Tobi Jane B. is Passionate about Building African Brands

In this episode of Colours of Social Media, host Enoch "Robot Boy" Appiah Jr. is joined by strategic communication and brand marketing expert Tobi Jane B., founder of 10th Gen and an advocate for empowering African talent growth. They dive deep into the crucial topic of building strong, digital-first African brand identities that resonate globally.Africa is a continent rich with creativity, culture, and innovation. The discussion explores African brands' opportunities and challenges in the digital age. While there is access to readily available talent, a major bottleneck is access to funding and financial resources. The conversation highlights the need for Africans to build solutions specifically tailored for the African continent, understanding the local context and market.Tobi discusses the uniqueness of African startups, citing their resilience, competence, culture, history, and rich resources. She notes the paradox of exporting raw materials like Shea butter only to import finished products based on them. A crucial theme is the mindset shift required-believing in what is being built locally and understanding the potential for upscaling.Key challenges identified include a lack of strategy and research, particularly in understanding the target audience. The episode emphasizes the critical role of social media for global visibility at a low cost.For startups with limited budgets, practical tips are offered:• Utilising free design tools like Canva and CapCut.• Learning from successful competitors by observing and mirroring their strategies on platforms like Instagram.• Consistency in showing up online.Tobi shares a case study of a successful African diaspora brand she worked with, highlighting the importance of taking time for strategy, brand development (name, colour, font), and pre-launch awareness. This brand grew its revenue significantly, allowing it to expand products and hire professionals.Looking ahead, artificial intelligence (AI) is identified as a key trend shaping African branding, from integrating it into product listings and services to using AI tools for customer support, data analysis, and even virtual try-ons for beauty or fashion products.The main piece of advice for entrepreneurs is to keep learning and stay updated with the fast-paced technological landscape.Chapters(00:00) Episode Intro(1:46) Why this Episode?(6:06) What makes African Brands Unique?(9:25) How to take opportunities in Africa(10:10) Challenges faced by African Brands(13:54) Tobi mentions some Brands from Africa making impacts globally(15:36) Key elements of a strong Digital Brand(19:43) Practical tips for Startups looking to build a strong brand(22:09) Tobi Speaks Twi! (22:20) Practical Tips continues(23:56) A Brand from Africa in Tobi's opinion with a strong digital presence(27:15) Everybody is not competition in Africa(27:28) Trends that will shape African Branding in the next few years(29:30) Conclusion & Thanks Yous