It happened again last week Saturday on WhatsApp on Let’s Talk Marketing, this time it was also with one of the top brand management gurus in person of Steve Babaeko, below is the recap. Enjoy!

Moderator

And we are live.
A wonderful evening to everyone!
It’s time for Let’s Talk Marketing Live Chat!
My name is Daniel Iyam, the moderator of today’s chat.
I hope you are excited as much as I am because it is always a fantastic time to talk with great minds in marketing and communications.
Today, we have the CEO of X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, discussing “Communication and Branding in a Hyperactive World.”

With well our two decades in the industry and footprints that are indelible, it is hard not to recognise Mr, Babaeko. He has created and still creating innovative marketing and advertising campaigns most of which have won both local and international awards. Ladies and Gentlemen, I will like to welcome our Lead Discussant, a man who brings undeniable zest and energy to a profession he holds so dearly. Steve Babaeko.

Thank you for joining us.

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Hello Daniel. Happy to be here

Moderator

Great. Let’s jump right into the first question. Do you agree that Brand Management is increasingly becoming more challenging because of the super active and noisy world we find ourselves in today?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

I totally agree the noise decibel is ultra high at the moment for so many reasons: more brands on the shelf these days coupled with the fragmentation of media it’s more difficult for brands to make the right impact

Moderator

I absolutely agree. I mean, the attention span of people is now in nano-seconds. Here is a follow up question

Steve Babaeko (SB)

That too!

Moderator

Simultaneous consumption of media is increasing as well. It is common place to find people watching TV and surfing the internet all at the same time! Do you think this affects the comprehension of advertising messages?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Once upon a time marketing people had to contend with only 1 screen: The television. Today you have to contend with Tv, mobile, phone, tablets/desktop and game consoles thus as marketing people we have to evolve creative ways to engage the target audience

Comprehension of a message is clearly affected because of the divided attention.

Moderator

I guess this will demand more engaging adverts like you have rightly said.

Next question. Brands now have to talk with not at the consumer. How do they control the narrative to always ensure that they are the ones in the driver’s seat of these conversations?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

First off, the days when brands control the narrative and those days may never come back again. What we have today is democratization of communication. The consumers are right now having conversations about various brands as we speak. The best brands can do now is join the conversation and also engage

Moderator

Moving swiftly on to the next question. Everyone is ‘fighting’ to be heard today. Is there a point where one can say people/brands are saying too much or ‘fighting’ too hard to be heard?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Yes, there is. It’s not what you say it’s how you say it. Remember we already established short attention span as part of today’s consumer traits, it’s important to be succinct and creative I.e have a compelling message delivered in an entertaining way.

Moderator

Great! Let’s move on to the next question. Should brands/businesses always respond when they are called out? Are there times when silence will do the magic?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

In today’s world, a brand should endeavour to respond when called out. We live in a world driven by search. Consumers search to find out about brands to make purchase decisions. If a brand is called out it’s important to respond so the brand’s response can show in the search

Moderator

So, in essence, you are saying they should respond to every and anything. Nothing should be too trivial not to respond?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Not the frivolous ones of course. If it’s serious and it calls out and challenges the essence of or value proposition of the brand, it should be responded to. In today’s world, a brand cannot afford to be seen as detached

Moderator

Understood
Members can now send in their questions please
While we wait for the first question
Let’s me throw in this one
How much value does a great reputation really confer on a brand in today’s hyperactive markets?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Reputation today is priceless. It’s everything

Audience Question

Hey Steve. What would you say is the greatest weapon on influence for Brand Communication? Liking? Authority? Scarcity? Commitment and Consistency? Social Proof? Or Reciprocity? Which your favorite?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

I will put my money on a healthy combination of all. Today every brand must have inbuilt social value

Audience Question

Can our market be described as hyperactive with brands cutting drastically their marketing spend?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

There are so many brands competing in the Nigerian market from organized retail to open market, so one can still call this market hyperactive

Audience Question (Analyst Consult)

Hello SB, How do you reposition a “brand” that has been already perceived to be archaic or “old school” ? Even when such brand is trying to adopt latest technology and marketing tools to drive new innovative products/services

Steve Babaeko (SB)

I see clients try to reposition their aging brand by just creating ads with young people on skate boards and basketball. Sadly that’s not enough. A brand’s DNA has to re-engineered then you can push from inside to extrinsic

Audience Response & Question

Hey Steve I kinda disagree. Nothing wrong with revitalizing an ageing brand. Look what Isiah Washington did for Old Spice. It’s all about Effective Repositioning. And correctly too.

But my question is ; when do you decide a brand needs to be “killed”?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

You can reposition but to make it a whitewash or window dressing. Let it be organic and deliberate from inside out. And you are right old spice is a good example

Audience Question

Great one. Bless your heart, Uncle Steve. And thank you, Daniel for the insightful questions. Please what are the best tactics for talking with and not at the consumer?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Isaac, the best way to talk to consumers today is to engage with them. Any brand talking down at consumers today is talking to itself cos nobody is listening

Moderator

Like Mrs Ukoh said last week. The consumer is king!
While we wait for anymore questions from members
Here is another one from me,
Emotional connection is a buzz phrase in the industry. Are we overplaying it? Do you think a brand/business can make a lasting connection with consumers other than connecting emotionally?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

The brand that owns the consumers heart also owns his/her wallet which why emotional connection is key.

Audience Question (Mrs Iquo Ukoh)

It appears that brand Instagram posts do not generally have reactions or engagement from the Instagram audience. Why so ?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Mrs Ukoh, a lot of brands in Nigeria are just waking up to the reality of digital, no surprise that a lot are underutilizing platforms like IG

Audience Question

How can a brand capitalize on some “unplanned” surge of mention. Is it something safe to do? For example, when Union bank went viral on twitter as the only account that PMB had. The name Union bank was trending. What could have been done to leverage on such mention and is such kind of mentioning safe for the brand?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

No harm leveraging on mentions on digital platforms. The thing to realize however trending topics are just what they are, trends. What can be done is to surf the wave and make it last for as long as one can

Audience Response & Question

Thanks for the answer. How exactly can such trends be sustained?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

You can take the conversation off social media and let PR aggregate the conversation and share offline
That’s just one way

Moderator

I believe that is the last question
I will like to highly appreciate our lead Discussant Mr. Babaeko for joining us. Any last words from you?

Steve Babaeko (SB)

Thank you so much for inviting me It’s always exciting to share knowledge. I can be reached on twitter: steve_eko Instagram: stevebabaeko. Let’s keep the conversation going

Moderator

Thanks Mr Babaeko. Thank you everyone for being a part of today’s chat. My closing quote is from Jim Rohn. “If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary”.
Let’s make it another date next week Saturday. Till then, be safe, sound and successful.
Remember, for all suggestions and enquiries, send a message or call 08055940019.
My name is Daniel Iyam
Goodnight.