The Design Garage returned last Friday with Collin Asiimwe – Head of Marketing at Multichoice Uganda speaking on our Collective memory of the #COVID19 pandemic and how that helps us move forward.
Collin is motivated by the idea of constant motion, and that if we do not give up, we will control the outcomes of our lives in an otherwise fickle world.
From branding and communications to bringing innovative new ideas to life, Collin has worked across the East African region, launching a telecom in three countries and leading strategy delivery for a mobile based financial solution that is adopted across multiple countries.
If you missed the conversation, we bring you some of the notable points made;
Is there an intersection between Marketing and Design?
Design and marketing are both driven by your end consumer, and when you think about the consumer, what they want, and the utility of what you are giving them, there starts to emerge very strong core relationships.
Do you think there is a different way of marketing and designing during disaster?
I think disaster sort of requires a different kind of Art and skillset, but more than anything else, I think there is a very strong imperative to display ‘empathy.’ It is very important to put yourself in your consumer’s shoes, and then address that which is most likely to create the impact to alleviate that situation.
How Creatives in Uganda are dealing with this situation
I think this is really a difficult time to be a creative. The work from home structure needs a different mindset. You have to create different mind and time spaces that allow you to be seated at your table to accomplish tasks. This is a very different approach from the gig structure.
The creatives whose work has to do with directly interacting with people are finding it hard to adjust, and are being forced to evolve their art and design because the landscape is changing inimitably. We are going to places we have never been to or lived, and we shall never come back where we are. That’s what people are calling ‘’New Normals.’’
Where the Creative sector lies in terms of value and importance in a recovering economy
The Corona virus has changed the world in a way that we shall never forget. There is however, dignity in adversity and adversity also builds character. Such things allow us to continue to thrive amidst an unpredictable and often cruel environment.
Now more than ever, the idea of entrenching, and deepening these stories and making them a resident part of our sight is going to be more about your individual self-expression.
It’s going to be the creative’s role to help people understand what the problem is, by contextualizing it with long lasting stories, and lessons to be learned out of them.
How he is personally dealing with the Covid19 situation
I have learned that having a regular schedule helps. It helps you stay focused for the day.
Health wise, I schedule time for a walk or run an hour a day because sitting in front of the computer the whole day is not the best thing to do.
In terms of my team, I have learned that communication is very important .It is important to tread expectation for engagement.
On the gig economy changing, and how people can be ready for that
Now is the time for you to horn your craft. If you are good at something, now is the time to get super good. Become good across mediums. Start to deepen and then expand your craft across platforms.
There is a very rich opportunity for Creatives to diversify how they present their craft to take it to market.
If you consider yourself an Art form leader, your job is to continuously push that Art because when you push it, you create places for other creatives to aspire to and also charge your most premium rate.