Branding and its relatives (including distant ones!) in the East African Community

In an environment soaked with companies outsourcing their “non-core” functions so as to concentrate on their core business, and students being advised to specialise in subjects that’ll give the best shot at a “rosy” financial future, it takes guts to be adventurous.

Yet, that’s what Leah Kanda, Jacinta Muriranja, Cynthia Mulaku, Dennis Munyasi and Kevin Tichilo, all third-year quantity surveying students at the University of Nairobi, did when they entered a Marketing Society of Kenya competition in October, 2014. The contest, students’ marketing challenge, required entrants to conceptualise a digital marketing strategy to globally launch Yellow Light Machine, one of Kenya’s up-and-coming bands which was formed in 2012. “It was really good knowing that we’re not marketing students and we did this thing very randomly,” says Leah, the CEO of the group, which anointed itself “Genius.”

Well, the geniuses of Genius almost risked a non-starter status because they stumbled into the month-long competition a fortnight to the original deadline of October 25, 2014. However, that didn’t stop the five classmates/friends from uniting to tackle the brief: “In as much as we had very little time, we put our all into it,” says Jacinta.

So, with individual roles allocated, Jacinta and Dennis to design; Cynthia, Kevin and Leah to research and content, it was time to work. “There were two main things to look into,” says Kevin. “There were the designs since it was a band and it was about branding; and there were the ideas and the strategy and the content.”

Disagreements about which ideas fly and which ones crash land usually occur within groups tackling creative briefs. But, Genius denies experiencing such difficulties that would have jeopardised their entry – thanks to the fact that the group members are classmates/friends. “Each of us took charge of a certain bit of the project,” says Jacinta. “So, when you present your point…the others would suggest any changes. If majority of us agree, then it must be good.” The main challenge they encountered was when, hours to the deadline, the website onto which they were to upload their strategy document froze. Therefore, they sent it via email.

Perspiration rewarded: Second from left: Dennis Munyasi, Cynthia Mulaku, Leah Kanda and Jacinta Muriranja won the top prize of Kshs100,000 in the student category of the 2014 MSK awards. MIA was Kevin Tichilo. Photo: Genius.

Can you say: “100,000?”

For their efforts, Genius beat 28 competitors and won the top prize of Kshs100,000 in the student category of the 2014 MSK awards held in November, 2014. “Getting to win was a big boost to our confidence,” says Leah.

Unfortunately, because of non-disclosure rules, Genius can’t divulge their winning strategy for now.

Nevertheless, the brief taught them a few lessons about launching new brands: the importance of research and strategy, understanding the client, learning about the target audience, etc. However, it’s not over for Genius, for they have to test whether their digital marketing plan will work or not in real life. They’ll spend 3 months from January 2015 with Yellow Light Machine at the band’s “headquarters” at the What’s Good Studios.

The geniuses of Genius still intend to practise their quantity surveying profession after their studies, and engage in brand consultancy part time. Dennis says that brands that need launch ideas should engage Genius: “We’re not even marketing students, but, we have better ideas than them.”