Trendsetter: Digicel's Kieran Foley Offers a Sustainable Lesson for Developing Markets
Digicel's Group Marketing Director, Kieran Foley, was tasked with launching the mobile service in Haiti 5 years ago. Although every major marketer faces challenges when entering new markets, this nation is among the world's most impoverished and least literate. Not an easy task when your brand promise is centered upon technology-driven mobile phone services.
However, despite even a devastating earthquake, Digicel's Haitian story has become an unprecedented success, due in large part to innovative marketing and to the company's ability to understand true social responsibility. The company now has over 2.4 million subscribers there, which represents over 95% population coverage and the largest retail network in Haiti.
In fact, Digicel is now helping Haitians with commerce—in a country where few have bank accounts. They are changing the way Haitians live and make transactions by enabling their mobile phones to act as debit cards. Initiatives such as payroll for manufacturing jobs and "cash-for-work" programs can also be credited to Digicel mobile phones.
Digicel, with Scotiabank, launched an innovative mobile money service called TchoTcho Mobile in November, and in just 3 weeks reached 10,000 transactions. The project is contributing to the economic development of the country by providing a secure banking service to people who are not part of the traditional banking system.
According to Foley, "Certainly our dedication to social responsibility in our markets has afforded us a massive presence. However, we believe that our company’s commitment to insuring greater economic stability can only further our customers' wellbeing and naturally increase the value our brand provides."
The decade-long history of Digicel is nothing short of extraordinary. The mobile phone network provider owned by Irish entrepreneur, Denis O'Brien, brings service to local and rural residents that never before had the option of mobile communications. Digicel currently operates in 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the South Pacific with more than 11 million wireless users. The company's philosophy is to deliver best value, best service and best network.
Digicel celebrates its 10th Anniversary this April, and has already broken ground for the company's new "green" global headquarters on the waterfront in downtown Kingston, Jamaica. The building will be the most environmentally friendly major office complex in the Caribbean by utilizing solar power, wind power and geothermal cooling systems.
Kieran Foley, who was named an Internationalist of the Year by The Internationalist and who will be discussing his Haitian case study at THE INTERNATIONALIST 100 in April, is proud of Digicel’s many other efforts.
The company is lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions and also sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean.
In 2004, Digicel developed Digicel Rising Stars – an annual talent show to support aspiring young music artists in the Caribbean. The show has spanned the Eastern Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago ranking as one of the top-rated shows.
The company also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea to focus on educational, cultural and social development programs.
