Kenyan Creative Industry, Our Highlight for 2023!

2023 was a big year for the Kenyan creative industry. I’d dare say that it ranks among the top 5 things that made us proud as Kenyans. It's up there with the Cecafa Under-18 team led by wonder kids Tyron Kariuki and Aldrine Kibet, Finnish Idol winner Cimberly Wanyonyi and Kelvin Kiptum the world marathon record breaker.?

Remember when being a creative was shunned by society? You would be in for a good lecture from your parents if you sought to pursue Arts in Uni. Now, the tides are changing, there's a newfound hope for young aspiring creatives.

Comedy has been at the forefront of this wave flying the Kenyan creative flag high. These three acts we are about to showcase have proved that talent pays! What we love even more is the marketing finesse that these three acts put in.

This was the extra sauce that spiced up their big wins. The first time I heard about Mammito and Girlfriends, I was left intrigued! For starters, the lineup was all female, a breath of fresh air in a male-dominated industry.

The show promo! Gosh, that was something! From the media tour and PR to the social media campaigns, everything was top-level.

Mammito enjoys a good following of over 3 million on social, she made sure to leverage this with superb content marketing.

Her weekly posts prominently featured a warm-up campaign to the Mammito and Girlfriends show, creating awareness and converting subtly.

Then came Papa Freddy, aka the Wash Wash Master! Terrence the Creative certainly carried the day with the Wash Wash 4 ICON.

. He sold out the premiere at the amusement of fans present while also creating much hype for the anticipated film.?

In true bad-boy style, Terrence walks in with handcuffs and gives a teaser worthy of an Oscar nomination. The anticipation created on social media was felt in the turnout. Another influencer who’s mastered the art of turning likes into shillings.

Last but not least was Crazy Kennar’s “A Happy Country” staged at the KICC. I am tempted to say we saved the best for last. Crazy Kennar is arguably the biggest content creator in the country with a very loyal fanbase.

A creative genius and Picasso of sorts.? A Testament to the influence that he enjoys on social media, Kennar was able to sell out the KICC arena within a few weeks of promotion.?

We cannot help but address the elephant in the room. Kenyan content creators/influencers have such a powerful grip on the audiences they command. No marketing or advertising agency can boast of this kind of appeal.

Not even traditional celebrities like musicians enjoy this kind of support. The marketing field has significantly shifted in favour of influencer marketing. These creators now hold the keys to unlocking the audience that brands so much yearn for.

It might be good or bad depending on the angle you decide to look at it from. On one hand, the creative industry is growing exponentially, while on the other, the power dynamics in advertising and marketing are swiftly shifting.

With the expensive rate cards these influencers have, it is time brands prioritized creating genuine engagements through the power of content marketing for a sustainable digital growth strategy.

We simply cannot afford to sit and depend on creators to create a buzz within their communities for our products; we should be creating ours!