UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE

BUS 5112-01: MARKETING MANAGEMENT AY2024-T3

Instructor: DR. JOSYABHATLA SANTHOSH KUMAR
DISSCUSION ASSIGNMENT UNIT 3
19TH FEBRUARY, 2024.
The Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL) As a Local Brand

A brand strategy is a company's strategic plans that includes specific goals and helps

marketers shape a certain image in customers' minds. It allows a brand to generate more

conversions, increase its value, and dominate the market. A brand strategy executed is essential

because it provides clarity about the competitive landscape, market position and customers’

expectations. Branding significantly enhances the brands market performance and profitability

by improving name recognition, build credibility and trust, increasing advertising effectiveness

and inspiring employees.

The Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL):- was established in Freetown in 1962. During

the civil war (1991 -2002) the brewery was destroyed and used as quarters by the rebels from the

Revolutionary United Front (RUF). After the war investments and rebuilding took place to get

the brewery up and running again. Since then production is increasing, the share of SLBL drinks

in the market is growing, and the brewery started with the project of local sourcing of sorghum.

The Sierra Leone Brewery Ltd. Produces STAR BEER, MALTINA and many more non-alcohol

drink. Were HEINEKEN as an International brand Brewery has been very successful

competing against bigger global brands in it product category.

 The vision of the brewery is “To be an exemplary company contributing to the

sustainable development of Sierra Leone by creating more value to all stakeholders.”

Beer & malts SLBL sells around 110.000 Hectoliters of drinks annually. Three types of drinks

are produced: Star (lager), Guinness (stout) and (a malt drink). The Heineken brand is also sold

through the brewery, but is imported. All drinks are brewed for the local market. Through

marketing and branding, the Sierra Leonean market still has growth potential. The introduction

of a new bottle, label and recipe increased sales of the STAR brand strongly in 2011. SLBL‟s

overall market share has increased over the years from 65% in 2008 towards 85% in 2011.

Clients are 90% catering facilities and around 10% home consumption.

To counter the competition, Sierra Leone Brewery began its own bottling operation. At the same

time, it began to build a distribution network so that STAR BEER and other could be sold far

outside the bounds of its native Sierra Leone. But bottling operations in far-away cities used

whatever bottles they had on hand, which meant that Star Beer was being sold in bottles of all

different shapes and sizes. The volume of sale went so high that the logo and brands name

coupled with the ingredients made with it became a force to recon with. Both the loyalty of old

and new customers was maintained because the teast, fashion and content were real and

consumable, more so, as it was regarded as an indigenous brand of the city. Today, the Sierra

Leone Brewery ltd STAR BEER is a house hold name in every town, city and villages.

Everyone wants the product because it’s cheap, reliable and affordable. Even the 4ps of

marketing were all in place for the brand to drive.

Basically, there are strategies that will help the local brand to achieve success. The are-;

 Brand purpose

 Brand vision
  Brand value

 Target audience

 Market analyses

 Brand Tagline

Brand Purpose- when a brand has a clear purpose, it will help to make more sales and improves

on the returns on investment. So finding the brands purpose is the first propbale and most

important element of developing an effective brand success.

Brand Vision- To influence long-term business, you need to make decision to ensure the brand

is navigated to make the right direction. Having a clear vision will serve as the road map for

where the brand is heading. With a brand vision one can dream big and inspire people and make

meaning ful business decision.

Brand Value- You need to develop your core value and create a culture with driving force for

what to stand for in the world. By defining your core value, you can determine how your brand

will be perceived in the market.

Target Audience- you need to understand your audience well so that you can address their

problems and needs with relevant solution.

Pricing Currently pricing mechanisms take place at two levels. There is a price that the nucleus

farmers receive from SLBL for a 50 kg bag of sorghum, and there is a price that the out grower

receives from the nucleus farmer for a 24 cm plastic tin of sorghum. Both prices have been

agreed to remain stable between the nucleus farmers and SLBL for a period of three years (2010-

2012), in return for the fact that SLBL was prepared to buy the heavy overproduction of 2010.
The prices are based on local and global market price developments. At this moment, SLBL is

the only buyer of sorghum on the market.

Quotas In the first years, production increased slowly. In 2009/2010 it suddenly took off because

farmers were attracted by direct cash for their produce (for other crops like rice, farmers usually

do not get direct cash for their produce, they have to wait before other players sell the rice, which

causes a delay in payment). The brewery could not process the volume produced in 2009/2010.

SLBL and the nucleus farmers agreed on setting quotas for the following years, making sure

overproduction would not occur again.

Conclusion

Every small business, every start up needs good branding and these six elements are crucial for

forming a great brand strategy. Every brand strategist will have a slightly different approach, so

frame work can vary from person to person. At the very basic level the must-have element ,

would include brand purpose, audience and personality.

References

 The University of Minnesota. (2010). Principles of marketing. Licensed under Creative

Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0. Retrieved from

https://open.lib.umn.edu/principlesmarketing/front-matter/publisher-information/

 Stokes, R. (2013). eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a digital world 5TH

Edition [E-reader Version]. Retrieved from

https://www.redandyellow.co.za/content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2017/10/

emarketing_textbook_download.pdf.
 Stec, Carly. Published in 2018. Brand Strategy 101: 7 Essentials for Strong Company

Branding. Retrieved From https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31739/7-

components-that-comprise-a-comprehensive-brand-strategy.aspx

 United Dairy Farmers. Updated 2020.https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history/Ul-

Vi/United-Dairy-Farmers-In