The Nation Newspaper

Category: Brand week

  • World Cup: Marketers subtitle Spanish adverts in English

    TO appeal to bilingual consumers, marketers are airing  Spanish adverts with English-subtitles in the ongoing World Cup.

    Marketers have been tiptoeing into this space with Spanish phrases or slogans included in adverts, said David Wellisch, founder and managing partner of Latinum Network. But running an advert entirely in Spanish on an English network is novel.

    Mr. Wellisch said: “It’s very innovative. Companies are exploring and experimenting across the board. It’s all driven by the growing influence of this consumer segment.”

    J.C. Penney scooped up advert time for its Spanish-language spot, “Pulse,” on NBC, ABC and Fox, after the advert performed well on Univision. A promotional offer added to the spot will have an English voiceover. The spot is part of a push meant to position J.C. Penney as the department-store destination for Hispanics.

    “Hearing the Spanish language with subtitles will be a compelling disruption that should cause the commercial to disrupt better than if it was translated. It’s also a great way to cast a wider net and capture the more acculturated, bilingual millennials that may be tuning into other networks outside of Univision during the World Cup.”

    Dish Network is embracing the approach with its campaign, El Juego Bonito, or “The Beautiful Game.” An ad featuring a scantily clad dancer promotes the ability to watch multiple views of a soccer game with Dish’s Hopper set-top box — with multiple views of said dancer. The ad aired on late night shows, including “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report.”

    Hyundai has also been airing a subtitled ad as part of its “Because Futbol” campaign that features a baby boom nine months after the World Cup.

    As recently as the Super Bowl, Coca-Cola was the subject of a consumer backlash for airing an ad that featured a variety of languages. As such, Mr. Wellisch said there’s certainly a possibility marketers airing Spanish-language ads on English networks could upset some consumers. But generally, he added, World Cup audiences are more “progressive, urban, and more culturally open and engaged.”

    “You have to place some bets and take some risks,” Mr. Wellisch said. “If you’re a Latina mom, watching in the office on an English network, and [J.C. Penney] is speaking to you, you will remember.

  • Cocoa production to rise

    Nigeria’s cocoa mid-crop is taking longer to complete and boosting prospects for production from the world’s fourth-largest grower of the beans.

    The smaller of two annual harvests is still progressing with few signs of damage from disease or bad weather, said Wale Owofemi of Olatunde International Ltd., a cocoa buying company based in Akure. The mid-crop usually ends in June with the larger main crop starting in October.

    Nigeria’s production for 2013-14 will grow to 300,000 metric tons from 295,000 tons a year earlier, according to the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, which groups farmers, traders and processors.

    Cocoa exports in May jumped 38 percent to 4,461 tons from the previous month as favorable weather bolstered crop performance, according to the Federal Produce Inspective Service. The mid-crop will climb to 66,000 tons from 35,000 tons, the Akure-based Cocoa Development Intiative, a non-government organisation that provides advice to farmers.

    Rain is forecast for this month in cocoa growing areas in Nigeria followed by less moisture and sun next month that will benefit drying beans, Andrew Oniarah of the Meteorological Office in Lagos said in a phone interview.

    Ivory Coast is the biggest cocoa grower, followed by Ghana and Indonesia, according to the London-based International Cocoa Organisation.

  • Unilever rebrands Sure deodorant

    Unilever Nigeria has launched Rexona, a global Deodorant brand into the market.

    The event held at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    With the launch of Rexona, Sure deodorant is changing its name in Nigeria to Rexona. The brand said the reason for launching Rexona and not Sure is that Sure is only sold in the United Kingdom and Unilever wanted to open the market for it.

    Rexona is the number one deodorant brand in the world because it has a better portfolio of variants that can better serve consumers.

    Unilever believes Rexona will be successful in Nigeria because of the great mix they are launching, which involves three male and three female variants. The key format in the launch is the 25ml mini roll-on, which is a first in Nigeria.

    According to James Inglesby, Category Manager, Skin Care & Deodorants for Unilever Nig Plc, “The 50ml roll-on is priced at 250NGN and the 25ml roll-on at a great price of just 150NGN making antiperspirant deodorant affordable to more of the population”.

    Unilever will also be launching Rexona 200ml Aerosols, Axe body spray, Dove roll on and Dove body spray before the end of the year. He added: “Using Rexona makes you feel clean, dry and fresh every day.”

     

  • GE unveils scanner

    GE has developed a technology that will simplify, automate and speed up the ultrasound transducer manufacturing.

    Additive manufacturing technology can eliminate traditional time-consuming and costly processes, such as lamination and cutting to enable more affordable and more accessible ultrasound systems for doctors and their patients.

    The firm made this known in Lagos at a forum organised by GE as part of activities for the three-week promotion of GE Nigeria manufacturing Garages.

    The General Manager of GE healthcare Mr. Alex Canfor-Dumas said GE is committed to the use of advanced technology and innovation in patient care and management.

    He said the silent MR Scanner is one of the latest technologies by GE to address the horror of the load noise experienced by patients undergoing MRR scans.

    Canfor-Dumas said no longer have to go through the ordeal of repeating MR examinations due to lack of cooperation from patients as the new technology has helped to humanise MR examinations. GE is the first to accomplish this great task in healthcare globally.

    Garages Nigeria will run till  today at GE’s regional headquarters in Lagos. It will feature speakers sessions and workshops amid a fully equipped fab lab.

    At the event, participants will work with experts and use advanced hardware and software to bring their ideas to life, using equipment such as CNC mills, laser cutters, 3D printers, and electrical engineering kits to create new parts and prototypes.

    In partnership with the Dangote Foundation and other local partners, Garages Nigeria will expand into a programme dedicated to training skilled entrepreneurs, employable workers and creating employment opportunities among service suppliers within the growing Power Generation sector.

     

  • ‘Our plans for outdoor advertising in Cross River’

    ‘Our plans for outdoor advertising in Cross River’

    Many old billboards dot the streets of Calabar, the Cross River State capital. The government is determined to turn them into money spinners through tourism branding, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    The Cross River State Government is eyeing outdoor advertising and signage to boost its economy.

    It plans to adopt the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) model to attract stakeholders to partner with it in tourism branding.

    Officials of the Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency (CRSSA) have been to Lagos to rub minds with their LASAA counterparts in the matter.

    CRSSA Director-General Godwin Iyala said the agency has learnt few things from the Lagos experiment.

    He spoke in Lagos when he visited LASAA Managing Director Mr George Noah after an outdoor advertising conference organised by the agency.

    He said: “We have seen a lot of innovations here; we have seen collaborations; we have seen good ideas that we would like to bring into fruition in Cross River State. Above all, we are going to synergise with other stakeholders to ensure that we have a uniform landscape environment for outdoors and create an enabling environment for operators, investors and regulators to have a win-win situation.”

    He said he was banking on tourism branding to attract investors.

    Iyala said: “The face of outdoor advertising in Cross River is changing to synchronise with the tourism drive that we have. Don’t forget that Calabar, especially is noted for its cleanliness and we can’t but use outdoor to enhance the beauty of the environment, not just Calabar, but the entire state.

    “Don’t forget that we also have the biggest street party in Africa called the Carnival, which attracts over 800,000 visitors every year, and we have gradually transforming from a civil service state to an industrial and tourism hub.”

    With its many vacant billboards in Calabar, the state capital, Cross River which is regarded as “The Peoples Paradise”. It is also one of the fastest growing states in the country, with an improved investment climate and a rich historical and cultural heritage.

    Iyala pledged to change the face of outdoor by rallying the state’s tourism touch points to rub off on the “vacant billboard” markers and drive more brands to put their posters.

    “Since our arrival, we have put quite a lot of things in place. We are gradually eliminating the obsolete signage and billboards and we are gradually replacing them with LED displays; we are gradually replacing them with modern gantries; we are gradually replacing them with modern drapes and other forms of modern displays advertisement like portraits,” he said.

    According to him, the opportunity for small scale businesses, especially outdoor, is growing and the state is busy confronting the challenges. “The beauty of it all is that we arrive at the time the glut came in, and we are regulating from day one,” he said.

    Iyala said regulating the outdoor business is not all about generating revenue. “We regulate to add beauty to the environment, and then we regulate to generate revenue as well. Those are things you can’t do without generating revenue. Sometimes you generate revenue and use it to create environment to enable the outdoor to thrive,” he said.

    On CRSSA’s participation at the LASAA conference, Iyalla said: “We have heard from the regulators and operators on what needs to be done and what have been done rightly or wrongly, and how we need to improve on it. We have seen quite a lot of innovation here, and when we go back to our state, we are going to implement them to move the outdoor regulations and practice forward.”

    Noah said though the industry has potential, the challenge of empirical data has continued to make advertisers think low about the business unlike other platforms of advertisement, such as television.

    He, however, admitted that despite challenges, the sector has witnessed huge transformation in the last decade following regulatory intervention.

    Noah said the sector accounts for over N50 billion turnovers while the state with a population of 22 million accounts for 60 per cent of Nigeria’s total advertising market.

    This, he said, was insignificant when what accrues to other sectors is considered since the cost of doing business is almost shrinking.

    Noah said outdoor media buying agencies generate about N8.6 billion, fabricators, rake in N1.5 billion; installers, N382 billion; and large format printers, N8.27 billion. Also, outdoor specialist agencies generate N21.9 billion, outdoor protection services, N370 million; adverts, N1.25 billion and others, N8 billion.

  • Oil firm to partner host communities

    Despite many firms poor showing in image branding, Seplat Petroleum Development Company achieved results in the first phase of its brand placement and capacity developement.

    Following its listing on the London and Lagos stock exchanges, the company has said it is ready to project its brand and establish itself as a global player through corporate social investments in its host communities.

    Its Chairman, Ambrosie Orjiako, at a briefing, said: “Seplat is a Nigerian brand and we are proud of our Nigerian heritage. We are a global brand and we are listed on the London stock Exchange. In terms of branding, we have distinguished ourself from others in terms of corporate governance, constitution of our board; we have best management team you can ever have in the world; it’s a world-class team which gave us an edge against competition.”

    On the challenges facing the sector in image branding, Orjiako said the company is engaging its communities to enhance success as a socially responsible oil firm.

    He said: “The oil sector has never had it good when it comes to image branding. As a result, the way we engage our community is very strong. Our host community engagement has been at the foundation of our success from inception. We remain committed to full implementation of our ‘SEPLAT model’ of proactive community engagement in the Niger Delta and wherever we operate. An example of this is our Global Memorandum of Understanding with the host communities. We have created the platform for economic prosperity in the communities, a ‘win-win’ strategy. In addition, we are driving various other CSR programmes in our areas of operation to encourage capacity building and economic empowerment, especially among women and the youth.

    “To help empower and build strong relationships with the local communities, we have also employed various community contractors to provide oil and gas services. In all, we have strived to create a platform for economic prosperity in the communities.”

    Recently, the World Economic Forum named Seplat, a Global Growth Company. With this recognition, the firm joins a vibrant community of the world’s most dynamic, influential and high-growth companies.

    Companies are judged on their compliance with set criteria: growth, global corporate citizenship, executive leadership and impact on the competitive landscape of their region or industry.

    However, Orjiako declared Seplat will strive to maintain its leadership position in the market and remain focus in the face of competition.

    “The future of our company is very bright. We shall strive to maintain our leadership position in the indigenous E & P industry in Nigeria and our focus in following our growth strategy to seek to ensure delivery of our commitment not only to capital growth but also to remain profitable and dividend paying. We shall seek to deliver tangible rewards to all stakeholders,” he noted.

    The company has already paid a dividend of N16.50 per share for the 2013 financial year.

  • Clinton’s former aide for Abuja seminar July 10

    A former White House Political Director/Assistant to former President Bill Clinton, Mr. Craig Smith, will be speaking in Abuja to women political leaders/women aspirants on ‘Preparing to run” on Thursday, July 10 at an international seminar on Political Advertising, Perception Building and Voter Education.

    The international seminar, which will hold at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, will be chaired by Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, as part of the 41st Annual General Meeting/Congress of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).

    Robina Namusisi, Resident Country Director (Nigeria) for International Republican Institute (IRI), Robina Namusisi, said women who intend to seek elective offices will have a chance to engage Mr. Craig Smith on how to surmount the unwritten limitations placed by the system and still clinch the party’s ticket.

  • Explore arts, brand managers told

    Orange Academy, a brand management school, has challenged its graduating students to use their brand management and storytelling skills to solve complex social problems.

    To enhance this, the institution launched a yearly project exhibition tagged ‘The art of positive thinking’, during graduation-immersion at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    According to the school, the focus of this year’s edition was on the need for sexually active youths to know their HIV status.

    The African Marketing Director – Family Nutrition, GlaxoSmithKline, Mr. Lampe Omoyele, also a member of the school’s management board, described Orange Academy as the first un-marketing brand school in Africa where emphasis is put on storytelling.

    Also, the new Chief Executive Officer CEO) of the academy, Mr. Chisom Ohuaka, said: “Because stories are the most memorable vehicles through which we know our world, Orange Academy teaches and practices the art of compelling storytelling so our students can create memorable brand experiences.”

    The Founder/Chief Imagination Officer of the Academy, Mr. Kenny Brandmuse, said the academy’s multidisciplinary faculty pool have been employed in core marketing, entertainment, non-profit, governance, education and public advocacies. He added that the school has grown from a 12-student school to a 150-student school in just six years.

    The Dean of Studies, Franklin Ozhekome, formerly the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Insights Communications, said the academy has an alumni base of over 600 professionals.

  • Youth market as beautiful bride

    Youth market as beautiful bride

    In those days, manufacturers, bankers and others did not attach much importance to the youth market, also called the Gen-Next. However, this perception has changed. To drive growth, top brands have realised how vital this market is to their brands’ sustainability, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Before now, practitioners in banking, telecoms, FCMGs and other sectors held in high esteem the older generation of consumers more than the youth, also referred to as Generation Next.

    There is a reason for this.The older people are believed to be the decision makers of purchases, and over the years, many brands rode on their shoulders to gain greater brand equity and market share.

    But gradually, the tide is moving as brands are beginning to eye the Generation Next to position for future competition.

    “Parents believe giving teens access to phones could make them lose concentration in school while giving them access to operate a bank account sounds bad despite that in the olden days parents encouraged their children to save through the mould box approach.

    “Now, brand managers are targeting this group. Banks are designing products for them, telecoms are designing trendy offerings that appeal to them and they are becoming important in brand strategy crafting,” a brand expert said.

    This development is becoming more apparent in the banking and telecoms sector, the fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs), where they have carried the youth along in their products and communications. For instance, Coca-Cola, Cadbury and Amazon have been named the most effective brands targeting the youth market both online and offline.

    In a research by VCCP’s new youth agency, Rough Hill, 60 per cent of young people use Cadbury, while 34 per cent follow the brand online. For Amazon, 58 per cent of people use the brand, 33 per cent of them follow it online; also, 59 per cent of young people use the Coca-Cola brand regularly, while 31 per cent follow it online. Hence, their product is tailored to this market unlike banking, telecoms whose products seem to prefer the older people’s market.

    But stung by their failure to recognise the Generation Next market, brands within the banking and telecoms sector are taking the youth market more serious than ever before. The growth of the segment in a larger number and their diverse, individualistic trait has made them no more vulnerable to decisions of the older generation. Hence, marketers are aiming at this market frequently.

    Shockingly, an old generation bank, regarded as one of the ‘Big Three’ has announced its marketing and communication plan for the youth after years of sustained brand equity among corporate and big purse customers. The bank, UBA, long before its merger with STB, was known as an ‘old school bank’, perhaps a reference to its leaning to the older generation.

    But after the merger, The Nation observed that it assumed another perception as a bank meant for the big purse, individual and corporate, leading innovation among the top tier banks.

    “When I couldn’t cope with the bank again, I had to drop it for a new generation bank. I discovered that it was chasing mainly big accounts and not youths like us,” Sumbo Awoyemi, an undergraduate lamented.

    But to avoid losing the youth market, UBA has offered a new window for the Generation Next. During the launch of a new product called a ‘Next-Gen’ account, no doubt, an effort to re-invent and build a new generation of loyal customers, the bank described ‘Next Gen’ as a product tailored to meet the unique needs of teenagers and young adults. The bank, however, added that it was introduced to offer special privileges and opportunities to account holders.

    The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Phillips Oduoza, said: “Next Gen is about capturing and engaging the next generation of educated and enlightened professionals, employees, entrepreneurs, self-employed persons, from all walks of life, early in their financial life cycle.”

    The UBA Next-Gen Account was designed to appeal to the educated and enlightened teenagers and young adults from 13 to 34.The product comes with features that fit into the unique needs of customers based on their age.

    “This is a product that grows with the customer from his or her teenage years to, when he or she becomes a young adult. Next Gen is unique in the banking industry because it is not really a product. It is a partnership where the bank is taking on a mentorship role to guide customers into a future life of prosperity, Olaloku explained.

    He also said the Next Gen account was designed to take care of every young person’s unique needs from 13 to 34.

    “It takes care of the unique needs of teenage customers when they are in secondary school through university to when they get their first job, start a family and even consider building their first house. At each of these critical stages in their lives, the Next Gen account provides financial options and opportunities to make life more comfortable for them and their family.”

    On the unique features of the Next Gen account, the Head, Current Accounts and Credit Products, UBA Plc, Iyke Idukpaye, explained that teenagers who open the account will become part of the UBA Teen Fan Club, which offers great opportunities and networking.

    He also explained that as teenagers with a Next Gen account grow and gain admission into tertiary institutions, they will enjoy great mentorship, internships and career advisory reserved only for account holders.

    The benefits of being a Next Gen account holder extends further as owners graduate and prepare for the work or business. At this stage, account holders will enjoy exclusive invitations to job and career fairs as well as entrepreneurship workshops, he added.

    Aside marketing and advertising support, the bank invited students from various secondary and tertiary institutions to attend the launch. Aina Oyawande, a student of University of Lagos, com- mended UBA for introducing the product. He said the incentives attached will make her open an account with the bank.

    Falz, a musician, who addressed the students on the need to imbibe a savings culture, described Next Gen as a “great initiative”, which will attract young entrepreneurs like him to open an account with UBA.

    Also, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, of big brother fame called the product “innovative”, adding that it was great that UBA has developed such an incentive packed product for youths.

  • Medheights, UK Vitabiotics partner

    A UNITED Kingdom-based pharmaceutical company Vitabiotics has signed an agreement with Medheights Pharmacy Limited on the distribution of its products.

    The Lead Consultant, Sales to Medheights Pharmacy, Bayo Adepoju, by the deal, the product will be made available in Nigeria, adding that it will reduce unsafe pregnancy and maternal mortality caused by nutritional deficiency.

    During the unveiling of the products, the three brands of Pregnacare products were used to emphasise the medicinal values of micronutrient supplementation before conception, during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

    According to Adepoju, the sole franchise ownership for marketing and distribution of the products has been granted to Medheights Pharmacy Limited.

    The brands are: Pregnacre Original (used during pregnancy, Pregnacare Plus Omega (used during breastfeeding), and Pregnacare Conception (used to enhance conception for women).

    Managing Director of Medheights Pharmacy, Mr. Tunji Doherty said: “Hitherto, what we used to have in Nigeria were the Pregnacare brands made and packaged outside the UK; Nigerians who travelled to Europe now discovered that the package being sold to Nigerians were different from what was being sold in the home country where the trademark owners are. So, this knowledge started affecting negatively the psych of the consumers and sales. The products were also being imported by all kinds of merchants into the market.

    “We met with the makers and raised all these concerns and the dangers therein, especially faking and safe motherhood in Nigeria, and entered into business relationship to be the sole franchise owners of all the premium Pregnacare brands in Nigeria. This has enabled us to structure the marketing and distribution channels. We have also secured NAFDAC numbers for the brands in order to avoid faking or cloning and, therefore, guarantees the product consumption for safe motherhood,” Doherty disclosed.