The Nation Newspaper

Category: Brand week

  • World Cup: OSMI battles StarTimes over TV right infringement

    World Cup: OSMI battles StarTimes over TV right infringement

    Optima Sports Management International (OSMI) and DStv are engaged in a battle with a low-end market pay TV over the infringement of its exclusive FIFA World Cup terrestrial broadcast rights.

    The Nation exclusively gathered from sources that StarTimes has been airing the World Cup matches on a terrestrial station, NTA 24, which is one of the TV channels on its bouquet. This action is said to have violated OSMI transmission agreement with the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).

    BON is the umbrella body of radio and television stations in the country. Under the agreement, BON, through its network of radio and television stations, OMSI was billed to broadcast the 64 matches of the World Cup to Nigerians free.

    But, DStv was reported to have  blocked all terrestrial stations on its platform to avoid any infringement from StarTimes.

    The Public Relations Manager of StarTimes, Mr. Anetor Irete, confirmed the development, saying that StarTimes received a query from OSMI. “We received a letter requesting that we shouldn’t air the World Cup matches because StarTimes has no pay-TV right to show any of the matches on our platform,” he said.

    He added the terrestrial channels on the platform during the football season are free to access. “This means, no subscription is needed to view any of the analogue channels on the platform pay TV, hence it’s not a pay TV service we are offering Nigerians that have our set up box. As a result of the good relationship and understanding we have with analogue channels on the platform, we obliged them when they sent a request that we block signals during the football matches, and this, we have done to honour their request. During this football season, the matches can be viewed on super clarity channel NTA SPORT 24 and any other NTA Multi channels on the platform,”

    Irete said further that in the interest of public, NTA-Star TV Network is an operator and also a digital transmission platform, which has the objective to carry as many analogue signals on the digital platform as we are the main transition platform.

    “According to NBC law, we are obliged to transmit the obligations of states and local television stations in the province, especially in Jos (the pilot city or digital migration), StarTimes play the role of platform for digital migration.”

    “StarTimes is saddled with helping Nigeria migrate from analogue to digital and the only licensed carrier for digital terrestrial television in Nigeria.

    Every terrestrial digital TV platform must transmit public transmission channel (like NTA) in  the public interest.

    “StarTimes conduct legitimate evidence, and does not infringe the rights of others subjective intent and fault,” he told The Nation via an email.

  • Veteran CNN journalist for Lagos Communications summit

    Veteran CNN journalist for Lagos Communications summit

    Emmy Award-winning veteran CNN correspondent and communication strategist Gina London is in Lagos, to facilitate a series of strategic communications trainings.
    From media houses to financial institutions, Gina will facilitate training sessions for organizations with high-level communication needs across various industries from June 15 to July 18.
    Her first stop will be at the “Find Your Edge” Strategic Communication Conference from Wednesday, June 18th to Friday, June 20th at The Wheatbaker, Ikoyi from 9 am.
    The three-day conference is designed to drive senior management professionals in media, politics and corporate industries to open their eyes to the emerging opportunities in today’s media cluttered world.
    She will focus on how to leverage on global media to sustain relevance and a global approach to communicating with stakeholders, the media and the entire world.
    Gina London’s experience spans CNN, CNN Radio, CNN International, CONUS Washington and 250
    CNN affiliate stations in the United States and internationally.
    As a trainer, consultant & communication strategist, her client portfolio includes: Hill & Knowlton, Deloitte, Wachovia Bank, M&T Mountain Bank, First Mariner Ban, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, Chase Manhattan; First Savings and Federal of Baltimore, The World Bank, JCPenney Corporation, Walmart Stores Inc., Stanley Black & Decker and The Bradley Group.
    Gina has transformed communications teams over the years, making both their methods and messages more effective.
    For more information on this conference, visit www.findyouredge.com.ng.
    Companies can also benefit from in-house training sessions tailored by Gina to suit individual company needs. “Our expectations of Gina are very high,” says Ayoola Jolayemi, Managing Director of SwiftThink Limited, the idea development and management company spearheading the project.
    “Gina’s vast experience working with CNN and training and consulting for many companies worldwide will support the efforts of Nigerian companies in the areas of reputation management, crisis management, media relations and more. We are looking forward to a rewarding learning experience with her.”

  • Standard Chartered Bank rewards customers

    Standard Chartered Bank rewards customers

    The Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has awarded two customers, Mrs. Teniade Macaulay and Erefaa Emine Tom-Jack, an engineer, in the ongoing Mega Reward promotion draws at the bank’s corporate head office in Lagos.

    Macaulay and Tom-Jack won N1 million.

    Other prize winners areAjayi Oluyinka Timothy and Kess and Rilwan Momoh, each winning iPads. Also, Eyitemi Mojuetan and Margaret Kitchener both won Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

    The head of Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered, Diran Olojo during the presentation of prizes assured customers the brank has a history of “transparency, integrity and an uncompromising stand in corporate governance. What we promise, we deliver.”

    The Mega Promo will climax in August 2014 with a Cayenne Porsche SUV car up for grabs. Olojo stated that the “more times a customer deposits the eligible amount, the better his or her chances of getting rewarded.”

  • Dufil’s search for next Heroes begins

    Dufil’s search for next Heroes begins

    Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Noodles, has begun the seventh edition of the Indomie Independence Day Award for Heroes of Nigeria (IIDA) where three new heroic children are expected to emerge.

    The award is the corporate social responsibility initiative of Dufil Its Head of Marketing, Manpreet Singh, at a press conference said: “Our motivation rests firmly on the fact that a lot of kids are out there who do the extraordinary day by day, yet are unsung heroes who have never been celebrated, that is why Dufil has resolved that every year we would not relent in our search all around Nigeria for children who have performed unique acts of bravery/heroism, worthy of celebration.”

    The Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said the last six editions were immensely successful, attracting strong commendations from various quarters across the nation.

    “Spurred by these remarkable successes and the lives we have touched who have continued to be role models to other kids, Dufil is now more than motivated to make this 7th edition which is a unique number, an even more memorable one for all.”

    Ashiwaju said: “In reinforcing our brands commitment to corporate social responsibilities, Dufil feels that it is very important to help ensure that kids are set in the right direction very early in their lives. The award has so far recorded huge success in the last six editions producing a total of 18 winners in all who have been rewarded with scholarship prizes ranging from N1,000,000, N750,000 and 500,000 for the first, second and third winners respectively.”

  • Expert advises practitioners on effective approach to brand building

    Expert advises practitioners on effective approach to brand building

    The Regional Managing Director, Impact Porter Novelli, Mr. Tim Walmsley, has urged PR professionals to adopt story-led communication when designing messages for the brands in their portfolio and depart from brand-led communication approach which often bores the target audience.

    During his visit to Nigeria recently, Walmsley observed that most PR practitioners are led by brands architecture to communicate messages to the target market. According to him, this trend is fast fading out as researches have shown that story-led communication have proved to resonate with consumers better.

    “Now, communication agencies are moving to the idea of story-led communication through multiple led channels into communication eco-system, which surrounds individuals and consumers,” said Walmsley.

    He said this method would make brands more compelling and powerful in their communication because the brands are put in a story to project its value and propositions, thus putting the brand in the centre of communication.

    Walmsley view contradicts the norm in the country where PR experts bore consumers with the brand stories which are rather overhyped with unnecessary adjectives. To change this trend, he said: “We need to think of the content we are creating and how the content fits in the environment. Essentially, we need to think the way journalists think which is the primacy of the story, dialogue and consumer feedback. When you think in that form, we will act differently as Communication Company.

    “If you look at advertising done by creative agencies, they believe that brands are the story teller, they believe that the brands are the centre of communication, but we all know that the consumers are the end of brands. It is what we think about the brands that make the brands to work.”

  • Cement battle shifts to TV commercial

    Cement battle shifts to TV commercial

    A new TV commercial by one of the major players in the cement industry appears to have further drawn the battleline as it highlights the dangers in using low-grade and the merits of switching to the upgraded brand of cement, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    The cement market has continued to heat up since Dangote Group upgraded its cement  to 42.5R.

    The development has been  generating heated debate on whether the upgrade is really the solution to the incessant building collapse.

    With the media war among cement manufacturers on the quality of the product and sponsored-published communiqués at various fora by those, who perhaps feel the new product could reduce their market share, the series of communication has continued to make the cement market exciting. They believe the new cement has created a value proposition that users have long been waiting for to avert collapse of their properties.

    To sustain the communication solution to the new brand with a campaign theme – Big Oga – a new Dangote Cement TV commercial is taking on market forces to drive its brand equity than responding to competition reaction.

    Created by X3M Ideas, a creative agency that handles Etisalat advert creatives, the 60-second television commercial (TVC) profiles a known model, Segun Remi with Kanran as his stage name. The character, which appeals to market forces (block makers and building contractors) that influence purchase decision saunters into his factory. A thunderous applause welcomes him. Yet, the applause was a mockery of him. Kanran has lost all his customers for using low-grade cement in molding his block.

    Curious about why he was being mocked, he spies across the fence that separates his factory from his competitor. A long queue of customers stares at him. He sees the difference between his market position and his competitor’s. The situation changes his mood as he is left dissatisfied. To ensure better viewing angle, he stands on one of the blocks that he produced. What the pint-size model sees is amazing though unpleasing: his competitor’s business is booming – trucks off-loading sand, blocks looking stronger and customers taking deliveries with satisfaction written on their faces -thanks to the Dangote cement Grade 42.5R.

    Furious, he steps down from the block upon which he stood, he falls with his legs stock in the block. Flat on the ground, he yells at his workers, smacks them with his cap asking why his block crumbled.

    His foreman retorts: “Don’t use your money to buy Wahala (trouble)”.  The foreman’s response resonates the current market trend which necessitated the upgrading of the cement by Dangote to stem the tide of  building collapse as a result of the use of substandard cement.

    The X3M Ideas TVC, which is a communication solution beyond the brand advert, sells a key message that to stop the loss of lives and properties to building collapse, all, from high to low end professional rankings, should upgrade to 42.5R cement.

    The TVC also reveals how the use of quality cement can increase output, patronage, customer satisfaction as well as profit.

    The 60-seconds TVC also demonstrates that consumers are going for quality.

    The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the Federal Government was targeting an increased production capacity in the cement sector from about 28.5 million metric tonnes last year to over 39 metric tonnes in 2014.

    He said: “We have had a major success in the cement sector. For the first time ever in the history of Nigeria, we exported cement in 2013. We had capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. Our current demand is between 18 to 20 million tonnes. This year, it should be about 39 million metric tonnes.”

    The minister believes Nigeria should have one of the largest cement factories in the world in the near future. The major factor that will continue to drive the growth of the cement industry is quality production because absence of this will result in importation, a development which will drastically affect the economy.

    However, with the seriousness of these trend, X3M Ideas decently and cautiously explored humour in the TVC to get the message across without losing the core message intended for the target market.

  • National rebranding not funded by govt, says APCON chair

    National rebranding not funded by govt, says APCON chair

    The Chairman of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi,  said the failure of the rebranding was due to resistance from several quarters and attacks.

    Akinwunmi, who was the secretary to the Federal Government-led Good People; Great Nation rebranding campaign team, spoke  while addressing members of the  National Institute of Marketing Nigeria (NIMN) during the unveiling of a new logo for the marketing body.

    He said the project became a subject of attack because of the feeling in some quarters that it was another jamboree of the Federal Government.

    He said the government did not fund the project. “Being a part of the Good People; Great Nation committee, especially one that worked tirelessly with the former Minister, the late Dr. Dora Akinyulli  to make the project a success, the rebranding was met with stiff resistance and suffered severe attacks and probe by Nigerians as well as foreigners alike. It was assumed wrongly to be another government’s jamboree to pilfer and waste media funds, especially when the country was plagued with infrastructural, economic, security and corruption issues.

    He said: “It was never funded by the Federal Government and was therefore enmeshed in several controversies and criticisms throughout its short lifespan. And like other rebrand projects that had been attempted in the past, it ended untimely before it saw the light of dawn.”

    With the stalemate, Akinwunmi wondered if any Nigerian would back the idea of any rebranding project now when the nation is faced with several challenges that undermine its image globally. He said the country needed rebranding now more than ever before as many investors had continued to come in spite of all the challenges.

    “Now the question arises: Does Nigerian still need another rebranding project given the spate of negative developments we have experienced in our polity and social environment over the last two years? We have been plagued with an upsurge in poverty, kidnappings, robbery, intense corruption, weakening of our constitution, collapse of infrastructure, Boko Haram and others. Is there any opportunity for a rebranded and repositioned Nigeria against these backgrounds?” he asked rhetorically.

    “I think so, in fact more than ever. Interestingly despite these crippling challenges, Nigerians have continued to attract an unprecedented number of foreign investors which have in turn grown and expanded our economy significantly which has led to Nigeria being the fastest growing economy within the continent. Though we may be a country of good people a number of social, political and security issues strongly suggest to the outside world that we are not.” he said.

  • Stakeholders canvass vetting of political adverts

    Stakeholders canvass vetting of political adverts

    • AAAN, APCON partner INEC to ensure compliance

    When the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) embarked on massive campaign against unvetted political advertisement during the last general election, the effort only produced little compliance. This time, the effort might yield greater result with the involvement of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to increase the level of compliance.

    INEC has partnered with the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and APCON to hold an international seminar on political advertising, perception building and voter education as part of the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

    The partnership is aimed at setting the standards for the coming electioneering period in terms of advertising as well as equipping voters with the needed information.

    AAAN President  Mrs. Bunmi Oke said: “Political parties are the primary participants at this discourse focusing on electioneering process towards 2015. For us at the AAAN, we are desirous of promoting voter education and political advertising. This informed our involvement in  putting together the international seminar.

    “In the face of the present realities, it is our firm belief that all hands most be on deck to help our nation achieve an enviable election that Nigerians will be proud of. To this end, it is our responsibility to educate the citizenry as well as redefine parameters for electioneering advertising. The only way to attain this level of professionalism and memorable campaign concepts is to involve registered AAAN practitioners/members in the planning, development and execution of advertising for election.”

    APCON Registrar/CEO  Alhaji Bello Kakanrofi said it was an effort to expand the frontiers of voter education and awarenes.

    “Ours is an effort at voters’ education and a knowledge-based electioneering that  ought to translate to informed voting which will benefit the political parties greatly in their quest to delivered the right messages about their manifestoes to the electorates. Therefore, as a regulator we advocate decent advertising which can be guaranteed by vetting all political campaign materials by APCON. Hopefully, we look forward to a situation where the political parties will commit to this pledge at the end of the seminar,” he said.

    The INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, who will chair the seminar, is expected to give the keynote address. The keynote speaker is Mr. Craig Smith,; a former Campaign Adviser for President Bill Clinton’s 1992 election. Smith was later appointed White House Political Director, and played a prominent role in Clinton’s 1996 re-election.  Currently, he is busy with “I’m Ready for Hillary, a pro-Senator Hillary Clinton-for-President grassroots mobilisation group. He sure has stories to tell on running a successful election campaign.

    The panel of discussants is drawn from government regulators in election and communication as well as bodies involved in electioneering process in Nigeria. They are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) and Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) as well as a representative of civil society groups.

  • Winners emerge in StarTimes’ promo

    StarTimes has rewarded the first set of winners in the ongoing extra time promo.

    The loyalty promo has produced five winners of 32-inch digital LED television and a winner of the grand prize – 2014 Toyota Yaris car.

    During the draw, Mr Farouk Mohammed, from Kebbi, Mr Alade Yinusa, Warri, Mr Salami Femi, Lagos, Mr Muyibi Dotun, Lagos, and Lazarus Igwe, Benin, won LED TV.

    The Public Relations Manager, NTA-Star Network, Mr. Irete Anetor, said the promo gives customers the chance of winning, and also enjoy extra viewing day on the StarTimes’Soccer.

    Anetor said the purchase of the StarTimes recharge card qualifies subscribers for the promo’s monthly draws, where they could win cars or 32-inch digital LED television.

    He said: “The Extra Time promo comes in parts. We will give an extra viewing day on our soccer card and the Extra Time promo card, sell our soccer card specially designed to cheer the Super Eagles for the FIFA World Cup season, and give out instant prizes through our Extra Time promo card. Customers can scratch and win instant prizes on its purchase.

    “Customers will automatically qualify for the Extra Time monthly promo draws on the purchase of our recharge cards – be it the usual cards, the soccer card or the Extra Time promo cards.

    “Instant gifts like the 32’ LED Digital TV Set or units of Viju Milk can also be won on the purchase of our Extra Time promo cards. The Extra Time promo card comes with a scratch and wins section for instant prizes. Instant prizes can be redeemed at our redemption centres. Our monthly promo draws would hold at our Lagos head office at the end of every month, starting from May when the promo begins, until it ends in August.”

  • Blue Band excites children

    Blue Band excites children

    Unilever Nigeria Plc and Children of Africa gave  children treat during the 16th Annual  Cildren of Africa Children’s Day with Blue Band margarine.

    The theme of the funfair was: “Every child has got potential”. It held in four cities, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt, Lagos and Enugu.

    At the various locations, pupils  were treated to various fun-filled activities.

    Some of these include competitions among pupils and schools such as dance/drama choreography, quiz and spelling bees.

    The winners of the Blue Band essay competition were also announced and rewarded with prizes such as outdoor plastic play slide, mobile air conditioners; 24″ flat screen television, water dispenser as well as lots of Blue Band products and branded T-shirts, Bags and Pens.

    The Category Manager, Tea and Spreads, Unilever Nigeria Miss Vivian Ihaza, said Unilever has  partnered with Children of Africa over the years.

    She emphasised that Unilever is serving its customers well.