The Sunday Mail
Africa Moyo and Darlington Musarurwa
YESTERYEAR’S kids were hypnotically smitten by brand mascots, particularly those from Willard’s potato chips brands, to such an extent that it was difficult for them to imagine a world where other potato chips brands existed.
To them, Willards potato chips were the best and only potato chips brand in the world.Songs that seemingly worshipped the immortality of four of Willard’s brand mascots – Mama Chompkin; Putzi, the dog; Zsa Zsa, the starlet; and Professor Flurb – became playground national anthems. But the new millennium brought with it economic pain for local consumers.Snacks – largely viewed as luxury items – were gradually banished from household shopping lists.
As the economy progressively became worse, childhood heroes floundered and were on the verge of collapse.
While economic reforms implemented in 2009 – anchored on liberalisation and the multi-currency system – managed to stabilise the economy, they however further added more woes to weakened local industries by opening the gates to some of the world’s most aggressive and imposing brands.
Suddenly, our local brand of Chompkin’s potato chips was pitted in a gladiator fight against Lays Potato Chips from South Africa.
It was a typical David and Goliath battle, only this time Goliath was the winner.
It became so bad that in 2010 alone, Zimbabwe imported potato chips worth a jaw-dropping US$100 million.
It was the same for many other iconic local products involved in the manufacture of beverages, creamers, washing powder, cereals, soaps and salad creams.
Closing the barn door
Fearing that local industry will simply be overran by dollar-chasing South African imports, Government recently introduced Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which became effective in July.
The policy essentially restricts the quantity of goods that can ideally be produced on the local market.
Under the new law, for example, locals are only allowed to import one pack of 12 of 125 gramme potato chips.
And the new law has worked magic like a magic wand.
Rebranding frenzy
While it is true that there can never be a second chance to make a first impression, for local companies import restrictions, which were firmly asserted through the 2016 National Budget, have given them an opportunity for a new flirtation with local consumers. It is therefore unsurprising that Savanna Tobacco, Schweppes Zimbabwe and ZLG and Cairns are some of the companies that are freshening up their look through rebranding.
Savanna Tobacco has since rebranded its flagship product, the Pacific Storm, and relaunched all of its products.
The company claims that it has injected more than US$500 000 in media and marketing support for the rebranding exercise.
Savanna Tobacco global chief executive officer Mr Nick Hales said the initiative is part of an effort to create a top-class product.
“We have created packaging that reflects the quality and value of the product inside, so that the total package is now world-class, inside and out,” said Mr Hales during the rebranding exercise.
The new Pacific Storm pack now features a matt finish, embossed features and a raised tactile ink finish.
It arguably compares favourably with other products around the globe.
Similarly, Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited, a manufacturer and distributor of non-carbonated still beverages under licence from The Coca-Cola Company, has also tweaked the packaging for Mazoe Orange Crush.
But it seems to be fast-moving consumer goods manufacturer Cairns Holdings that has made far-reaching changes to its key products – the Chompkin’s potato chips, Willards cornflakes and Cashel Valley baked beans.
The brand mascot on the new Chompkin’s brand has been given an extreme makeover from a blue-beret clad mascot, dressed like a cool superhero draped in a red cape and wearing a one-tooth smirk to a sporty cap-wearing one giving the thumps up.
The gloss packaging is also meant to spice up the new look.
However, the marketing hasn’t been that aggressive.
When Miss Fortunate Sande (20), of Kuwadzana Extension came across the refreshed product in a local supermarket, she could not easily make out what it was.
“I was looking for Lays crisps in a supermarket but didn’t find them and as I was about to walk out, I then saw a product marked Chompkin’s.
“For a while I said, ‘who is this copycat trying to imitate Cairns?’, but upon closely checking, I found out it was the company l knew that made the product.
“To honest, I don’t see the newness in the new packaging and I think I am not the only who struggled to notice the product at first,” said Miss Sande.
Cairns chief executive officer Mrs Nancy Guzha told The Sunday Mail Business last week that although there are mixed reactions to the newly packaged products, the company has decided to target the “modern, youthful” heart.
“There have been mixed reactions, which we anticipated as the Chompkin’s brand has impacted on lives in the region over many, many years.
“Did Cairns Foods get it wrong? Not at all. For the first time in a long time, Chompkin’s has become relevant again. A generation that grew up with the Chompkin’s and are now parents can now pass on baton,” said Mrs Guzha.
The packaging for Chompkin’s crisps has been changing over time, starting as Willards Chips in the 1980s, which later evolved into Willards Chompkin’s in the mid-1990s.
The company says it has decided to reinforce the Chompkin’s brand, which had become more popular by 2003, updating the mascot from a muppet character – inspired by the original Muppet Show from the 1980s – to a “milleniumised” brand that is in line with the trends of the children of the day.
Cairns says it undertook an exhaustive research before launching the new product.
It is understood that sales between July and August “have grown in line with projections”.
The pricing has improved as well.
Currently, Chompkin’s are going for between US$1,08c and US$1,25c in most supermarkets while Lays crisps are now selling at US$1,55c for the same quantity.
It’s obviously a remarkable turnaround for a company that was formerly placed under judicial management in February 2013.
After private equity firm Takura Capital paid US$30 million for a controlling stake in the business, Cairns has been buoyant.
Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 has further given the business the tailwinds it needs to develop a sustainable enterprise.
Mr Kuziva Murapa, a branding strategist and managing consultant at BrandIt Private Ltd recently said a well-packaged product attracts customers while a poorly packaged one tends to put off consumers.
“When a product is well packaged and in some cases placed in an upmarket shop frequented by people from the upper social class, it can sell better even at a higher price because there is this sense of affluence that more expensive products are of a better quality,” he said.
He also noted that products sell for as long as there is still a captive market.
Experts usually describe captive markets as those where potential consumers are not exposed to many competitive suppliers.
However, local companies face a tall task in restoring local brands to their former glory.
The lustre of some of them, as previously symbolised by iconic mascots such as Cold Storage Commission’s Samson, which made it trendy to buy local, is an all-too-distant memory.
