The panel included: Phillip Retief – Van Loveren Family Vineyards, Tobias Fourie – Limpopo Dairy, Musi Kuzwayo – Ignitive and Marketing Analyst Chris Moerdyk.
The show focussed on the power, importance and efficacy of branding. Muzi started the ball rolling by saying that “growing a brand was like growing anything, your cattle, your child etc, the environment needs to be correct… the problem with producers and consumers is that the relationship is not good.”
Chris said brands were critically important in the digital age because consumers have access to so many at the click of a mouse.
Tobias said in his experience it was trust and value that created the success of their brand. “We actually took the time to ask consumers why they were buying our products and what differentiated it from our competitors. I believe that in tough times people want to buy something they trust and brands that have earned the consumer’s trust are very important in these times."
Phillip said that sometimes going with your gut is the way to go. “If we had done research before launching the Four Cousins label, we would never have launched it. The market was cluttered and space was limited, but we had gut-feel that the consumer would appreciate a sweet, light wine as well as a bigger bottle.”
Chris commented that “ you can’t rely entirely on research or gut feel, it has to be combination of both… there is no great business where there was no risk.”
The panel engaged in lively debate about factors that influence brand longevity, what kills off a brand and how to crises manage issues which negatively affect the brand.
The series celebrates its fourth year being broadcast from Nampo and has seen the conversation on the importance of agriculture being widely spread via various mainstream media outlets such as KykNet, 702/Cape Talk, Soweto TV, Business Day TV and many others. The series is also available via YouTube. Download the Nation in Conversation App at www.nasieingesprek.co.za to join the conversation and to access the full broadcast channel where you can watch this entire episode.
Ends.
Issued by:
Marlon Abrahams
Communications Manager
Tel: 018 464 7349
Cell: 076 412 9717