WIMCA 2021 Conference Moves to Resolve Marketing Challenges

Experts in the business of brands and marketing communications in Africa gathered recently to chart a new course for businesses targeting female consumers, on how best to reach and engage them in these challenging times.

They also proffered solutions on how the female gender can maintain a work-life integration in their quest to smash the glass ceiling that seem to prevent them from reaching their peak in their different fields.

These were the key talking points at the annual Women in Marketing & Communications Conference/ Awards (WIMCA) held last Wednesday at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. The theme for this year’s conference, “Women in Leadership: Building a strong Professional PIE (Performance, Image, and Exposure)” was crafted in line with this year’s theme of the International Women Day (IWD): “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”.

The event which is in its fifth edition is powered every year by Brand Communicator, a leading Brands and marketing publication in Nigeria. In his welcome address, the convener of WIMCA and publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi stressed that, “’women have been acknowledged as some of the most effective leaders during the pandemic, even when they remain woefully under-represented at all levels of decision-making worldwide.”

He added that Forum Research has revealed the efficacy of the ‘role model effect’ which is helping to close the gender gap. It is with this goal of expansion that the platform will soon become pan-African.

His words: “Indeed, we are planning to expand this platform beyond a yearly one to a pan-African platform that will create a sustainable community that members can interact with daily. Details on this plan will be released soon.”

In her presentation, the keynote speaker, CEO of Dentsu, Sub-Sahara Africa, Dawn Rowlands spoke on “Engaging Female Consumers in Challenging Times” . She stated that the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges have forced many businesses to evolve and look for better ways to connect with their consumers.

She explained that because of the pandemic, many women work from home, combining multiple roles from work and taking care of their family. She called on brands that understand this reality to look for suitable means to engage women creatively at this time.. She equally urged brands to allocate a reasonble chunk of their budget to gender balancing and women empowerment.