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international front.
The dominant view was a call for Buy Zimbabwe to proceed with its name and shame programme, including writing to retailers advising them to stop stocking products that are purposefully deceiving consumers by claiming to be Zimbabwean when they are imported.
Of course, some found it ironic that at a time Zimbabwean products are said to be less preferred to imported ones, some have found it beneficial to claim they are Proudly Zimbabwean.
Perhaps deep down, there is still a deep yearning for Zimbabwean products. This should be good news for our local manufacturers who should now embark on a major consumer research aimed at understanding the motives that are driving such tendencies and seek to take advantage of them.
However, it seems fair to say that as long as price, quality, packaging and price match or is lower than that of imports, Zimbabwean products, are likely to enjoy more preference to imported products.
We know that reaching such a stage takes time and is a function of a number of factors that include policy, border controls, credit availability, new technology, among other factors.
Still it is a good take-off point, than one where all things local are condemned before being given a chance.
Some readers nevertheless urged Buy Zimbabwe to take advantage of the current sentiment by embarking on a massive consumer education exercise aimed at highlighting features that qualify local products and services as competitive.
The advice was for Buy Zimbabwe to identify local products that carry proudly Zimbabwean and work with them to raise standards as well as carry the right insignia.
Essentially, it was felt that using the term Proudly Zimbabwean, on its own, was not a bad idea but that as a loose and broad term, products would vulnerable to various imitations.
A suggestion was also to take advantage of the forthcoming UNWTO General Assembly to be jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia to raise awareness at global levels of our products and services that carry the Buy Zimbabwe mark of excellence.
We were challenged to spruce up our websites and various product catalogues in ways that inform consumers of those brands and services that are Proudly Zimbabwean in terms of quality, origin and price as defined by the Buy Zimbabwe insignia.
Only such products should be sold, displayed, marketed and given to delegates at the world tourism programme which must be used to showcase the best that our country makes.
Given the publicity around UNWTO, and our need to ensure that the event creates a positive perception of our country, it was important for the hospitality industry to work with local manufacturers in showcasing the best of Zimbabwe.
Our advantage over our neighbours, Zambia, is that their manufacturing sector has been totally decimated by South Africans and they have little or nothing that they can claim to have manufactured.
On our part it should remind us to be mindful that unless we unite in defence of the best of Zimbabwe we can reach a similar fate.
More importantly, we can take advantage of the friendship presented by our co-hosting status to remind our neighbours of what we have and seek to ensure that our products receive preference on both sides of the border.
On a brighter note we have been watching with interest the jostling for shares in troubled food giant, Cairns Foods, who are renowned for making a diverse range of products from Mukuyu Wines, to Sun Jam to very popular and unique brand of snacks, Things.
News emerging is that a number of local and foreign companies are currently engaged in an intense bidding process to buy the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s 65 percent stake in Cairns Holdings.
Buy Zimbabwe hopes the process can be completed soon and that we can go back to days when Cairns produced products for our country to be proud of on local and international level.
The resuscitation of the company should also provide key lessons for other entities, like Caps Holdings, whose brands have stood the test of time and yet because of troubles at the company it has run aground.
We also believe its only in Zimbabwe, where companies with best brands are auctioned for the purpose of recovering some small amounts of money, while the brands that contain the greatest value are allowed to die.
Is it not possible for our local banks to invest in rebuilding brands even if it means restructuring the companies that make them?
The Coca-Cola brand is said to be worth more than the physical asset base of the company.
This implies that by simply gaining control over the brand, investors gain more than a process of asset acquisition.
Our local financial institutions perhaps must seek to understand the value of brands and search for ways in which their moneys can be recovered through a process that focuses on brand revival.
A process of attaching assets, while it provides immediate solutions to the banks is very damaging to the economy and delays the recovery of the economy, which ultimately harms survival of the banks themselves.
We must protect the sanctity of our leading brands.
It is Buy Zimbabwe’s hope that the Cairns example will provide a glimpse into the possibilities offered by directing attention to the right area.
Till we meet again, please remember that Buy Zimbabwe is about promoting pride, wealth and jobs for our country. God Bless.
For feedback call 0773751878 of email vandudzai @ buyzimbabwe.org.zw
Online Reporter