When Uganda’s marketing community gathers on June 27, 2025, at Kampala’s Hotel Africana, they won’t be clutching traditional ad playbooks. Instead, they’ll be exploring a new paradigm: emotional bonds as the cornerstone of brand success. Datamine Centre for Professional Studies, Uganda’s premier Chartered Institute of Marketing–accredited study centre, unveils its inaugural ASC Summit with the bold theme “The Art and Science of Emotional Connections in a Competitive World.”
At the summit’s core is Graham Robertson, founder of global consultancy Beloved Brands and author of multiple award-winning texts on emotional branding. Robertson has guided Fortune 500 giants such as Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and the NFL toward messaging that sparks genuine loyalty. Making his East African debut, he frames the conversation succinctly: “Brand building is no longer about pushing messages, it’s about forming deep, emotional connections that inspire loyalty and trust.”
For Nation Media Group, which prides itself on resonant storytelling, the timing could not be better. Head of Marketing Hajara Ddagire Batuuka points out that emotional intelligence sits at the heart of audience engagement: “At NMG, we strive to forge real connections. This summit allows us to benchmark our strategies against global best practice and to learn how to tell stories that stick.”
Similarly, Caroline Ampaire, Digital & Media Manager at Uganda Breweries Limited, sees an opportunity to distil the ingredients of homegrown brand love. “Our portfolio houses some of Uganda’s most cherished brands,” she says. “We look forward to exchanging notes on how emotional resonance has driven our growth and how it can power the next chapter.”
A Three-Tiered Journey
Summit organizers have engineered a day that elevates dialogue and delivers practical takeaways:
- C-Suite Session (08:00–12:00): An invite-only conclave for senior executives, offering boardroom-level insights into embedding emotional intelligence within corporate strategy.
- Main Session (13:00–17:00): Open to all registrants, featuring Graham Robertson’s keynote, expert presentations, and a headline panel dissecting how brands can thrive by speaking to the heart.
- Networking Session (18:00 onwards): An informal mixer designed to spark collaborations among mentors, agencies, corporate marketers, and emerging talent.
Festo Mwebaze Syalhasha, CIM tutor and Marketing Manager at Quality Chemical Industries, underscores the summit’s dual focus: “Participants will leave not only inspired by global visionaries but also equipped with concrete tools to craft emotionally intelligent brands that endure.”
Beyond the Keynote
A powerhouse roster deepens the conversation. Cinderella Sanyu Okuyo of the Uganda Musicians Association will explore authenticity as a branding lever, while Jeffrey Amani of Zeus Group will illustrate the power of cultural storytelling. Laura Muhumuza from Buzz Activate Uganda will reveal how memory-driven youth engagement shapes brand longevity, and Susan Nsibirwa of Nation Media Group will tackle the challenge of rebuilding media trust in a fragmented landscape.
The panel, moderated by MTN Uganda’s Brand Sponsorships & Events Manager, Johnpaul Okwi, will bring Catherine Ndungu (Uganda Breweries), Daniel Kayongo (Kansai Plascon), Charity Kamusiime (DFCU Bank), Romel Jasi (Saladin Media), and Juliana Kagwa (Uganda Tourism Board) together to debate the mechanics of emotional relevance. “Today’s consumers demand more than products; they seek purpose and belonging,” Okwi observes. “This panel will map out how brands can meet that demand.”
Investing in Uganda’s Brand Future
Datamine positions the ASC Summit as a catalyst for Uganda’s marketing evolution, bridging academic theory and market practice. Syalhasha emphasizes its wider mission: “We’re arming a new generation of marketers with the know-how to build agile, emotionally intelligent brands that stand the test of time.”
Individual tickets are UGX 150,000; corporate tables of eight cost UGX 2,000,000. All attendees gain access to exclusive learning materials co-created with Beloved Brands. Payments through Airtel Money (4379648) and MTN MoMo (303914) ensure seamless registration under Basewood Consult Uganda Ltd.
A special thanks to the sponsors Nation Media Group, Pepsi, VisionFund Uganda, Zeus Group, Stabex International, Kansai Plascon, Uganda Breweries, and the Uganda Tourism Board. The Datamine ASC Summit 2025 promises more than ideas. It offers a roadmap for brands to win hearts before securing wallets. On June 27, Uganda’s marketing captains will discover that the true currency of loyalty is emotion and that the most compelling ads may be the ones you never see.
