Beyond metrics: Trust is crucial to brand building

Vanity metrics aside, trust plays a vital role in the longevity of global brands; with key players such as Google, Coca-Cola, and Apple – which are known for their iconic logos and substantial market shares – focused heavily on continuously building consumer trust. Ivie Media’s partnership with Tractor Outdoor and Lula highlights this approach, providing SMEs with opportunities to boost their visibility and achieve long-term growth. Amid economic challenges, marketing leaders must balance short-term performance with long-term brand building to secure sustainable success.

SME confidence on the rise as GNU promises growth

iKhokha conducted a survey which found that 79% of SMEs are now feeling confident that the economy will grow under the leadership of the GNU, with the fintech noting a 20% increase in working capital distributions in July, attributed in part to businesses recommitting to growth initiatives and investing in their futures.

At the coalface of change

With Coal & Energy Transition Day taking place this month, the discussion around sustainability in coal mining ramps up, as the sector grapples with the desire and responsibility to lower its carbon footprint – while not losing its very reason for existence. In the opinion article, Arjen de Bruin, Group CEO at OIM Consulting, weighs in on the plight facing coal mines and in fact, all corporates who might have realised that the journey towards greening their operations needs to be done responsibly, sustainably – and that is should be viewed as a marathon, not a sprint. And most importantly, why you need to take your people along on this journey.

Fintech’s transformative potential: Empower customers through self-education

The most powerful thing a fintech can do is enable its customers to educate themselves. Mukuru, a leading next-generation financial services provider, started out as a remittance company but has evolved into a platform with a suite of different financial products and services. Mukuru CEO, Andy Jury, says that formalised financial education obviously plays a crucial role in a fintech’s business, but customers that trust and repeatedly use a new product or service, such as a digital store of money, go through a natural learning process and are then more comfortable being exposed to more sophisticated products.