Dave Duarte (CEO of Treeshake): “Digital communications can deepen customer’s connection with the brand”

Greater investment in digital will stimulate growth in many of the industries of the future, according to the CEO of Treeshake.

BUSINESSMAG. You recently conducted a workshop on digital communication at the initiative of Maurice Publicité Ogilvy & Mather. Tell us more about it.

This training was part of Maurice Publicité Ogilvy & Mather’s 90th year celebrations. Our focus was, of course, digital media and marketing. Maurice Publicité Ogilvy & Mather actually has a world-class digital team, Tryangle, and I was also there to explain some of the technologies that they are offering to their clients.

BUSINESSMAG. Despite recent efforts, Mauritian companies do not seem to be really aware of the importance of a good digital presence. How do you explain this situation and what are the advantages of having a digital presence?

There seems to be quite a conservative approach to digital marketing in Mauritius. There are over 500,000 Mauritians online. These people are spending time online – reading news, using Facebook, using Google, emailing, and more – and yet most of the time they are seeing international ads rather than local ads. When local businesses start online advertising and marketing, they start connecting with customers in the most persuasive way we know today.

BUSINESSMAG. A company’s brand image is essential. How can organisations optimise and maintain that image? How can digital communication contribute to that?

It is very important to ensure your brand looks as good online as it does offline. Digital communications can deepen your customer’s connection with the brand, because we can reach them in a more personal way. When a customer spends time online, there are many opportunities for brands to show their adverts, learn about their customers, or sell directly. Of course, it is not just about being online that leads to successful branding: you need to do it with good design, good writing, and good technology.

BUSINESSMAG. You are the principal of the Ogilvy Digital Marketing Academy (OgilvyDMA) since 2010. What is your mission and what are the objectives of the OgilvyDMA?

Our mission is to show people how to be better marketers using technology. We are constantly researching and testing the latest tools and trends for our clients. We then save them time by showcasing only the most relevant tools, and explaining how to get the most out of them. Our objective is not just to teach our staff and clients, but also to connect them: we believe that an important part of learning is networking and discussing the ideas we present.

BUSINESSMAG. You have been elected “Young Global Leader” this year at the World Economic Forum. What does this award represent for you?

Being a Young Global Leader means taking a commitment to improving the state of the world. In my case, I am committed to helping Africa make progress through technology. My role as an educator is not just to reach lots of people through classes, but to help them be more innovative and to get positive results from their investment in technology. Marketing is leading the way in digital technology that then gets used for social and economic benefit. I hope that the classes that we are doing in Mauritius lead to greater investment in digital, which in turn will stimulate growth in many future industries.