Vals Day:My take on How Four Brands Chooses to Celebrate it

It’s another festive session. Yes, Valentine is indeed here with us again. As would be expected, many brands want to cash in on the session to engage and connect with their target and ultimately make high Sales in the period. The communication approaches for these ends have been wide and varying across brands .While many are using the Promotional strategy of the marketing mix, others have taken to a more consumer engagement approach.

Flipping through Newspapers and surfing the internet, my concern has not only been to get a gift at a discounted price for my Valentine, if even I had one. What has been critical to me is my curiosity to find the strategies that brands have rolled out to announce their existence in the session.

It had been a very selective, and adventurous inquest. In my search, I was particularly attentive to Commercials in the Friday, February 13,2015 edition of the Daily Graphic. My selection of this media vehicle  was informed by the fact that most of the Val's Day promo was carried by it.

I wasn’t much impressed by the usual promotional sale strategy in which prices of products and services are pegged at discounted prices. In my estimation, I felt such strategy was so simplistic, and bereft of creativity. 

Further, I think the usual price reduction method is too predictable and transactional in nature and does not foster consumer engagement, which many brands must strive to court with the love and openness occasions like Valentine presents.

Besides, it doesn't  play any role in building high brand loyalty which is critical for customer retention and its attendant effect of sustaining an economically viable business.

In the light of the above, I didn’t feature any brand who adopted such approach in my analysis, even though my research indicates that many brands had adopted the Promotional Sales Strategy.

I am not a marketer. I will not claim to be one. I did Communications Studies, specializing in Public relations and advertising. I will therefore apologies to my marketing colleagues who will find it difficult to accept that Valentine’s Day should only be a relational and not transactional adventure between a brand and its consumers. 

Let me hasten to add that my reservations with some of the communication approach does not in any way render them inferior. I have learnt not to pass judgment without full complement of information. The reason a company adopt a certain approach is highly discretionary and experiential and I don’t think I want to assume the responsibility of Judge in their matter.

This exercise is academically- opinionated which I believe none of these brands will be happy to deny me of, not when it is Valentine. I mean no malice, I have no moral right to do same; I don’t wish to be judgmental, I have no professional competence to proceed on that tangent.

With my intentions clearly articulated, I think I can proceed with my analysis.

The Analysis is done in order of preference:

BRAND: MTN

WHAT IT IS

Share you Love story and Win! Visit mtn on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more info.

ANALYSIS

• ·         I like the fact that the campaign was relational in nature.

• ·         It had not deviated from the principles underlying the Valentine’s Day celebration.

• ·         It recognizes an inalienable human craving that is the need to be listened to.

• ·         It presents an opportunity for Consumers to win which is highly incentivizing in occasions  such as this.

• ·         It is a subtle way of getting subscribers on the designated Social media sites of the Company.

BRAND: TV3

SAVE A LIFE CAMPAIGN

ANALYSIS

• ·         It is a subtle way of engaging with like-minded people.

• ·         It is also a good yardstick for measuring brand loyalty. It takes more for one to make out time on a Valentine to donate blood.

• ·         It had not deviated from the principles underlying the Valentine’s Day celebration

• ·       It is Human- centered. 

BRAND: TIGO

·        .

                                                                       ANALYSIS

•    It is progressive. It t rides on the back of the popularity of the ‘Drop that Yam’ campaign.

•   It is inspirational.

• It appeals to our everyday relationship life.
• It is  Human-centered

                                                            BRAND :UNI BANK

                                                              ANALYSIS

• Attempt at creating brand visibility  is highly commendable,however,i strongly and respectfully submit that this lacked creativity as the piece does not connect  the Valentine's Day to  the brand position of the bank,not even to the 'Caring for you' slogan.

•  A strategic  creative approach and media planning would have help to avert the disconnection.
• I don't think this is worth the cost. 

HAPPY VALS DAY TO ALL GHANAIAN BRANDS. .

Samuel Osarfo Boateng on the by-line

Samuelcreasta@gmail.com

Ghana Black Stars for Gold

Let me eat the humble pie by conceding that the Black Stars have proven me wrong in their last two matches.I am usually not embarrass to backtrack on my positions as only a fool refuses to change their minds.

Over the our last two ` encounters these gallant chaps have given expression to what the Black Stars actually represent.

Through perseverance, team spirit,tenacity and sense of purpose, these young stars have adequately demonstrated sheer class in their two outings.

Though the kind courtesy of ECG had denied me a viewing opportunity, it doesn't take much for one to imagine class when commentary is run by some of our finest sports journalists who stops at nothing in their bid to meet the expectations of their curious listeners.

I am indeed,impressed,to say the least as the menacing threat of an intimidating crowd with home support could not derail the purpose.


Only your enemy will remember you of you past.To that extent, i don't think any fair and constructive comments will ever allude to the Brazil debacle.

Their stellar performance speaks volumes of what perseverance and competence does to a man,his community and country.

While i heap praises on the team, i am equally unable to pay a blind eye to the master tactician, the man Avram Grant.

With such a demeanor and an obsession for  a blue -La course,nobody could think that a good thing could come from Nazareth.


Felix Captain Mordjifa​Alex Wiafe Frimpong​  who haVE consistently kept faith in the team is equally commended.........

GH4GOLD....

Justice at the Mercy of Prosecutors

Justice at the whims and Caprices of Prosecutors........
Over the past months, i have heard series of narratives in the media that points to Judges  threatening to throw out a case due to the lukewarmness and the lackadaisical behaviors of some state prosecutors.


Interestingly, for most of these cases  it is either one celebrity is involved or the intensity  has been such that it could generate high media attention.

If Prosecutors fail to execute their duties, should that be used as an excuse to derail the course of Justice?Are we not by this, subjecting Justice to the whims and caprices of prosecutors?Why is that most of these cases usually have  either high media attention or is one that involves one celebrity?

Part of the reasons why instance justice has been adopted,albeit illegal, is the fact that people have lost confidence in the Judicial system.This is disheartening especially for a country that is still on the path of strengthening its key institutions.

 While the Chief Justice works diligently at restoring public confidence in the judicial system, i think there must be frantic efforts at injecting some energies into the whole state-prosecutorial system.INDOLENT sTATE PROSECUTORS MUST EITHER BE SACKED OR BEAR THE LEGAL LIABILITIES OF CASES THAT ARE NOT ADJUDICATED ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR INDOLENCE.

A lot more needs to be done to incentivize young Lawyers into joining the State Justice system.

Lets build Ghana..Its all we've got.................

ECG ''

Its been five days now.I have not seen light since Sunday evening that it departed.

Consequently, not only has the many mosquitoes announced their presence from their hideouts,more so i have had to battle to sleep in the heat that a lightness single room produces.Besides this discomfort is the fact that i have to dress shabbily for a reason I couldn't iron.....The domestic challenges and discomfort the current energy situation has rendered as it but a tip of the many economic and social economic challenges that the dum koraaa' syndrome poses.....


What we have for a solution is an avalanche of emotionally saturated explanations,with absolutely no contingency short-term solution.If you think these explanations are worth tolerating,then why did you frown on a political opponent taking similar tangent?

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Can imagine i have misplaced my Voters ID