BRANDING KENYA IN THE DIASPORA

Kenyan and proud!

You can market Kenya wherever you go. It gives you opportunity to appreciate and show off your cultural background. It may also end up being a fine way of making profit. Various ways in which you can brand Kenya in the Diaspora include:

Organizing events to showcase Kenya.

 This should be a regular thing; monthly, annually. It works best where many Kenyans are present (North America, United Kingdom). It is an assurance that there will be attendance. A dancehall party, for example. Have Kenyan Deejays like Dj Joe Mfalme, Dj Kaytrixx, fly in and do music mixes as Kenyans like it. It may be an art gallery. Invite pros in fine arts such as Elisha Ongere and Seth Mshindi to show advertise the talent in Kenya.  Have leading architectural firms attend the event. Try contacting Foster and Partners when in London or SMC Group when in Newcastle. It could be a food tasting event like Blankets and Wines held in Kenya. It could be a cultural night like Kamba night, Kikuyu night or Luo Night. Performances from Tony Nyadundo, Eric Wanaina, Ken wa Maria will make the night unforgettable. Worry not about language barrier. Actions do speak louder than words. This means that people are more interested in what pleases the eye than what appeases the ear. Creativity should do the magic.

 

Kenyan food is marketable.

Open a restaurant whose services and goods are exclusively Kenyan style. A shift from the usual face of meals is something many will jump at just to break the monotony. Routine is boring. Prepare cultural dishes such as: Muthokoi, Mrenda, Kunde, Mursik, Mukimo, Matoke (Mashed Plantains), Ugali, Biriani, Irio, Mahamri and Tilapia. The interior design of the place should have an African look. Kenya is a major tourist destination. The uniforms of the employees should represent one, two or all of the colours of the Kenyan flag. A good representation communicates that what they are seeing and eating at the restaurant is just a tip of the reality. The real thing is in Kenya! The customers will want to visit Kenya. Most importantly takes advantage of the fact that human beings either eat to live or live to eat. Cook well, garnish then serve beautifully and generously. The news will spread faster than bushfire.

Shine for and with Kenyans.

Establish empowerment programmes and forums that explore undiscovered talents in Kenyans. This can be Kenyans within the Diaspora or others sponsored to fly in. Look for individuals who are buds lacking water to flourish and blossom. Water them through education, mentorship and scholarships .They will soon begin to do tremendous things in the society. When the world starts to notice and appreciate, Kenya is branded as the land of potential.

Customizing clothes in Kenyan fabrics.

Pick lessos and add flavor to jeans, denim jackets. Design bags, dresses, scarves, tops .Brand t-shirts with the Kenyan flag, pictures of famous athletes such as David Rudisha or writings such as ‘I love Kenya’. All these adorned by a spectacular taste and finishing will sell like hot cake. Everyone loves to looks classy, sassy and unique.

Selling artifacts made in Kenya.

Curio shops do the trick. Importing the goods from a good source here in Kenya is usually the first and better option. This is chiefly because the ‘makers’ know what the tourists often look for. However you can employ someone within the Diaspora who has a hand in art to make them. A customer may make an order on urgent delivery. Waiting to get the product all the way from home may not be an option. This employee must, however, learn how to make it look Kenyan. According to a research done by Kenya-Advisory.com 90 percent of the arts and crafts in this world come from Kenya. Make soap stone carvings, wood carvings, viondos, jewellery, and accessories. This shows that you will not need much convincing to have clients. Advertise the shop via friends, relatives, workmates and more so the internet.

Flaunt what you got Kenyan footwear.

Borrow a leaf or two from the Maasai community from Kenya. Its culture is apparently the most adored of all other Kenyan communities. Sandals made by the Maasai community are a good start. Wear them, give them to friends as gifts, sell them, and even donate them to a church. Do this in bulk .Ensure that you choose to use the good quality ones. These have neat arrangement of beads and a thick rubber sole. If the colours of the beads could incorporate those of the Kenyan flag-black, red green, white or others bright colours, the better! Alternatively, go for the brightly colored beads fixed in different shapes.

On the whole, “consider yourself a walking brand of Kenya. Always have something that represents home be it earrings, bags or books. In the house, even the candle holder should tell where you are from. Share about Kenya in social gatherings and social websites!”It always works. Sophie Njenga, a member and official of AIESEC Kenya confirmed.



PUBLISHED:http://issuu.com/nairobiaiesec/docs/cb5