The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ultimate Search

  • Gulder Ultimate Search increases contestants

    Gulder Ultimate Search increases contestants

    Two more entries have been added to this year’s contestants of the popular adventure reality show called Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS). This came as a surprise to two of the hopefuls, who had earlier been eliminated at the selection party at the weekend.

    The 18 contestants, who were lined up at the Ocean View ground, venue of the selection party, looked forward to 12 of them being selected, as it was the case last year. But there was excitement as two more aspirants were added to the selection, making 14 the number of the jungle-bound candidates.

    One of the additions, Samantha Appi, who was in tears, recounted how joyous she became, when the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries, Nicholaas Vervelde, delivered the final message from the council of elders, saying: “Let all 14 go to the jungle.”

    “I was so sad initially. I thought it was over. I almost didn’t hear my name because my heart was pounding. I know that every year, it has always been 12 people, so when I didn’t hear my name, I thought it was over for me,” she said.

    The show begins in a couple of weeks at the Aguleri forest, in Anambra State, where in the end the last man or woman standing will get a cash prize of N10million and a brand new Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

    A spectacular aspect of Saturday’s night event was the presence of the10 past winners of the show: Ezugo Egwuagwu, Lucan Chambliss, Hector Jobarteh, Dominic Mudabai, Michael Nwachukwu, Uche Nwaezeapu, Oyekunle Oluwaremi, Christopher Okagbue, Paschal Eronmose and Dennis Okike, who ushered in the symbol of the 11th edition of the show, called The Cube.

    The final selection party was followed by the popular mobile club initiative called Gulder Club Ultimate (GCU), at the same venue.

    Adding glamour to the show was host Darey Art-Alade, comedian Gordons and music artiste Burna Boy.

    Tagged The Mission, organisers revealed that the second, third and fourth runners-up get N3 million, N2.5 million and N1.5 million respectively. Also, when evicted, each of the contestants will receive monies ranging from N1million to N1.5 million.

  • Gulder Ultimate Search returns

    Gulder Ultimate Search returns

    No doubt, popular adventure reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS), has impacted the Gulder brand for Nigerian Breweries Plc, organisers of the show, to have continued with it, despite having rested a few others like Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO), Star Quest and Star Mega Jam.

    Supporting this assertion, Marketing Manager for Gulder, Legend and Life, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Emmanuel Agu, at a recent press conference, announcing the company’s readiness for the 11th edition of the show, said: “The Gulder brand is experiencing exponential growth year on year. Gulder Ultimate Search is still a platform for the Gulder brand. The impact of Gulder Ultimate Search continues to rise and the popularity continues to grow brand equity.”

    Interestingly, the show is Nigeria’s first and longest running 100 percent local content reality TV show, attracting a huge number of youth participation since it made its debut in 2004.

    The tasks and physical drills that contestants are exposed to in the jungle, the brand handlers have maintained, stress them beyond the limit of endurance. Therefore, apart from the monetary rewards, which go to all finalists, the strength of the show also lies on its physical and mental development.

    According to Agu, a strong consumer yearning for the reality TV programme remains one of the critical success factors of Gulder Ultimate Search. “We are hosting Gulder Ultimate Search this year because it is still relevant to the lives of our consumers. This is why we will keep on producing the programme until we get the feedback from the consumers that Gulder Ultimate Search is no longer relevant to them.”

    This year, the show will take place in a jungle in Agulere, a town in Anambra State.

    On why the brand opted for the Aguleri jungle among other locations in the state, Agu explained: “When we set out to explore possible locations for GUS in Anambra State, we had three places in mind: Ogbunike Cave, Owerre Ezukala waterfalls and Aguleri forest. There were several factors we took into consideration, like looking for a terrain with a suitable ambience for the kind of GUS tasks; places that have natural habitats and with the least human interference and so on. The Aguleri jungle satisfied these criteria.”

    Speaking on the programme’s broadcast, Edem Vindah, the company’s Corporate Media and Brand PR Manager, said: “For 28 days, starting October 3 to October 30, 2014, we will be entertained by an original Nigerian adventure programme produced to international standards. The daily highlights will be aired on national terrestrial and satellite TV stations.”

    Priding itself as a reality show that gives monetary reward to all contestants, Eden revealed that “the Ultimate Winner will go home with N10 million and a brand new SUV; the second, third and fourth- placed winners will earn N3 million, N2.5 million and N1.5 million respectively. When evicted, the remaining contestants will win various sums, ranging from N1.45 million to N1 million.”

    According to him, registration for the competition is free and interested applicants can log in to www.gulderultimatesearch.tv to register.

    An intriguing show, fans usually stay awake to watch the screening on television. Lending credence to the show’s content, Onyeka Okoli, Senior BrandManager, Gulder, said that the 11th Season would be fun, exciting and suspense-filled.

    “This year’s GUS will be innovative and suspense-filled. There are a lot of things that we are not revealing. We are keeping these secrets because we want you to really pay attention to this year’s edition. These secrets will be unravelled as the show progresses,” she said.

    The TV commercial for GUS 11, which is already serving as promo for the coming show, features two past winners, Dominic Mudabai (GUS 4) and Michael Nwachukwu (GUS 5). It depicted them being sent by the Council of Elders to retrieve a long lost object of inestimable value.

  • How ‘Spears’ toppled ‘Swords’ in Ultimate Search contest

    How ‘Spears’ toppled ‘Swords’ in Ultimate Search contest

    AS the dramatic episodes of Gulder Ultimate Search, the purely indigenous content reality show sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc continues African Magic (DSTV), Ebonylife TV, Realstar, Wap TV, ESBS and AKBC at 10pm; and AIT & Galaxy TV at 10:30pm, organisers encourage fans of the show to stick to the event and win prizes in an edition that makes them contestants also.

    Last night, the Usaka jungle once again got to hear the war chant of the Spears tribe which pulled a surprise victory over the Swords in the Black Flamechallenge. The core of the Black Flamechallengewas locating Bellows, a tool used by the ancient blacksmith.

    Each tribe was given a set of clues. The answer to that clue would lead to their next location, where there would be another clue that would lead them to yet another location, where another set of clues awaited them. That answer would also lead them to another location.

    At the end of the first sets of clues, the tribes would find a flame torch, which they would light. They would then make their way back following the next set of clues to discover the Bellows and gun powder waiting. The first tribe to light the gun powder and discover the Bellows wins the task.

    The first clue sent the warriors back to their camps. The second clue took them through an obstacle course to the river bank where they found the third clue that led them through the same obstacle course to a point close to where the ‘Elders’meet. There they found the clue that helped them locate the torch.

    The Swords took the lead. However they had their first set back at the river bank where they had difficult times figuring out the clue. When they finally did, they met another setback at the obstacle course. The Spears cashed in on those setbacks and won.

  • Alarming rise of Ultimate Search applicants

    Alarming rise of Ultimate Search applicants

    THE ninth edition of the popular Gulder Ultimate Search appears to have broken registration record, as an unprecedented number of applicants are gunning to participate in the adventure reality show which is billed to commence airing on October 20, 2012.

    Reports say more than 30,000 young men and women have been registered to participate in the show, following the closure of registration penultimate Thursday. Officials of the Nigerian Breweries plc, sponsors of the contest say the registration figure is the highest since the show commenced in 2004. Interested individuals had registered on-line, via the Gulder Ultimate Search website and the official Facebook page. In addition, walk-in registration booths were set up in selected locations across the country to ease the registration process for interested individuals.

    According to Walter Drenth, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, the reason for the increase in registration is nothing short of the popularity of Gulder Ultimate Search: “The Gulder Ultimate Search status as Nigeria’s first one hundred percent local reality TV show is legendary. It is no secret that the programme influenced other brands to leverage on reality TV to promote their brand awareness. What makes it more interesting is the fact that GUS is adventure-based, which makes it one of a kind, thereby appealing to a wider audience.”

    The huge number notwithstanding, only 12 individuals will eventually make it to the forest of Usaka in Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom State, where the contest will be taken to this year.

    Criteria for selecting the finalists include medical and physical fitness which will be ascertained during the regional screenings in Benin, Makurdi, Owerri and Lagos.

    It would be recalled that the organisers have revealed that the twist to this year’s edition is the inclusion of three past winners to play the role of Gatekeepers in Gulder Ultimate Search 9 which runs under the theme: The Gatekeeper’s Fortune.” The three past champions include Dominic Mudabai (Gulder Ultimate Search 4 winner), Michael Nwachukwu (Gulder Ultimate Search 5 winner), and Christopher Okagbue (Gulder Ultimate Search 8 winner).