Southern African Region within the AMC President’s Council.