JOHANNESBURG, ## March 2021 – Newly-appointed Head of Marketing at tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) Sara Didiza, sees the company’s future is driven by technological innovation, as well as long-term value to customers within a fast-changing sector.
Starting in March 2021, Didiza has already hit the ground running, leading a multi-disciplinary team that includes product management and brand marketing, public relations, corporate communications and trade marketing.
“The automotive sector delivers almost 7% of South Africa’s GDP, it is the largest manufacturing sector and it contributes tremendously to export revenues – making it one of the most important sectors of our economy and one of the most exciting to be in,” Didiza says. “We also have much to look forward to as an official Olympic sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the team have already initiated an exciting local campaign that I am very proud to be joining.”
“Our greatest challenge in the coming months will be to stimulate strong and sustainable business growth for BSAF and our customers as we start the journey of recovery from the impact of the pandemic,” she says.
She anticipates this growth being driven by rewarding consumers with superior value through quality, long-lasting, safe and durable products, as well as a robust world-class service experience.
In an increasingly competitive environment, Bridgestone will be fighting for every inch of market share by giving customers – including fleets, miners, farmers, dealerships, as well as retail shoppers – the confidence that their money is well-spent when buying innovative, premium products.
As artificial intelligence makes it is way further into the automotive industry, tyre manufacturers are using intelligent tools to ensure better use of tyres, extending their life cycle, while keeping people safer on the roads.
“One example of how Bridgestone is leading in innovative solutions for your journey is with our commercial Webfleet offering,” Didiza says. “It is an incredible product that brings the latest fleet management software in the cloud to our shores – delivering up to 20% savings on fuel and maintenance costs, optimising fleet operations and driver performance all whilst lowering carbon emissions.”
“Bridgestone and Firestone are well known and loved in South Africa and now we have the great responsibility of educating new customers about the many added benefits of buying Bridgestone like our Free Tyre Damage Guarantee offered on all our branded tyre products or the peace of mind you gain with Bridgestone’s leading run-flat innovation,” she says.
Didiza was born in Zimbabwe and is a proud alumna of the University of Cape Town, where she earned a B.A. degree in Media and a Law Degree.
She has over ten years of experience in brand management and marketing, leading multi-million-dollar global brands such as Gillette, Pampers, Pantene, Head & Shoulders for P&G and Samsung’s full portfolio of Mobile, TV and Consumer Electronic products across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“My marketing philosophy is founded on serving and improving people’s lives by delivering the exceptional products that offer real and meaningful value,” she says. “All our planning will have the end consumer in mind, and I look forward to working collaboratively toward realising our strong Brand vision and elevating BSAF to #1 in every category and channel it operates in.”
“In order to get there, we’ll continue to ensure that our people are well taken care of, their passions and career aspirations are nurtured, and their health and safety remains our top priority,” she adds.
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