The Nation Newspaper

Category: Brand week

  • Mobile phone penetration ‘ll deepen marketing research

    Mobile phone penetration ‘ll deepen marketing research

    The Client Service Director, TNS ARMS in Nigeria, Damiem Arrouas, has said  with the growing use of mobile phones in Nigeria, about 95 per cent of households will have access to mobile devices by 2020.

    He added that smartphone use  would also increase to about 55 per cent within the same period.

    Arrouas, who spoke in Lagos, said this was good news to researchers using the  platform to gather market intelligence for brand owners to grow their consumer market.

    He noted that mobile phones use has changed research methods, giving researchers opportunities to reach more people faster than other methods because of the quicker and cost effective advantage it has over traditional research.

    “Through mobile, we want research to reach more people, especially people in the rural areas. Just imagine a researcher going to the northern parts of Nigeria to interview people physically. Logistically, the challenges are massive, whereas with mobile phone, you can reach far more people and with less stress,” he said.

    Arrouas said the use of mobile phones in research has also eliminated writing long questionnaires giving researchers opportunity to develop smarter and fewer questionnaires.

    He said this was important to the marketing research community because they can now find answers to everything clients want to know about the brand, creating choices for clients and researcher.

    “But we want to know how the brand is applying the research to increase market share; how does the research inspire and provoke the brand owner to take action? “Once the result is known, it is expected that the brand owner should take a transformative action to translate the research insights into results to increase profit. That is the goal of market research,” he said.

    On the challenge of research in the country, he said the size of the market is an issue.

    “Research is exciting and challenging in Nigeria in the sense that the consumer market is relatively big and challenging to reach. That is why I believe mobile is the way to go. “Here, we will migrate much faster in this market from traditional research into mobile research and our ambition is to move 50 per cent of our entire research business into mobile by 2020,” he said.

  • So much from MIPAN

    So much from MIPAN

    These are good times for the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN). The association, which accounts for about 85 percent of media revenue, will hold its fourth patron’s day on Monday.

    It has opened a new secretariat, elected new executives, inducted new agencies with plans to further deepen its professionalism in the media planning and buying market.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Adebayo and Executive Secretary, Eki Adfuzeh, the association said the Patron’s Day is an annual event organised by MIPAN member agencies with the aim of bringing all stakeholders, management & staff together under a fun, relaxed and sporting atmosphere.

    “It’s sure going to be a day of interactivity, fun and excitement for the media gurus and friends.

    This year’s event will be the fourth edition, and as stated at the start of this initiative, the key objective remains – the provision of a recreational and fun-loving platform that allows all MIPAN agencies’ management and staff members to interact and have fun in an environment devoid of the usual competitive business pressures.

    It is expected that the ambience would engender positive attitude/spirit leading to an amiable operating business environment for all,” the statement reads.

    Meanwhile, MIPAN recently elected new officials to run the affairs of the association for the next two years.

    The new officials were elected after MIPAN’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held recently in Lagos. The election which was held at the association new secretariat at 22A, Olatunbosun Street, Sam Shonibare Estate, Maryland saw Dr. Ken Onyeali Ikpe of Allseasons Media Limited who was the acting President emerged the association’s president, Mr. Olufemi Adelusi, BrandEye Media, Vice-president; Mr. Seyi Iwayemi, Maximedia, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Dipo Awopeju, Allseasons Media Limited, Financial Secretary; Mr. Yinka Adebayo, mediaReach OMD, Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Violet Nath-Okoduwa, FCB Brandfirst, Assistant Publicity Secretary.

    In a statement issued by the new Publicity Secretary, the new President Dr. Ikpe expressed his appreciation for the overwhelming support enjoyed thus far, and urged members to be committed to the ideals of the association.

    Ex-officio members are Messrs Tolu Ogunkoya, Tony Udenze, Ayo Kupoluyi and Emeka Okeke.

    The association also accepted three new agencies into its fold. The inducted agencies are SBI Media, Mec Global Media Limited and FCB Brand Resources.

    The induction which was carried out by Ikpe in the presence of other members of the association took place on Thursday during a MIPAN meeting held inside the boardroom of Brand Eye Media Limited, a member agency, in Maryland, Lagos.

    At the induction, Ikpe congratulated the new inductees while charging them to uphold the tenets of the organisation in all their dealings with clients and equally do their best to support MIPAN at times.

    He noted that by their induction, they have become partners and a part of the MIPAN family and therefore can draw from the rich resources in the MIPAN fold.

    The founders of the inducted agencies are already celebrated practitioners who have for several decades made their marks in the IMC sector. They are Charles Obi, Mec Global, Violet Okoduwa, FCB Brand Resources and Rotimi Bankole of SBI Media.

    Reacting to his induction, Bankole, whose agency has recorded fast growth in the industry, praised the executive for accepting them, saying the induction was a challenge for them to continue to do well and surpass their previous achievements.

  • Okhma wins Calabar festival marketing rights

    Okhma wins Calabar festival marketing rights

    Cross River State Carnival Commission, the agency which oversees the Calabar Carnival, has announced Okhma Global Limited, a marketing consulting firm based in Lagos, as lead marketing company for the carnival.

    Its responsibilities include, to increase the fund by more than 80 percent of the current revenue from marketing, and also provide marketing and PR consultancy/advisory, strategy implementation, media content creation, production, advertising and sponsorship/partnership acquisitions.

    Okhma Managing Director Mary Ephraim promised the commission that she would exceed its expectations. “For me, leading the marketing effort isn’t business. It represents an opportunity for me to contribute my professional experience to improving an event and a culture I had been part of as a young girl growing up in Calabar. This is something I had always wanted to do. We are grateful to the commission for the opportunity”.

    The carnival also tagged: “Africa’s Biggest Street Party”, was created as part of the vision of making Cross River State in Nigeria, the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and tourist all over the world. The carnival, which begins on every December 1 and last till December 31, has boosted the cultural mosaic of Nigeria people while entertaining the millions of spectators within and outside the state, and boosting industry for all stakeholders.

    “This year marks the 11th edition of the multi-event carnival that has garnered reputation and multiple awards as Nigeria’s biggest and best organised tourism event.

    “The 2015 coincide with the commencement of the new administration of Governor Ben Ayade, who said: “The Carnival is a big brand not only in Nigeria. My biggest wish now is to make it even much bigger. I would like to see the Calabar carnival evoke same depth and passion as the Rio carnival in the international tourism market.”

  • CAP wins Great Place To Work award

    Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc. (UACN), manufacturers of Dulux paint and the technological licensee of AkzoNobel, has won this year’s Great Place To Work award.

    The award was presented to the frim  at an event organised by the Great Place To Work (GPTW) Institute, in  Lagos.

    CAP was rated among the top eight firms in “The Best Companies to Work in Nigeria Category”. Others that made the list include; EMC Information System Nigeria Limited, Courteville Business Solutions Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, SC Johnson & Son Nigeria Limited, Microsoft Nigeria, Poise Nigeria and Konga Online Shopping Limited.

    Presenting the award to CAP,  the Chairman, Great Place To Work, Nigeria, Mr. Ghandi Olaoye, said the firm emerged as one of the winners of the award having exhibited and maintained global best practices in work place people management practices.

    Receiving the award, the Managing Director, CAP, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, described the award as very inspiring, dedicating it to the employees of the firm, whose selfless service and commitment continues to propel management to adopt people-oriented policies and culture that promote trust, credibility and mutual respect.

    Elemide stated that winning the 2016 Great Place To Work award would further encourage the company to sustain and improve the workplace culture that gives priority to the employees as key stakeholders in the organisation.

  • Not In My Country: A new campaign against corruption

    Not In My Country: A new campaign against corruption

    A new campaign, Not in My Country, produced by Bufferzone International Limited, is spearheading the war against corruption in Nigeria via behavioural change, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    President Muhammadu Buhari seems to have captured the long-term destructive impact of corruption on the nation when he made anti-graft fight one of the cardianl objectives of his adminsitration.  He said: “If we fail to kill corruption, corrpution will kill all of us.”

    In view of revelations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the comments of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron that Nigeria and Afghanistan were two “fantastically corrupt” countries,  there appears to be a consensus about the need to tackle corruption so that the country can make progress.

    Communication is one of the tools that can help achieve this. It is in this light that the new campaign, Not in My Country, produced by Bufferzone International Limited, a citizen-led top-bottom initiative, becomes relevant.

    The campaign is designed to  support the current efforts of the government to fight corruption; as the level of corruption is well captured in sights and sounds.

    In one of the behavioural change communication episode, the high level of corruption in the aviation sector, was exposed: Ticket officers hoarding tickets; selling discriminately; two young men at the front desk demand Abuja tickets. Alas! They were told all seats were booked.

    Like a drama, as Rita Dominic, a Nollywood actress portrayed in her 2012 award-winning Movie, The Meeting, a tale of corruption in the public service, a wealthy female customer, sauntered in, in the glare of the young men. She was billed higher.

    Shocked, the young men protested, demanded an explanation like Rotimi Bankole the protagonist against Dominic, who was extorting the minister’s secretary in The Meeting. But the wealthy woman, a role played by Bukky Wright, felt the anguish of the young men.

    In agreement to stop the scourge, they reprimanded the cashier and chorused ‘Not in My Country.’  This is one of the episodes in the one-minute Not in My Country, scripted by Akin Fadeyi’s Bufferzone.

    Premiered in Lagos before media influencers and marketing communications experts, it charges the government and other believers in the Nigerian project to key into the campaign against corruption to change mindsets and establish a corrupt-free Nigeria.

    During the premiere, the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mrs Boade Akinola, said changing the Nigerian mindset against corruption starts with individuals. She added that good leadership would leave no one with another choice but to support a good cause.

    She said the citizen-based anti-corruption campaign was a welcome development at this critical time in the history of the country, saying it agrees with the President ‘s desire to wipe out corruption.

    The Managing Director of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, condemned corruption in Nigeria, calling on relevant agencies of government to join hands with the producer of the drama series to re-orientate Nigerians.

    The target audience of the one- minute drama, which is expected to be in 365 different experiential clips round a year, are perception index-shaping institutes, international watchdog agencies, global and local media and the general public. To reach relevant quarters, it is said to  be already being aired on radio and YouTube while efforts are on to  translate it to all Nigerian languages.

    The producer of the campaign, Mr. Akin Fadeyi, said he was inspired by the fact that the country has been plagued with corruption which has paralysed the citizens’ collective psyche and confidence as a nation.

    He said: “Corruption is an unethical behaviour which runs counter to the accepted social norms and moral values. It is a behavioural pattern, which seriously hurts public morality and leaves the society worse for it. Corruption is an act involving dishonesty, illegality and non- conformity with accepted standard of behaviour. And such an act or behaviour has as its main aim, the return for financial or material benefit, either for the person committing the act or on behalf of any other person.

  • SERAS-CSR awards call for entry

    SERAS-CSR awards call for entry

    TruContact CSR Nigeria has called for entries for The SERAS-CSR Awards 2016, to mark its 10th anniversary.

    The award has earned the position of the biggest, most consistent and most credible awards of its kind on the African continent.

    Having enjoyed nine successful seasons, its organisers promise that this year’s edition would be bigger and more exciting.

    The theme of the awards is:  Sustainable Development Goals and The Future of Africa: Organisations as The Game Changers.

    The theme is based on the launch of an ambitious global mission by world leaders to reduce poverty and enhance human development.

    The organisers said assessments and categorisations would be based on the recent globally launched 17 sustainable development goals, urging companies to download the entry form at www.theseras.com.

    However, the organisers also announced that, for the first time, in its 10-years history, the awards would be opening its doors to entries from other parts of Africa.

    Its coordinator, Ken Egbas, during the unveiling of the new awards logo in Lagos, said: “When we commenced the awards in 2007, we had short, medium and long term goals. We expected by the tenth or eleventh year to make the awards accessible to all of Africa, that is after we must have proven our mettle in Nigeria which of course is not only one of the largest markets in Africa, but also at the moment Nigeria rates as number two the continent in terms of CSR and sustainability investment and related activities.”

  • HP unveils new products

    HP has upset the printing device market with an array of new high speed products for effective printing, time and cost management and increased productivity.

    The new devices, comprising HP Officejet Pro, HP Page Wide, HP Laserjet, printing solutions and laptops, such as the HP Elitebook Folio G1, hp Z-Book, HP Elite x3, and the HP Spectre, according to the company, are in line with the company’s vision of creating technology that makes life better for  all across the globe.

    On the innovation, the account manager, Print Solutions, HP Nigeria, Mr. Francis John Angbo, said the company used choice colours in the device because of the feedback from customers.

    He said the devices suit the needs of micro and home-based businesses, small and medium, market and large enterprises.

    Its Managing Director, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Afe, said the company, which began business 76 years ago in Colorado, United States (U.S), had grown to become the leader in printing technology and Personal Computer (PC) business.

  • ST Yoruba on StarTimes

    An indigenous entertainment channel in Yoruba and African content called ST Yoruba has been launched on StarTimes.

    Aired on channel 160 on digital terrestrial and channel 412 on digital satellite platforms, it was designed to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba and as a 24-hour general entertainment channel follows the success of ST Dadin Kowa enjoyed by the Hausa viewers.

    Its Marketing Director, Dare Kafar, said: “StarTimes is very excited to announce the arrival of its new Yoruba movie channel. It has been in our plans to give more to our movie loving subscribers. This channel has been designed to build cohesive family viewing with a fine blend of classic and contemporary Yoruba movies, cultural shows, celebrity news, historical shows, behind the scene programs, celebration of movie icons and other lifestyle programmes.

    “Viewers can also enjoy new and freshly produced Yoruba movies which capture the exploits of their star actresses, including Doris Simeon, Iyabo Ojo, Ayo Adesanya, Mosun Filani, Mercy Aigbe, Mide Martins, Funke Akindele, Lizzy Anjorin, Fathia Balogun, Bukky Wright and others.”

  • Brands gather for African Brand Congress

    The Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria (IBMN) is to hold this year’s edition of African Brand Congress (ABC) and African Brand Leadership (ABL) merit award.

    Holding next week at the Lagos Sheraton Hotels & Towers,  Ikeja, the Registrar of IBMN, Mr. Desmond Esorougwe, said the congress and brand leadership award were aimed at celebrating leadership, innovations and creativity in Africa; and to also showcase the brilliant minds and institutes that are delivering positive change and shaping Africa’s future.

    The event will honour CEOs, brands, products and services and public officers, who have excelled and demonstrated uncommon initiative and have driven leadership in the African economy.

    Holding in collaboration with the African Institute for Brand Management (AFRIBM), he said the African Brand Congress was an annual fiesta of best brains behind most successful and sought-after African Brands.

    “It is meant to stimulate, motivate and excite the creative lobe of your brain using the same kind of thinking and exercise that we use in our workshop. The Congress is designed to educate, engage and inspire brand building and value creation. It is an appropriate platform for all brand owner and industry player to discuss how brand in Africa can increase their Global competitiveness,” he said.

    The congress will enhance professional development in the area that are most relevant to the business community of today. Also, the Congress will provide hand on skill building experience for brands and brand managers. Therefore, the congress expect participant from all over Africa.

    Esorougwe stated further that the focus of the congress would be to support brands in the journey of excellence in brand building and to discuss and influence creation of African Global Brand.

    He said participants at the Congress would have learn how branding operates in some of the world’s most successful business, the future trends in leadership and how to implement new strategies and techniques in their organisation

  • StarTimes is best Pay TV operator at BoICT 2016

    StarTimes has been named the Best Pay TV Operator at the coveted Beacon of Information and Communication Technology (BoICT) awards.

    The Sino-Nigerian Pay TV firm was declared the winner at a gala, which held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

    At the ceremony attended by the crème de la crème of technology policy makers, captains of industry, regulatory bodies and other key players, StarTimes was presented with the award and commended for its consumer friendly offerings.

    StarTimes is a leading digital-TV operator in Africa, combining satellite and terrestrial DTV systems to provide an open and secure digital wireless platform.

    Speaking on StarTimes achievements, the Editor-In-Chief and CEO of CommunicationsWeek Media Limited and the organisers of the awards, Mr. Ken Nwogbo, said over time, StarTimes has revolutionalise the Pay TV industry landscape in Nigeria with its consistently affordable and public friendly offerings. “Since StarTimes joined the industry, Pay TV has become more popular and accessible for many people,” he said.

    Receiving the awards on behalf of the Board, management and staff of the company, the Marketing Director, Oludare Kafar expressed appreciation to millions of StarTimes subscribers, who made it possible for the company to win the award with a promise of better subscribers’ experience.

    “As a business, we have embraced innovation and cutting edge global technology solutions to deliver compelling digital television experience to our millions of subscribers. With very sharp picture quality, strong signals and rich channels that meet the entertainment need of every member of the family, we offer affordable bouquets of digital television as part of our commitment to guide Nigerians into full digitalisation. We also engage in relevant collaborations with critical stakeholders to achieve this,” he said.

    He said further: “Recently, we have invested heavily into sports content acquisitions and channels, and expanded entertainment horizon for sports loving Nigerians. With StarTimes, Nigerians are guaranteed of an ever increasing buffet of solid entertainment, be it sports, movies, drama, cartoons and music.”