marketingmag community is growing

MARKETINGMAG COMMUNITY IS GROWING
vent
reators
Issue No.9 MARCH/APRIL 2014
the communication forum
for MAURITIAN PROFESSIONALS
www.marketingmag.mu
The marketing community in Mauritius is supported by the following leading firms:
FOUNDING SPONSORS
Cim Finance Ltd
Cim Finance is one of the leading providers of credit
solutions in Mauritius to both individuals and the
corporate sector, particularly supporting the small and
medium enterprises.
Contact: 1st Floor, Manhattan Building, c/r Edith Cavell
& Mère Barthélemy streets, Port Louis, Mauritius.
Tel: + 230 203 6800. Fax: + 230 203 6810.
Web: www.cimfinance.mu
Hatchings
Hatchings specialises in business development through
marketing practice and is an affiliate of “africapractice”,
the leading development firm in Africa.
Contact: Moka Business Centre, Moka.
Tel: +230 4069622, Email: operations@hatchingsltd.com
Web: www.hactchings.mu
TNS Analysis
Radio ONE
The premiere private radio in Mauritius with a
strong culture of listening to its audience. Radio
One broadcasts quality news and information while
delivering relevant and innovative radio programmes
and events.
Contact: Radio ONE, VIVA VOCE Limitée, 3, Rue Brown
Séquard, Port Louis.
Tel: +230 211 4555. Fax: +230 213 4946.
Web: www.r1.mu
Part of Taylor Nelson Sofres Group - leading socioeconomic and marketing research consultancy agency
operating in the Indian Ocean Region (Madagascar,
Mauritius, Reunion island, Mayotte, Seychelles and
Comoros).
Contact: 1st Floor, Ebene Skies, Ebene, Mauritius.
Tel: +230 202 0055 Email: info@tnsanalysis.com Web:
www.tnsglobal.com
Watiwala Emarketing
Harel Mallac Technologies Ltd
Harel Mallac Technologies Ltd is a leading regional
technology company focused on delivering business
and technology solutions. Established since 1988, the
company is a subsidiary of Harel Mallac Group.
Contact: 18 Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis, Mauritius.
Tel: +230 207 3200 | Fax: + 230 207 3232
Email: info@hmtechnologies.mu
Web: www.hmtechnologies.mu
Le Matinal
Premium newspaper in French, published daily
Monday to Saturday by AAPCA (Mauritius) Ltd.
Contact: 6 Poudriere Street, Port Louis.
Tel: 207 0909 Fax: 2134069. Web: www.lematinal.com
Event Creators
vent
reators
We e-mail your marketing messages to individuals
and corporate clients resulting in immediate and
measurable market feedback
Contact: 40a, Route du Jardin, Curepipe, Mauritius.
Tel: +230 5448 9999, +230 5449 8899
Email: sales@watiwala.com
Web: www.watiwala.com
defi media
Le Défi Media Group is a leading publisher of newspapers
and magazines including Le Défi Plus, News on Sunday,
Défi Turf, Défi Quotidien, Hebdo, Le Dimanche, Star,
Vision, Défi Immobilier and Défi Moteur. The group also
runs a Web TV, online advertising and mass mailing
services.
Contact: 48 Labourdonnais Street, Port Louis
Tel: 211 8131/507 0666 Fax: 213 0959.
Web: www.defimedia.info
Flower AD
Offers full fledge event services and logistics from
conception to completion, managed by specialists in
specific fields. Our mission is to make of each event a
UNIQUE experience for all stakeholders.
Flower AD is a Mauritian owned company
specialized in billboards. Born in 2008, we propose
4x3m billposting networks (120 boards) and Long
Conservation boards of different dimensions from
6x3m to 11x4m.
Contact: Royal Road, Mont Fleury - St Pierre
Tel: 433 4440
Contact: Industrial Zone, Phoenix.
Tel: +230 6969 9900 Email: flowerad@intnet.mu
www.marketingmag.mu
To be on this page contact DEYAN at dristic@hatchingsltd.com
CONTENTS
4
OUR COMMUNITY
CONTINUES TO GROW
a great big thank-you to all our sponsors, supporters,
subscribers and readers. With nearly 500 calls and
emails to people in the industry, we now have 1,178
subscribers and lots of new readers.
MAURITIUS GETS
INTO BUZZ MODE
6
8
Mauritius is well and truly on the social media
map thanks to the agency Xii Monkeys agency
which fronted the My Mauritius campaign
sponsored by AHRIM and supported by the
MTPA, Air Mauritius and the AIOM
MARKETERS HAVE
BEEN BUSY
Agency supremo Raj Auckloo gives his
views on the year ahead as well as the
impact of the social media scene.
14
10
‘MARKETING IS
ALL AROUND US’
The words of Mohamed Mouratsing, the CEO of TNS
Analysis, who fielded the questions from the magazine
in our regular monthly profile of a marketing leader.
AFRASIA BANK, GML, BAGATELLE, the
SEM, INDIAN OIL are just some of the
companies featured in our round-up.
A FRESH TAKE
ON WEBSITES
XTREME ADVERTISING
LOOKS TO FUTURE
20
22
MARKETING
WORLD
Catch up with all the latest news, trends and
innovation in our regular trawl around the Web
and who’s doing what
Deepa Manrakhan, Brand Manager at Grays
Inc., gives us her take on the Web and looks
at the top five sites in Mauritius.
24 CONTRIBUTORS
Darlene Lam and Sidney Evans join the team
and share their views on marketing.
SUPPORTERS
ARSENIUS PRINTING & STATIONARY LTD
Providing premium services and quality products since the
past 25 years.
Contact: B1, DBM Industrial Building, La Tour Koenig, Pointe
aux Sables. Tel: +230 234 2413 / Fax: +230 234 1793 / Email:
arseniusprint@intnet.mu
LOGOS PUBLICITY
Incorporated on 17 November 1987 as a fully-fledged
advertising and communication agency by offering a wide
spectrum of quality services.
Contact: 18, Rouget Avenue, Soreze, Pailes, Rep. of Mauritius.
Tel. (230) 286 7330.
Email: info@logospublicity.com
www.marketingmag.mu
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Deyan Ristic
M: 57274343
E: dristic@hatchingsltd.com
EDITOR
Mike Lynch
M: 54992303
E: mlynch@hatchingsltd.com
DESIGNER
Royal-Praise O. Omololu
Published by
Hatchings Ltd
Moka Business Centre, Moka,
Mauritius
T: (230) 406 9622.
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 3
MARKETINGMAG COMMUNITY IS GROWING
MarketingMag has grown considerably since our
previous issue and we wish to say THANK YOU!
of subscribers has increased by more than 300%, and
we have gained several new sponsors and supporters.
The number of online readers is also growing.
Our small team has emailed and called more than 250
marketing services providers (agencies, printers, call
centres, event companies etc.) and more than 150
leading brand and marketing managers.
If by any chance we have missed connecting with your
company, please give us a call, we would love to meet
you.
Most of the responses were encouraging. The number
Yours, MarketingMag
The team from left: Annick Thompson-Vellen, Kanja Ristic, Bev Desmarais, Vinodini Carapyen
1,178 SUBSCRIBERS
22,172 VISITS
60,206 PAGEVIEWS
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE
In this issue of the magazine we have more contributions
than ever before.
We wish to say THANK YOU on behalf of all
MarektingMag readers to the following marketing
professionals for showcasing and sharing their work
and stories:
• Alix Hernvann, Marketing Manager, Bagatelle
• Aurélie
Bastard
de
Crisnay,
Corporate
Communications Manager, GML
• Cora Korimbocus – Publico
• Cyril Palan – Logos Publicity
4 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
• Suneeta Motala, Head of Marketing and Public
Relations, AfrAsia Ban
• Lenin Aukhajan - IDM
• Vino Sookloll – Cread
• Nishan Aubeeluck - Stock Exchange of Mauritius
A number of contributors from Mauritius and overseas
have emerged and their articles are published in this
issue:
Darlene Lam (MRU), Deepa Manrakhan (MRU), Sydney
Evans (USA)
www.marketingmag.mu
FRESHLY BREWED
We are skilled at listening. Every second month a group
of dedicated marketing professionals meets to discuss
the content and direction of MarketingMag.
Debates are heated and very challenging and we learn
a lot from the insights shared. So far Freshly Brewed
meetings on the topic of MarketingMag have been
attended by over twenty different professionals.
MarketingMag team is not just grateful for the time and
wisdom shared but is committed to implementing as
many suggestions as financially and physicially possible.
So in the oast wto months we have:
•
Shortened the articles
•
Introduced a number of new columns
•
Printed thousand sample copies (based on
December / January issue) and distributed to the larger
marketing community
In the last Freshly Brewed Meeting held on the 16th
March 2013 we have discussed Competition &
Cooperation between members of Mauritius marketing
community.
1st Row – from left to right: Leila Ghurburrun, Oana Maria Bucsa, Wairimu Kanja-Ristic, Priya Gowreesunkur,
Marie-Eve Jeannot-Laflèche and Deepa Manrakhan
2nd Row – from left to right: Mohamed Mouratsing, Darlene Lam, Cora Korimbocus and Mr & Mrs Ravin Lama
3rd Row – from left to right: Ben Javed Peerbux, Mr & Mrs Patrick Moisan and Vino Sookloll
4th Row – from left to right: Deyan Ristic, Mike Lynch, Mark Du Plooy and Annick Thompson-Vellen
www.marketingmag.mu
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 5
Mauritius
in buzz mode
The historic #MyMauritius blogger campaign as filed
by Christine Rochecouste
Since their visit to the island last September, when
the #MyMauritius campaign was launched, our
group of twelve travel bloggers and one international
videographer have hugely contributed to the definitive
placing of Mauritius on the digital world map.
This AHRIM initiative, with the support of the MTPA,
Air Mauritius, and the AIOM, has been entrusted to
the communications agency Xii Monkeys and their
partner London Advertising, itself backed by a blogger
community named iAmbassador. The objective of the
campaign was to enhance the e-reputation of Mauritius
as the number one holiday destination and highlight its
various tourist offerings over the busy period running
from September to December 2013.
The travel bloggers, from various parts of the world,
including Europe, China, South Africa and Canada,
participated in a wide selection of activities tailored
to each of their audiences and niche followers. They
were, therefore, able to experience the value and
diversity of the many different aspects of Mauritius,
such as golf, hospitality, spa and wellness, gastronomy
and culture. Many of the bloggers also took part in a
series of adventurous undertakings, including trekking,
kitesurfing, stand up paddle, sky diving, kayaking, Big
Game fishing. Finally the bloggers experienced an
unwinding day onboard a catamaran around the island.
During their week spent in Mauritius, the bloggers shared
their experiences in real time through live updates,
with photographs and posts on their respective social
media platforms. These were engaging and instantly
converted into conversations amongst their different
followers. After all, their followers could not help but
be envious of the bloggers moments in Mauritius and
sharing these live with their own communities. In so
doing, the bloggers and their followers were also sharing
the names and brands of the different activity partners,
thus creating a viral buzz with different conversations
engaged in succession, and often concurrently.
All the activities of this campaign boasted the
#MyMauritius hashtag which was also used to promote
the posts and comments of the bloggers and their
audiences. This was an instant way to link the posts
6 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
together. There were a number of peaks during these
four months: the first one was observed during the
week in September when the bloggers visited the island
where 66 million opportunities to see were recorded
on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and 1.6 million reach
achieved on Twitter. In the ensuing months of October,
November and December, some 36 articles were
published on the respective blogs of our travellers, with
supporting photographs, describing their experiences.
The conclusion of the campaign was marked with
the launch, in January, of a three-minute video clip
capturing the thrilling week that our bloggers enjoyed
in Mauritius. It perfectly displayed the emotions and
adventures that were shared with their followers. Since
its launch on January 11, this video clip has already been
watched more than 23 000 times on Viméo and You
Tube. Towards the end of the campaign in November,
social media specialist Brandseye tracked some 94.9
million opportunities to see on Twitter, Facebook and
www.marketingmag.mu
Ebook published by the #MyMauritius
#MyMauritius the movie on You Tube
Instagram (964 photographs shared), Viméo, Vine, Four
Square and 2.2 million reach on Twitter.
The investment in this campaign was 75, 000 Euros;
this cost was met through the strong support of the
MTPA, Air Mauritius, members of AHRIM and of AIOM,
as well as the many partners offering various activities.
According to Brandseye, the results achieved through
this #MyMauritius campaign, namely 94.9 million
opportunities to see and more than 2.2 million people
reached, would be equivalent to an investment of more
than USD 2 million worth of advertising in traditional
media.
final number of opportunities to see being multiplied
by four. We should not underestimate the power of
digital communication and the viral buzz; it is a platform
that allows the creation of real opportunities for smart
communication to large and well-targeted audiences at
affordable costs. This campaign’s strong point has really
been the regrouping of the network of travel bloggers
who made use of an inherent synergy to widely expose
the Mauritius destination to their audiences, along a
well-defined story board and line of interaction.’
www.marketingmag.mu
Combined opportunity
94.9 million
People reached by the campaign
2.2 million
‘The mark of success of this campaign has been its
ability to convey emotions, engage audiences and
make them move from ‘neutral’ to ‘happy’. We would
like to thank AHRIM and its partners for their trust
in our team and we are more than happy for having
exceeded the initial objectives of the campaign with the
1.6 million
‘This AHRIM initiative is a resounding success and we
have all benefitted – not only hotels and restaurants,
but all the players in the tourism industry as a whole,
including airliners said AHRIM. “AHRIM would like to
extend its warmest thanks to all the partners in this
campaign, who were strongly committed to make it
happen. We would never have been able to succeed
on our own; the joint effort, commitment and active
participation of all our project partners, and principally
the MTPA and Air Mauritius, has been instrumental in
enabling the achievements posted. The bloggers and
videographer were very appreciative of the organisation
and logistics arrangements set up in order to make
their visit here one of their most memorable moments.”
AHRIM added.
Twitter reach peak
Over and above the viral buzz, French blogger Adeline
Gressin had the opportunity to share her MyMauritius
project and itinerary with her audience of radio station
le Mouv before travelling. An article from blogger
Ishivani Govender was also published by the Sunday
Times, South Africa, granting additional exposure to 3.2
million readers in the country. The #MyMauritius video
clip will participate in a tourist film festival in Portugal.
For more info, please contact:
Christine Rochecouste Salaün
General Manager, Xii Monkeys Ltd
Tel : 5 498 79 29 / 206 3369
Email : christine.rochecouste@xiimonkeys.com
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 7
AGENCIES
@ WORK
Challenging time in the marketplace
Thoughts
of Xtreme
Advertising
supremo
RAJ AUCKLOO is no doubt one
of the many professionals in
the marketing communications
industry in Mauritius who will be
hoping that 2014 sees an upturn
in business after something of a
recessionary blip.
The founder of Xtreme Advertising
& Design – he started the company
in 2000 – is working with a fresh
business strategy and wants to
re-ignite the dynamism which
he believes is a hallmark of the
industry and pulls in the clients.
Raj, 46, is the Creative and
Managing Director of Xtreme,
located near Marie Reine de la
Paix in Port Louis, and before
starting his own company worked
“passionately” in graphic design
and art direction for agencies such
as Maurice Publicite, Circus and
Atoba.
A fervent supporter of the
Association
of
Advertising
Agencies, he is a past winner of the
AAA Award for Best Art Director
as well as many other accolades. His creativity and
professionalism is recognised throughout the market.
So when he decided to set up his own company, Raj
found the path relatively smoothe.
“The company quickly made a name in the market
after we created the ‘Sunny’ brand for Food Canners
Ltd., a leading business group specialised in fruit juices,
vegetables, jams and various sauces. Other clients were
quick to knock at our door and it was hard for me to
believe that we achieved success in such a short time,”
8 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
Raj Auckloo
says Raj, who is married and lives in the North.
“It is a fact
that a lot of
people still buy
newspapers.”
www.marketingmag.mu
The company employs 18 people and
has a track record on the domestic
market as well as in Africa. Its
regular clients include Banques des
Mascareingnes, Kellogs Cornflakes,
Mauvilac, Happy World Ltd, Indian
Oil Mauritius, Rose Hill Transport,
and the Ministry of Health and
Environment.
Raj’s vision is to invest more in the
company’s human resources and
develop new technology tools to
optimise the quality of the services
it offers.
Although well positioned in the
marketplace today, Xtreme has not
been immune from the difficult
economic climate of recent times.
The number of advertisers, he says,
has declined, which he puts down to
the recession.
“Advertisers have preferred to
cut costs as the economy is going
through difficult times. On top of
that, businesses are not giving as
much importance to advertising as
they used to, with many complaining
of lean budgets which is restricting
the amount of publicity in which
they are willing to invest.
“They are businessmen and not
creative artists and are not involved
in the marketing field. They do not
really see the difference and impact
that a well-budgeted advertising
campaign can have on people.”
According to the Xtreme MD, the
level of marketing communication
in Mauritius has dipped, with quality
advertising being the exception
rather than the norm.
“Many advertisers see traditional
advertising as a luxury. They have
preferred to go for e-marketing and
Internet-based advertising on social
media”, because such advertising
is cheaper than billboards or
newspapers, which Raj believes
still have an important place in the
market.
buy newspapers. People, especially
those over 40, will continue to buy
newspapers and look for outdoor
advertising. I have noticed they
are uncomfortable with the digital
world.”
Nonetheless, he accepts that many
people, especially the youth, have
switched to using social media
today. “Whether you are travelling
on a bus, walking on the streets or
even at the seaside, you can see
people’s eyes stuck on their phones
or on their touch pads and surfing
the social media. Digital media has
really revolutionised the world and
we cannot ignore this market as it is
becoming important for business.”
Raj accepts that the next generation
will be extremely familiar with
the digital world and will certainly
influence the whole system of
advertising. “Communication and
marketing will always have their
place in a business and will continue
to have an impact on people’s lives,”
he adds.
Raj Auckloo, with 20 years experience
in the advertising and marketing fields
in Mauritius, believes the level and
quality of marketing communication
has dipped even as the market
becomes more challenging…
Raj accepts that the
next generation will be
extremely familiar with
the digital world and
will certainly influence
the whole system of
advertising.
“It is a fact that a lot of people still
www.marketingmag.mu
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 9
MARKETING
@WORK
The spirit of innovation at ACM
Africa Capital Management has launched an innovative
and flexible investments scheme (product) called
Horizon – My Retirement. The product targets
individual investors from Mauritius and overseas who
aim to grow their retirement savings. The proportion of
investment allocation into equities and bonds changes
with the age of the investor to adjust for changing
risk appetite. The product is flexible and is backed by
comprehensive investment strategies that are adjusted
to the financial goals of individual investors, “lifecycle
based portfolio strategy” as it is called by ACM. As an
additional advantage, Horizon underlying assets are tax
resident in Mauritius, hence benefiting from zero tax on
capital gains.
“It [Horizon] fits perfectly with the spirit of innovation
of AfrAsia Group to diversify and constantly enhance
its value propositions to respond to the ever changing
client needs.” concludes James Benoit, Chief Executive
Officer of AfrAsia Bank. The bank has recently been
named the “Best Private Bank for Private Equity
Investment in Mauritius” ( 2014 Euromoney Private
Banking and Wealth Management Survey).
ACM, AfrAsia Capital Management has been in
operation since 1991 and has over 500 million US
dollars of assets under management.
(filed by Mrs Suneeta Motala, Head of Marketing and Public Relations, AfrAsia Bank)
James Benoit, AfrAsia Bank CEO
GML attracts 300-plus competitors
More than 300 participants competed in Grand Relais
that included cyclining, running, swimming and “wild
run” and through their participation fees fundraised
for T1Diams, NGO supporting people living with
Diabetes Type 1. The winning team was Black Mamba
with Michaël Marmitte, Xavier Verny, Stacy Naidu and
Nicolas Frichot.
This is the second year that GML organises “On the
Move”, in cooperation with GML Foundation “Jospeh
Lagesse”.
“GML On the Move 2014 was a highlight for GML and
its foundation. I must thank all the participants and
organizers for having made this event a success. We are
already looking forward for GML On the Move 2015.”
said Arnaud Lagesse, CEO of GML and chairman of
GML Fondation “Joseph Lagesse”, which works closely
with T1 Diams.
(filed by Aurélie Bastard de Crisnay, Corporate
Communications Manager, GML)
10 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
Grueling effort pays off
Arnaud Lagesses (left) honours the winner
www.marketingmag.mu
MARKETING
@WORK
IndianOil’s new customer campaign
IndianOil Mauritius, present on the island with a
network of 19 filling stations since 2004, has launched
on March 14 its latest sales promotion campaign, a
lottery aimed at increasing sales as well as brand loyalty,
called “IndianOil Fill and Win”. For every Rs500 spent
at the pump, the clients will get a lottery ticket which
enters them into a monthly draw supervised by GRA.
This is the latest customer engagement initiative
launched by the Indian brand, as stated by Mr. Ranjan
Kumar Mohapatra, General Manager of IndianOil; the
GM mentioned in his statement a couple of previous
similar actions, including a popular run (the Jin Fei
Run) sponsored by the brand’s lubricant label, Servo,
as well as a CSR project worth Rs1.1 million to provide
photovoltaic capabilities to the Gandian Basic School.
Increasing footfall at Bagatelle
Marketing shopping malls is relatively new skill in
Mauritius as the competition intensified only a few
year’s back.
Marketers are competing to attract shoppers with a
number of marketing tools including sales promotion
and special events, and Bagatelle, the current leader in
footfall, has created its own concept called BagaSales.
Simple and effective communication from Bagatelle
The BagaSales is held from from 28th March till 6th
April under the promise: choice, quality and pleasure
with 70% off! Excellent choice of dates, spanning long
weekend and targeting end of month spending budgets.
(filed by Alix Hernvann, Marketing Manager, Bagatelle)
1,000 students compete at SEM
This year’s SEM Young Investor Award was launched
on March 19, attracting 1,090 participants from 109
colleges. In its 22nd year, the competition aims to
fosterian investment culture amongst students and
give them hands-on exposure to the securities industry.
The competition is the finest example of successful
communication and engagement techniques.
The deadlines set by the SEM for this year’s competition:
•
Submission of Initial Portfolio 28th March
www.marketingmag.mu
•
Competition starts – 1st April
•
Competition ends – 30th june
•
Submission of Report – 11th July
“The Stock Exchange of Mauritius Ltd (SEM) was
incorporated in Mauritius on March 30, 1989 under the
Stock Exchange Act 1988, as a private limited company
responsible for the operation and promotion of an
efficient and regulated securities market in Mauritius.
Since October 6th, 2008, SEM became a public
company.”
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 11
MARKETING
@WORK
IDM targets top resort managers
Mauritius launched Johnnie Walker Ryder Cup Incentive
programme targeted at general managers of resorts at
the St. Regis Resort where 30 top-end Mauritian resort
Managers signed up to vie for a once in a lifetime prize a chance to experience the world renowned Ryder Cup,
the premier biennial men’s golfing tournament, held in
the home of Johnnie Walker, at Gleaneagles Resort in
Speyside Scotland, in September 2014.
The winning as best they can, focusing on quality and
client recommendations in their serves, to claim the
illustrious prize, and see their resort entered into the
annals of history.
The winning General Manager’s resort will have to sell
and serve the Johnnie Walker Super Deluxe Range
better than others to clinch a ticket to attend the Ryder
Cup as Johnnie Walker Blue Label´s exclusive guest.
The prize features first class tickets to Edinburgh,
5-Star accommodation, Johnnie Walker Blue Label
gifting, a private helicopter tour and a VIP seat to the
golfing action. The Ryder Cup is a prestigious golfing
tournament between teams from Europe and the United
States. Jointly administered by the Professional Golfers’
Association (PGA) of America and PGA European Tour,
the Ryder Cup has been the goal of champions since
1927. (wFiled by Lenin Aukhajan - IDM)
AfrAsia strategy drives growth
AfrAsia Bank has opened a representative office in
London, to be headed by Garry Sharp the Head of
Private Equity and London Representative Office. This
is just one of the overseas expansions steps that the
bank has been boldly undertaking in the past few years.
AfrAsia growth strategy is better explained by Kamben
Padayachy, Deputy CEO, Head of Global Banking,
Treasury and Markets: “With the financial sector
remaining the powerhouse of the island’s economy,
Mauritius has already developed its reputation as a well
regulated, secure and credible International financial
Centre. We are now firmly recognised as the gateway to
Africa, but much of that capital is coming from London.
Having a presence there is key to allow AfrAsia Bank
to tap into these opportunities. Garry will also lead the
bank’s Private Equity initiatives and there is no better
place than London to do that.”
combination of substantial
organic growth and a series
of strategic acquisitions.
AfrAsia
Bank’s
core
activities are in Mauritius,
South Africa and Zimbabwe
with marketing capabilities
in Singapore, London,
France and Switzerland.
(Filed by Mrs Suneeta
Motala, Head of Marketing
and
Public
Relations,
AfrAsia Bank)
Garry Sharp
Since its inception, the bank has expanded through a
12 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
www.marketingmag.mu
PROFILE
Mohamed
Mouratsing
CEO, TNS Analysis
‘Marketing is all around us’
Q.
When did you take charge of marketing in your
company?
From the time I launched Analysis in 1995
Q. How did you gain marketing expertise?
After a degree in Management, I worked as trainee
Marketing Officer, then Business Analyst, Head of
Business services prior to the launch of Analysis.
Apart from academic and past working experiences,
I enjoy reading. Being curious by nature, I actively
promote a culture of ideas and concepts sharing with
coworkers, clients and local as well as international
authorities in Marketing and Management. I am a
member of major marketing bodies.
Q. What is it you enjoy most about marketing?
Marketing is a fascinating world and there are so
many exciting avenues within. It is all around us;
it is about culture and human beings and I enjoy
stimulating, creating and reinforcing relationships
with brands and the different layers of human needs.
What is really stimulating is in fact its dynamism; it is
ever changing and requires a good dose of creativity
and adaptability. I feel energised by the feeling of
chasing the next new idea and communicating great
messages. I love meeting people and sharing ideas
and I love challenging myself.
Q. Which part of marketing can you handle blind folded?
Mauritius?
We have an interesting pool of competencies in
Mauritius; we win over big business for the region.
Nonetheless, I think that we need to bring in more
synergy within the sector to create more visibility
and reinforce our competence.
Q. How do we compare with the rest of the world in our
marketing skills?
The world is now a village, and this is not merely a
slogan. We are exposed to a similar pool of knowledge,
we attend the same conferences, webinars, read the
same books, magazines and journals and we are even
inspired by common gurus. In terms of skills, we are
at par. However, being small in size, we have fewer
opportunities than bigger markets. On the other
hand working in a small market we tend to gather
a vast amount of experience. Since we need to be
flexible, we develop multiple skills.
Q. Your favourite brand?
Virgin, for its ever-innovative approach to markets
Q. What are the strongest points of the brands you are
managing?
They are unique tools that bring tangible solutions to
our clients
Q. The marketing guru you respect the most?
With years of experience, I can handle all the
processes from research to execution. However, I
have a special preference for technical processes.
Difficult to choose one…. I would tend to say David
Aaker
Q. What new marketing skills would you like to learn?
Q. What next in your career?
Digital marketing – as it is no longer just a buzz word
though it is still in its infancy.
Q. How well are marketing professionals positioned in
I already hold a regional position within the group, so
next will be taking international responsibilities.
14 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
Mohamed Mouratsing
www.marketingmag.mu
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 15
@
WORK
CREATIVES
Agency: Cread
Client: MEXA
CLIMBING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
An Annual Report is a marketing tool that normally
discloses a company’s financial activities of the preceding
year. However, a designed Annual Report is a roving
advertising material that adds value to the company
or group. MEXA (Mauritius Export Association) is one
of those few which believes in this philosophy. Faithful
to this belief, MEXA considers Cread as the dedicated
partner in this value-added theory.
2013 and preceding years have been financially critical
for almost all of us. MEXA is no exception. “How
the export manufacturing sector has bloomed after
spending several years in financial crisis” was the design
task challenge.
After thorough thinking, brainstorming and research, we
finally decided to climb the peaks! Yes! Mountaineering
is the concept. Climbing these gigantic mass of rocks
however bears risks and danger but the pleasure and
the sports spirit encompass those difficulties. Courage,
endurance, will, confidence, ambition, hardship, effort,
determination, skills, are all the qualities MEXA has
shown to face the crisis.
Implementing this concept across the Annual Report
was a fun job. Peaks, mountain climbers, ropes, rings,
are among the graphic elements used. Climbing was
the whole idea adapted throughout : the graphs, tables,
charts and so on. An innovative touch has been brought
to the Contents page as well as page numbering. The
Contents page reads from bottom to top - climbing with the page numbers in ascending order. Flipping
the pages of the publication enables each page number
indicator to climb to the next level.
This Annual report has however climbed the altitude of
creative design with an attitude.
16 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
CREATIVES
Agency: Publico
@ WORK
Client: BRAMER
The B(rand) Positioning
Standing out from the multitude of brands crowding
the market place, Bramer’s Big B (actually the bank’s
initials) is not only unmissable, it is above all a statement
of Bramer’s personality: different, daring, strong,
appealing. A simple but bold statement (not to say a
way of life!) that speaks to the consumers – telling
them to B(e), to just (B)e! -, allowing them to engage
with the Bank on a more personal and emotional level.
What’s more, the omnipresence of the B(e) statement
throughout all channels of communications creates an
indelible impression on the public. Thereafter it raises
not only awareness of the bank but also the products
and services it offers.
true to
your business
acumen
Bridging multiple expertise
to drive you further
R E TA I L • B U S I N E S S • I N T E R N AT I O N A L • P R I VAT E
B U S I N E S S
B A N K I N G
w w w. bram er b a nk .m u
Be right
Discover oceans of opportunities
ack
We wish to inform our Valued Customers that our Internet Banking
platform, ATMs and cards will be temporarily out of service from
22h00 on Friday 21st February to 06h00 on Sunday 23rd February
due to an upgrade of our computer systems.
Bramer Bank advises its customers to plan ahead their banking
transactions to prevent any inconvenience during this period.
R E TA I L • B U S I N E S S • I N T E R N AT I O N A L • P R I VAT E
w w w.b ra m er bank . m u
www.marketingmag.mu
Tel: 405 4400 - Email: info@bramerbank.mu - www.bramerbank.mu
The power to give life
to your business ideas
R E TA I L • B U S I N E S S • I N T E R N AT I O N A L • P R I VAT E
w w w. b ra m e r b a n k . m u
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 17
CREATIVES
@ WORK
Agency: Logos
Client: Government of Mauritius
From Punishment to Rehabilitation
Logos Productions has been conferred the production
of a short film From Punishment to Rehabilitation by the
Mauritius Prison Service in the context of the official
inauguration of the ‘Eastern High Security Prison’ of
Melrose on 20 March by the Prime Minister.
One month of hard work has mobilized our team led
by Cédric Palan to portray in 8 minutes the history of
the penitentiary system of Mauritius. This short film,
18 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
which involved the full collaboration of the Mauritius
Prison’s officials, depicted the rehabilitation process of
the prison of Melrose which values latest technology
covering all aspects of security management and
respect of all humane conditions of detention. The film
laid emphasis on detention systems through the years
and rehabilitation programmes. Guests had a good
overview of Eastern High Security Prison in this film
while Dr. Ramgoolam and the press toured the prison.
www.marketingmag.mu
Web WATCH
A regular look at local internet marketing by Deepa Manrakhan
Deepa
Manrakhan is
Brand Manager
at Grays Inc
and considered
something of an
Internet guru.
TOP MAURITIAN WEB PAGES RANKED
In this month’s edition, we will have a look at the top 5 local pages according to ww.alexa.com. The ranking is the
combination of most visited pages and page views. It is important to point out that given that we are only looking
at Mauritian pages, popular pages like Google, Facebook, etc. have been deliberately excluded.
L’Express
Le Defi
Orange MRU
MCB
Le Matinal
Domain
Name
www.lexpress.mu www.defimedia.
info
www.orange.mu
www.mcb.mu
www.lematinal.
com
Category
Newspaper
Newspaper
Telecom
Banking
Newspaper
Global
Rank
25,781
30,659
30,824
74,419
90,327
Google
6
Page Rank
4
6
4
4
External
Backlinks
*
119,052
65,435
390,285
10,010
44,729
Bounce
Rate
32.80%
26.50%
28.20%
14.70%
42.60%
Daily Page 3.91
views per
Visitor
5.7
10.7
3.6
6.1
Daily Time 07:02:00 min
on Site
11:29:00 min
16:14:00 min
05:02:00 min
09:45:00 min
Page Load 3.386 Seconds
Time
5.839 Seconds
1.935 Seconds
1.585 Seconds
2.921 Seconds
Facebook
meter
86,603 likes
42,405 likes
5,675,325 likes**
76,834 likes
80,706 likes
Top 3
Keyword
search
l’express;
lexpress.mu;
lexpress
le defi; radio plus;
defimedia
orange.mu;
mcb; mcb internet le matinal; le
web2sms; orange banking; mauritius matinal job board;
portail
commercial bank lematinal
*www.ahrefs.com, type *domain/*, meaning all external backlinks to domain name and sub domain
**Note that Orange Mauritius FB is now the global page of Orange. Prior to merge, fan base was 108K
***Indicators were verified on the 6th of March 2014 and are subject to change
20 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
Web WATCH
A regular look at local internet marketing by Deepa Manrakhan
Glossary
www.lexpress.mu
Domain Name: Imagine you want to open a shop called “Chez
Marketing Mag”. The domain name is the name of your “shop”
and now you have your shop name, you register the name with
a registrar like www.godaddy.com and you would call it www.
chezmarketingmag.com. However, for any “shop” you need a
location and have to pay rent. This is called web hosting and
you purchase a package with a web hosting company such as
www.hostgator.com. Of course, instead of renting, you can
decide to purchase the whole building, i.e., your own server. If
this is the case, you can skip all the glossary.
Global Rank: An estimate of this site’s popularity. The rank is
calculated using a combination of average daily visitors to this
site and pageviews on the site over the past three months. The
site with the highest combination of visitors and pageviews is
ranked No. 1.
www.defimedia.info
Google Page Rank: Pagerank (PR) is a Google tool to
determine the importance of a page and one of the factors
used to determine which pages appear in the search results.
The most popular pages on the Internet are the pages with
the most links leading to them. PR considers links as votes.
Links from a page with a higher PR have more weight.
External Backlinks: A backlink is a link back to your website.
An internal backlink is a link from one part of the site to
another. An external backlink comes from another site and
helps with Pagerank.
www.orange.mu
Bounce Rate: A high bounce rate is bad news. Bounce rate
is the percentage of visitors who leave after visiting just one
page.
Daily Page views per visitor: The term is self-explanatory. A
high ratio is a sign that your visitors are enjoying what they
find on your website. There is no ideal ratio, so you need to
constantly monitor to see if your content is appealing to your
audience and if your ratio is moving up or down.
Daily Time on Site: Again, the term is self-explanatory.
However, you need to be careful here and not get overexcited. It is possible that the visitor has left the page open in
one tab and is looking at content of another site.
www.mcb.mu
Page Load Time: Page load time is an important metric. Super
-aesthetic designs may not be functional, so be ready to cut
out the polish if it is slowing down your website. Also, a fast
load time helps with search engine ranking.
Facebook meter: Facebook is the most used social media in
Mauritius; we will not go through the Twitter, 4Square, etc.
Number of “likes” is the number of fans that you have acquired
and who have agreed to be updated on your brand/product.
www.lematinal.mu
www.marketingmag.mu
Top 3 Keyword search: In this context, the keywords are the
words typed in search engines that lead to the website.
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 21
Marketing
WORLD
CMO Council Report: the state of customer
experience across Asia-Pacific and Japan
In a new study on the state of customer experience
across APJ (Asia-Pacific and Japan), the Chief Marketing
Officer (CMO) Council reports that only 26% of
marketers surveyed believe their back office systems
and operational structures enable their companies to
live up to brand promises and marketing claims.....read
more
British Airways on why it is plotting a new ‘joined up’
marketing approach
British Airways’ Abigail Comber tells Marketing
Magazine UK what it means for the airline to put its
entire marketing activity through one agency, why its
motto remains the “heartbeat” of the brand, and where
it plans to go next.....read more
Five things brands should be doing with Pinterest
To coincide with its fourth birthday this month, Simon
Robinson explains how brands can use Pinterest to
improve their consumer engagements.. ...read more
Tesco agrees £85m Tata deal to open retail stores in
India
Tesco has revealed plans to run 12 retail stores in India,
after forging a joint venture with Indian conglomerate
Tata Group. ...read more
MySpace was a live case study in how not to manage
a brand
Lindsay Nuttall, joint chief digital officer at BBH, and
former marketer at the BBC, E4, MySpace and ASOS,
believes that “everyone is winging it” and reflects on how
the internet shaped her career, as part of Marketing’s
series to mark the 25th anniversary of the World Wide
Web....read more
Want to win a Cannes Lion? Put social first (social
thinking, not social media)
This guest post comes from James Nester, UK creative
director at We Are Social.
Social media recently overtook pornography as the
number one activity on the web. ....read more
Five things brands can learn from journalists
This guest post is by Lauren Quaintance, award-winning
journalist and head of content at Sydney content
marketing agency Storify.
When I started my career as a journalist two decades
ago, if you’d told me that brands would become
publishers I would have laughed (loudly). We didn’t have
email – never mind the internet – so the only way for
brands to reach potential customers was by taking out
an ad in one of the city’s two newspapers or a 30-second
spot on free-to-air TV....read more
Analysis: Malaysia Airlines’ mishandled response to
the MH370 crisis
The MH370 incident has given Malaysia Airlines’
communication operation an unprecedented challenge,
but poor handling and misinformation have created a
credibility gap....read more
Advertisers must embrace new tech to reach the skip
generation
Advertising has become too linear. That’s not a general
assertion, it’s plain to see. Take TV advertising. Ever
since the birth of the ‘live pause’ function with the launch
of Sky+ in 2002, UK viewers have been systematically
cutting TV adverts out of their lives. ....read more
22 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
Case Study: From the Idiot Box to VIP Box
Brand: Pepsi, Agency: JWT
PR is dead: Public leadership is the future
There has long been a debate about whether PR needs
rebranding, not least to escape the ugly moniker of ‘spin’
and make it fit for purpose in the social digital age. PR is
the brainchild of pioneer Edward Bernays, born in an
age of institutional authority, intermediation and media
relations – all of which now border on the irrelevant.
...read more
Shocking fashion ads: Too scandalous to be viewed?
Fashion ad campaigns are sensational, provocative,
outrageous and scandalous. Creative? Very. You cannot
not notice them. This is all about money, marketing and
business sense, and these racy campaigns achieve all
the attention they’re after. ...read more
Background: India’s soft drink packaging is dominated
by glass bottles which constitute over 60 per cent of the
market. But of late, there has been an explosive growth
of PET bottles as compared to glass bottles....read more
Rebranding : Change is good
In the last one year, Airtel unveiled a completely new
brand identity – with a new logo, new signature tune and
new campaigns. Star Plus renewed its logo and turned
to ruby red from the previous blue. HDFC Standard Life
is now HDFC Life.....read more
4 signs the brief is made for the incumbent agency
Pitching for new campaigns or clients is a key and
regular part of agency life. But these are also a costly
and laborious affair, and smart agencies know when to
draw the line...read more
Air India in agency hunt to support global PR and
social drive
Air India, the country’s state-owned airline carrier, is on
the hunt for an agency to work on a wide-ranging twoyear PR and social brief....read more
CONSUMERS: Forget everything you know
The truth is that consumer insights don’t have to be
deep truths, nor come from consumers. Here are some
tips for generating disruptive insights, with powerful
examples from Japan ...read more
Digital publishing: Redefining the reader experience
A new wave of publishing is using design and technology
to elevate the reading experience to a new level,
transforming it from something linear and private to
a completely interactive multi-sensory experience.
...read more
9 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing A Company
Logo
How Twitter changed communications
Twitter debuted eight years ago. Back then, no one
could have predicted that 140-character messages
would alter how everyone from CEOs to celebrities to
heads of state would communicate........read more
www.marketingmag.mu
If you want your brand to stand out from its competitors,
a memorable company logo is critical. Since your logo
is an integral component of your brand and frequently
the first thing a customer sees, designing one that
resonates needs to be a top priority. ...read more
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 23
@WORK
EXPERTS
Darlene Lam
lectures
marketing at
the University of
Mauritius, is an
active director on
several Mauritian
companies and
one of the experts
of Hatchings Ltd.
It pays to be in tune with customers
By Darlene Lam
It is easy to be lovestruck with your own products (these
include services)! After all, you believe in them. But do
your customers have the same love and understanding
of those very same products as you?
No matter how great your products in terms of
attributes and qualities, if you do not get your targeted
customers to purchase them, then something is amiss.
We are all in business to make profits. The calculation
is simple: If you have invested in developing a product,
then you should have return on investment, both in the
short- and long-term.
The key is to get your targeted customers to go beyond
a one-off purchase, helping you to capitalise on the
investment.
Putting your products on the shelves and/or doing
a massive awareness or reminder campaign are not
enough. While exposure is necessary as it allows your
targeted customers to know that your products have a
place in the market and are available, it does not mean
they will automatically buy them. For that to happen,
customers need to be wooed and made to believe in
your products.
All products have two types of benefits: functional and
emotional. Both are vital, but some marketers have a
tendency to focus more on the functional benefits and
leave the emotional ones to one side. In my view, this is
a missed opportunity.
Most existing products on the market are not the only
ones in their category (or industry); and in most cases
the functions are more or less similar. What will make
your products stand out and appeal to your targeted
customers depends on how you make them:
•
•
•
perceive your products
feel connected to your products
feel when they use your products
Defining the emotional benefits of your products and
communicating these clearly is crucial to effective
marketing communication. Remember the final
purchase decision is always based on emotion, no
matter how rational a person is. For instance, a car is not
just a form of transportation, and the car you bought or
are thinking of buying is not just a car!
The focus should be on how to convince your customers
to go beyond the awareness stage and actually buy
your products, not once and not haphazardly, but
consistently. This requires a true understanding and
knowledge of your targeted audience.
Knowing your customers will open the door to what
type of dialogue and interaction you will have to engage
in to convince them that your products are the right
match for them and their lifestyles.
24 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
NEXT MONTH: In tune with your target customer?
www.marketingmag.mu
@WORK
EXPERTS
Based in Miami & New York (USA), Sidney is a
specialist in Brand Development & Strategy helping
companies & individuals to clearly define "who they are".
Sidney Evans
Founder, BRANDsimplicityglobal
about.me/sidneyevans/
www.linkedin.com/in/sydllc/
Twitter: @sydinc
Skype: sydinc
Hotels & Millennials
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group,
the parent company of Radisson
announced that they would be
spending $140 million to launch a
new brand catering specifically to
millennials.
The new brand will simply be
called Red; however, the plethora
of choices offered will be more
reminiscent of a kaleidoscope of
colors. The sub-brand will showcase
a modern design aesthetic (replete
with plenty of Red) and challenge
the way that millennials and others
view this 100yr plus brand. Some
of the unique choices available will
include, but are not limited to: the
ability to have personal photos of
family and friends on the wall of your
room, customizing the mini bar, or
having your favorite sandwich made
to order in the round the clock deli.
Increasingly, millennials are not
only looking for, but are requiring
something different from traditional
hotel
brands.
For
example,
behemoths Marriott and Ikea
announced a partnership to launch
a new brand simply called Moxy. The
rooms will be about half the size of
a small Manhattan studio at around
200 sq. ft and range from $80-100.
www.marketingmag.mu
Marriott states the rooms will have
a “Command Center” - equipped to
control everything from 40 plus inch
TVs, state of the art sound systems,
and customized art walls. (Think,
“The Jetsons”)
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is very
adept at marketing and attracting
this
demanding
demographic
having 75 hotels in 14 countries
emblazoned with the Aloft brand.
Starwood has been very strategic in
their campaign to attract this highly
sought after demographic. Aloft and
MTV collaborated to offer live music
access all throughout Asia while on
the go.
These are only a few of the hotel
brands and unique partnerships
that are eager to capitalize on the
generation of consumers that is
expected to account for 50% of
the population by the year 2020.
This spontaneous, tech savvy,
extraverted group will definitely
be credited for reshaping how we
experience most things in the future,
most notably travel.
Pics Courtesy of Carlson Rezidor
Hotel Group (Red Brand)
MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 25
26 | MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014
www.marketingmag.mu
Téléphonistes H/F (Anifit, Pointe aux Sables)
Nous recrutons des téléphonistes pour travailler du
lundi au vendredi entre 11h30 et 22h30. Votre...
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Assistant Program Manager (Expand Technology
(Holding) Ltd, Phoenix)
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Market Intelligence
Keeping you Focused on the Right Target
Based on research, we identify action plans which
help our client to build growth strategies such as
improvement of customers loyalty and purchase,
attract new clients, promote new products and
services and conquer new markets.
1st floor, Ebene Skies, Ébène, Mauritius
A member of Taylor Nelson Sofres
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MARKETING MAG ISSUE 9 MARCH/april 2014 | 27