There’s a video doing rounds on social media I’m sure you’ve seen it.
Madzibaba, sitting comfortably, eating his chicken and chips, smiling like someone who just got paid in USD.
With a loud crunch between bites, he says,
“Kudya kwengirozi kwakaporofitwa naBaba Johani!”
Translation: “This is angelic food, prophesied by Father Johani!”
Then boom the internet catches fire!
Our very own Sir Wicknell the man who gives cars faster than some of us reply to WhatsApp messages jumps in and blesses the man with a Toyota Fortuner and US$20,000.
Deserved? YES KWAZVO !!!!.
Smart marketing? Absolutely.
Everyone, including Sir Wicknell himself, thought Madzibaba was eating Chicken Inn.
People were commenting, “Ehe, Chicken Inn yaita munakiro werudzii!”
But VAR checked the replay …
It wasn’t Chicken Inn. It was Chicken Slice.
The Biggest Winner?
Surprisingly, the biggest winner wasn’t Madzibaba.
It wasn’t even Chicken Slice.
It was Chicken Inn.
Because even when someone eats from a different shop, people automatically call it Chicken Inn.
That, my friend, is called branding domination.
When Your Brand Becomes the Product
When people say “I’m buying Colgate” but they mean toothpaste from OK.
When they say “Pass me Cobra” but you give them any floor polish.
When they say “I want Chicken Inn” but they’re eating Chicken Slice…
You’ve won the branding game.
Your brand has moved from being a name to becoming a noun.
It’s no longer just a product it’s the category itself.
So What’s the Lesson Here?
Building a brand isn’t about just having a logo and a tagline.
It’s about creating a memory in people’s minds.
You know you’ve built a strong brand when:
- People defend you like family.
- Competitors get mistaken for you.
- Your product becomes the default word for the entire industry.
Chicken Inn has done that in Zimbabwe.
When you say chicken and chips, the brain immediately thinks Chicken Inn, not fast food.
That’s why Chicken Inn didn’t even need to post about Madzibaba the people did the marketing for them.
The Chartered Vendor’s Wisdom
You don’t need to have the biggest budget you need to have the biggest mindshare.
Build your brand until your name replaces the product.
Until people say “I’m going to M&J” instead of “I’m going to a consultant.”
Until they say “I’m reading The Chartered Vendor” instead of “I’m reading a sales book.”
That’s when you stop chasing customers and customers start chasing you.
Moral of the Story
Madzibaba was just eating Chicken Slice.
But Chicken Inn ate the brand meal of the year.
So, as you build your business, remember this:
In life and in business you can eat the chicken, but only the brand gets full.
By The Chartered Vendor
#SapatinaSapatina #ChickenInnVsChickenSlice #ZimbabweBusiness #ZimEntrepreneurs #SmartMarketing #SocialMediaBuzz #ZimStories #BusinessHumour #AfricanInnovation
