Just Why Is Blankets So Successful?
I read a report somewhere about 6,000 people attending this month’s edition of Blankets which also happened to be the 40th edition.
When Blankets started out, i remember seeing Muthoni Ndong’a’s event being advertised on fliers at Sarit and if memory serves me well, it was also advertised at V.Ma (Village Market).
Back then, i wasn’t too interested in soulful music or picnics. I was more into partying and pursuing women (which i would fail at miserably). But to have witnessed the humble beginnings of Blankets to seeing how it was on the first weekend of the month, i can’t help but be impressed. But to understand just how Blankets has grown, one has to dissect Blankets.
With that said, i have attempted to do so for any other event organizer befuddled by Muthoni’s success. And these are some of the tips i’ve come up with:
#1. Clientele
Target the right crowd. If you want a ragga concert, market it to the youth who are interested. As such, you will be able to concentrate on the problems you can anticipate and a solution for said challenges. Muthoni knew that the middle and upper class are the people who would be interested in a picnic that would offer an opportunity to not just network but show off. And she knew she wouldn’t have to keep stamping out fights because the crowd would be mature. Well, unfortunately, the age level has dropped drastically but the silver lining is that these are kids within her target economic bracket.
#2. Venue
Blankets has moved around alot. That was before they settled on their current venue. By doing so, Muthoni has made it more exclusive. It’s a headache getting to Leisure Gardens using matatus. Trust me, i’ve tried it before.
Choose your venue carefully to suit your targeted clientele. If it’s a reggae concert, Kasarani will suffice -actually, Kasarani is an awesome venue but that’s just a side note. If it’s DJ Cleo, Ngong Racecourse is best.
#3. Security
I can’t believe that in this day and age, i have to keep emphasizing this! And by security i don’t mean the meat heads who man clubs in Nairobi, i mean the smiling security personnel that are usually at Muthoni’s concerts. Not only are they friendly, they are also helpful. They break up fights without getting overly physical, they help you park and they try to help drunk girls -trust me, i witnessed this when my uhm… Let’s just say “friend” got sloshed. They actually asked her if she was safe with me. I was impressed!
Security will make or break your event. Muthoni even enlisted the help of cops to aid in the flow of traffic and to help her staff maintain the peace.
#4. Branding
When you think of Blankets, what comes to mind? Leisure? Aye. Great music? Aye. Men dressed like they are confused? Sadly, true. But what comes to mind for me is an endless array of beautiful women! All this is her brand. When i think of reggae concerts in Kenya, what comes to mind is violence, theft, abuse of marijuana, some more violence and let’s also through in mugging for good measure! That is the brand reggae in Kenya is about. And it sucks because i am an avid reggae fan (not ragga mind you, only roots).
#5. The Team
The team you work with has to be top notch! You can’t be 100% when your team is composed of lames. If you want to make your event a success, the team you work with should share in your dedication and they should be able to perform. You don’t want to work with someone who gives you faulty equipment. You need to be able to delegate and not worry about whether or not the person in question will deliver. For Boniface Mwalii and the rest of the team, every successful Blankets is another feather on their cap.
