Business Botswana launches new corporate identity
Isaac Pinielo | Tuesday July 12, 2016 14:47
Giving remarks at the Business Botswana corporate identity launch in Gaborone last week, Bayport executive chairperson, Father Maphongo said branding is one of the most important aspects of any large or small business or organisation.
“Your brand is your promise to your customer and it tells the customer what to expect from your products or services. Your brand differentiates your offering from your competitors,” he said.
He added that a brand is derived from who the organisation is, who it wants to be and who people perceive it to be.
He emphasised that a brand is obliged to be customer centric.
“Who you are is the reason for your existence and it is the reason why we should as companies, your associates, your affiliates, your potential members be compelled to associate with you as Business Botswana,” said Maphongo.
He warned that without laying the groundwork for a smooth brand transition, an organisation is likely to throw its audience for a loop, or in more extreme cases, an all-out anti-rebrand rebellion.
He also stated that the organisation learned this lesson when it changed the name Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) to Business Botswana.
“The same will apply now when you roll out a redesigned logo without explaining exactly what made this new mark significant to an already iconic brand, or why the rebrand was necessary in the first place,” Maphongo said.
He further explained that the foundation of a brand is the logo, noting that the website, packaging and promotional materials should all carry the logo and communicate the brand which is the organisation’s signature.
He further explained that communicating the brand message needs a well thought out plan or brand strategy.
“Defining your brand is a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult, time-consuming and uncomfortable, but at the end most satisfying,” said Maphongo.
He said Business Botswana had to undergo rebranding in order to align the corporate identity with the new strategic direction of the company; to reposition the company in a dynamic, competitive business environment and to get all key stakeholders to reconnect with the company’s new and broader value proposition as it has been introducing its new services.
The new name and now the new identity are a symbol of an invigorated chamber of commerce. This is exciting to have all stakeholders reconnect with this brand and its proposition, he said.
Business Botswana chief executive officer, Racious Moatshe said his organisation is in transition as it changed from BOCCIM to Business Botswana, adding that the objective behind the transition was to align the new brand with the current restructuring process of forming the organisation into an apex body.
Explaining the rationale of the new Business Botswana logo, head of public affairs, marketing and communications, Shiellah Moribame said globally business is guided by solid networking between separate entities, being the buyer and the seller. “Hence the importance of the link on the Business Botswana corporate identity as signified by the two B’s linked or chained like visual. She said the logo icon is illustrated with stylised interlocking Bs to depict trade and business between two parties.
“Layout is kept clean to appeal to local and international corporate markets. We believe less is more principle applied on the concept,” she said.
According to Moribame, the blue in the logo is a colour that represents life, opportunity and savvy business practices, while brown represents the corporate world, wealth, strength, passion and earthy feel.