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Thursday, 18 April 2024

EL NIÑO HAS BECOME EL HOMBRE!

Opinions

Thank God for social media. News have always travelled fast, but ever since the advent of social media, they've received rocket boosters. Such is the tremendous velocity of news travel that sometimes I swear news have been reported before they happened! Yes, sir! I lie not! I've lost count of the number of times news went viral that someone had kicked the bucket while they're still alive. But wait for it! Before long, those very people would kick the bucket! So, you see, news of their departure burned our ears before they actually checked out.

And then you claim not to believe in Prophets! I've said all of that because once again I've been following the news from my country from my serene surroundings of Southern California.

I've followed with religious devotion the daily trickle of newsfeeds about the kind of weather phenomenon that's held the entire country at ransom without naming the price. From what I could glean, the sun over Botswana has been taking performance enhancing drugs. It's the only conclusion I could make. Laugh not.

The guys over at the Weather Bureau, who, like Prophets, are tasked with foretelling us how the weather will behave, have been giving the nation dire warnings of the kind of hot weather that's animated! Yes, the kind of heat that's so self-assured and arrogant that it waves! It goes by the name, "Heatwave." You see, heatwave is unlike your regular heat. Uh-uh! Heatwave is born from another mother; manufactured from another lab, with freakish capabilities like the experiment of a mad scientist gone horribly wrong.

Years ago, when the climate decided that we weren't being baked and roasted at the correct temperature, it was introduced by another name – an exotic one. The name bandied about at the time; the name that had us all enthralled in awe and wonderment, was El Niño. Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it? I love Spanish. It's a very nice language. And, El Niño is Spanish for, "The Baby." I don't know why the climactic phenomenon of a warming planet resulted in such a naming. It's not like babies are hot.

For the life of me, I cannot find the connection between heat and babies. I guess I'll need to pursue that subject further. I'll tell you what I discover. But, you see, it doesn't end there. Here in Botswana, our things are never like the things of others. We're a special people. Our peculiarities and idiosyncrasies are the stuff of folklore and timeless.

Right around the time the phenomenon of El Niño was gaining traction, news blared through our village Omega and Tempo radios that a Motswana man who'd long left for Europe against his will was coming home! But wait! The man in question had left in the 19th century or thereabouts and his remains were in Europe and needed to be returned home. As it turned out, "home" was here – right here in Botswana. Our dear brother, not having a name known by anyone since all his buddies were nowhere to be found, not to mention his next of kin, was given a name.

That name? El Negro! Indeed it never rains but it pours! So, in a very short time while we were still trying to come to terms with El Niño, here comes El Negro! Anyway, to cut a long story short, few of us today remember anything about El Negro, although some kind of national fuss was made over him. He soon got relegated back into blessed memory where he belonged to begin with. On the other hand, El Niño has endured. In fact, the baby has grown into a very strong man. As I write this, the entire globe is at its wits' end trying to contain him.

He has become a big problem child. El Niño the baby has become "El Hombre," – The Man. I kept reading reports and seeing car dashboard photos of temperatures on the wrong side of 40-degrees Celsius. The national outcry was almost reminiscent of the Biblical "weeping and gnashing of teeth." El Niño is here and he's no baby he was all those years ago.

His diaper is full and we are feeling the tantrum. Being a preacher, I naturally had to think transcendentally. Yes, it was hot. Yes, it's hot. But, there is a much, much, much, hotter place the Bible speaks of. In fact, it's so hot that the great part of humanity has chosen to believe, as a self-comfort mechanism, that it's symbolic or even fictitious. You guessed right. I'm talking about Hell.

The word "hell" has in fact come to be universally used to describe all things terrible. Of course, even amongst the devout, beliefs about the existence of Hell are varied. Some believe there is a Hell, while others vehemently refute its existence. To the latter, the idea of an eternal place of damnation is irreconcilable with the theology of a loving God.

To some, Hell exists and eternally so. To others, Hell does exist but is not eternal in duration of punishment for the damned. Many like to argue by using such reasoning as, “I believe these religious views are private matters and should not be pressed upon people.” No one is pressing anything here.

But if you feel pressed, that's too bad. You are reading this column that you chose to read, and you can move on to the Sports section at any time. Others would argue that, “The existence of a burning hell is only the opinion of some, while many others disagree.” Yes, but the opinions of those who believe in a literal burning Hell are based on clear passages of Scripture while the opinions of those who disagree are based on liberal interpretations and outright denials of Scripture.

Pleading innocent while playing the, “I just don’t know who to believe anymore” game is nothing less than stupidity. Friend, your eternal soul could be at stake! Suppose you are asleep one night and someone in your home wakes you and says, “I think I smell something burning.”

Then someone else says, “Oh, go back to sleep. I don’t smell anything.” What would you do? I seriously doubt that the majority of people reading this article would just go back to sleep before walking through the house and making sure of their safety.

However, most people reading this article will brush aside this issue, at least for the time being, and some forever. Why would one not want to know the truth about Hell? It’s really a simple thing: truth calls for a response. People have their busy lives and they do not want to be interrupted with things, especially not negative things, and definitely not negative things that are life-changing in nature. If you know for certain that Hell exists, then you must violate your conscience in order to keep living in sin.

This, of course, would bother you, and you prefer to not be bothered. So, you’ll be tempted to downplay this article and tend to something “more important.” Hopefully, you will not die in the process. Most people do die in the process because “the process” turns out to last for the duration of their lives. That is, they never “get around” to facing eternity seriously.

The words “Hell” and “damn” are extracted from the Bible and used as curse words while the true application of these words is mostly ignored. Others may accept the doctrine of an eternal burning Hell, but then condemn themselves to Hell by refusing to take the “fire escape.” Finding a person who believes the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, can be quite a task these days.

This writer is such a person, but he has learned through the years that most of his readers are not. This article is filled with the words of God and supportive comments on those words. That is, nothing in this article will correct any part of the Bible (KJV) with the opinions of men. This author’s words and the words of any other man used will be used to help explain what God’s word has already said.

Also, no portions of Scripture will be used out of context in order to teach something that the context doesn’t teach. You are about to read a solid and sound Bible-believing and Bible-honoring work on the subject of Hell. If you believe the Bible, then you’ll have no problem with this article.

If you doubt the Bible while having a tendency to read and follow the views of men, then you might as well grab a pizza or roll over and take a nap. If my often straight-forward approach offends you, please accept my insincere apology. However, I believe we are dealing with a very serious subject and some straight talk is in order.

I’ll try to be well balanced and show some grace through this submission, but I will not do injustice to the word of God by addressing the subject of eternal damnation lightly.

After all, if Hell is real (and I certainly believe it is), then souls are dying and going there every second. Yes, every SECOND. You can do your own math, but if you figure the world death rate into Matthew 7:13-14, you won’t get a pleasant picture.

Conservatively speaking, every time you’ve read a line on this page, at least one more person has dropped into Hell fire for eternity. Statisticians tell us that roughly 156,000 people die daily in the world. I wonder how many of those make it to Heaven? If the Bible is anything to go by, then the answer is very few. And I can safely say that most of those who find themselves in Hell got the shock of their lives (or is it the shock of their "after-lives?") since they had lived their lives believing that Hell couldn't possibly exist.

The premise that the Bible is a symbolic book, much less a “highly” symbolic one, is a false and dangerous premise. Yes, the Bible offers some symbolism, as do most writings of men, but Satan has deceived people into over-emphasizing Biblical symbolism. Most of the Bible deals with history – the history of man’s relationship to his Creator. Within that recorded history, one can learn of many things about God and His plan. As He reveals these things to us, He sometimes uses symbolism, but this doesn’t make the Bible a symbolic book.

It is simply a book that contains some symbolism. In November, 1993, Evangelist Billy Graham told Time magazine that he didn’t believe in a literal burning hell. He said that the Biblical hell was “possibly an illustration of how terrible it’s going to be – not fire, but something worse, a thirst for God that cannot be quenched.” As great a man as he is and much as I respect him, Graham had no Scriptural authority for making such an assumption.

He was merely giving his opinion, possibly designed not to alarm people. A preacher’s duty is to preach all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27), not speculate about things that might “possibly” be an “illustration.” To make matters worse, Graham “air conditioned” Hell by describing it as merely a “thirst for God,” something that wouldn’t move any sinner to repentance.

Why didn’t Jesus describe Hell this way, rather than leaving its occupants smoking with fire and brimstone? Graham’s symbolism is unscriptural symbolism, as is that of many other preachers. When the Bible uses symbolism, it is quite obvious. Jesus once said, “I am the door" (John 10:9). That statement cannot possibly be taken literally, so it must be taken as symbolism.

Jesus is definitely not a door in the literal sense! El Niño would have fried your brains if you took that literally! He also said, “I am the good shepherd" (John 10:14). Jesus wasn’t literally a shepherd, His followers aren’t literally sheep, and literal wolves (John 10:12) are not a threat to Christians. In fact, most Christians have never seen a wolf nor will they see it in their lifetime.

Those are symbolic terms because they can’t be literal. Hell, on the other hand, can be literal. Is it possible that a Christian can be a sheep with four legs in a pasture? No, that’s not possible. Is it possible that a literal lake of fire can exist somewhere? Yes, just open any standard text book on physical science, and you can see a lake of fire. For that matter, just run an Internet search on “earth’s core,” and you’ll see plenty. The only question is, "Does God condemn sinners to such a place?" According to the Bible, He does.

The term “hell” occurs 54 times in the Bible, and never once is it impossible for the word to be taken literally. Take the first occurrence, for instance, which is Deuteronomy 32:22: “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” To say that “hell” in this verse is symbolic would demand further commentary regarding the earth and the mountains. Are they symbolic as well? “Maybe they are,” one might suggest. Well, if they too are symbolic, then convenient symbolism becomes the standard by which men read and understand the Bible.

If that’s the case, then why bother reading it at all? Everything in the Bible could mean anything, and no one would know anything for certain! There must be a safe standard by which we can distinguish symbolism from literal application. The safest standard is the "possibility" standard: if it’s possible that a given passage can be literal, then it is literal.

If it’s impossible, then it’s symbolic (“I am the door,” etc.) Anyone who seeks a lesser standard is not a Bible believer and is not worthy of your learning time. Whatever your theological leaning, one thing we all associate with Hell is intolerable heat and suffering. And, of recent, the ravaging savagery of El Niño has been intolerable. The recent temperature surges have made theologians out of atheists.

I happen to have heard on more than one occasion people asking themselves and no one in particular, "If we cannot handle 40-degrees Celsius, how can we then possibly handle the fires of Hell?" I could only nod in agreement and contemplation. Religious or not, the recent temperatures have got to prod you to ask yourself uncomfortable questions.

Granted, you can continue on an assumed scientific or natural paradigm whereby your idea of the physics of the universe is self-governing. You are well within your rights to altogether banish the possibility of there being a Hell and just focus on getting past the heatwave or investing in air conditioning.

Or you can start to ask yourself questions like, "What if there is a Hell?" If 40-degrees Celsius has you speaking French, how do you think you'll fare should you find yourself amongst those in Hell? Assuming that Hell is in the center of the Earth as the Bible suggests, then that mean we're looking at the Earth core surface temperatures of between 4,400-degrees and 6,500-degrees Celsius! That's over one hundred times the average temperature of the recent heatwave.

Let that sink in for a minute. I think El Niño has now grown into El Hombre because we didn't take him seriously enough. Now he has upped the ante and we are starting to talk. I just hope that as we talk, we will end up remembering the God who is still in control even when nature seems to be out of control.

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Opinions

IEC Disrespects Batswana: A Critical Analysis

10th November 2023

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has recently faced significant criticism for its handling of the voter registration exercise. In this prose I aim to shed light on the various instances where the IEC has demonstrated a lack of respect towards the citizens of Botswana, leading to a loss of credibility. By examining the postponements of the registration exercise and the IEC’s failure to communicate effectively, it becomes evident that the institution has disregarded its core mandate and the importance of its role in ensuring fair and transparent elections.

Incompetence or Disrespect?

One possible explanation for the IEC’s behavior is sheer incompetence. It is alarming to consider that the leadership of such a critical institution may lack the understanding of the importance of their mandate. The failure to communicate the reasons for the postponements in a timely manner raises questions about their ability to handle their responsibilities effectively. Furthermore, if the issue lies with government processes, it calls into question whether the IEC has the courage to stand up to the country’s leadership.

Another possibility is that the IEC lacks respect for its core clients, the voters of Botswana. Respect for stakeholders is crucial in building trust, and clear communication is a key component of this. The IEC’s failure to communicate accurate and complete information, despite having access to it, has fueled speculation and mistrust. Additionally, the IEC’s disregard for engaging with political parties, such as the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), further highlights this disrespect. By ignoring the UDC’s request to observe the registration process, the IEC demonstrates a lack of regard for its partners in the electoral exercise.

Rebuilding Trust and Credibility:

While allegations of political interference and security services involvement cannot be ignored, the IEC has a greater responsibility to ensure its own credibility. The institution did manage to refute claims by the DISS Director that the IEC database had been compromised, which is a positive step towards rebuilding trust. However, this remains a small glimmer of hope in the midst of the IEC’s overall disregard for the citizens of Botswana.

To regain the trust of Batswana, the IEC must prioritize respect for its stakeholders. Clear and timely communication is essential in this process. By engaging with political parties and addressing their concerns, the IEC can demonstrate a commitment to transparency and fairness. It is crucial for the IEC to recognize that its credibility is directly linked to the trust it garners from the voters.

Conclusion:

The IEC’s recent actions have raised serious concerns about its credibility and respect for the citizens of Botswana. Whether due to incompetence or a lack of respect for stakeholders, the IEC’s failure to communicate effectively and handle its responsibilities has damaged its reputation. To regain trust and maintain relevance, the IEC must prioritize clear and timely communication, engage with political parties, and demonstrate a commitment to transparency and fairness. Only by respecting the voters of Botswana can the IEC fulfill its crucial role in ensuring free and fair elections.

 

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Opinions

Fuelling Change: The Evolving Dynamics of the Oil and Gas Industry

4th April 2023

The Oil and Gas industry has undergone several significant developments and changes over the last few years. Understanding these developments and trends is crucial towards better appreciating how to navigate the engagement in this space, whether directly in the energy space or in associated value chain roles such as financing.

Here, we explore some of the most notable global events and trends and the potential impact or bearing they have on the local and global market.

Governments and companies around the world have been increasingly focused on transitioning towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. This shift is motivated by concerns about climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Africa, including Botswana, is part of these discussions, as we work to collectively ensure a greener and more sustainable future. Indeed, this is now a greater priority the world over. It aligns closely with the increase in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing being observed. ESG investing has become increasingly popular, and many investors are now looking for companies that are focused on sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint. This trend could have significant implications for the oil and fuel industry, which is often viewed as environmentally unsustainable. Relatedly and equally key are the evolving government policies. Government policies and regulations related to the Oil and Gas industry are likely to continue evolving with discussions including incentives for renewable energy and potentially imposing stricter regulations on emissions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a strong role. Over the last two years, the pandemic had a profound impact on the Oil and Gas industry (and fuel generally), leading to a significant drop in demand as travel and economic activity slowed down. As a result, oil prices plummeted, with crude oil prices briefly turning negative in April 2020. Most economies have now vaccinated their populations and are in recovery mode, and with the recovery of the economies, there has been recovery of oil prices; however, the pace and sustainability of recovery continues to be dependent on factors such as emergence of new variants of the virus.

This period, which saw increased digital transformation on the whole, also saw accelerated and increased investment in technology. The Oil and Gas industry is expected to continue investing in new digital technologies to increase efficiency and reduce costs. This also means a necessary understanding and subsequent action to address the impacts from the rise of electric vehicles. The growing popularity of electric vehicles is expected to reduce demand for traditional gasoline-powered cars. This has, in turn, had an impact on the demand for oil.

Last but not least, geopolitical tensions have played a tremendous role. Geopolitical tensions between major oil-producing countries can and has impacted the supply of oil and fuel. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East and between the US and Russia could have an impact on global oil prices further, and we must be mindful of this.

On the home front in Botswana, all these discussions are relevant and the subject of discussion in many corporate and even public sector boardrooms. Stanbic Bank Botswana continues to take a lead in supporting the Oil and Gas industry in its current state and as it evolves and navigates these dynamics. This is through providing financing to support Oil and Gas companies’ operations, including investments in new technologies. The Bank offers risk management services to help oil and gas companies to manage risks associated with price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions and regulatory changes. This includes offering hedging products and providing advice on risk management strategies.

Advisory and support for sustainability initiatives that the industry undertakes is also key to ensuring that, as companies navigate complex market conditions, they are more empowered to make informed business decisions. It is important to work with Oil and Gas companies to develop and implement sustainability strategies, such as reducing emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy. This is key to how partners such as Stanbic Bank work to support the sector.

Last but not least, Stanbic Bank stands firmly in support of Botswana’s drive in the development of the sector with the view to attain better fuel security and reduce dependence risk on imported fuel. This is crucial towards ensuring a stronger, stabler market, and a core aspect to how we can play a role in helping drive Botswana’s growth.  Continued understanding, learning, and sustainable action are what will help ensure the Oil and Gas sector is supported towards positive, sustainable and impactful growth in a manner that brings social, environmental and economic benefit.

Loago Tshomane is Manager, Client Coverage, Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), Stanbic Bank Botswana

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Opinions

Brands are important

27th March 2023

So, the conclusion is brands are important. I start by concluding because one hopes this is a foregone conclusion given the furore that erupts over a botched brand. If a fast food chef bungles a food order, there’d be possibly some isolated complaint thrown. However, if the same company’s marketing expert or agency cooks up a tasteless brand there is a country-wide outcry. Why?  Perhaps this is because brands affect us more deeply than we care to understand or admit. The fact that the uproar might be equal parts of schadenfreude, black twitter-esque criticism and, disappointment does not take away from the decibel of concern raised.

A good place to start our understanding of a brand is naturally by defining what a brand is. Marty Neumier, the genius who authored The Brand Gap, offers this instructive definition – “A brand is a person’s gut feel about a product or service”. In other words, a brand is not what the company says it is. It is what the people feel it is. It is the sum total of what it means to them. Brands are perceptions. So, brands are defined by individuals not companies. But brands are owned by companies not individuals. Brands are crafted in privacy but consumed publicly. Brands are communal. Granted, you say. But that doesn’t still explain why everybody and their pet dog feel entitled to jump in feet first into a brand slug-fest armed with a hot opinion. True. But consider the following truism.

 

Brands are living. They act as milestones in our past. They are signposts of our identity. Beacons of our triumphs. Indexes of our consumption. Most importantly, they have invaded our very words and world view. Try going for just 24 hours without mentioning a single brand name. Quite difficult, right? Because they live among us they have become one of us. And we have therefore built ‘brand bonds’ with them. For example, iPhone owners gather here. You love your iPhone. It goes everywhere. You turn to it in moments of joy and when we need a quick mood boost. Notice how that ‘relationship’ started with desire as you longingly gazed upon it in a glossy brochure. That quickly progressed to asking other people what they thought about it. Followed by the zero moment of truth were you committed and voted your approval through a purchase. Does that sound like a romantic relationship timeline. You bet it does. Because it is. When we conduct brand workshops we run the Brand Loyalty ™ exercise wherein we test people’s loyalty to their favourite brand(s). The results are always quite intriguing. Most people are willing to pay a 40% premium over the standard price for ‘their’ brand. They simply won’t easily ‘breakup’ with it. Doing so can cause brand ‘heart ache’. There is strong brand elasticity for loved brands.

 

Now that we know brands are communal and endeared, then companies armed with this knowledge, must exercise caution and practise reverence when approaching the subject of rebranding. It’s fragile. The question marketers ought to ask themselves before gleefully jumping into the hot rebranding cauldron is – Do we go for an Evolution (partial rebrand) or a Revolution(full rebrand)? An evolution is incremental. It introduces small but significant changes or additions to the existing visual brand. Here, think of the subtle changes you’ve seen in financial or FMCG brands over the decades. Evolution allows you to redirect the brand without alienating its horde of faithful followers. As humans we love the familiar and certain. Change scares us. Especially if we’ve not been privy to the important but probably blinkered ‘strategy sessions’ ongoing behind the scenes. Revolutions are often messy. They are often hard reset about-turns aiming for a total new look and ‘feel’.

 

 

Hard rebranding is risky business. History is littered with the agony of brands large and small who felt the heat of public disfavour. In January 2009, PepsiCo rebranded the Tropicana. When the newly designed package hit the shelves, consumers were not having it. The New York Times reports that ‘some of the commenting described the new packaging as ‘ugly’ ‘stupid’. They wanted their old one back that showed a ripe orange with a straw in it. Sales dipped 20%. PepsiCo reverted to the old logo and packaging within a month. In 2006 Mastercard had to backtrack away from it’s new logo after public criticism, as did Leeds United, and the clothing brand Gap. AdAge magazine reports that critics most common sentiment about the Gap logo was that it looked like something a child had created using a clip-art gallery. Botswana is no different. University of Botswana had to retreat into the comfort of the known and accepted heritage strong brand.  Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital was badgered with complaints till it ‘adjusted’ its logo.

 

 

So if the landscape of rebranding is so treacherous then whey take the risk? Companies need to soberly assess they need for a rebrand. According to the fellows at Ignyte Branding a rebrand is ignited by the following admissions :

Our brand name no longer reflects our company’s vision.
We’re embarrassed to hand out our business cards.

Our competitive advantage is vague or poorly articulated.
Our brand has lost focus and become too complex to understand. Our business model or strategy has changed.
Our business has outgrown its current brand.
We’re undergoing or recently underwent a merger or acquisition. Our business has moved or expanded its geographic reach.
We need to disassociate our brand from a negative image.
We’re struggling to raise our prices and increase our profit margins. We want to expand our influence and connect to new audiences. We’re not attracting top talent for the positions we need to fill. All the above are good reasons to rebrand.

The downside to this debacle is that companies genuinely needing to rebrand might be hesitant or delay it altogether. The silver lining I guess is that marketing often mocked for its charlatans, is briefly transformed from being the Archilles heel into Thanos’ glove in an instant.

So what does a company need to do to safely navigate the rebranding terrain? Companies need to interrogate their brand purpose thoroughly. Not what they think they stand for but what they authentically represent when seen through the lens of their team members. In our Brand Workshop we use a number of tools to tease out the compelling brand truth. This section always draws amusing insights. Unfailingly, the top management (CEO & CFO)always has a vastly different picture of their brand to the rest of their ExCo and middle management, as do they to the customer-facing officer. We have only come across one company that had good internal alignment. Needless to say that brand is doing superbly well.

There is need a for brand strategies to guide the brand. One observes that most brands ‘make a plan’ as they go along. Little or no deliberate position on Brand audit, Customer research, Brand positioning and purpose, Architecture, Messaging, Naming, Tagline, Brand Training and may more. A brand strategy distils why your business exists beyond making money – its ‘why’. It defines what makes your brand what it is, what differentiates it from the competition and how you want your customers to perceive it. Lacking a brand strategy disadvantages the company in that it appears soul-less and lacking in personality. Naturally, people do not like to hang around humans with nothing to say. A brand strategy understands the value proposition. People don’t buy nails for the nails sake. They buy nails to hammer into the wall to hang pictures of their loved ones. People don’t buy make up because of its several hues and shades. Make up is self-expression. Understanding this arms a brand with an iron clad clad strategy on the brand battlefield.

But perhaps you’ve done the important research and strategy work. It’s still possible to bungle the final look and feel.  A few years ago one large brand had an extensive strategy done. Hopes were high for a top tier brand reveal. The eventual proposed brand was lack-lustre. I distinctly remember, being tasked as local agency to ‘land’ the brand and we outright refused. We could see this was a disaster of epic proportions begging to happen. The brand consultants were summoned to revise the logo. After a several tweaks and compromises the brand landed. It currently exists as one of the country’s largest brands. Getting the logo and visual look right is important. But how does one know if they are on the right path? Using the simile of a brand being a person – The answer is how do you know your outfit is right? It must serve a function, be the right fit and cut, it must be coordinated and lastly it must say something about you. So it is possible to bath in a luxurious bath gel, apply exotic lotion, be facebeat and still somehow wear a faux pas outfit. Avoid that.

Another suggestion is to do the obvious. Pre-test the logo and its look and feel on a cross section of your existing and prospective audience. There are tools to do this. Their feedback can save you money, time and pain. Additionally one must do another obvious check – use Google Image to verify the visual outcome and plain Google search to verify the name. These are so obvious they are hopefully for gone conclusions. But for the brands that have gone ahead without them, I hope you have not concluded your brand journeys as there is a world of opportunity waiting to be unlocked with the right brand strategy key.

Cliff Mada is Head of ArmourGetOn Brand Consultancy, based in Gaborone and Cape Town.

cliff@armourgeton.com

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