The Nation Newspaper

Category: Brand week

  • Widening frontier for global brands

    Widening frontier for global brands

    To foreign investors, Nigeria is not where to do business because of its ‘unfriendly’ environment. Despite this negative perception, the inflow of global brands into the country has been on the rise in the last two years. Experts say smart brands whose home market is shrinking will not ignore a market of 160 million consumers, irrespective of its social problems, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Watching from the Presidential Suite of the 23rd floor of InterContinental Lagos, the stunning panoramic view of the Lagos business district with its aquatic splendour, rebuilt road networks and heavy traffic is a sight to behold. With a breezy atmosphere at the top floor Veranda, the best hotel in the world, according to the 2013 World Ranking of Hotel Groups and Brands, sits on the swanky business-hub Victoria Island, allowing guests to gaze at the Eko Atlantic, a planned district of Lagos being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.

    Boasting of about 160 million consumers, an economy described by the World Bank and other global financial monitoring groups as one of the fastest growing in the world, Nigeria’s quick return on investment, despite high risk and cost of doing business, has continued to attract global brands.

    “You’ve got a vibrant and growing middle class, a big consumer population, a young population that will be consuming more and more,” the Chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group, Mark Mobius, told Bloomberg.

    Mobius is right. From tourism, manufacturing, retail, automobile, banking, telecoms, restaurants, lifestyle, e-commerce, the list of global brands seeking to lift their global equity through Nigeria’s growing middle class consumers and prospering economy is long. Economic experts describe Nigeria as the next market frontier for global competition.

    In the hospitality industry, the recent entry of InterContinental Hotel Group in Lagos has raised the stakes. Also, the entry of South African Protea Group, Tsogo Sun (Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel), Radisson Blue, among others, attest to Nigeria being tagged the “new destination brand”. The Chief Operating Officer, IHG, India, Middle East and Africa, Pascal Gauvin, said: ”We are excited to make debut our first hotel in Nigeria. With its thriving economy and abundant natural beauty, including spectacular waterfalls and numerous national parks, Nigeria is an ever-growing business and tourism destination brand. We look forward to further expanding our presence in the region as part of our continued growth.”

    Besides hospitality, the growth of the middle class underscores opportunities for quick return on investment for retail chains and fast-moving consumer goods production companies. The Tiger Brands, also a South African conglomerate, which bought over 63.5 per cent in the flour milling operations of Dangote Group, also bought substantial equity in United African Company (UAC) Foods. Moreso, in the retail market, South African dominance has seen new malls being opened in major cities across the country. MassMart Holdings Ltd., in which Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville, Arkansas, owns a controlling stake, has its Game department there. Supermarket chain, Shoprite Holdings Ltd., considered a budget grocer at home in South Africa, draws a more-upscale crowd in Nigeria.

    However, the United States (US) restaurant brands, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), owned by Louisville, a Kentucky-based Yum Brands Inc., have seen a rapid expansion across the country with 17 restaurants opened so far while others are under construction. In addition, Domino’s Pizza Inc. of Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently had a franchisee open two locations in Lagos ice cream seller, Cold Stone Creamery of Scottsdale, Arizona, is fast gaining market share, especially among the upwardly mobile consumers.

    Besides South Africa, US and Europe, Ghana is also conceding to global ratings, which placed Nigeria as the next economic powerhouse despite its growing rivalry against Nigeria. A few months ago, the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), producer of Golden Tree Chocolate confectioneries and other semi-finished cocoa products, announced that Ghana plans to extend to Nigeria its Cocoa chocolate brands which has been rated seven times for best quality by Sweden-based Monde Selection Competition Award instituted by the International Institute of Quality Selection. The Marketing Manager, GoldenTree, Ms. Genevieve Pawar, at a recent forum in Nigeria, said CPC participation at the Lagos fair marks a major milestone and a significant market entry for the brand into the Nigerian market.

    “Our participation at the Lagos International Trade Fair opens a new vista for GoldenTree. We are opening up one of the most attractive growth market in Africa, adding to our strong presence in the chocolate business. With this move, we will make our products more readily available to Nigerians. We have the wherewithal to efficiently create market channels for the brand to reach more Nigerian consumers. This formal entry in the market is an important first step and we are currently working on very interesting strategy to cultivate more consumers for the brand in the country,” she said.

    In the brewery sector, SAB Miller, the world’s second largest brewer bought Pabod Breweries in Port Harcourt and Standard Breweries in Ibadan to tap into the industry, whose capital investment, according to the Chairman of Beer Sectora Group, BSG, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, is in excess of $3 billion.

    For brands that do not have the confidence yet to set up plants in Nigeria, the ports have become their entry points, relying on strong marketing distribution chains. The global wine and spirits brands belong to this group. During his visit to Nigeria recently, a Global brand ambassador for a top spirit brand in France, Bisquit Cognac, Mr. Loïc Rakotomalala, told The Nation. “Following Nigerian launch in 2012, the House of Bisquit is increasing its marketing activity to entrench brand presence in Nigeria and to also avail customers an experience with their favourite cognac. The House of Bisquit also wants to provide cognac connoisseurs an opportunity to sample Bisquits’ range of cognacs. As brand ambassador, I feel proud to be in Nigeria because the country is one of the important markets for Bisquit in terms of sales. The Nigerian middle class is expanding rapidly, one of the fastest growing in sub-Saharan Africa.”

    Meanwhile, the global auto manufacturers, such as Toyota, Honda, Kia, Benz, Peugeot among others consider the market as one of the most attractive in the world; but lack of protection of local players drove some of them away. However, the game is changing, with the new auto policy, which is aimed at getting car importers to manufacture brands in Nigeria while the government may be right with this policy, which aims to reverse the trend, thus saving the country huge foreign exchange.

    Toyota is leading in the vehicle import billing, with its total bill in 2012, put at N550 billion ($3.4 billion) by the Minister of Industry, Segun Aganga. Nissan is preparing to slice the market leadership of the leading auto importer, Toyota. The allure of profit in car importation has also attracted Porsche brand, a German luxury car with taste for growing upper class citizens in the country. The Africa Brand Manager, Michael Wagner, said: “The Nigerian market is in a league of its own. We see Nigerians’ spending power outstripping that of their South African counterparts.”

    Unfortunately, with the new auto policy, they may have to consider assembling their brand in Nigeria. With Nissan already singing the same tune with the Federal Government, Nissan President Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Carlos Ghosn, said: “Together with our local partner, Nissan is preparing to make Nigeria a significant manufacturing hub in Africa. As the first-mover in Nigeria, we are positioned for the long-term growth of this market and across the broader continent.”

    In spite of the negative perception, rising corruption, brand management professionals believe that the global brands cannot ignore the country. The CEO of Rebranding Project under Prof Dora Akinyuli, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, said the reason global brands have not ignored coming “is simply mercantile”. During a recent brand conference, he said most of the hyping of Nigeria’s social problems is propaganda from countries who feel threatened by the growing competitive strength of the country.

    He said most of the crimes and corruption perpetrated in some of the countries is worst compared to Nigeria. “Our population is intimidating and it’s growing. Global brands can’t ignore us, but the moment Nigerians stop de-marketing their own country, we will stop affirming their claims against us,” he said.

    Also, the Head of Advance Fee Fraud Section of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chukkol AbdulKarim affirmed that South Africa, which often shows hostility against Nigeria, is doing that because Nigeria is a major competition. He said because Nigeria has been labelled a corrupt country, people are always afraid to do business here. He, however, noted that the level of crime going on in those countries is worse than what obtains in Nigeria. “Advance fee fraud involving anyone from West Africa is blamed on Nigerians,” he said.

    Nevertheless, the President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, affirms that the market is here. As a result, Nigeria cannot be ignored given that the market is shrinking in Europe and United States (US). “It’s a simple answer. The market is here. Corruption is global. They have it in US and Europe though the intensity may differ. They also deal with it. The market there is shrinking. They want to grow and a smart brand will come to where the market is,” he said.

    Little wonder, global economy analysts have continued to reposition Nigeria as the next frontier for global brands that will overtake South Africa. The Financial Times headline ‘Nigeria: No 1 in Africa by 2014?’ in its special edition on emerging markets, Beyond Brics.”

    Similarly, headlines, such as ‘Nigerians optimistic about economic prospects’ or ‘Nigeria wins ratings upgrade for tight fiscal policy’ from The Guardian and Reuters, respectively, capture the media‘s changing attitude towards Africa’s most populous nation as against the era of bold negative headline.

    Also, a Reuter’s poll reveals: “Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will get a huge facelift when it is rebased later this year to more precisely mirror changes in the economy over the last two decades. This is good in that it is happening at a time when many believe that this century belongs to Africa. Nigeria’s economy is growing faster than that of South Africa partly because of lower interest rates and controlled inflation.”

  • ‘How Neuro-science can change marketing research face’

    ‘How Neuro-science can change marketing research face’

    Something is in the offing in the maketing research world. It is a research method that can get into consumers’ hearts to understand them better to build consumer-oriented brands. The Managing Director, Millward Brown Nigeria, a global marketing research firm, Mrs Ugo Geri-Robert, in this interview with ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI, says this method will drive marketing research in 2014.

    How will you rate marketing research business activities within the marketing communication industry in 2013?

    Talking from the research point of view, marketing research has done well in Nigeria and most of the major agencies are smiling to the bank. The processes have gotten better too. For example, think of the Foreign Direct Investment coming into Nigeria and the way it has impacted market research. All these foreign companies are no longer jumping in and running off with their brands, they have begun to invest and trying to find out the kind of people who are buying their brands are. We do know that marketing will always work, if you understand the people that you are dealing with and so you will sell the right products to them and address them the right way.

    Challenges and areas where you need improvements

    As you grow, you begin to see your challenges as stepping stones. In the area of challenges, it is still what it used to be – the field which we are still battling to get right. Research is like garbage in garbage out, so the field can make or mar you. The field is the connection between us and the consumers we talk about, so we are still battling in this area, trying to get the right people that we are set to, even as we strive to tone down on field malpractices. In the area of under pricing where agencies cut down prices to get business which in most cases is not in the interest of the client is one of the issues still endangering the growth of marketing research. The clients are not left out, it’s a 50 -50 blame. I will say some clients just go about like hawkers looking for the lowest bidder to give their brief to. Research is not about cost because you can’t blind yourself to the delivery and processes attached to the work. Also, some of the foreign investors think that Nigeria is a dumping ground where you can just jump in, do what you want to do and jump out.

    Measures in place to correct such imbalances

    I will begin with the research body in Nigeria – NiMRA. In the last two years, NiMRA has been very active. It has gone into partnership with GfK trying to upgrade the field.

    Traditional and modern mode of research in the past year

    Technology is not just about the social media but the tools of research. In time past, it was all pen and paper and we have always come back to that (especially Nigeria and other African countries) while the rest of the world has moved on. We complain about issues of power supply, but in the last two years, PAPI is gradually fading away and we are doing more of CAPI. We have gone all technology and so it makes the research faster, it does cut down a lot on fraud because you are able to track and monitor the field. Prior to now, social media was like a rave and we know that we can’t do without the social media, but then you can’t jump into it without understanding the community of the social media. So, you cannot just wake up one morning and replace the traditional media with the social media because you cannot import all the things you do on the traditional media and vice versa. Research is helping clients to move the social media from just a touch point to a connection point.

    Are the technologies for data collection limited to Lagos?

    If you restrict it to Lagos, then there will be a problem. Of course Lagos was a testing ground but that was two years ago. We do have trackers which run over the country which helps you sort out data. We have rolled out gadgets (tablets, laptops, mobile phones) to other cities where we have jobs.

    Learning for brands in 2013

    When we all went digital, using tablets and laptops, we put some arrangement in place to elongate battery life but now, when you talk digital, we now partner with some of these manufacturers to produce our spec for research. We have all learnt that when you talk digital, it is faster and cheaper, we also know it is more on the spot, where I am not able to knock and they open, digital breaks that barrier.

    There is an emerging role of Neuro-science in marketing research. How does it work?

    Research is moving away from traditional methodology. We, at Millward Brown, have a marketing science, which is charged with the responsibility of continuously finding ways of really getting into the hearts of the consumers, so that when we talk to them, we understand them better. Neuro-science goes beyond the voice and other physical features, it tracks every twitch and shift of the face, and it also tracks emotions.

    Expectations in 2014

    Despite the fact that we are gradually approaching the elections year – 2015, we are very optimistic because Nigeria gets informed by the day; I am not sure Nigeria is interested in wars; we are interested in harnessing her resources to move forward. We also expect that this year, more foreign companies will come in because the Nigerian environment will be very conducive.

     

  • NiMRA honours marketing research doyen, Adedoyin

    NiMRA honours marketing research doyen, Adedoyin

    The Nigerian Marketing Research Association (NiMRA) has honoured the Chief Executive Officer of Marketing Research Support Services Limited, Mr. Tony Adedoyin, for his contributions to the growth of marketing research in Nigeria.

    The NiMRA President/Chief Executive of CMRG Ltd, Mr. Lanre Fasakin said the honour was bestowed on Adedoyin for his professionalism and staying power in an industry where the business of generating credible data in Africa is an issue.

    He said beyond generating credible data for clients, Adedoyin has distinguished himself as a model in the industry, especially with his commitment to NiMRA in the area of moral and financial support.

    He said part of the reason he was honoured is to imbibe in the younger practitioners those qualities that have made Adedoyin remain ashore in the murky waters of the marketing research industry.

    Adedoyin, who has spent over 36 years in the industry enjoined young market research professionals to explore the intellectual prowess offered by market research as a discipline.

    Meanwhile, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Market Trends, Dr. Josiah Ebhomenye, said founding fathers of market research in Nigeria were able to set up credible structure that accounted for the astronomical growth of the industry in Nigeria today.

    He, however, appealed to research buyers to support the agencies by paying commissioning fees that will be good enough to enable agencies deliver quality jobs.

  • Chivita new TVC kicks off ‘100%’ natural fruit as USP

    Chivita new TVC kicks off ‘100%’ natural fruit as USP

    Chi Limited has launched a new television commercial, TVC, for Chivita Premium brand to promote its 100 per cent fruit juice content as unique selling point (USP).

    The 45 seconds television commercial and radio jingle urges consumers not to settle for less than the best. “Would you settle for half a dress, car or cake? The answer for most customers or consumers is absolutely no! Then why settle for less than a 100 per cent fruit juice content which Chivita Premium offers?,” the line drops with great visuals and audio.

    The radio jingle rhetorically asks consumers if they would settle for less than 100 per cent fruit juice and the response to the question is obviously negative. Their choice of 100 per cent content in their fruit juice is understandable particularly when they know Chivita premium fruit juice offers no less coupled with its availability and affordability.

    A member of the TV audience and mother of four children, Mrs. Ogechi Eze, said: “The new television commercial from Chivita Premium fruit juice is a brilliant effort. Generally for me, a television commercial or radio jingle has to score high in two areas to be memorable: sheer entertainment value and thought-provoking ability.”

    A company executive, Rotimi Balogun, added: “The radio jingle comes with some elements of news and credibility, a factor in great advertising.”

    According to the Chi Limited’s Managing Director, Mr. Roy Deepanjan: “It is our desire that the new television commercial and radio jingle resonates with our consumers’ point of view and delivers a message that they can easily relate with; and they can trust.”

  • UAC deepens market with new mini Gala

    UAC deepens market with new mini Gala

    As competition deepens against UAC Gala brand in the sausage roll market category, UAC Nigeria has introduced a mini Gala to stay ahead of other brands.

    UAC had as part of its strategic thrust for brand building and extension, entered into partnership with world-renown Tiger Brands Limited, a South Africa leading food giant to have a competitive advantage in the Nigeria market.

    According to a statement, UAC said it introduced Mini Gala Sausage Roll to capture the children market as an extension to the Gala brand.

    Unveiled to a cross section of students at the Gbagada Senior Secondary School, Gbagada, Lagos, the Managing Director, UAC Foods Limited, Dr. Tawanda Mushuku, explained that the introduction of the new Mini Gala Sausage Roll is in response to the yearnings of the teeming Gala consumers obtained through constant consumer research and feedback mechanism.

    “As a consumer focused company with an obsession for identifying and meeting the needs of its teeming consumers, UAC Foods Limited has identified the need to introduce your delicious yummy Gala Sausage roll in a pack size that is just right for you and very friendly to your pocket,” he said.

  • Fayose quits Multichoice

    Fayose quits Multichoice

    The Head of Public Relations Manager, Multichoice Nigeria, Mr. Segun Fayose has resigned, The Nation exclusively gathered.

    Although information about what led to his resignation remain sketchy as at press time, a staff member of the organisation, Mr. Timothy Okwu confirmed that Fayose dropped his resignation letter some weeks ago.

    To replace him, it was gathered that Multichoice is shopping for him.

    When contacted by The Nation, Fayose said he resigned in lieu of notice. He said he’s going into consulting. “In life you have to move on,” he said.

    Fayose spent about 12 years with the South African brand. His experience cut across broadcasting, media relations, public relations, marketing communication, PR campaigns execution, client services management, event management, CSI and mass communications.

    A committed, detailed and oriented manager, Fayose is very passionate about his work. The alumnus of Lagos State University (LASU) and Pan African University is a persistent public relations and publicity professional.

  • Banking on election adverts for survival in 2014

    With advertising budget expected to dip further in 2014, marketing communication players are hopeful that election adverts and public relations will sustain the industry. However, beyond the campaign funds, innovation and digital marketing are to be a game changer for media owners to increase revenue across board, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Sitting across the U-shaped boardroom in their cosy and acoustically treated meeting room at the close of business last year, the top executives of a new media agency in Ikeja, Lagos had the hangover of the 2013 financial year written all over their faces.

    Reliving his outfit’s experience during the year, the Managing Director said: “Dwindling media account budget with crazy targets from clients, cost of innovating in a market full of uncertainties, scanty patronage from the government and the public sectors, are some of the issues we contended with and may experience in 2014.”

    The agency is not alone. The industry’s stakeholders are apprehensive over budget tightening. Painting a scary picture of a possible bleak 2014 for the conventional media, a latest study by Magna Global, a strategic global media unit of IPG Mediabrands, on advertising revenues covering 72 countries, including Nigeria, estimated that though revenues grew by 3.2 per cent in 2013 to $489.6 billion globally, newspapers and magazines lost more market share in 2014.

    Besides, a forecast from Nigeria-based Mediafact, published by MediaReach OMD, last year revealed continuous decline of media investment in press and outdoor advertising as against growing investment in broadcast.

    According to its report, the advertising industry spend on Above-the-Line Advertising (ATL) activities dropped by 10.6 per cent to N91.846 billion in 2012 as against N102.755 billion in 2011. The report noted that while TV and Radio continues to enjoy increasing budget, press and outdoor are on the decline in media investment.

    In the report, television advertising spend increased to N49.399 billion as against the N46.076 billion recorded in 2011, Radio recorded N15.782 billion as against N13.142 billion spent in 2011, Press dropped to N8.974 billion from N15.395 spent in 2011, while Outdoor expenditure also dropped to N17.692 billion from N28.142 billion spent in 2011.

    With this gloomy picture, some agencies as well as media owners are banking on the 2015 elections media investment which implementation is expected to start this year. From Public Relations, Advertising, Media Agencies to the Print Media and Outdoor, no one will fold his hands, but will leverage not only on the elections, but also on the 2014 World Cup.

    The Managing Director of StarComs MediaVest, Mr. Ayo Kupoluyi, said money from elections campaign will be a respite for agencies and media houses. He said: “Politicians have ways of raising funds for campaigns and media advertising is very key to pre-electioneering campaigns. While marketing budgets may remain flat or reduced, money from politics with increased advertising spends rising phenomenally, will be the order of the day from the second half of 2014 to the 2015 election. Print media would experience a drop in media budget, but election period is peculiar because a lot of politicians use the Print media to showcase their manifestos and campaign promises both nationally and regionally. This will surely give relief to this medium.”

    The Chairman of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) Mr Lolu Akinwunmi told TheNation that normally, agencies would earn much from elections, adding that with the engagement of creative agencies by political groups, the prospect looks good for the industry in 2014. “It is customary for agencies to benefit during election periods. The industry is, therefore, hopeful that this will not be different. We have several elections and consistently political groups are now using ad agencies. The prospects look very good,” he said.

    Prior to the upcoming election, the President of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mrs. Bunmi Oke and her team, have continued to engage governments across all levels to allow creative agencies to handle their communication campaign which, according to industry players, would solidify the industry besides offering professional communication strategy that would prevent government from having face-off with the citizens over wrong communication of policies as experienced in the fuel subsidy crisis.

    “We just need other organised forms of government, para-track the implementation of these professional standards by utilising only AAAN members and registered APCON practitioners for creative, campaigns/ consultancy work. If the government spending extends to AAAN members in a professional manner, not only will the right messages grow the economy and re-orientate our citizens, we will create jobs for a lot, more of our citizenry as has been done by the private sector,” she said.

    She continued: “Generally, 2013 was a very challenging year for the advertising industry. It was a case of the Pareto principle at play where 20 per cent of our members got 80 per cent of the jobs from the private sector including multinational clients and 20 per cent of our members got the few government funded creative campaigns jobs available.”

    Besides creative and media agencies, the PR industry which is also experiencing budget cut, is hopeful of good income in 2014 from campaign funds. The Secretary-General of the Public Relations Consultant Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Muyiwa Akintunde, said the various activities in the political space ahead of 2015 election would rub off on the industry. “Clearly the main area of focus this year is the 2015 elections. For public relations agencies and professionals, the opportunities for political campaigns will be available but they would only land on the table of those who can make the difference and deliver on the objectives of their principals. Being able to develop winning strategies will make the way for public relations agencies,” he said.

    Meanwhile, as newspapers and magazines have continued to lose their market shares and advertising revenues, a Nigerian South African-based Business Director, Carat South Africa, Mr. Dele Odugbemi, said going digital would help them out of the lull. “Print media is losing market share largely to digital media so it’s not a surprise the numbers have been declining over the past decade. The medium will need to reinvent itself so that it can remain relevant in the digital age.”

    He said Radio and TV continue to thrive because they have incorporated digital media into their offering, so a radio station can interact with its audience via its facebook page or twitter account. Print media provides authoritative news and remains the fourth realm of the estate, but how it serves its news doesn’t need to wait for the next day in a world where news travels so fast. When faced with declining advertising revenues, TV stations reinvented themselves by changing the type of content they offer so you now have soap operas that are produced by Hollywood Directors.

    “Digital media raises the game. To survive, print media will have to be willing to shed its current cloak and think outside the box. The media business continues to do well as the Nigerian market is highly competitive so brands need to spend to either defend their turf or perhaps become market leaders. Media Innovation is a noteworthy reason for the increase in media spends in Nigeria an example being the adoption of LED Billboards with Nigeria one of the first markets to have them in Africa. Media owners are constantly improving their products and with this come higher media rates and the media business thus continue to thrive even in difficult times,” Odugbemi affirmed.

    Kupoluyi also said with the influence of digital media and low readership culture among Nigerians, print media should go digital.

    “Go Digital, so that what you lose in hard copy could be gained online. I know one or two newspapers that are doing very well online. Their online editions rate more highly than the regular. Other area is specialisation; most papers capture same headlines, news and story formats every day. You can create a niche for your paper based on consumer experience/understanding.”

    Besides the agencies, APCON is also expected to raise revenue from vetting of political advertising. The Council over the years have continually encouraged political parties and their candidates to vet their campaign materials.

    According to Akinwunmi, APCON has the structure to accommodate the process. “APCON does not need to make any special preparation. Vetting ads is routine business in APCON. The structure is efficient enough to accommodate the process,” he said.

  • Miami Ad school returnee joins Noah’s Ark

    A NEW generation advertising agency – Noah’s Ark Communications has appointed Mr. Babatunde Adebola, who recently graduated from the renowned Miami Ad School, Hamburg, Germany after the successful completion of his two-year training.

    The agency which won one Gold, four Silver and seven Bronze medals to emerge overall second on the medals table at the 2013 Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF), said his appointment is part of strategies to continue to deliver world class creative services to its Clients.

    The Managing Director and Executive Creative Director, Noah’s Ark Communication Limited, Mr. Lanre Adisa, noted that the addition of Babatunde Adebola would further strengthen the creative depth for which the agency is known in the last five years of its existence.

    “An agency is as strong as its creative capacity, hence any agency that is aspiring to retain and attract good businesses must make it a point of duty to continue to invest in the creative capacity of the agency by adding more experienced hands and training and retraining the creative team” he said.

    Adebola started his advertising career as a creative intern at LTC/JWT before joining Bate Cosse as a Creative Executive where he worked on leading brands, such as  Virgin Nigeria and UBA.

    He was later poached by DDB Lagos where he worked as part of the MTN Team. At DDB, he won the Young Lions Film contest in Nigeria where he represented Nigeria at the Cannes Festival of Creativity in 2009.

    Babatunde created a cheeky direct marketing campaign and got a recommendation letter to the Miami Ad School for a scholarship. This went viral and earned him the Lurzer’s Archive scholarship plus a Miami Ad School Grant at the Miami Ad School Europe under the Sir Niklass Frings-Rupp: the D&Ad tutor of 2010.

    In Germany, he worked at the country’s number one agency, Jung Von Matt, on Benz, Bild and Vodafone. He moved to Germany’s third Digital agency, THJNK, where he worked on Audi, IKEA, among others.

    Babatunde is the first Nigerian to get his ad into the Lurzer’s Archive. He is also the only Nigerian student to be nominated for the Lurzer’s Archive International Student of the Year twice: 2012/13 and 2013/14 academic sessions.

    Miami Advertising School is arguably the best advertising school in the world. It has produced some of the industry’s best creative experts in Nigeria.

  • Members back new leader to rebuild NIPR

    Hopes of rebuilding the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) are high following the emergence of Dr. Rotimi Oladele as its 13th president.

    Stakeholders have pledged their support for him to take the institute, which has suffered image problem in the past 20 years to new heights.

    At a reception for Oladele in Ikeja, Lagos, former Chairman of the Lagos chapter, Mrs. Nkechi Alli-Balogun, said after long years of backwardness,the stakeholders were ready to work with the new leadership. She noted that since Oladele is a product of the Lagos chapter, the Lagos team would work with the national body to rebuild the institute.

    “The standard in NIPR has gone up. I never wanted to go for the fellowship. I thought it was the old NIPR until I saw that the standard had gone high at the presentation for the fellowship. For the new president, we don’t expect anything less. As a product of the Lagos chapter, I expect a higher standard and I don’t doubt the new leadership. It’s a new dawn. We are all available to show them that we have standard in NIPR,” she said.

    Also, the Secretary-General of Africa Public Relations Association, who was also conferred a fellow of the NIPR, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, said with the new team at the national secretariat, NIPR certificate will be recognised and respected again. “We are on the threshold of doing something great and I attest to Oladele’s capacity to bring change to the institute. If you haven’t paid your dues as a member, please go and pay because NIPR certificate will be respected now,” he boasts.

    However, Oladele request members across the federation to be ready for service in order to achieve an agenda that would reposition the institute and PR practice in the country. He said while the Federal Government will start performance assessment in 2017, NIPR will begin in 2014. He said rather than allowing other professionals to manage Nigeria’s image, NIPR should be the one to drive the reputation management for the country.

    “We should be the one to drive the reputation management for the country. We should be the one to be engaged for the reputation husbandry for the country. The vehicle is moving now, so members should get ready,” he charged.

    Oladele is the Managing Director, Megavon Nigeria Ltd and Second Vice President, National Institute of Marketing Nigeria, NIMN.

  • Club Ultimate Party Ship redefines brand activation

    The Chief Executive Officer, Oracle Experience Limited, Mr. Felix Eiremiokhae, has said building Club Ultimate Ship to activate the Gulder Ultimate brand will redefine brand activation in Nigeria.

    He said the ship was developed by thinking outside the box as competition in the emerging marketing mix is growing rapidly.

    The agency’s Creative Director, Mr. Ororo Ezemho, explained the conceptualisation and execution of the ship, which was built within six weeks, to give an entertaining flavour to the masculine nature of the Gulder brand.

    “It is a brand that is masculine but we felt we need to celebrate the entertaining aspect of the ultimate man. So, it was to celebrate the ultimate man in a different way, using entertainment. Considering many of the other brands have been using music, so we followed our dream, it was to create a paradigm shift,” he said.

    Other activation the agency had executed, Ezemho said, include the Nescafe Magic Mug, the Dubai Shopping experiece. Carrying out the Nescafe campus experience without a mega budget, he said part of the agency philosophy is to build an activation that will make audience and market talk about the brands and not the celebrity brought to the activation,

    “But we felt if we go with an artiste, they will talk about the artiste but we do not want that. So, we came up with the Magic Mug. What we tried to do was to give people the experience of flying in the Magic Mug. For every single day, when the students come to the arena, they are given a cup of Nescafe and they have the experience of flying in the magic cup, and as they go home, they will hardly forget the experience Nescafe has given them through Magic Mug flight.”

    Eiremiokhae, however, said the need to do things differently is not only an ideal that is on the mind of the management staff of Oracle Experience but also what every staff in the organisation has imbibed.