The inaugural edition of the foremost gathering of branding, marketing and communication (MarComm) experts – Brand-CON Africa – has kicked off at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra.
Another in the ever-expanding catalogue of agenda-setting events organised by the B&FT, the conference has as its theme ‘Celebrating Versatility and Innovation in the Midst of a Pandemic’, and will see a convergence of MarComm professionals share insights into how they steered their respective establishments through disruptions brought about by COVID-19.
Faced with gross uncertainty, brands not only had to make adjustments to their ways of doing things but also had to serve as the voice of reassurance to their customers. At the heart of these efforts has been MarComm professionals, who have given life to the expression ‘doing a yeoman’s job’.
“For brands that have withstood the test of time, a key driver of their success is often overlooked – the individuals that make up the department of marketing, communications, corporate affairs and public relations. Tasked to manage their brand’s image, they may work behind the scenes but are doing a fantastic job to keep their brands relevant.
“But the silver-lining of COVID-19 is that, being forced to face this adversity head-on, brands and corporations have survived and are thriving by innovating. The seemingly unlikely possibility of posting high growth results at this time is arguably down to the innovative work of these departments, as they collaborated with other departments and agencies to communicate and promote their brands in an innovative manner,” the organisers of Brand-CON Africa explained.
The practitioners will take to the podium to also offer thoughts on factors that will define the art and science of marketing and communication as the world emerges from the throes of the pandemic.
Discussing the topic ‘Not Mere Rhetoric: How Brands Are Getting Results in the New Normal’, Regional Managing Director at Ogilvy Africa, Akua Owusu-Nartey, will speak alongside other eminent personalities who have excelled in various fields of endeavour across manufacturing, finance, fintech and energy during the first plenary.
These discussants include Chief Corporate Communications Officer for the Jospong Group of Companies, Sophia Kudjordi; the Director of Corporate Affairs, PR and Business Development at the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Jesse Agyepong; as well as Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Affairs-Hollard Ghana, Cynthia Ofori-Dwumfuo. and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Dr. Kobby Mensah. Moderating the session will be Global Media Alliance’s Chief Director, Emma Wenani.
The second session will focus on the rise of social media and continuing transition toward more decentralised business models. Co-Founder KonneKt World, Phyllis Kuenyehia, will be part of a panel of experts who dissect the theme ‘Influencers Rising: The Art and Science of Personal Branding in a Digital World’. The session will be moderated by Business Journalist at the B&FT, Lilipearl Baaba Otoo.
Other panellists are Chief Executive Officer of HypeNet Digital, Rhoda Odoi; Brand Strategist at BKC Consulting, Bernard Kelvin Clive; Group Head, Digital Media and Innovation at Global Media Alliance, Eli Daniel-Wilson; and Executive Head at Influencer Africa, Israel Laryea.
The hybrid event is targetted at entry-level and C-Suite career professionals, including small and medium-scale entrepreneurs and leaders, captains of industry as well as aspiring digital marketers.
Sponsors for Brand-CON Africa 2022 are Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Goil and Hollard Ghana.
Media partners include Global Media Alliance, Citi 97.3 FM, e.tv Ghana, and Happy 98.9 FM. Others are Asaase Radio, CitiTv and Echo.
