Milward Brown starts West Africa hub office in Accra

Accra, Oct. 22, GNA - The stable business atmosphere in Ghana, coupled with the prevailing business philosophy, has attracted Milward Brown, a global marketing company to make the country its third investment location, after South Africa and Kenya. Mr Charles Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Milward Brown in Africa, made this known at the official inauguration of the company in Accra on Thursday, on the theme: "Winning on West Africa's Brand Battlefields."

Ghana has therefore become the 78th host of the company and the 51st country in the world. The national capital- Accra will serve as the West African hub office of the global leading research agency with expertise in advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research.

Mr Foster said the company started in the UK in 1974, located to South Africa in 1984 and Kenya in 2008. He described Milward Brown as a specialist in training and communication research.

Mr Niger Hollis, Chief Global Analyst of the company observed that marketers are focusing on the healthy growing market in West Africa, stressing on premium and value branding as the modus operandi of the business battle.

He said Chinese and Korean refrigerator brands for instance dominate the Nigerian market, stressing "There is a battle for share of the wallet and not share of category."

Mr Hollis warned against price war, which arise through unbridled competition, which he said is unsustainable. He said promotion of a value brand eventually pays off, rather than the mere reduction of the cost of services by rival brands, which eventually affects quality.

Mr Soumya, Saklani, Milward Brown Managing Director for West Africa, who spoke on "introducing link", described the approach as a means to help people to improve the value of advertising. He noted that brands that used link out- performed their peers by 33 per cent and also facilitates fair comparison of advertisement across the globe.

Mr Saklani said links had contributed to many award winning campaigns all over the world, while adverts that deliver the highest sales effects are driven by persuasion and impact.