Mutsvangwa Calls For Responsible Marketing

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, was the guest speaker at the annual Marketers convention at Holiday Inn in Bulawayo from October 30 to November 2,2019.

Below is her unedited speech.

It is indeed an honour to officiate and officially open the 11th Annual Marketers’ Convention hosted by Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (M.A.Z).

The Association has made great strides in ensuring the uplifting of the marketing profession which has resulted in business and professional growth. I would like to commend the Association’s efforts to integrate business and government initiatives.

I am highly honoured as the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services to be here to meet and share with marketers and communications personnel in the country. Marketers play a pivotal role not only in marketing their business but also promoting their brands and this culminates in a strong national Zimbabwe.

The theme for this Convention is ‘Engaging strategic Marketing in a dynamic environment – Expanding Horizons’. In modern marketing strategies, marketers have to engage in professional, responsible communication as they work on expanding their horizons.

The business trends globally are changing and changing very fast. This therefore calls on you the marketers and communications professional to be at the forefront of presenting your brands. Gone are the days where long term strategies are needed but effective tactics that are swift and responsive to the changing environment.

I say this ladies and gentlemen due to the digitalisation of the business world and processes. The coming of the social media space has completely revolutionise the way we communicate with our customers.

In fact, it has become the other way where our customers are now speaking to us and we have to tailor make our products and or services to the detects of the customers. Even us as government, we take communication seriously as we need to keep abreast with technologies.

Gone are the days where we would have to wait for the main news bulletin to make announcements but we are also forced by you the general citizenry to act swiftly and timely otherwise the news would have gone out via the social media unnoticed.

As the Minister of Publicity, I am ceased with the task that government policies and decisions are timeously communicated and the choice of the vehicle of communication is of essence for our effectiveness.

I therefore applaud you the marketing professionals to support us in government with further insights into the trends and platforms so that we keep abreast with the new developments. Change is real ladies and gentlemen, it is therefore paramount for every constituent to be at its toes in order to be relevant.

Uncouth marketing strategies will never last long as they fast disappear in people’s memories.

As Government we encourage responsible communication from you as you have a very broad influence not only on people’s choices but even the world’s view. Social media is a very powerful medium which can either destroy or build brands as well as the nation.

Let’s engage in professional marketing that does not contain inflammatory language, hate speech or encourages violence in the country. As we ride on current affairs in our social media marketing lets also be wary of insensitive messages.

Hon Ambassador, Cde Minister, ladies and Gentleman as the new dispensation we have a mantra that Zimbabwe is Open for Business and we cannot go it alone. We need your support to position and market the country brand on the global scale, promote our local goods and brands as well as promote exports.

This Marketers Convention comes at a time when there is global digital transformation. As you are aware, Government is working on transforming the country into a digital and knowledge driven society in line with Vision 2030.

Recently, as Government we announced the migration to the holding of e-enabled paperless Cabinet meetings, as well as the introduction of the Executive Electronic Dashboard to monitor the implementation of priority Government programmes in real time.

These two innovations are part of the broader e-Government programme which seeks to transform Zimbabwe by 2030. As such we implore you the corporate sector to lead in the digital transformation so that you remain relevant and adapt to the ever changing digital environment.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman, as Government we are also working on a media policy. Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, which is part of ongoing reforms in the media.

The Bill is part of the ongoing reforms to align the country’s laws to the Constitution and arises from the repeal of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, commonly known as AIPPA.

More specifically, the Bill provides for the establishment of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, its powers and functions as well as the financing thereof. The ultimate objective is to emerge with a vibrant, non-polarised, diverse and pluralistic media sector which positively contributes to the deepening of the country’s democratic processes and the socio-economic development agenda.

As Marketers and communications personnel, you work closely with the media therefore we encourage you to impart your input into the Bill as Public Hearings are still ongoing. It is your right to have a say in the media policy as key stakeholders of the media.

As Zimbabwe we are also going to be part of the Dubai 2020 Expo and this international exhibition provides a platform for all of you to market your various brands, goods and service to the world.

Through the relationship between Government and your association, the Marketers Association is leading of the Marketing and Publicity committee therefore it will be easy for all of you to make a mark on the Dubai 2020 Expo.

Thank you once again for inviting me to the Marketers Convention, as a Marketer myself I feel at home being amongst other marketers. I wish you fruitful deliberations.

With the power vested in me, I now declare this Convention officially open.

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