Canal Walk picked up top honours at the first South African Footprint Marketing Awards ceremony during the 8th African Congress of Shopping Centres which was held at the Cape Town Convention Center recently.

The South African Footprint Marketing Awards have been launched by the South African Council of Shopping Centres to recognize excellence in shopping centre marketing. A total of 46 entries were received.

Canal Walk, which submitted four entries, picked up one silver award, three gold awards and the Grand Prix or top award.

In the Retailer Productivity category where Canal Walk’s Harry Potter entry for a programme designed to benefit retailers by improving store productivity leading to improved centre performance won both a gold award and the overall Grand Prix award.

Canal Walk also won a gold award for it new promotional court renovation, a gold award for its public relations campaign for its Sunday Night Trading Hours, and a silver award in the community service category for the Big Top Circus.

Mickey Radowsky, managing director of Canal Walk, said the shopping centre took marketing by seriously.

"We are very passionate about our brand and our very professional team in our marketing department have been justly rewarded for the excellent work they have done.

"Our recent market research shows that Canal Walk is right up there with the older, more mature shopping centres in terms of brand recongintion, tenant mix, customer loyality and this is a direct result of the marketing and positioning of the center to date."

The Campaigns recognized r award at hree old , took place at the 8th African Congress of Shopping Centres which was held in the Cape Town Convention Centre from 12-14 October 2003.

The awards will honour outstanding achievements made by marketers in the Shopping Centre Industry, recognising their initiative and creativity.

According to Kristi Maree, Managing Director of Lifestyle Communications, an estimated R160 million is spent annually on the marketing of shopping centres in South Africa. With over 250 shopping centres in excess of 10 000m² mainly catering to the higher LSM groupings, the competition for customers is fierce. Sophisticated marketing and promotional strategies are implemented at many of the shopping centres. However, the question every marketer is asking is: "How do we measure the impact of marketing?"

"Traditional promotional strategies are not adequate." states Maree, "Demanding and sophisticated landlords/developers/owners are increasingly searching for measurable and tangible marketing activities. The pressure is on marketing professionals to deliver campaigns that make an impression on customers. Part of the success is measuring it."

Measuring of shopping centre marketing, otherwise referred to as "window dressing", has traditionally been done on gut feel instead of being measured against a list of requirements or system.

Maree continues, "How do you accurately measure things like advertising, public relations and marketing, all of which have dynamic effects that play out over time? In order to measure anything, one needs to be clear on the objective of the marketing exercise. You need to ask: Why are we doing this event or promotion? What do we want to achieve? Unless we know why we are doing something, we cannot determine whether it was successful or not."

In South Africa, shopping centres are spending their money on Advertising - including banners, posters, below-the-line and above-the-line material; Promotions such as Fashion shows, Valentine's Day and Christmas; Gifts with purchase and corporate gifts; PR Campaigns and Direct Marketing to the target market.

The question begs - Can this money being spent be justified and how can it be measured?

"Measuring your marketing activities seems to be the most natural thing to do, but it is a complicated process. In order to start the measuring process, ask yourself the following four questions: Who is measuring? What are we measuring? Why are we measuring? and When are we measuring?" says Maree.

Various external factors impact on a marketing effort, issues such as financial insecurity, the political turmoil in neighbouring or global conflict, high interest rates and even increased spending on cellular telephones, all impact significantly on consumer confidence.

The complete shopping experience, from the moment the shopper parks his car to the moment he walks out the door, determines how positive the experience was. While the shopper is in the centre they are in contact with the shopping centre personnel, as well as with various tenants and their employees. Obviously, the more pleasant the experience, the more regularly the shopper will visit the centre.

Maree concludes, "The marketing function has to function within this hive of activity. The overall success of any promotion or event at a centre will be affected by the total shopping experience. Hence it is vital that all key role players act as a united team to create an optimum venue for a holistic shopping and entertainment experience."

Publisher: Cape Business News
Source: Cape Business News