The Standard Business Beat
Date: 19.05.2015
Page 8
Article size: 83 cm2
ColumnCM: 18.44
AVE: 0.0
INTERVIEW:
French phone
maker sets out
Kenya strategy
By PETER MUIRURI
In September last year, Wiko Global,
a French smartphone manufacturing
company, launched its products in Kenya, its
first market in Africa. The company ­ whose
offerings include Wiko Goa, Sunset, Fizz
Getaway and its flagship product, Highway
­ is in plans to launch what it says will
be the slimmest phone in the market. We
spoke to John
Miriti (pictured),
Wiko's country
manager, on his
firm's plans to
take on bigger
players in the
industry.
Kenya has seen
an influx of
mobile phone
brands; how
will Wiko stand
out?
With our
high quality, stylish and affordable phones,
we are sure we will make a mark in the
industry. You must also consider that Wiko
is Europe's fastest­growing brand and the
second­largest phone manufacturer in
France after Samsung. There is no reason
we cannot replicate the same success here.
How have Wiko products fared in the
market so far?
Kenya's mobile phone penetration stands
at 67 per cent, and 400,000 phones are
sold on a monthly basis. Of these, 40 per
cent are smartphones and 60 per cent
basic feature phones. This shows there is
still room for expansion in the smartphone
segment. For Wiko, whatever we sold in
quarter four of last year in Kenya doubled in
quarter one this year.
In addition, we are making Kenya the hub
of our activities within the region to access
the East African market of more than 150
million people. We are currently investing
heavily in key retail partners across major
towns in the country through shop visibility
improvement programmes, trainings and
joint promotions.
What are your challenges?
There are dominant players in this
industry, and being a new brand, we must
work harder to convince people we have
what they need. At times, we have to give
stock on credit to distributors or retailers,
some of whom will not hold a substantial
amount of cash in a new product.
Do you have what it takes to make a
success of the brand?
I believe I do. I have worked in BAT's
corporate and regulatory affairs department
where I came up with strategies to market
products that were receiving negative
publicity. I have also had marketing stints
with multinationals like Nestle and Samsung
before Wiko came calling.
[email protected]
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya