Primedia Unlimited Malls (PUM) has undergone a yearlong re-branding project in response to changing markets, ensuring they still deliver on unmatched value through their ability to optimise how brands engage with shoppers.
“As the leaders in the industry providing integrated mall media, shopper marketing, activation and digital solutions in South Africa, it became evident that we needed to re-evaluate and enhance our offering to stay relevant in this ever-changing world to ensure we continue to meet the needs of the shopper. This re-brand is part of our coming of age and is pivotal to our growth and expansion,” says Molefi Moloantoa, CEO of Primedia Unlimited Malls.
Primedia Unlimited has been operating since 1996 and has developed a powerful presence in the retail environment in the 21 years since it launched.
“Our experience and success of mastering shopper engagement and meeting the expectations of property owners was achieved through providing unmatched offerings that connects brands to shoppers whilst maximising the ability to integrate and foster relationships with shoppers while maximising non-GLA opportunities,” says Moloantoa.
“The shopper is the heart of our business, we are a shopper-centric business. We needed to better understand the shopper in order to engage with this profile in a different non-direct way. This is why we have invested in data and research to better understand this market and how we can effectively communicate with them.”
Moloantoa says digitising the business and the environment was critical for the growth of PUM and was one of the biggest challenges faced by the company. PUM needed to ensure innovation and enhancement in their space and environment… and a new and improved presence. “In order to keep ahead of the market and industry, our new branding has enabled the creation of a consistent and recognisable brand, without losing the prominence of our individual centres of excellence, led by experts,” he says.
“To this note, we have transformed our business to include product managers. This new structure will focus on ensuring we provide bespoke and creative solutions for clients, in which we have seen a very strong uptake from brands and mall owners on providing solutions rather than services,” Moloantoa says.
All the keys to PUMs development were within business. Their investment in insights and data analytics, addressing innovation through tailored product offerings only further enhanced the expertise within their integration of services.
Key to PUM’s rebrand project was the emphasis on creating value. PUM’s new brand promise of creating smarter malls repositions and reinforces the company’s guarantee, offering to provide innovative solutions and integrated services to those seeking advertising platforms applicable to media, activations, shopper marketing and digital areas of the retail landscape.
“Above all, this re-brand is a behaviour change, in the way we speak, engage, deliver and are perceived. Smart is our core promise and philosophy that will be evident in all our offerings and services.”
Additionally, declining consumer confidence and fluctuating low economic growth have proven to be challenging for the retail industry, PUM’s timely re-brand highlights consistent growth of the company and the maturation of the business as they adapt to the changing environment, optimising client experiences.
“Initially, re-branding the business had to be accepted and achieved internally before we made it public. We needed our staff to be engaged internally and externally. We had to create meaning beyond our individual roles, building connectivity, comradery, a sense of belonging and purpose within each of our 160 employees.”
“Knowing that change always begins from the inside out, one of the initiatives which was catalyst in achieving change, was utilising our own people, our own capabilities and capacities. This came in the form of an internal staff manifesto video, which was conceptualised, created and executed by our own staff,” says Moloantoa.
The video features every single staff member of PUM, from all regions, who came together to make this visual illustration of their common purpose and what they represent, further entrenching how their individual roles play a part in the bigger picture of the business.
“This rebrand has been one of the most transformational undertakings and journey’s we have been on. The next step for PUM, is to align with property owners in the creation of a common vision for their business and malls so that together, we can deliver the smart malls that the shopper wants. Without this common vision amongst key stakeholders, this rebrand would be nothing but a marketing exercise,” Moloantoa adds.
PUM said the company was excited to deliver fresh, new, smart and memorable experiences for shoppers, resulting in the opportunity for retailers and brands to connect with shoppers, and attain a mutually sustainable relationship while offering a smarter experience.
