In the first of a series of Meet the Team interviews, where we’ll be talking to people across the business about what they do and why they do it, we speak to Pippa Pang, Head of Social Value and Marketing.
MEET PIPPA
Pippa joined the business in March 2021 as a Marketing Consultant with the challenging brief of not only creating a new investor facing brand (Kinovo), but to bring together the three well-established and loved brands of Dunhams, Purdy and Spokemead. Pippa has worked tirelessly to promote the brands both internally and externally and in recognition of her efforts, she has recently been appointed as Head of Social Value and Marketing, and is a pivotal member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Pippa comments: “I’m going to start this piece going to back to basics on what marketing actually is. The discipline used to be based on the foundation of The 4 Ps of Product, Price, Place and Promotion. But as a reflection of its role to be more customer-centric in a changing world, marketing is now recognised as being related to The 4 Cs:
- Consumer: know what you customer wants and needs
- Communication: create content, engagement and relationship with customers
- Cost: remind your audience of the value you’re providing in the market place
- Convenience: offer choice and flexibility on how customers can buy from you
These are all formed into a marketing strategy which is exactly what I did when I joined the business. When I started, I faced the challenge of creating and implementing a marketing and social value strategy, but like anyone in a new position, I had to prove my worth in a new environment. During my first four weeks, I went to all the subsids where we conducted a comprehensive competitor analysis, developed a new brand name, worked on brand development, defined our tone of voice, and tackled various other aspects crucial for the rebranding process. This intensive phase allowed us to establish a solid foundation for our rebranding efforts which is continuously developing.
Changing hearts and minds
The rebranding project was more than just a change in name and logo; it was a strategic attempt aimed at repositioning Kinovo in the market, which was launched in the Summer 2021. With objectives to include:
- Defining brand essence
- Creating the Purpose and Vision, aligning mission and values
Marketing misunderstood
“Unfortunately (or fortunately for me!) both of the descriptions in my job title can be hard to get your head around. If you’re say, an Operations Manager, or an Electrician, people understand immediately what you do. When it comes to branding and marketing, some see it as a ‘dark art’, and don’t really understand its purpose or value. I used to get upset but now I can laugh when people say marketing is about ‘colouring in pretty pictures.” There was, and still can be, some scepticism and uncertainty surrounding my role, even though marketing and social value are absolutely vital functions that support the growth and development of the business for all of us.
“I am a brand ambassador, and my job is to let clients and potential new clients know who we are and what we do, and I am absolutely committed to bringing people along with me. I am here to talk about the great work we’re doing, the happy customers we have, and the growth that we’re aiming for. It’s recognised at Board level how good we are at what we do, and my job is to make us prouder and louder about sharing great stories, case studies and endorsements. I want the culture to move away from ‘It’s just what we do’ to ‘This is what we do, and look at the great quality of the work, how happy our customers are, how happy the residents are’.
“A positive example of this was Kinovo’s sponsorship of the Sustainability theatre at the CIH conference in Brighton earlier in the year, for the second time, with the silent disco: it was low value high impact and memorable. It’s about spotting opportunities and making sure that our brand is getting recognised in the right places – and I’m always open to new ideas!
Social value misunderstood
“The other comment often made about roles like mine when it comes to social value, is “You’re just out and about, socialising all the time. I keep seeing your LinkedIn posts!” In fact, before I joined Kinovo I didn’t really understand what social value was about or appreciate the positive impact it could have when it is done as more than just a tick box exercise. And now it’s in my job title!
“Comments like that used to frustrate me, but now I realise that social value can be a concept that’s hard to understand. However – the ‘social’ aspect is not related to socialising!”
Social Value is about engaging with the communities in which we work, improving lives where we can and creating a positive feedback loop based on this which always circles back into Kinovo and our businesses.
Social value is more than a pledge that goes into a bid. It enables the opportunity to really care about being part of the supply chain that is delivering it. It’s about collaborating and making sure we’re all on the same page. It’s especially rewarding as a contractor to help some of the smaller Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) with their social value as it can be a daunting prospect for them.
“This is always my objective when I attend WISH (Women In Social Housing), Echelon AMIP, House Proud, Social Value Taskforce, CIH events etc. I am working towards promoting a cohesive whole, guided by ethical and positive goals and values. Integrating social values into Kinovo’s culture has been key and continues to be a challenge. I don’t just want to formalise policies; I want to educate and involve employees at all levels, taking an inclusive approach to ensure that everyone at Kinovo, grasps the importance of social responsibility and actively participates in activities for societal betterment.
“Pippa has created like a spider web of bringing all of us together. Integrity and ethics are part of her authentic self, and this integrity contributes to the spider’s web of relationships that she has created. I have confidence in her commitment to positively influence that spider’s web to improve the cohesive and collaborative culture in the group.” David Bullen, CEO
Always an open door
Pippa continues: “Anyone who knows me, gets how I actively seek opportunities to empower and mentor colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within the organisation. For example, I enjoyed helping apprentice Harvey Pipe from Dunham’s, guiding him through the social media aspects of his business admin apprenticeship module. Additionally, as someone living with ADHD, I am always available to support anyone who wishes to reach out for any guidance..
Pippa concludes: “There are plenty of opportunities for people across the business to get involved in both the marketing and social value aspects of what we’re doing as a group. It is literally a case of the more, the merrier. I’ve set up social value discussion forums for everybody and anybody to attend. It would be encouraging for more people to come to these and to share any ideas that they’ve got. I urge more people to get involved.
“I will continue to work collaboratively, with my growing team, to implement change through raising awareness of our brands and our people, and through sharing the amazing things we do. Together we are brilliant.”
