The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
ZIMPAPERS top publications — The Sunday Mail and The Herald — are among the country’s top 2020 Superbrands, signalling a continued market dominance by the integrated media house.
Unveiling the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) top 200 Superbrands 2020 recently, Dandemutande Investments chief executive officer Mr Never Ncube recognised the companies, including Zimpapers newspaper titles, for navigating the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
MAZ hosted the annual event, which recognises brands with the finest reputation in the country, online due to lockdown restrictions.
Said Mr Ncube: “What has become vital for brands during this period is the need to remain connected, the need for all internal processes to be optimised digitally, the need to be visible on all digital platforms, online payment systems and the need for cyber security.
“These strategies bring consumers closer to the brand and provide value for them so that they can know, feel and experience the brand.”
Mr Ncube, however, warned individuals and corporates on the need to prioritise security before investing in digital platforms. In his welcome remarks, MAZ secretary-general Mr Gillian Rusike said the organisation believed in the success of local brands.
“As the marketing industry, we believe in the Zimbabwean brands. As you may know, strong brands lead to a strong economy,” he said.
“We advocate for our local brands to be competitive on a global scale. We believe that the success of Zimbabwean brands will culminate in a strong economy.”
Chairperson of the Superbrands adjudication committee Mr Denford Mutashu said despite the Covid-19 pandemic, stronger and resilient brands were emerging.
“There is a lot that we can do and right now each of the brands must embrace the new normal in terms of online presence,” he said.
“It is against that background that our theme is centred on building your brand on the digital platform.
“We would like to see all the brands quite vibrant and present on all online shopping platforms.”
As more brands invest in e-commerce platforms, he added, it was also an opportunity for them to go global.
