State sells Kenya at Olympics

By Jevans Nyabiage

This year’s summer London Olympics will be unique to Kenya in a number of ways.

The world will surely miss one of Kenya’s elite athletes — the late Samuel Wanjiru, who ignited the marathon course.

And while other Kenyan stars will ignite the marathon, the games will not see the defending champion.

Secondly, it will be the first time the Government and local corporates are heading to such a global event to sell  ‘A touch of Kenya’ mark of identity.

Kenya is renowned for producing the world’s best athletes.  Many, however, admit that although the country enjoys vast talent in the long distance races, not much has been done to utilise this to market Kenya to the international community.

Interest has slowly been growing in sports marketing, with firms such as Kenya Commercial Bank, East African Breweries, Safaricom and Kenya Airways pumping millions of shillings into sports sponsorship.

Statistics place the industry to be worth more than $150 billion, if you include broadcast rights and all other rights. Endorsement is big in the west, but in Kenya it is still in its infancy stages.

under invested

“It is far from impressive. I think corporates have under invested in this area,” says Paul Ng’ang’a, the chief executive officer of Catapult Brand Consulting Ltd.

And those that have invested in sports marketing, Ng’ang’a says, have not fully explored its full potential. For a country like Kenya, which is an athletic giant, one would expect a lot more investment by corporates.

“Sometimes I get the feeling that we take for granted what we have simply because we have it. If our runners were in the US or Europe, you would see corporates competing to seek their endorsements,” Ng’ang’a says.

However, in a new shift of heart, President Kibaki is leading a delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games in London to market Kenya. Kenya has rented space in East Thames, in Stratford, and set up the Kenya House to market the country as an investment, tourism and trade destination.

“One of our brand strength is athletes and we want to take advantage of that positive energy to market Kenya,” Musyoki Kivindyo, the communications director at the Brand Kenya Board, told Business Weekly.

The Kenya House London 2012 — the name given to the facility that will be used by local companies to market Kenya during the Olympics — will host stakeholders from diverse sectors, including banking and agriculture.

This will help fill in the gaps and inform the market more of prospects available in Kenya other than tourism and sports products the country has been known for years.

Others targeted to help promote Kenya’s sporting heritage are past Olympic medalists, who will be based at Kenya House.

good news

Even before the games start, good news has started to trickle down. Kipchoge ‘Kip’ Keino, one of the world’s most admired sporting heroes was awarded the Freedom of the UK city of Bristol on July 5. He became the second recipient of the high honour after late Sir Winston Churchill,  who was the British Prime Minister.

Kenya House has been funded by Government agencies and the private sector to the tune of Sh100 million.

Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) is the lead sponsor of the Kenya House, after contributing Sh25 million. The bank will use the occasion to woo international clientele for its diaspora-banking product launched in May.

Other Kenyan firms have not been left behind. Procter & Gamble (P&G) Kenya will be sending one Kenyan mother to London to watch their children compete in the games. Other organisations that have been linked Kenya’s bid for Olympics are National Bank of Kenya, National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Multichoice, among other.

KCB’s head of Diaspora and Advantage banking, Ms Margaret Gitonga, says the bank will carry out a major global launch on July 28 in London. More than 500 East Africans in the Diaspora are expected to attend the function.

“We believe through sports we gain brand visibility, media publicity and offer new opportunity to meet new customers,” Gitonga said.

marketing Kenya

For the Government, the Kenya Vision 2030 secretariat is headed to London with the aim of marketing Kenya by popularising the country’s long-term economic blueprint to potential investors.

Other Government agencies participating are Kenya Tourist Board, Export Promotion Council, the Kenya National Museums, Kenya Flower Council, Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others.

The concept of Kenya House is built around the key sectors contributing to Kenya’s development — that is investment, export products, culture, tourism and Diaspora (citizens). The events will be on thematic days in line with these sectors.

Other countries have taken up space around London to promote their culture, products, and sports people. Russia will be at Marble Arch spending 100 million pounds, Switzerland at Glaziers Hall spending 12 million Swiss Francs, and Australia have taken up space at Wood Wharf spending 1.4 million Pounds. The UK will stage their house at Westfield City in Stratford, investing 45 million Pounds.