Liana Ramiandrisoa is convinced of this: “Brand communication aims to build trust and goodwill among consumers towards the brand, going beyond simply promoting its products and services..
MVola, a leading FinTech banking operator in Madagascar, reminds us that the services deployed through communication are first and foremost citizen services. To further explore this reflection on the role of the communicationwe went to meet Liana Ramiandrisoa, Head of institutional communication and brand content at MVola and member of Club We Are COM.
Hello Liana, what would be your definition of communication?
I would say that the communication is similar to...influence. Indeed, The aim is to reach a target, most often through emotion, to incite them to take action or a stance. Even though the goal is the same, there are many ways to achieve it, whether through commercial communication or through... advertising, the social media campaigns, the Press relations, etc.
In other words, Brand communication involves extending a brand's presence across various channels to increase its visibility, strengthen its reputation, and effectively reach its target audience. It should be added that brand communication also aims to build consumer trust and goodwill towards the brand, beyond simply promoting its products and services.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, we would like to know how your communications department is organized?
First of all, MVola is the 1st FinTech from Madagascar. We offer mobile money transfer and payment services to the people of Madagascar. Our mission? To provide access to alternative financial services to a population that is largely unbanked.
At MVola, the communications department has 12 people and is divided into 4 areas of expertise.
- The brand hub is in charge of creating content for marketing communications, digital communications, press relations, and public relations. This same department also manages what is called Brand Advocacy, which consists of working with ambassadors and influencers to promote the services and products of the MVola brand.
- Le trade marketing and events division animates and dresses up all of our distribution networks.
- Le distribution hub handles everything related to the purchase of advertising space and media and non-media branding.
- The creative hub is made up of graphic designers and motion designers. They are in charge of all our visual and audiovisual creations, which we have chosen to internalize.
Our mission? To provide access to alternative financial services to a population that, for the most part, is unbanked.
What is the role of brand communication for you?
First of all, I think it is necessary to distinguish between marketing and communication. Indeed, the first will focus on the facts of an offer or service (product, price, etc.), while the second will work more on the emotional dimension of a brand.
In other words, even though these two disciplines are interdependent, communication conveys emotion and in this sense guarantees brand embodiment.
A few years ago, we conducted a study that highlighted our customers' lack of emotional connection to MVola. We therefore needed to correct this perception through communication. It is by enhancing the brand with a well-thought-out storytelling that it makes sense.
What do we have and why? We needed to remind everyone that MVola is more than just a money transfer service; it also serves vulnerable Malagasy people, promoting financial mutual aid. Through cash transfer programs, and simply to provide a straightforward and effective solution to a population in need, brand communication is essential; greater brand engagement leads to greater consumption.
To embody MVola in people's minds, We didn't conduct a brand communication campaign per se, but rather a multitude of evidence-based communications. It was little by little, through our concrete actions, that we managed to establish ourselves in the minds of our consumers.
Brand communication is essential; better engagement leads to better consumption.
How do you serve MVola's purpose? How do you communicate about it?
MVola's mission is to provide access to affordable financial services for all Malagasy people, regardless of their background or situation. Today, a simple mobile phone is all you need to borrow and save.
Our service is not only financial, it is also civic-minded, since we are committed to financial education. a form of education that unfortunately is not taught in schools.
Each year, We are participating in and celebrating "Global Money Week" and it was on this occasion that we developed this year our playbook of financial education. This fun and engaging tool supports our numerous interventions in primary schools, middle schools and high schools across the country, to raise awareness among young people about money management.
As for CSRMVola is also committed, particularly through its program "Bouger" (Move), a program that promotes sports participation in the country, aims to help young people shine through sport.. Thus, through our trainers, deployed on our multi-sport fields, we further serve the brand's raison d'être.
In terms of content strategy, what are you implementing and how? What are your best practices in this area?
To create contentsThere's no secret to it, you have to benchmark! On a daily basis, communication must draw inspiration from everything, from what other brands are doing, whether they are in the same sector or not. It is through diligent monitoring that we are able to adapt our communication strategies to the realities of our target audiences.
When we launched our "MVola to bank" service, which allows money to be transferred from a bank account to MVola (and vice versa), we drew inspiration from certain campaigns in the insurance sector. I'm thinking, for example, of the live commercials by the insurer MMA. We felt it was relevant to use journalistic techniques for disruptive communication, to sell a service in a different way.
The population of Madagascar, three-quarters of whom live below the poverty line, places great importance on the price-quality ratio. However, By breaking the rules, we have succeeded in bringing extra-financial added value to our offer.
How to break the rules? I would say that certain ingredients are essential: the benchmarking for inspiration, the general culture for accuracy and the curiosity to add that extra touch of value. All of this, enhanced witha good dose of humorWe need it!
To create content, there's no secret, you have to benchmark!
In your opinion, what will be the major developments in communication professions in the coming years?
It is certain that the emergence of artificial intelligence will, and indeed already is, revolutionize content creation. However, I am convinced that man, the sole guarantor of emotion, will always have his place in the creative process.
Le digital It also transforms and will continue to transform our professions. New platforms and new features are constantly changing how we use them. I see the digital world as a vast playground, the rules of which are constantly being relearned.
Ultimately, communication is a profession of the future. Clients or followers, in physical or digital settings, all are looking for an authenticity that we must provide. In short, communication is essential!
And finally, do you have any last piece of advice to share with us?
To communicate effectively, it's essential to keep an open mind. You must remain curious and receptive to everything, to everything you can see or hear. So be an insatiable curiosity to always remain inspired.
3 things to know about Liana Ramiandrisoa
His favorite medium? Instagram! Media, celebrities, influencers… Instagram is her social network of choice and an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
His favorite ad? Liana particularly appreciated the post-health crisis advertisement "Get the sport moving", signed by Decathlon, for its disarming simplicity and its obvious accuracy.
More recently, it was a Philips baby product ad (Avent) and its stance on the obvious role of fathers in raising their children that appealed to Liana. Let's take a look.
Her passion ? Did you know that in Malagasy, "Liana" means "passionate"? Liana is indeed passionate, not just about communication, but also about travel. Every trip is an opportunity for her to discover a culture, which enriches her own.
