The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LED

  • Largest LED advert screen unveiled

    Maryland Mall has inaugurated a light-emitting diode (LED) advertisement screen described as the the largest in sub-Saharan Africa and the 50th in the world.

    Accordingly, it took Purple Capital Partners Limited about 18 months to finish the mall, which sits on a land size of 7,700sqm and funded by Stanbic IBTC and Axa Mansard.

    Also, it was learnt that the firm mounted the largest LED billboard measuring 60 metres long and nine  metres high within three months, believing that the board would offer brands great value.

    The LED screen is a major attraction and has features such as a Twitter fountain scroller, video playback capability and a Feedticker.

    Media said these would make the LED a socially-interactive board and one advertisers could utilise for full engagement of the public.

    The managing partner at Purple Capital Partners Limited, Olaide Agboola, said the platform would be a major advertisement point for biggest brands in the country.

    He said Stanbic IBTC, which funded  the mall, has taken a slot on the screen. “We have other strong brands and we are having discussion with others to come on board,” he said.

    Agboola said research revealed that over 5500 vehicles passed through the axis in all directions every hour, adding that this would attract as many eyeballs as possible, which is the traffic that most brands are yearning to have.

    He said: “In every sense of it, the exposure every brand will get is quite significant. This is clearly a major hub for any advertising activity.”

    Explaining whether Purple Capital, which is not an advertisement agency, would contract the board to an  agency for  management, Agboola said the company hoped to continue to get technical support from Rotter Panel in Holland, the suppliers of the board while there would be local training and self-marketing of the board by the company.

    “We want to make sure that every business can negotiate directly to get on the board,” he said.

    Also speaking, Tosin Oshinowo, the architect of the building said the big screen was part of the plan from the beginning. She said the whole planning was for horizontal and vertical revenue opportunity.

    The Chief Executive Officer,  Stanbic IBTC, Sola David-Borha, commended Purple Capital for its discipline and focus. “This successful delivery of the Maryland Mall project showcases the fact that domestic investment fuelled by the indefatigable spirit of Nigerian entrepreneurs is key to driving social harmony and national economic growth,”

    In the same vein, the Chairman, Purple Capital Partners Limited and Capital Bancorp Ltd, Omotola Mobolurin, expressed delight on the completion of the building on time.

  • ‘Frustration led me to kidnapping’

    A 34-years old man, Samuel Ebo, popularly known as MOG, has said he was led into  kidnapping by greed and frustration with life.

    Samuel,one of  the 12 kidnappers arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command over  the last two weeks, belonged to a notorious kidnap gang in the state.

    The gang made over four million naira from four high profile kidnappings they engaged in between September 2014 and March 2015.

    Among their victims are an Assistant Director in  Niger Delta Development Commission, Engr. Nosa Ogbeide, Mrs. Eke Ebuwa, Mrs. Dim Augustina and Mrs. Kate Valentine.

    Samuel said he joined the kidnapping gang because he was frustrated and needed to get something to do.

    He said, “We kidnapped a woman and she paid N700,000. I have a little baby at home and I have no job. I joined them because I was frustrated with life. Going into kidnapping was not my intention, my friend gave me the gun with which we  kidnapped.”

    Named as leader of the gang is Chukwuka Nelson, a 53-year old grandfather, who guards their  victims in the bush and the gang’s armoury .

    Although Chukwuka claimed he has received only N20,000 from kidnappings ,the  police described him as a ‘notorious kidnapper.’

    He said: “It was my friend who called me. I was involved in two kidnappings. I never knew  the people they  brought and my job was only to guard the victims. I have four children. I will be there and others brought  food for the victims. I was paid N20,000 for my job.”

    Among the suspected kidnappers paraded by the police were a three-man gang  of the same parents.

    Two of them – Odion and  Akhere – are twins.Their elder brother, Ehikioya completes the gang.

    Their victims included one Alfred Ilevbare, Inegbedion Peter, a retired assistant commissioner of police and a 67-year J.U Okoruwa, who was on an evangelical mission when he was kidnapped.

    The siblings usually shot their victims and left them untreated until ransom was paid for their release. From the three kidnappings, the brothers made N1.5m. The twins bought a Dyna truck while they deceived their elder brother that they made only N200,000 and gave him N30,000.

    Ehikioya claimed to be  a farmer and was only asked to buy food for the victims.

    He said  he spent  his share of  N30,000  to expand his farm.

    Odion, who claimed to be a musician and electrician said: “We got N500,000 and bought a truck to be used for transport. The vehicle did not work properly so we sold. We usually ambushed our victims.”

  • ‘Why LED may overtake static billboard’

    Static billboards may be on their way out following advertisers’ preference for their mobile liquefied electronic display (LED) counterparts, advertising chief, Mr. Akin Adelegan, has said.

    A static billboard is a form of outdoor advertising board stationed while mobile LED billboard is a new form of billboard that uses a liquefied electronic display to expose advert materials.

    Adelegan, Chief Executive Officer of Advertange, said LED mobile advertising billboard’s technology would make its static LED counterpart look ordinary.

    The LED mobile platform, he said, is better than static billboard because of its cost effectiveness and flexibility in field deployment.

    Noting that the LED mobile platform is strategic to outdoor advertising, he said: “So, you must now strategise. If this is the new trend in the industry, I do not want my brand to look inferior, I also want to be there, but you must use your senses to decide how to get the best from what you are paying for. Rather than spend almost N100 million for a location, why not spend same for a mobile LED board that will move round Lagos,” he noted.

    Adelegan said the growing need for a platform that can enhance brands’ exposure and the yearning of the market, attracted his company into the business with importation of  about  eight mobile LED outdoor trucks for would be clients’ use.

    “The mobile LED outdoor advertising is a child of necessity because the industry is evolving and the latest technology in terms of outdoor is LED. People are fed up of just seeing the static billboard; they want something that could retain much of the attention.”

    “What we had before now is the static LED but the challenge in that is that they are fixated in one location and it is not every route you can put static billboard. It is restricted to some highways and the cost of constructing them, getting approval from the Ministry of Environment, LASAA, FERMA, the process of constructing those giant LED boards is a bit cumbersome.

    “There are instances where some have even collapsed. There are instances it takes many months to complete. It is not a pick and go thing. It is intensive and when you have maintenance issues, the whole thing has to be shut down.

    “We felt that there is vacuum, people want LED, but it cannot be in all location,that was why we started introducing the mobile LED platforms. It is a big screen and you can take it everywhere, big markets and different locations.

    Though there are few mobile advertising agencies in the industry but his agency, Advertange, is out to provide mobile LED billboard that has cutting edge advantage over others already available.

    “We wanted an edge in the area of LED; we brought in the one with sight and sound. Ours come with five thousand waltz speakers, bigger screen and it is elevating too.

    “What we are saying is that apart from using it as a static medium, where you can just put ordinary billboard, it could serve as something that could be used for brand campaign, road shows; slot in the video, anywhere the truck gets to, it will bring people round it with music playing and there could even be an interactive session with the brand.

    Providing some specific advantages of his mobile LED boards, he said, “Our mobile LED comes in two versions; one side is LED screen, the other side is a scroller, that means, if one of the side is showing digital screen, the other side is a back lit LED Scroller, which could display more than ten messages of what the brand is about or can do.

    “Then, the other one, both sides are LED screen. Another advantage of ours is that it has streamer on top of the screen. So aside the screen displaying video, it can be giving you messages about a product.

    “The screens are also internet connected and this means we can be playing the message or video in Lagos, Abuja and PH. Our trucks could be used for concert; it is just plug and play. If there is a concert, you just drive in there.”

    Stating another advantage of mobile LED, he said the cinema can be re-awakened through the platform, a new business opportunity he said his agency is looking at.

    “Now, everybody has to go to Silverbird Cinema and other enclosed cinemas in the country. So we are looking for brands, which could say give me six of these LED trucks to show live matches or films to a selected audience,” he told The Nation.

  • Media View to launch biggest LED billboard in Africa

    Media Views Limited, a foremost Nigerian outdoor advertising company is set to reshape outdoor advertising business as it plans to unveil the largest LED billboard in Africa.

    Just like New York’s Time Square caught global attention with its biggest billboards in the world a year ago, Media Views intends to take its outdoor advertising business to a higher dimension with this transcending innovation. The firm plans to run a high definition 24-hours advert service on the platform.

    The billboard measures 740 Square meter long and 11 stories high. The high-tech screen bill board powered by LASACO Assurance Plc is located in the heart of Lagos- Oworonshoki, along the third mainland bridge.

    Citing the LED billboard along this location is strategic. The third mainland bridge is believed to be one of the busiest bridges in the country. The longest bridge in Nigeria connects Lagos Island areas with the mainland areas.

  • Fayose led thugs to attack me, says Ekiti APC candidate

    Fayose led thugs to attack me, says Ekiti APC candidate

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ekiti Central senatorial district, Mr. Gbenga Olofin, has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of personally leading thugs to attack him during a campaign rally in Igede-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area on Friday. Olofin, according to a statement by his media aide, Femi Awojobi, alleged that Fayose personally supervised the tearing and destruction of his posters and billboards in Igede and other towns in the local government area.

    Fayose and Olofin hail from the same Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area. While the APC senatorial candidate is from Igede, Fayose is from Afao. Olofin alleged that thugs in the convoy of the governor were armed with dangerous weapons like axes, cutlasses and guns and  were conveyed in Hilux vans which carried Ekiti registration numbers. According to him, the thugs wore masks; ransacked shops and homes at Igede and Iyin and attacked some residents with machetes in the daylight. Many shops, according to him, were looted by the hoodlums.

    The APC senatorial flag bearer revealed that the attacks took place between 2.00 pm and 2.30 pm, saying several gunshots fired by the thugs sent residents scampering to safety. Olofin said it was providence that saved him from being killed by the thugs and urged security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities to prevent loss of lives and property. He revealed that he had called the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) to inform them of the attack.

    While urging his supporters to be steadfast, Olofin urged them not to be intimidated, saying the people of the state have made up their minds to vote APC at next month’s general elections. But the PDP State Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko, accused Olofin of raising, false alarm to gain underserved attention. He described the claim of Olofin as “lies from the pit of hell coming from a candidate frustrated by his rejection by the electorate”.

    Aluko challenged Olofin to produce evidence to substantiate his claim, saying Fayose who hails from council area cannot be leading thugs to attack the people that voted him into office. The PDP scribe advised Olofin to look inwards and scrutinise his followers in search of the hoodlums that carried out the attack, saying members of the ruling party are law-abiding and would not be involved in any act of violence.

     

  • Largest LED board unveiled

    The Optimum Exposures, an outdoor advertising agency, has unveiled a billboard described as the largest free standing LED Board in sub-Sahara Africa, measuring 42m by 12m.

    The billboard was the outcome  of the company’s penchant for trend setting innovations.

    Targeted at premium brands, the Managing Director, Bayo Adio, said this informed the decision to invest huge resources in the LED billboard.

    He added that the board was a result of the need to place the industry on the same pedestal in terms of global best practices thereby offering brands unrivaled out of home platform to showcase their brands.

    Adio, at a briefing in Lagos, said the board was an investment that keeps the firm and brands on display ahead of competition.

    “The iconic digital billboard located on the Adeniji Adele access route was a product of our  penchant for innovation as a way to stay ahead of competition. Of course being a premium billboard it does not come cheap, huge resources was invested in it which is why it is targeted at premium brands,” he said.

    The digital billboard, according to him, is though relatively new in the country, it has the potentials to arrest the decline in advertising spending, adding that opportunities available for out of home advertising is on the increase with the introduction of digital billboard to the local industry.

    The Head of Marketing, Optimum Exposures, Bob Ononuju, said the bilboard is the best in quality.

    He added that it was custom-built for the site by leading digital billboard manufacturer, Daktronics, United States.

    Adio refuted claims that a digital billboard was a distraction to road users, noting that a fifth study on national and local roads in the United States has exonerated digital billboards. He stressed that it has helped to further illuminate and beautify the environment the more.

    “Digital billboard does not cause road accidents and this has been proven and documented. In fact, a fifth survey conducted on local and national roads in the United States clearly showed so. Rather, it beautifies the environment,” he said.

    Ononuju explained that it comes with Intelligent Device Management (IDM) system, which allows  engineers to detect and correct errors.

    He added that besides that the board regulates itself during hot weathers – its fully tropicalised for Nigeria, as such it does not require air-conditioning like other LEDs.

    “Our iconic billboard comes with a handful of unique features which helps to further project the brands on it.  It comes with Intelligent Device Management (IDM) which helps to swiftly detect errors so that our back end people can promptly fix it.

    “Besides, it comes with Dynamic display, Social media integration – Twitter/scrolling messages, time and temperature It regulates itself in line with the prevailing weather.” Ononuju added.