Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) is set to host the second edition of the Matabeleland Top Brands and Marketing Excellence Awards on 22 September 2023.
The event which will run under the theme: “Igniting Creativity and Growth for Brand Success” will be held in in Bulawayo at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC).
In a statement, MAZ said the first edition of the awards held last year was a success.
“The first edition of the Matabeleland Top Brands and Marketing Excellence Awards were held in 2021 and were a huge success with support and attendance from the regional executives.”
MAZ executive secretary, Mr Gillian Rusike said the association was excited with the decentralisation of the awards.
“With the government agenda on devolution, MAZ has seen it necessary to foster growth of regional brands. The time has come for brands that dominate in the Matabeleland region to rise up and spearhead regional growth of the region.
“Further, these brands should strive not only to become household brands in Matabeleland only, but to dominate every household in Zimbabwe, and start entering regional markets, in SADC first, and Africa as a whole,” he said.
He said there were so many successful regional brands in the Matabeleland region which are not available on the national market and the awards encompass various categories that highlight different aspects of brand performance.
Among the categories these include Best Video / TV advert of the Year 2023, Best Radio Advert of the Year 2023, Best Print Advert of the Year 2023, Best Outdoor Advert of the Year 2023 and Best Social Media and Digital Marketing Campaign of the Year 2023.
As well as Best Customer Experience of the Year 2023, Best Marketing Oriented SME of the Year 2023 and Best Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year 2023.
Businesses will also be awarded for Best Regional Consumer Brand of the Year 2023, Best Regional Corporate Brand of the Year 2023 and Regional Marketing Champion of the Year 2023.
MAZ said the awards were highly regarded within the industry due to their rigorous selection process and comprehensive evaluation criteria, while they aim to recognise brands that have demonstrated excellence in various aspects of marketing, including strategy, creativity, innovation, and impact.
“The awards ceremony itself is a grand event that showcases the winning brands and provides a platform for networking and knowledge sharing among industry peers. It serves as an opportunity for brands to gain recognition for their achievements while also learning from the best practices of other successful companies,” read part of the statement.
Meanwhile, MAZ last week hosted the first edition of the Manicaland Top Brands and Marketing Excellence Awards on Friday 15 September.
The National Exceptional Marketing awards will be held in Harare on the 29th of September 2023, while at last year’s National EMA awards, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company Deputy chief executive officer (CEO), Ms Stella Nkomo was adjudged as the Nation Marketer of the year.
“The National Marketer of the year award is given to an individual who has spearheaded or implemented a financially viable campaign. The award winner should be innovative and a team player.”
MAZ president, Lillian Mbayiwa was the first runner and National Foods’ Group Marketing executive, Lawrence Kutinyu was the second runner up.
Bongani Ndlovu