TALKING POINT
TALKING POINT
Self-made Brands : Arimis And The Cow That Means Everything
By Boniface Ngahu
During this year ’ s Market and Social Research Association ’ s ( MSRA ) someone displayed the logo of Arimis Milking Jelly as one of brands that have defied market forces to grow at an annual rate of 22 % in sales . I wondered how the product would do that well without any significant or visible marketing spend . We have also not heard of increase in the number of dairy cows to support such growth .
Looking closer at the brand we realized that we shouldn ’ t be thinking of the dairy farmer as the market . Here we are talking about a brand that has transcended categories from being a veterinary product to personal care and now baby care .
Don ’ t Mess With the Mother Cow
I posted on my Facebook : whether now that the product is accepted as for use by humans should the cow in the label be removed ? Maybe it should be replaced with an image of a baby or a beautiful model . The following are the responses I got ;
“ I think the cow is now a trusted brand . If they remove it , there will be question marks ...???” “ If it ain ’ t broke ... don ’ t fix it ”
“ No . Do you know how the cow ’ s nyonyos ( Mammary Glands ) are smooth ? That is what we buy . Remove the cow you kiss the female consumers goodbye . The cow there is the brand ”
“ The cow gives a false sense that since its milking jelly it must be very safe ”
“ Nope ... The cow is what sells !!”
“ Leave the cow and don ’ t re-brand it otherwise authenticity goes out of the window . Don ’ t even touch the ugly container because that is what makes it
Looking closer at the brand we realized that we shouldn ’ t be thinking of the dairy farmer as the market . Here we are talking about a brand that has transcended categories from being a veterinary product to personal care and now baby care .
Arimis Ng ’ ombe … the counterfeits are not asleep ”
“ It shouldn ’ t be removed ... it ’ s like going to your mabati choma joint then they upgrade to an upscale joint , guys move ”
“ It will no longer be the original ” “ Hahaha , the cow is the brand ...”
“ Am sorry to ask , are people using Arimis jelly for other issues ? And what are the results ?”
“ Don ’ t remove the cow ! The only thing you can do is repackage some chupas are too long vidole hazifikii chini ( The fingers can ’ t reach the bottom of the bottle )” “ Thats more like removing the elephant from Tusker . That is what makes it the brand ... You see if it ’ s safe for the cow it ’ s definitely safe for human skin I believe that ’ s what makes it authentic ”
“ Certainly not . Remove it and kill it ”
“ If it ’ s good for the cow it ’ s good for me too . Leave the cow ”
“ Am one of those Arimis moms ”
“ Don ’ t give bored marketers work . On this one , product efficacy trumps aesthetic . In fact , product efficacy has become the brand essence ” “ Don ’ t touch it . That ’ s the brand if changed
10 MAL21 / 17 ISSUE