Italia Mabula, Executive Group Head of Brand and Marketing For Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking

The New Brand Frontier: Navigating Disruption With Purpose

By Italia Mabula

We Believe That Technology Serves Its Purpose When It Enables Us To Be More Human

As the Executive Group Head of Brand and Marketing for Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking, my role is to navigate disruption on a massive scale. But in many ways, our challenges are a microcosm of the very disruption our entrepreneurial clients face every day. Just as they must adapt to shifting markets and new technologies, so too must we. The era of traditional marketing is over; today, success belongs to those who embrace strategic thinking, harness the power of data, and use cutting-edge technology to foster genuine human connection.

Strategic Thinking In An Era Of ”Noise"

In a world saturated with digital noise, a brand’s greatest asset isn’t its budget, it’s its clarity of purpose. Every financial institution claims to support small businesses, but our brand promise goes beyond a simple marketing slogan. We believe in being a partner in growth, and that promise guides every strategic decision we make.

We’re not aiming to be the loudest voice in the room; we’re focused on being the most relevant one. This means understanding an entrepreneur’s journey from a place of empathy and using that insight to build a brand that resonates on a deeper level.

Our brand strategy is built on a foundation of strategic clarity. We deliberately choose to focus on the moments that matter most to entrepreneurs: securing a loan to expand, managing cash flow during a crisis, or navigating the complexities of cross-border trade. By prioritising these specific needs, we transform a broad brand promise into a tangible value proposition. This laser-like focus allows us to cut through the clutter and create a brand that is not just seen but truly felt.

AI and Data: The Invisible Architects of Relevance

Today, brand relevance is architected by data. We’ve moved from “big data” to “smart insights,” where AI and machine learning are no longer futuristic concepts, but essential tools that enable us to serve our clients with unparalleled precision.

For us, data isn’t just about segmenting audiences for advertising; it’s about building a living, breathing understanding of our clients. We use AI to analyse market trends, client behaviour, and even social sentiment to anticipate their needs before they do. For example, our algorithms can detect patterns in a client’s transaction data that might signal an upcoming need for a loan or a potential cash flow issue. This should enable our relationship managers to reach out with proactive, personalised advice, transforming a reactive banking service into a proactive partnership.

This data-led decision-making extends to our content strategy. Instead of guessing what content entrepreneurs need, data tells us. We analyse what topics resonate most, from articles on navigating supply chain challenges to webinars on digital marketing, and aim to use those insights to create a content ecosystem that is genuinely helpful and deeply relevant.

This approach ensures that every piece of communication we put out is a valuable resource that helps our community of entrepreneurs thrive.

Community and The Human Touch: Where Tech Meets Trust

In an age of automation, the human touch becomes even more valuable. Our technology isn’t designed to replace human connection; it’s built to amplify it. The goal of our data-driven strategy is to free up our teams to focus on what matters most: building trust and nurturing relationships.

We’re not aiming to be the loudest voice in the room; we’re focused on being the most relevant one

Our commitment to inclusive growth is where this blend of technology and humanity truly shines

We believe that technology serves its purpose when it enables us to be more human. Our AI-driven insights empower our brand team to craft more authentic stories, as well as to enable our bankers to have more meaningful conversations. It’s about using every tool at our disposal to ensure that when an entrepreneur interacts with Standard Bank, they feel seen, heard, and understood.

Our commitment to inclusive growth is where this blend of technology and humanity truly shines. We use data to identify and support women entrepreneurs, recognising that their success is a powerful driver of community and economic prosperity.

The Future Is A Partnership

The brand frontier is no longer about one-way communication; it’s about a two-way partnership. By embracing strategic clarity, leveraging AI, and using data to fuel human connection, we are not just building a brand, we are co-creating a future where entrepreneurs have the tools and support, they need to turn disruption into opportunity. For us, this isn’t just marketing; it’s our purpose.