Muhumuza Brian, known as Bryan Morel is a Ugandan publicist, philanthropist, and youth diplomat.
Brian who is the CEO of Bryan Morel Publications is a role model in brand support management, social media management, media liaisons, and professional services as well as creative writing.
His inter-continental PR organization focuses on brand support and the corporate positioning of companies. Brian is passionate about the environment, conservation, and youth-led development programs.
Having been part of the annual conference by the African Association of Disability and Self Advocacy Organizations (AADSAO) 2023, Brian was recently inducted into Young Leaders making tremendous changes in Consultancy and professional services across Africa at 2023 Forty Under 40 Awards in Johannesburg South Africa in the category of Professional services and consultancy.
Brian was the Promotions Manager of Angella Katatumba Development Foundation which organized the diplomat-studded Mulago Yaffe Charity Concert in partnership with the Uganda Cancer Institute where over UGX 25,000,000 proceeds were donated.
Bryan Morel is managing international models, corporate organizations, and prominent individuals within and outside Africa.
Brian speaks exclusively to Sunday Oyinloye, Publisher of Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable.
Excerpts:
How did your title of Ambassador come about?
Being a country envoy for the Best Diplomats United Nations (UN) Simulation Conferences 2022 stemmed from my long-standing interest in youth diplomacy and networking. I came across an advertisement in which they were looking for potential candidates from all over the world. After two weeks of intense scrutiny through the application, I was accepted and selected for the Conference in Thailand Bangkok. It is a long-term leadership responsibility in which I am still contacted by text and phone calls by other passionate youth all over the world seeking my opinion and ideas on broad issues such as refugee policy, public relations, climate change, UN charters, and SDGs (SDGs).
Your organization is focused on branding support, what have you identified as the major problems of most African brands?
Interestingly, each problem breeds its solution. The matrix is represented by the terms branding and marketing. Today, we find ourselves focused on short-term plans (marketing) rather than long-term plans (branding), which results in customers rather than clients. Other problems include insufficient media planning, quality and innovation issues, and the fact that African brands do not receive enough love at home. The solution is ensuring that chosen strategy and approaches can serve beyond tomorrow, while also establishing household loyalty around services and products that homegrown brands provide on the market.
Is there any relationship between the quality and branding of a product?
Quality is the seal of branding. I see this as a mutually beneficial relationship. For instance, musicians like Rickman Manrick who are consistently booked through us at Bryan Morel Publications are aware that they will receive the same features, benefits, and quality each time we are involved. In highly competitive markets, a strong reputation for quality can be a significant differentiator. Poor quality or product failure that leads to a product recall campaign can result in negative publicity and harm one’s reputation. Quality is also emphasized by effective brands in everything they do and every interaction they have with their various stakeholders and we adapted the same veil. It is this discipline that helped us too as a company to stand out during Forty Under 40 awards 2023 as a reliable choice against any likely competitor among the nominees. (Laughs) Quality also contributes to loyalty, which may lead to more demand and sales.
How has Bryan Morel fared in Uganda’s corporate space?
It is an interesting journey of studying the market and adjusting to the policies in place that has earned us clients like Sheilah Gashumba (Uganda), Sarah Mulindwa (United Kingdom), Cayenne Kitchen, Jerry Fisayo-Bambi (France/Nigeria), Desire Luzinda (United States of America), Atong Amos Juac (South Sudan), Forty Under 40 Awards Africa (Ghana) etc. while maintaining our pioneer associates Angella Katatumba and Judith Heard. We successfully spearheaded campaigns such as the Mulago Yaffe charity concert (2016), which raised over 25 million Uganda Shillings for the Mulago National Referral Hospital, and the launch of the Desire Luzinda Foundation (2021), which provided sanitary materials to Uganda Christian University in bid to address effects of Covid 19 towards menstrual health. Over the years, we have been entrusted with consistent disciplines such as copywriting; web profiling, influencer marketing programs, social media campaigns, and content marketing, among others from corporate and lifestyle entities in and beyond Uganda.
Is there any relationship between the quality and branding of a product?
Quality is the seal of branding. I see this as a symbiotic invisible attribute relationship. For instance, contemporary musicians like Rickman Manrick who are consistently booked through us at Bryan Morel Publications are aware that they will receive the same features, benefits, and quality each time we are involved on behalf of the management. In highly competitive market, a strong reputation for quality can be a significant differentiator. Poor quality or product failure that leads to a product recall campaign can result in negative publicity and harm one’s reputation. Quality is also emphasized by effective brands in everything they do and every interaction they have with their various stakeholders and we adapted the same veil. It is this discipline perhaps that earned us a consideration at Forty Under 40 Awards 2023 against any likely competitor among the nominees. (Laughs) Quality also contributes to loyalty, which may lead to more demand and sales.
How has Bryan Morel fared in Uganda’s corporate space?
It is an interesting journey of studying the market and adjusting to the policies in place that have earned us clients like Sheilah Gashumba (Uganda), Sarah Mulindwa (United Kingdom), Cayenne Kitchen Restaurant, Jerry Fisayo-Bambi (France/Nigeria), Desire Luzinda (United States of America), Atong Amos Juac (South Sudan), Forty Under 40 Awards Africa (Ghana), etc. while maintaining our pioneer associates Angella Katatumba, Desire Luzinda, and Judith Heard. We have steadily earned a policy-making decision by believing in and publicizing the potential of our talents.
We successfully spearheaded campaigns such as the Mulago Yaffe charity concert (2016), which raised over 25 million Ugandan Shillings for the Mulago National Referral Hospital, and the launch of the Desire Luzinda Foundation (2021), which provided sanitary materials to Uganda Christian University students in a bid to address effects of Covid 19 towards menstrual health. Over the years, we have been entrusted with consistent disciplines such as copywriting; web profiling, website design, influencer marketing programs, social media campaigns, and content marketing, among others by corporate and lifestyle entities in Uganda and other parts of the world.
You are involved in environmental protection and preservation, what was the driving force?
At the start of 2022, I traveled to Mumbai, India, with our client Judith Heard, who won the Miss Environment International pageant Africa title. Upon return, we launched and began a tree planting and plastic recycling awareness campaign, which has since been adopted in schools and corporate institutions to sustain renewable energy, water, vegetation, human life, plants, and animals. Sometimes leading by example is the best way for me to pique the public’s interest in climate, and nature conservation. This indirect approach has caught the interest of many people in environmental issues, and it is not at all confrontational. I simply live a zero-waste lifestyle. It is easy to practice. I do encourage my friends and family to use less water, check for and repair any leaks, install water-saving devices on faucets and toilets, never dump anything down a storm drain, and generate less trash. Another way to reduce the carbon footprint and conserve natural resources is to recycle. It reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, resulting in less pollution of water bodies. It is high time that everyone joined me to start using environmentally friendly products in our daily lives.
You have broken border barriers in your work, what are you doing to sustain the tempo across and beyond Africa?
It is a big compliment to get such feedback from an international blog. To achieve client retention and performance evaluation, the right attitude, research, and teamwork are key; as these supplement a solid regional or global strategy. I am proud that my team does not wait for an annual appraisal; we conduct our own. A good way to do this is to set measurable goals and a timetable for achieving them. Begin by setting short-term goals as you enter new markets and overcome challenges as you expand. I also benchmark partnerships, teamwork, and collaborations with other industry players from other countries to leverage other demographic opportunities. My most recent achievement was Bryan Morel Publications (BMP) winning 5 awards scooped by clients at Forty Under 40 awards Africa in South Africa including Abbasi Kaijuka who we nominated and made us proud and won the category of Fashion, Atong Amos (Oil & Gas), and Kenneth Kenas Kenator (Anti-Drug World).Jerry Fisayo-Bambi, Sarah Mulindwa and myself also bagged a medal and certificate of honor in Journalism, Sexual Wellness and Consultancy respectively. My team and I keep learning from previous errors and aiming for better results looking at tomorrow. Last but not least, prayer and faith are equally important.
Our readers will like to know why you are involved in philanthropic works and the impact it is having on African continent youth.
Growing up without a biological father taught me that a giving hand attracts blessings in abundance. At school, I used to organize fundraisers to help fellow students raise school fees, uniforms, and books. The reception and gratitude from beneficiaries encouraged me to start Kyarimpa Cares – a charitable umbrella. Philanthropic work, altruism, and volunteering time do forge connections with the immediate community and cultivate trust. For instance, my timely social charity has created impactful opportunities for minorities and the underprivileged. Every charitable act counts and has enriched my own spiritual life and connected me to people and organizations like the International Youth Conference and Best Diplomats.
You have a lot of models you are projecting to the world; would you like to talk about a few of them?
My agency team is currently supporting Jerry Fisayo-Bambi (Nigerian rance-based news anchor and TV host at Euronews/Africanews), Sarah Mulindwa (UK-based Ugandan sexual wellness specialist), Judith Heard (Rwandan/Ugandan fashion model and environmentalist), Sheilah Gashumba (Ugandan social media sensation), Atong Amos (South Sudanese Oil and Gas entrepreneur), Desire Luzinda (California based gospel singer) and Rickman Manrick (Swedish/Ugandan rapper).
When you are not branding what are you doing?
I love writing and reading, music critique, afforestation, horticulture, visiting, and praying for the sick.
The bulk of your work has to do with women. How are you coping with all the temptations that come with the job?
I separate professional and personal relationships and keep a balance for each. In turn, I hardly find any level of temptation but rather more opportunity that comes with the responsibility.
