Category: Business

Microsoft Nigeria has unveiled the Windows 8 product to its customers and partners in Nigeria. The unveiling was held at a high profile open door event held at Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Apart from Windows 8, which was the main product exhibited at the event targeted at IT professionals, developer and partners, there was also an introduction of Windows RT.

Speaking at the event, the Country Manager Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Emmanuel Onyeje described the launch as a beginning of a new era.

He said when the PC was first invented about 20 years ago, there were very few users and that it had since then increased to over 1.2 billion global.

He said local consumers and businesses can now enjoy all that Windows 8 has to offer: “A beautiful new UI, a wide range of apps with the grand opening of the Windows Store, available on more than 1,000 Windows 8 certified PCs and tablets”.

According to him, “with the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft is unveiling a re-imagined Windows to the world. Whether you want a tablet or a PC, whether you want to consume or create, whether you want to work or play – Windows 8 delivers a personalised experience that fits your unique style and needs.

“In addition to the range of new devices available, consumers can also upgrade their existing PCs. Through the end of January, consumers running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, are qualified to download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of $39.99. And eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012, and January 31, 2013 in more than 140 countries can download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of $14.99 with the Windows.

Speaking further, he said “Windows 8 will be available in two versions at retail, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. And for our business customers, Windows 8 Enterprise offers new possibilities in mobile productivity with features like Windows To Go, DirectAccess, and BranchCache, as well as enhanced end-to-end security with features including BitLocker and AppLocker.”

Also speaking at the event was the Windows Business Group Manager, Kevin Connolly, who said for the first time “You are going to have a device you can love and trust”

General Manager, Ha-Shem Network Service Limited, Olaide Akisanya said: “Windows 8 is an excellent product, it empowers our customers work force by enhancing their business productivity, makes them work smarter and better. They can view the world at their palm once they have installed on their devices. It gives customers an eagle eye view of the world.”

Windows 8 features the new fast and fluid Start screen that gives people one-click access to the apps and content they care most about, the entirely new Internet Explorer 10 that is perfect for touch, and built-in cloud capabilities with SkyDrive

Microsoft’s open door events serve to address the demand for more spaces in which African technology professionals are able to experience the latest-generation technologies first-hand, exchange ideas, build skills, and network with their local IT community and Microsoft technologydoor sessions were dedicated to Office 15, SQL Server 2012 and Visual Studio 2012, with the aim of helping companies leverage their existing IT investments and skills. Attendees were able to experience these technologies first-hand, share ideas and advance their skills as well as network with their local IT community and senior Microsoft technology experts.

Microsoft’s network of partners across Nigeria include local developers who build software products for local businesses to deploy solutions based on Microsoft technology, further helping to drive local innovation, growth and competitiveness through continued investment in the local IT economy. By equipping local businesses with the tools to develop local technology solutions, Microsoft is helping to give this vital growth engine vitality and long-term sustainability through valuable skills and new jobs.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

British Airways’ (BA) award-winning in-flight magazine is

reaching for new heights following a major re-launch to appeal to ‘Generation Curious’. The ambitious make-over comes as High Life gets set to mark its 40th anniversary next year with a stylish and contemporary redesign to reflect a very British sense of irreverence, wit and attitude.

The new-look has been created by British Airways and Cedar Communications to make the magazine even more inviting and accessible for millions of the airline’s customers. The redesign comes as new research from High Life *reveals that the average adult will have travelled more than 18,324 miles around the world by the time they reach 40 – almost seven times as far as their own parents did by

the same age.

Dubbing today’s travellers as ‘Generation Curious’, Abigail Comber, head of brands at British Airways, said: “Today’s flyer wants to experience a place, not just visit it. “High Life is keeping pace with this incredible change in travelling. We’re delighted with the new-look, and are sure it will reinforce the positions of High Life and, its sister publication, Business Life as the best in class for travel content.”

The High Life redesign features a new masthead using a new font – Caslon Graphique – as well as a range of new fascinating features and thought-provoking columns.

Customers will enjoy one of twelve different covers of the magazine when it starts appearing on British Airways’ planes and in lounges around the world this month, as well as a feature on ‘Generation Curious’ from philosopher Alain de Botton.

Business Life, which caters mainly to short haul customers, gets a similarly ambitious make-over in November and time-conscious travellers will be able to take advantage of a new feature, which indicates how long it will take to read each article, making it even easier to read on shorter flights.

INDUSTRIAL and General Insurance (IGI) has promised

to continue to provide unique and customer friendly products and services to its customers.

Speaking at IGI Day at the 2012 Lagos International Trade Fair in Lagos, the Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Yinka Obalade, said over the years, the company had consistently contributed to the development of the economy through the provision of valuable financial risk products and services that conform to international standards and best practice.

“We have consistently been a big player in the financial services sector and our membership of the LCCI, since 1992, remains consistent with our vision of being the preferred provider of insurance, risk management and financial services.

According to him, “for us in IGI, this is another opportunity to bring our unique and customer-friendly products and services closer to our customers, in our continuing effort to make world class insurance services available to Nigerians. These products include IGI Annuity Plan, IGI Credit Life Plan, IGI School Fees Plan, Agricultural Insurance and IGI Motor Easyride. Also readily available at our stand are a number of our existing products, notably IGI Dividend Plus Plan (DPP), IGI Travel and Health Insurance and IGI Estate Comprehensive Insurance Scheme (ECIS), among others.

“We also provide comprehensive insurancepackage policies to protect public buildings, we offer a full range of risk management services that include comprehensive and confidential risk management reports on property wherever they may be located in Nigeria. This is to help our clients determine areas that require improvements in physical infrastructures.

“As a dynamic organisation, IGI is focused on improving its services to all its stakeholders and the nation. Our mission, as we seek to become a global brand, is to continue to create, protect and preserve wealth.

“Since our founding in 1992, we have executed insurance mandates for federal and state government institutions and consummated insurance transactions for several leading multinational corporations.

“Today, the IGI Group is the largest insurance company in Nigeria and the largest underwriter in West Africa. Insurance remains our flagship and we have subsidiaries and strategic investments in other diverse sectors, notably real estate, banking, telecommunications, mining, construction, waste management and engineering. We operate in 45 branches across Nigeria and have subsidiaries in other African countries, notably Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, The Gambia as well as a representative office in London.

Airtel Nigeria has announced plans to host select influential personalities at a high profile event that will feature renowned journalist, internationally acclaimed author and host of popular Fareed Zakaria’s GPS on CNN, Fareed Zakaria.

The event tagged, Airtel’s Night of Influence, is a distinct platform that will provide a great networking opportunity to prominent international personalities, very successful Nigerians and the Airtel brand. It will hold on Sunday, November 18th, at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Zakaria, who has confirmed to speak on the theme: Africa’s Political Economy: The Challenge of Leadership, will bring on hand rich insights into the continent’s economy and its interactions with the global socio-economic and political landscape.

About 500 influential men and women drawn from the private and public sectors within and outside Nigeria as well as top politicians and government officials will attend the event.

Speaking on the initiative, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop said the company is committed to providing significant forums for interactions and creating credible platforms to improve the quality of leadership in Nigeria and Africa through dialogue.

“The Night of Influence will deepen the interface between our brand and the cream of Nigerian society whose decisions and activities influence, to a large extent, the trend of fashion, lifestyle, and indeed socio-economic development of the country,” Swaroop said.

Fareed Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian-American journalist and author. From 2000 to 2010, he was a columnist for Newsweek and editor of Newsweek International. In 2010, he became editor-at-large of Time Magazine.

According to Al Ries and his partner, Jack Trout in their seminal book, Positioning, ‘brand positioning is the way you apply the concept of positioning in your branding process, towards determining the space you want to occupy in your prospect’s mind.

For well over fifty years, Union Bank as a brand, with legion of customers was associated with the image of a strong, big and reliable corporate entity, more so when the stallion , an equally strong and dependable animal was chosen as its brand icon. But all this changed when the apex bank wielded the big stick during the banking consolidation era.

Soon, the perception of the bank’s customers changed, as the erstwhile strong bank was discovered to have become a ‘paper weight’ stallion. Following this development, most loyal customers simply abandoned or close their account with Union Bank and aligned with the competition. Besides, due to lack of adequate fund, Union Bank could barely play in the big league where it was formerly a frontrunner.

In those trying days, to the customers and the public, Union Bank was perceived as “old fashioned, not classy, not posh and a bank with old buildings meant for the old, the pensioners and the retirees.” And to worsen matters, the brand custodians of the bank did not bother to rebrand or reinvent the bank. Wayback then they argued that although, Union Bank is old, so old people will naturally stay with them. Also, they contend that the longevity of Union Bank could be combined with modernity.

Yet all these argument could not sway the customers who felt that while other banking brands were leveraging on technology Union Bank does not seem to be bothered.

However, all the aforementioned complaints will soon ba a thing of the past as Union Bank is set to reinvent itself and regain it pride of place on the financial landscape. Only last week at its corporate head office in Lagos, a team of experts, including creative agency personnel and management staff, who had been working on the process to reposition the bank, unveiled a master plan to reinvent the bank.

According to the experts, they were not willing to do away with some old attributes, which had, in the past kept the brand flying. One of such attributes is the corporate pay-off ‘Big, Strong and Reliable’, which they felt captures the whole essence of the Union Bank brand.

Also, the bank has refreshed its logo and came out with attractive signages and more appealing blue and white corporate colour. The new positioning move, which according to the bank, will be customer-focused, is to be driven by all the stakeholders, especially the workers.

As part of the first steps towards achieving the set out objectives, the bank has unveiled a multimedia advertising campaign.

The print version of the campaign is already running in some national dailies. The campaign sums up the story of the bank from the beginning and its determination to wake up and meet the expectations of its loyal customers.

The ad, which is illustrated with a female musician, who exhibits great enthusiasm is titled ‘Bringing dreams alive…,’ it therefore moves on to state that “For almost a century, we have helped fulfil hopes and aspirations. We have given many Nigerians the needed back-up to sing new songs. Nigerian is born great. Union Bank is bringing out that greatness in every Nigerian”.

At the unveiling of the new campaign, the bank’s marketing strategy consultant, Mr. Tayo Bright said; “The bank is taking new steps to create new identity, new brand, remodeling and new signage, which showcases service offered. The bank’s blue colour, which signifies trust, will come on a white that shows the bank’s sincerity, cleanliness. These will reflect on our branch buildings across the country.”

He added that the new corporate identity would cover every business communication materials such as business cards, letter-head, envelopes, e-mail template and other internal and external communication materials of the bank.

“We are going to upgrade all other branches to a world class standard. We are presently working on 100 branches nationwide and hope to cover 400 branches in the next eighteen months. We will not put our signage on a building that is not befitting for our new look,” he added.

In a bid to change the customer approach of the bank’s staff, Bright disclosed that staff members of the bank’s, whose branches have been remodeled with the new look, are already changing their attitude and are now more customer–centric and more willing to attend to customer complaints better than before.

Meanwhile, other platforms like TV, billboards, radio and other media were said to have been penciled down to engage customers. Also, if the profile of the handlers of the brand and their previous exploits in the area of brand development are anything to go by, the new assignment may turn out to be a walk over.

Aside Bright and the new team that makes its Corporate Affairs Department, Creative Zones, the Ad agency that worked on the new campaign, is being managed by two creative egg heads; Messrs. Doyin Adewumi and Sola Adegorioye..

Established in January 1917, as a Colonial Bank. Over the years, it turned out to become one of Nigeria’s largest agricultural credit financial institutions, with a low deposit amount for opening an account.

In a recapitalisation process announced in 2004, the bank absorbed Universal Trust Bank and Broad Bank of Nigeria.

In 1925, Colonial Bank was absorbed into what became Barclays Bank DCO, which became an international banking entity. Between 1925 and 1945, before the coming of UBA, both Barclays and the Bank of British West Africa (BBWA) were the main banking concerns in the country and were engaged in a mild competition.

In 1978, the Nigerian government took its banking business away from the bank and also repatriated many of its expatriates as punishment for the international bank’s dealing with apartheid South Africa. The initial loss of the government’s account dented its lead among other banks of the era though; an incoming civilian government in 1979 began relaxing its attitude towards the bank. After the end of apartheid, in 1996, the bank became the first Nigerian bank with a branch in South Africa.

In 1979, Barclays Bank, London sold about 50 per cent of its holdings in the Nigerian branch to Nigerians and the name was changed from Barclays Bank of Nigeria to Union Bank of Nigeria in order to reflect a new image and ownership structure. It is among the first banks in Nigeria to list its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange having done so in 1971.

How do you feel with Fuel just about two years after winning silver and another nomination?

Great! Absolutely fantastic. It’s the first of many more to come.

What does this say about the agency and its work ethics?

Creativity in advertising, among other things, is an agile inter-marriage of unique points-of-view and ingenious execution.Fuel believes in the unpopular; the iconoclast and this is what we bring to bear on all our briefs. Our debut on the winner’s table/nomination list shows that our point of view is actually working… that we are getting people’s attention in distinctive and fresh ways. The game can only get better from now on.

What do you think is responsible for the gold drought in the award and what is the implication of this for the industry.

As a fall-out of the credit crunch/financial crises of a few years ago, clients’ attention shifted to hard metrics – sales and sales pipeline. The brand became nothing but the proverbial cow – milked by both clients and agency. Everybody gets paid but only the brand suffers. Who takes care of the brand? Where are her custodians? Where are her advocates?

Revolutionary works can only be sponsored by revolutionary clients. Clients who understand adventure as a window to growth. Take ‘redbullstratos’ as a case-study? How many clients can commission legendary works like that? Without the corporate will of the principals, ‘me too’ campaigns are what would continue to form the critical mass of the works from adland.

Comment and advice to organisers:

Kudos to the entire LAIF/AAAN team for a great event. However, we feel a lot of thought and creativity can still be integrated with the yearly event. As experience architects for various clients, ad men can make their own signature event an unforgettable and breath-taking one – a sort of mecca for men and women with differentiated acumen.

From the setting to the content and memorabilia, we can do more to demonstrate the inventiveness we peddle. Infact, this should cascade into even the actual awards itself, (The Gong) – in terms of design and lettering.

Most Trusted Brand Awards holds December

BrandHealth Limited, the organizers of the annual brand awards in Nigeria tagged Most Trusted Brands, have concluded plans to host the third edition of the awards, which comes up in December 5, in Lagos

In a statement, Mr. Emmanuel Udowoima, Chief Executive Officer of BrandHealth said that the theme for this year’s edition is “Innovation as a Source of Trust”. He said that in as much as innovativeness in product packaging and delivery seems to be the order of the day in the market place, brands hold it as a point of duty to earn the trust of their consumers.

In his words: “The Most Trusted Brand Awards is perhaps the most transparent Awards in Nigeria as winners are chosen directly by the consumers and they do not have to pay anything to win the awards.

“As a people, we are increasingly losing our values by the day. People, organisations and brands are no longer trusted or trustworthy, promises are no longer kept. We know that men and women with conscience are worried.  Our response to this negative trend is the only reason why the Most Trusted Brand Awards was instituted three years ago. It is meant to identify and celebrate brands that build and maintain sustainable relationships of trust with their consumers”, he said.

Shedding more light on this year’s edition, he said that BrandHealth conducted a survey in 15 states of the federation with over 1,600 consumers participating to choose their most trusted brands for the year 2012. The results of the survey he added identify the Most Trusted Brand in each product category and overall and the winners will be announced at an elaborate ceremony scheduled to hold in December at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

The registrar of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) will be the Special Guest of Honour, Mr. Tony Chiejina, Head Corporate Communications, Dangote Industries Plc will be the Guest Speaker while Mr. Enitan Denloye, Director of Brands and Communications Etisalat Nigeria will deliver the key note address.

BrandHealth is a research agency dedicated to brands and their bonding with consumers. In the last three years it has been in the forefront of conducting research which cut across many sectors to determine the brands that bond most with consumers in terms of usage, awareness, loyalty, relevance, esteem and availability for consumption.