The Vibe That Was Vipingo

On September 30th, 2024. The #MuemaChallengeSeries #2024 Edition Teed Off. Here is that story, courtesy of Vizual Dialog Ke and the Muema Challenge Events Ops Team.

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke about taking on the task of the Muema Challenge Brand. This story was birthed in a WhatsApp conversation among friends. What started out as a jocular conversation is a serious brand narrative. Here's the thing, Just start your gig! We are here with the Muema Challenge because we believe enough to do something about it. There is no substitute for prompt decisive action.

The Muema brand is inspired by love. You see, once upon a time, not so long ago, Muema threw a party for his wife Sheila Kahaki Muindi She was turning 40 at the time, and this was a surprise party for her. The men who turned up with their wives to celebrate Kahaki did so with their Golf Kits. The Venue was the incomparable #GreatRiftValleyLodge & #GolfResort. A Special guest DJ was imported, and a theme was picked for the afterparty on the 19th Hole. The rest, as they say, is now history. That was 9 years ago. Funny how time flies. So, guys have been going back every year to the scene of the crime to celebrate Kahaki, so to speak... Muema has now had no choice but to hold the event every year, by force or by fire. His consumers would not let him stop!

Enter Pablo Murunga & Michael Munyi . By this time, Muema, being the businessman that he is, has realized that he is sitting on a cash cow. But this brand needs packaging and so we embark on a tenuous journey to do that. Muema is a proper taskmaster who makes you work for your Kaching! He says he has no money for marketing, but he has only got Ops Cash to run the Events this year. I tell him that our brand building will attract the cash we need and then some. He is skeptical, but what does he have to lose, he is not forking out any money up-front. So Mike and I have a series of meetings and thoroughly interrogate the brand as it stands, and then we build our storyline and coin our brand essence. The day we presented the Idea to Muema's eyes lit up the day we presented the Big Brand Idea to Him and A Team of #MuemaChallenge Loyalists. Everyone was all in on day one. We had hit a home run. But now the hard part was about to begin. We needed to deliver this new narrative on a shoestring budget for the Series in 2024. In essence, we would not really be able to pay ourselves in year 1. Our efforts would be about reinvesting any value returns into the #MuemaChallenge Master Brand.

So that, in essence, is what we have done. We have tightened our belts and resourced the brand with our skills and experience. We have leveraged our social capital to get what we needed to operate, and we have raised some sponsorship funds for the very first time to improve the brand sensory experience. There has also been some organic growth. The #MuemaChallenge #KigaliEdition was launched with great fanfare just 10 days ago, with 200 golfers playing on two days in a double-header event with the #PresidentsCup at #TheKigaliGolfResort. It was so popular that we had to turn away golfers. Next year's Event has already been booked and sponsors locked. Who would have even thought it possible? Thank you The HEINEKEN Company Canal plus I&M Bank Ltd and Horizons Events for making Kigali an unforgettable experience.

Today, there will not be much writing.. I just wanted you all to get a glimpse of what it means to build a brand from the bottom up. I have been documenting the process, and I will post a case study that depicts both our triumphs and our struggles. My point is simple if you are serious about your business as an SME. It is too important not to think through a concise brand strategy. If you really want to break into the next level. Your business must live beyond you, and for that to happen, you must build a secure brand with a life of its own. You must create a legacy beyond self. That is what Henry Ford did and Many others have followed suit. It is what has made brands like #BMW #Apple and #Mercedes so successful.

Today, however, I am caught between a rock and a hard place because I have so many things to share and some exciting content to share. So, let's cut to the chase. My Final Event of the Year is The #MuemaChallenge #MtKipipiriEdition, which will be held on the weekend of 14th December. If you want to participate as a golfer, you need to book your slot now. I only have 31 Slots Left from a field of 150 pax. So Call me, Inbox, Email, WhatsApp, and let's lock this down ASAP. I close all entries for players on 30th November. So get with it! Another 50 Entries will be left open for Last-minute Social Butterflies, but I will also close those by the 7th of December. Hebu mujipange, Mapema ndio best.