Africa’s next competitive advantage isn’t AI. It’s commercial capability
Examining the tech-hype trap and why human judgement, not technology, will pave the way to competitive advantage in Africa.
A.M.C. NEWS
Official launch event for AMC’s second annual conference held in Kampala
By our News Team | 2023
Ugandan associations are gearing up to host landmark joint African marketing and ICT conference in early September.
The official launch of the African Marketing Confederation’s 2nd annual marketing conference – to be known this year as the AfricaPro Conference as part of a tie-up with the newly-formed Technology Information Confederation Africa (TICONA) – was held in Kampala, Uganda last night (Tuesday, 13 June).
This year’s conference is being hosted by the Uganda Marketers Society (UMS) in conjunction with the ICT Association of Uganda, and takes place from 6-9 September 2023 in Entebbe.
UMS President, David Balikuddembe, addresses attendees at the launch event in Kampala. Photo credit: AMC
The hybrid launch event attracted Ugandan marketing and IT industry professionals, as well as local media. The virtual launch was attended by representatives of AMC and TICONA member bodies from throughout Africa.
Addressing the gathering, UMS President, David Balikuddembe, said the conference aimed to showcase the potential of Africa’s vast market, providing attendees with valuable insights and tools to explore new business opportunities.
He announced this year’s conference theme is ‘Africa’s $3.4 trillion Economy: Opportunities for Marketers’ adding that compelling keynote speeches, interactive sessions and panel discussions will equip attendees with the knowledge and skills to tap into this unique and rapidly developing market.
AMC has come a long way on its journey
AMC President, Helen McIntee, said the upcoming conference emphasised just how far the African Marketing Confederation had come since starting on a journey in 2011 to be an umbrella body for the continent’s marketing associations. There were now 10 country members of the AMC.
“Our aim is really to network, collaborate and upskill the marketing profession, as well as learn from each other in terms of how we’re dealing with the unique challenges that we have in Africa – and the unique solutions,” she told the attendees.
“We all know that Africa is filled with millions of people who are intent on finding solutions – with a remarkable passion and a stubbornness to succeed.”
David Gowu, President of TICONA, said the organisation was a continent-wide non-profit organisation which aimed to add value to ICT professional associations across Africa.
“TICONA facilitates collaborations, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building among technology professionals, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to harness technology’s potential for sustainable development in Africa,” he stated. “We are dedicated to promoting the highest standards of excellence in the field of technology.”
TICONA’s conference theme this year is ‘Unifying ICT Talents to Power the Continent to 2030 and Beyond’.
More details on conference speakers and discussion topics will be confirmed in due course. Meanwhile, bookings for the conference are now open. You can visit the following websites for booking information and costs:
Former AGB Nielsen commercial lead Hopolang Mothibeli joins Ornico
Strategic senior appointment comes at a time when the local advertising-intelligence landscape is entering a period of significant change.
From inflation to consumption: West Africa’s FMCG turnaround
Ghana has shifted decisively into consumer-led recovery, with Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon following more gradually.
‘New direction’ for the integration of African marketing and business
AMC President discusses the upcoming conference’s ‘full circle’ and the gathering’s role in navigating marketing’s paradigm shift.
Retailers are re-engineering the checkout – and removing friction
Africa’s retail future may be led not by size, but by those who most effectively remove the friction between customer intent and transaction.
Netflix puts a live actor inside an LA billboard for three days
Out-of-home brand activation above Sunset Boulevard draws attention to a new science-fiction thriller film about a family stuck in a house.
Roxana Ravjee joins Havas as its new CEO for the Africa region
She comes to Havas as a business leader with more than 20 years of expertise across marketing, advertising, transformation and growth.
Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility
Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?
New framework for understanding how emotions shape behaviour online
Researchers find three distinct reactions that explain why emotional content online can be so powerful – and have contradictory effects.
AMC magazine brings latest news and insights for Africa’s marketers
Strategic Marketing for Africa, the publication for deep-thinking African marketing professionals, is not to be missed.
Kenya’s Stanbic Bank takes a bet on expanding its retail customer base
Bank moves its focus from corporate and investment banking as it unveils plans to target retail customers and small businesses.
