Trendsetter: P&G's Claire Molyneux Shows How to be a True Brand Ambassador in West Africa

Claire Molyneux, Associate Marketing Director for Procter & Gamble West Africa, has been based in Nigeria now for two and a half years and is responsible for the Fabric Care Division, as well as for Gillette, Duracell, New Business and Market Research. Many use the term “brand ambassador” glibly; however, in Claire's case its' meaning is quite literal. She is truly committed to touching and improving more consumers’ lives across the region via P&G brands and the company’s Social Responsibility Platform of "Live, Learn and Thrive."

In fact, her marketing role recently took her to the Palms Shopping Mall in Lekki, a developing suburb of Lagos, Nigeria. There she talked to the Nigerian people about the re-launch of a new Procter & Gamble detergent, Ariel Prozim, designed to meet the specific needs of African consumers. The brand unveiling attracted press, government officials, as well as consumers, and Claire’s words were reported in several National newspapers:

"Ariel is creating value for Nigerian consumers by offering the right products to meet consumers’ needs and budgets. With the new Ariel Prozim, you only need to wash your clothes once. This means that you use half the quantity of Ariel that you would use with another detergent. Nigerian consumers can be certain they are making smart choices when every naira counts."

A Marketing role in Africa, Claire Molyneux has discovered, does mean being a "brand ambassador." Although she may not carry the official accouterments of true diplomacy, she repeatedly proves that both she and P&G are devoted champions of local economic growth. She pointed out to that crowd at the Mall in Lekki, "This product comes from our state-of-the-art production plant in Ibadan; the only P&G Detergent factory in the whole of our Sub-Saharan Africa region."

In fact, at the Ariel re-launch, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State looked on so that she could ascertain that Ariel Prozim was indeed an improvement over its predecessor, Ariel Enzymax. The Deputy Governor’s reaction to the clothes-cleaning demonstration would insure the general public of product efficacy. Claire’s speeches at such unveiling ceremonies often pay tribute to local organizations and government bodies, while also underscoring P&G's respect for the local consumer.

More companies are recognizing the potential of the African Continent, particularly at a time when last year's South Africa World Cup underscored how the entire region’s pride has the potential move business forward--despite some extraordinary obstacles. Increasingly, multinational marketers see the continent as a number of sub-regions. West Africa, one of those sub-regions with 180 million people, is generally best served through a hub in Lagos, Nigeria's capital.

For Claire Molyneux, her responsibilities in Nigeria represent the role of a lifetime, although they are a far cry from her Masters of Arts in Modern History and German from England’s Oxford University. Nonetheless, she has learned to practice a new form of business diplomacy which is becoming increasingly vital to the nature of global marketing. Perhaps this is best illustrated by her quote in The Nation, Lagos’ newspaper:

“We must mention the immense support of NAFDAC, an agency that is known globally for its effort to ensure that only the best quality products are available for Nigerian consumers. Without their support, P&G could not have brought this product and its associate job opportunities to Nigerians. Since 1837, Procter & Gamble has built a heritage of touching consumers’ lives across the globe with brands that make everyday life a little better; now and for generations to come and we remain committed to improving the lives of the world’s consumers.”