Monday, November 12, 2012

Expert Recommends Reload Multivitamins for Healthy Living
PRESIDENT of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Azibuike Okoh, has recommended Reload range of multivitamins to Nigerians. Reload, a multivitamin, multi-mineral and antioxidant in a vegetable and fruit blend, is duly registered and certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). ‘’I have used the product and I have no hesitation recommending it to men, women and to kids,’’ said Okoh, adding that the product is a beautiful inclusion to a market that is fraught with unsafe drugs – a problem that is currently a focus for the society. Also speaking at the media launch, pharmacist, Jimi Agbaje, who stated that he had a close relationship with the owners of Pharmacy Plus, explained the role of Reload multivitamin in the diet of Nigerians. He said, “70 per cent of Nigerians are living in poverty, so obviously they do not take a balanced diet; while the remaining 30 per cent tend to eat more of one group of nutrients against another. That is why they need to supplement what they lack in nutrients through multivitamins such as the Reload.” Chief Operating Officer, Pharmacy Plus Ltd, Obi Chukwuemeka, highlighted the importance of taking multivitamins. “Multivitamins are needed to keep the body healthy, to prevent future health problems, to supplement one’s diet (especially when one does not eat right), and to fuel the body with energy and strength,” he said, adding that “Reload contains 24 fruits and vegetables. Taking one tablet daily would give you all the nutrients you need on a daily basis. Taking it in the morning will keep you ‘Reloaded’ for the entire day.’’ According to him, eating right is a big problem that cuts across both the rich and the poor classes in the country, and the company understands that as human beings grow there is a resultant change in their nutritional requirements. The Reload brand is specially formed to cater for the nutritional needs of everyone irrespective of age and gender. “As a pharmaceutical company, we understand that as human beings evolve, our nutritional needs evolve. The nutritional needs of a child are much different from that of a man and it is not the same as those of a woman. So, it cuts across gender, the nutritional needs of a man differs from those of a woman. It also cuts across age as well. When you reach the age of 50 and above, your nutritional requirements vary from that of a woman of the same age. This is what the Reload brand has taken cognisance of,’’ he said.

Friday, October 19, 2012

CHIDO NWAKANMA BECOMES PRCAN PRESIDENT
Chief Executive Officer of Blueflower communications, Chido Nwakanma has emerged as the new president of Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN). The election was held amidst suspense and anticipation on October 19th 2012 against October 31st that was previous slated for the election. Chido Nwakanma, who was the former deputy president of the association contested unopposed to emerge as the new president. Other positions that were contested and filled include: Vice President, John Ehiguese of Mediacraft, Honourable Secretary – General, Muyiwa Akintunde, lead consultant at Leap Communications to be assisted by Tola Odusote, Publicity Secretary, Jaiye Opayemi, chief strategist of Chain Reactions Limited. The position of Ex-Officio members on the council was automatically filled by past Presidents of the Association in accordance with Article 38 of the PRCAN Memorandum and Articles of Association. Until the election, the Dr. Phil Osagie led executive council of the association presided from June 18, 2010 for a two-year tenure. Chido Nwakanma’s Blueflower communications started business in 2007 with a robust experience in corporate communication, brand management and in the entire gamut of public relations practice. He is expected to drive the association to greater height till June 2014.
2 WEEKS AFTER, MISSING GLADYS YET TO BE FOUND Whereabouts of 58-year –old Gladys Nwosa, who was declared missing in Abuja is yet to be ascertained two weeks after she left home. Journalist was briefed of the development by Florence, daughter of the missing trader who said on Thursday, that all efforts to locate her mother had not yielded any fruit. According to her, the tall, dark woman, who resided in Karu, left home at about 9.oo.a.m. on September 27 for her shop located at No.3, City Centre plaza, opposite Noble Heights Academy. Karu site, Abuja and had since not returned. Florence added that the incident had, on Saturday 29, been reported at the Karu police station and an extract issued by the Divisional police Officer, J.D. Bakyu. Describing her mother as a kind and loving woman, who worked tirelessly to raise her children in the fear of God, Florence noted that the family members went as far as checking hospitals and morgue to know whether she was involved in an accident, but all was to no avail. Florence said her mother speaks Yoruba, Delta Igbo and English languages fluently and never had squabbles with people. She added that her family members were already traumatized by the development ‘We have done all we could to find my mother, but up till now, we have not found her. From that fateful day, we had been trying her phone number but it had always been switched off. No day passed with my mother not home by 6.00.p.m. except days there were programmes in church. Initially, we thought she went to church, but with passage of time and her not returning home made us restless” Florence revealed She concluded “we therefore, urge Nigerians who may have any information regarding whereabouts of my mother, to kindly contact any police station;

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Brandxchange Launches Website For Consumer Protection BrandXchange Limited, a Lagos-based company that samples consumer opinion on products & services and aims to reward customer-friendly brands yearly, has launched a website tagged www.brandxchangeonline.com to bridge the gap between brands and consumers. The highly interactive web portal, which features brand/consumer news, incisive articles, blogs and opinion polls, gives the public a unique opportunity to share their brand experiences in Aviation, Bank & Insurance, Food & Beverage, Telecoms, Media & TV, Electronics, among others. The objective is to make brands conscious of consumer opinion regarding their products and services so they can modify same to suit customers’ needs. “Every day, every second, there are exchanges between the consumers and manufacturers of products and services. However, the consumer is always at the mercy of the sellers and we think this should not be the situation” said the BrandXchange team. “In this part of the world where the issues of standardisation, quality, sincerity and honesty of brands have been challenged over the years, the time has come for true brand owners, the kings in the marketplace, to have a voice and the voice is BrandXchange.” The BrandXchange website has links to Facebook and Twitter, so consumers and brands on the social networks can also be brought on board. Meanwhile, BrandXchange , not resting on its oars will in few month time launch its weekly radio programme that will examine brand/consumer issues and give the public an opportunity to participate through calls or SMS. “BrandXchange is both an online news platform and a radio programme that will deal with issues that concern consumers and bring them in direct contact with the brand owners. With the vision to be the true representative of consumers’ mind, BrandXchange’s goals include to lead the quest for consumer recognition and respect in the marketplace, encourage and appreciate brands while celebrating both parties on the premise of excellence” the BrandXchange team explained

Monday, October 15, 2012

Keystone Bank: As Oti Ikomi Bows Out, Dr. Shehu K. Muhammad Name MD/CEO
Mr. Oti Ikomi, the Managing Director/CEO, Keystone Bank Limited has resigned his appointment. He has led businesses to exceptional results with revenue, market share and overall business growth. He has a leading expertise in Banking Executive Management, Corporate, Commercial and Transactional Banking. He has a vast geographical business and working knowledge in Africa covering over 30 African countries from West, East, Southern and North Africa. He had previously held senior leadership positions in various institutions including Director of Sales at Standard Bank South Africa, Executive Director Corporate Banking Group Oceanic Bank International Bank Plc and recently Senior Vice President Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Johannesburg overseeing over 30 countries. His banking career commenced in Citibank where he worked for 15 years and had international postings responsible for East Africa and later West Africa for Global Transaction Services. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering (State University of New York, 1979 Buffalo, NY, USA) and a Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering, Operational Research Specialization from the same University in 1981. A key advocate of banking best practice with industry recognition leading to his appointment as Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Bankers Technical Committee in 2008 with membership from Executive Directors of leading Banks. He was formerly a member of the Payment Systems Committee of Kenya, and a Co – Chair of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEPFI) Africa Task Force to drive sustainable Finance and Environmental issues in African Banking system. Following the sudden resignation of Mr Oti Ikomi as the MD/CEO of Keystone Bank, the bank’s Board today appointed Dr. Shehu K. Muhammad as the acting Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer. Muhammad was until his appointment the Executive Director, Corporate Banking at the bank. His appointment was announced in a statement by the bank’s Head of Corporate Communications. Muhammed’s appointment is coming barely 24 hours after Mr. Oti Ikomi resigned his appointment as the Managing Director/ CEO of the bank, citing personal reasons. Dr. Muhammad, an astute and experienced banker, holds a Ph.D in Development Economics from Universite de Granoble II, France (1989) an MBA and a B.Sc. degree in Business Administration both from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria (1983 and 1979 respectively). Dr. Muhammad brings to Keystone Bank an extensive commercial banking experience acquired over 18 years of engagement at ICON Limited (Merchant Bankers) Bank of the North Limited and Unity Bank Plc, with hands-on competences in strategy development, corporate planning, corporate banking, treasury marketing, and product development.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

McDowell’s, Coca-Cola Supports Creativity at Inception 2012 McDowell’s and Coca-Cola Nigeria, major sponsors of Inception 2012, strengthened their continuous support for youth creativity and development with the summer beach party. The event recently organisers by YDx, a youth marketing company, was a show stopper which attracted the cream-de-la-cream of the society to the popular Elegushi private beach in Lagos. The entire beach-line was branded with Coca-Cola flying banners and back-drops admit music and funfair. With a combination of Jimmie of Beat FM and DJ Mekzy on the wheels of steel, thrilling fans with jokes and classic tunes from mid-day late into the night with old skool jams and hip-hop hit tracks. The event also provided a cool and serene atmosphere for networking among top business professional from the corporate circle as they eased off while enjoying the afternoon sun-rays. While a branded VIP area had tents with a mix of top celebrities, fashion icons, entertainment moguls and artists like Vector, Black Magic, SDC, Phenom, Jimmie and DJ Caise of Beat FM, QPA’s and SoundCity VJ’s who took turns playing games, horse ridding, taking pictures and a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. According to the Chief Operating Officer, YDx, Mr. Tunde Alabi, the Inception 2012 is a novel concept in this part of the world and it brings out the creativity and true artistic nature in the younger generation. The Summer Beach Party also serves as a support platform for the tourism industry which is growing at a very fast pace. It avails the youths a chance to mix and interact with their environment while having fun with their loved ones. In the words of the Regional Trade Marketing Manager, United Spirits, Mr. Abiodun Awoyale, “McDowell’s is the stunning new No.1 reserve whisky which is blended with scotch and select Indian malts creating an outstanding feeling and taste even with drink mixtures”. This is evident in the support to create unforgettable experiences with a fun filled afternoon all the way into the UV party later in the evening with go-in-d-dark body paints, cups and lots of fun on the beach, he said. Furthermore, the summer beach rave is a fusion of entertainment, creativity and pleasure on the beach-line, which creates unique opportunities for young and talented individuals to showcase their abilities in a competitive environment. Several university students from UNILAG, UI, LASU, BABCORK, LEEDS, CONVENANT, OOU and the famous OAU, Ile-Ife participated in events like the beach football, beach volley ball, beach hunting and dancing competitions. The team YDx beat the Coca-Cola team 3-2 to come tops during the beach football competition where some luck winners carted away gift prizes like T-shirts, umbrellas, bags and mobile phones. This year’s event is the 2nd edition of an interactive initiative designed with the goal of making Lagos State the preferred summer break destination for African students because of its legendary Nightlife and fantastic beaches. It also create opportunities annually, where students from all over the continent can enjoy discounts in luxury hotels, holiday parties and exotic moments with beach excursions in the centre of excellence. And interested individuals can join the network by visiting and liking the company’s facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/ydxNigeria YDx is Africa’s leading youth marketing company which specialises in providing relevant and innovative marketing solutions to clients specifically targeting the youth market from 0-34 years as well as the family market. The company provides various services which includes school campaigns, character marketing, road shows, events, competitions, shopping centre promotions, In-store promotions, trade exchanges and partnerships while working closely with clients to ensure all elements are 100% aligned to brand and target market.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Steve Evans To Chair 2012 LAIF Awards The Executive Board of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has concluded plans to hold the 2012 edition of LAIF Awards. Mr. Steve Evans, the multiple awards winning and respected CEO of ETISALAT Nigeria will chair the grand finale and Award Dinner scheduled to hold on November 3, 2012 at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos. The theme of this year’s awards is ‘The best of LAIF’. The LAIF Awards was instituted in year 2006 by the AAAN with the aim of recognizing, rewarding and fostering creative excellence in all areas of marketing communications. An international status award, LAIF Awards has continuously promoted Nigeria’s creative potentials in the international circle as well as recognized outstanding creativity and created an avenue for the celebration of world class ideas. One of the newly introduced categories is the Young LAIFERS Award. This category is aim at promoting excellence in brand strategy developments as well as encourages craftsmanship in young practitioners. Participants of this category are young practitioners less than 30 years of age, working within a recognized advertising organization. The President of the Association and the outgoing Chairman of LAIF Management Board, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, noted that the LAIF Awards is the most credible creative rating in the Nigerian creative industry. She also stated that the Awards will expand to West Africa by next edition and the African continent thereafter. Although some African countries have indicated interest in participating, she stated that the LAIF Management Board is considering the logistics and will open entries for a West African category for next year’s edition.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

RAYPOWER SET TO RIVAL WAZOBIA FM WITH FAAJI FM ...KEKE OGUNGBE, AMBROSE SOMIDE BECOMES TOP EXECUTIVES Its no doubt that Wazobia FM is one of the choice radio stations in the country due to its down to earth language of presentation, Pidgin. To rival this leading radio station, the Dokpesi led Daar communication any moment from now will officially unveil its new project, Faaji FM. The Board of Directors of Daar Communications-owners of Raypower, Nigeria’s premiere FM radio station, has unanimously returned and appointed prolific broadcasters, Kenny Ogungbe and Ambrose Somide to be at the helm affairs of the company. Kenny Ogungbe, a member of the Board of Director may has been appointed as the Managing Director of the flyaway first independent radio station in Nigeria while Ambrose Somide, popular co-anchor on flyaway Yoruba programme, Minijojo, will direct the affairs of new grassroots radio station, FAAJI, dedicated to broadcast in Yoruba and Pidgin English. The new appointments came with some reshuffling and re-posting which invariably has affected some key posts and personnel in the organization. Prior to his appointment, Ogungbe is a Board Member of Daar Communications with High Chief Raymond Dokpesi as the Chairman.. With his new appointment by High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Ogungbe, according to reliable sources will have oversight functions over 34 stations of RayPower FM located around the country. Currently, operations have commenced in Lagos, Bayelsa and Port Harcourt with preference for local contents. Ambrose Somide, has been involved in the then RayPower2, which has now been resuscitated and christened Faaji FM 106.5 FM
UNILEVER TARGETS 2M CHILDREN WITH HANDWASHING CAMPAIGN Unilever, foremost manufacturer of food, home and personal care products, has declared it will save the lives of 2million Nigerian children with this year’s Lifebuoy Handwashing campaign. Last year, the company created a platform for 37, 809 children to inculcate the habit of washing their hands before and after meals, a feat which earned it a place in the annals of the renowned Guinness Book of World Records. Annually, over 2.1 million children die of diarrhea and pneumonia before the age of five, especially in Africa and Asia. But the figures can be drastically reduced if they are educated on the benefits of hygiene. The Global HandWashing Day is celebrated on October 15 in over 100 countries worldwide, and aims to put the global spotlight on handwashing with soap as a lifesaving habit. Speaking at the event which held Thursday at the Temple Secondary School, Ilupeju, Lagos, Mr Thabo Mabe, managing director, said the initiative was the strategic intent of Unilever to create a better life for all Nigerians health-wise. “On the 15th of October this year, Global Handwashing will be five years old. As we all know, we are working towards the reduction of diarrhea and pneumonia incidence in children under 5 by promoting the washing of hands at 5 key occasions. As part of our goals this year, Unilever will be celebrating children who reach the age of five around the country. We will continue from our milestones last year with which we plan to achieve over 7 million pledges this year and deploy hand-washing points to the various schools selected.” Unilever, he quipped, will not rest on its oars regarding the project, and between 10-15 months, will visit 1000 schools in Lagos on a sensitisation campaign, while its staff will donate 300 hours of their time to the exercise. “We are asking Nigerians to pledge to defeat diarrhea. They should visit our website www.facebook.com/lifebuoysoap to make pledges. For every pledge, Lifebuoy will help more children reach five through hygiene education,” he added. In her keynote address, Dr. Christina Campbell, national president, Medical Women’s Association, remarked that the initiative was targeted at shoring up the health of children and getting them to imbibe the habit so their lives could be prolonged. Campbell, who noted that the initiative was timely, added that it was given more teeth through the reliable assistance provided by Unilever. “For five years, the Handwashing Day has been celebrated all over the world because we know children, especially in the developed world, don’t have the opportunity to live up to the age of five to become brilliant leaders of tomorrow. That is why we are here today to mark the event through the simple habit of washing their hands,” she said. As the well-attended event, which was anchored by ace comedian Kofi Idowu and featured musical and dance presentations from the Temple School Choir, David Okeme, marketing director, Unilever, said the team would visit schools around Lagos and provide them buckets and water for the exercise. “We are going to provide handwashing tools to schools, starting from now onwards. The plan is to reach about 2 million Nigerian children with the habits they need for survival. That is the extent of our commitment to the project,” he remarked.
OBI OF ONITSHA CONGRATULATES ADENUGA AS OFALA FESTIVAL KICKS OFF The Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe CFR, has described the National Award of Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON, conferred on the Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr. as an honour well deserved. The Obi who made this remark in Onitsha on Friday while receiving the cheque for the sponsorship of the 2012 Ofala Festival from Globacom officials led by the company's Divisional Director, South East, Mr. Michael Ehumadu, said that Dr. Adenuga Jnr. GCON, had done a lot for the nation and deserved to be honoured. The traditional ruler, while commending Globacom for taking the ancient Ofala Festival to the next level through its sponsorship last year, noted that the giant telecommunication outfit will be remembered for the transformational history of Onitsha and its environs. "I want to formally congratulate Dr. Mike Adenuga on the National Award of GCON conferred on him by the president. Dr. Adenuga has done quite a lot for this country and the honour is well deserved, he said, adding that "it is good that the private sector is being recognized and honoured by the nation". The monarch added that the 2012 Ofala Festival would be bigger as it would mark his 10th coronation anniversary as the Obi of Onitsha, pointing out that Globacom had contributed to making the Ofala festival witness great transformation. “We are happy that Globacom is partnering with us. Our intention is to anchor Onitsha on the map of culture in Nigeria. Onitsha is transforming and Globacom is part of that transformation", he eulogized. Presenting the cheque to the traditional ruler on behalf of Globacom, Mr. Ehumadu said that the company would make the 2012 edition of the festival "more colourful and exceptional to celebrate the Obi on the 10th year on the throne of his forefathers and to appreciate the Obi and the people of Onitsha for their support and faith in Globacom". He noted that Globacom will introduce some innovation in this year's festival. The 2012 Ofala festival kicks off formally with the Iwaji, New Yam Festival, on September 23 and would be rounded off on October 8 with the commissioning by Governor Peter Obi, the block of classrooms built by Globacom at the Metropolitan Secondary School, Onitsha. Other activities lined up for the festival include youth rally, seminars, health awareness campaigns, novelty football match and a royal banquet in honour of the Obi by the telecommunication company. Globacom, it would be recalled in 2011, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with the Palace of the Obi of Onitsha to sponsor the Ofala Festival for a period of three years.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Cruel Passion receives positive reviews One of the newest titles published by Learn Africa Plc, Nigeria’s foremost Learning Resource Company, was recently launched in Lagos. The novel, Cruel Passion, is authored by writer Dayo Oladele-Ilori and published under LearnAfrica’s Echo series. The well attended launch, themed ‘Blaze the Passion’, took place at the prestigious Renaissance Hotel Ikeja, over the weekend. Chairman of the occasion, Gbenga Arojo, while speaking said that the book was an inspiration to young, aspiring Nigerians as it portrayed the country’s rich culture and taught moral lessons. Arojo described the book as a fiction which highlights the consequences of unplanned pregnancy, giving in to emotions that run wild, and the consequences of the actions we eventually take as a result. “This is a book everyone who has ever been in love, everyone who has ever been wronged and everyone who has ever been heartbroken ought to read,” he said. Also speaking at the event was Gbola Aiyedun, Publishing Director, Learn Africa Plc, who was represented by Sarah Anammah, Senior Editor at Learn Africa Plc, who narrated the tireless efforts the author put into the realization of the novel. Aiyedun went further to say that Learn Africa Plc is a company that thrives on impacting people with knowledge. He enjoined Nigerian authors to use the platform offered by the Learn Africa Echo to showcase the richness of the Nigerian literary and cultural heritage. One of the book reviewers, Salif Adjokoto, an Editor with Tell magazine, who was also present at the occasion, said “Dayo very well knows how to spin a yarn. With her simple writing language, one readily wants to wine and dine with the colourful and solid characters in Cruel Passion.” Dayo Oladele-Ilori is a prolific author, a seasoned management consultant and a life coach. Her robust collection of poems includes Ashes, Friendship, The Dance and Disillusioned, amongst others which has graced different magazines and has been published on websites like poetry.com. Her first book You Shall be Fruitful is in high demand and has impacted many lives positively. Cruel Passion which is a one hundred and eighty four page novel is an interwoven experience of friendship, naivety, sincerity, deception, love revenge and abomination. The novel is set in three major cities: Lagos, Sicily and Port-of-Spain. The novel has been tagged for an audience which include teenagers and adults. The Echo series of Learn Africa Plc is published to improve the Nigerian reading culture and create an avenue for the promotion of the Nigerian values of hard work, selflessness, devotion and dedication. The series publishes works of African origin that are of international standard, with the aim of promoting creativity and local authorship. Other titles in the Echo series are Chimere, Eaters of Dust, Conspiracy of Silence, A Drop of Mercy, Guardian of the Cosmos, to name a few.
Promasidor calls for entries for media excellence awards, ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ Promasidor Nigeria, makers of Cowbell milk, has called for entries for its recently launched media excellence awards for journalists, tagged ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’. Mr. Andrew Enahoro, Head Legal and PR, Promasidor Nigeria Limited who made this known at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, said the awards is now officially open as journalists can now enter for the competition through its website. “The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ which was launched in March 2012, is now officially open. Submission of entries will run all through to March 2013 when it will be closed for compilation. Interested journalists can log on to the website http://quillawards.promasidor-ng.com/ to submit their entries.” Speaking on, Enahoro made known that the awards would encompass five categories and will be done strictly on an e-platform. “The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ will cover five categories which are the Brand Advocate of the year, Best CSR Report of the year, Most Educative Report of the year, Best Report on Nutrition and the Best Photo Story of the year. These categories have been carefully thought-out to accommodate most journalists in the industry. Unlike others, the ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ will be done on an e-platform. It will be done strictly using the internet so as to avoid difficulties in submitting entries. This will give interested participants equal opportunity to participate in the awards and also there will be no case of lost entries as you will receive an immediate response after submitting your entry.” When asked who the judges were, Enahoro said “the panel of judges will consist of a representative from Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), an academia and a veteran journalist. Speaking further, Mr. Ayodele Oguntubi, Coordinator Corporate Affairs, Promasidor Nigeria while demonstrating how to upload entries for the awards, said journalists are entitled to one entry per category. “Interested journalists can only submit one entry per category, except the Brand Advocate category where we will do the collation ourselves with the help of our agency. It will be required that a scanned copy of the story in print and a Microsoft word copy of the story be submitted for legibility,” Oguntubi said. Revealing the prizes, Oguntubi said winners in each category will get an opportunity to do a course at Lagos Business School (LBS), a high-end Laptop, a high-end camera for the photojournalist, and all Promasidor products. The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ is a platform in Nigeria to reward journalists for dedicated news reportage on Industry, Education, Corporate Social Responsibility & Nutrition issues all year round. These Awards will be an annual event that would add more depth and reward reporting excellence. Winning journalists would be rewarded with befitting prizes and be given the opportunity to add to their knowledge and skills set. It was launched at the Promasidor Media Brand Academy in March, 2012.
Promasidor calls for entries for media excellence awards, ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ Promasidor Nigeria, makers of Cowbell milk, has called for entries for its recently launched media excellence awards for journalists, tagged ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’. Mr. Andrew Enahoro, Head Legal and PR, Promasidor Nigeria Limited who made this known at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, said the awards is now officially open as journalists can now enter for the competition through its website. “The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ which was launched in March 2012, is now officially open. Submission of entries will run all through to March 2013 when it will be closed for compilation. Interested journalists can log on to the website http://quillawards.promasidor-ng.com/ to submit their entries.” Speaking on, Enahoro made known that the awards would encompass five categories and will be done strictly on an e-platform. “The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ will cover five categories which are the Brand Advocate of the year, Best CSR Report of the year, Most Educative Report of the year, Best Report on Nutrition and the Best Photo Story of the year. These categories have been carefully thought-out to accommodate most journalists in the industry. Unlike others, the ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ will be done on an e-platform. It will be done strictly using the internet so as to avoid difficulties in submitting entries. This will give interested participants equal opportunity to participate in the awards and also there will be no case of lost entries as you will receive an immediate response after submitting your entry.” When asked who the judges were, Enahoro said “the panel of judges will consist of a representative from Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), an academia and a veteran journalist. Speaking further, Mr. Ayodele Oguntubi, Coordinator Corporate Affairs, Promasidor Nigeria while demonstrating how to upload entries for the awards, said journalists are entitled to one entry per category. “Interested journalists can only submit one entry per category, except the Brand Advocate category where we will do the collation ourselves with the help of our agency. It will be required that a scanned copy of the story in print and a Microsoft word copy of the story be submitted for legibility,” Oguntubi said. Revealing the prizes, Oguntubi said winners in each category will get an opportunity to do a course at Lagos Business School (LBS), a high-end Laptop, a high-end camera for the photojournalist, and all Promasidor products. The ‘Promasidor Quill Awards’ is a platform in Nigeria to reward journalists for dedicated news reportage on Industry, Education, Corporate Social Responsibility & Nutrition issues all year round. These Awards will be an annual event that would add more depth and reward reporting excellence. Winning journalists would be rewarded with befitting prizes and be given the opportunity to add to their knowledge and skills set. It was launched at the Promasidor Media Brand Academy in March, 2012.
Are secondhand clothes Nigeria’s first choice? MANY shipped containers arrive in the Lagos market, filled to the brim with plastic-wrapped bales of secondhand clothes from the western world. Traders scour, barter, hem and haw over T-shirts, bras, pants and shoes sent to help clothe the 160-million-strong Nigerian population following the collapse of the country’s textile industry many years ago. I ndeed, Nigeria once had a thriving textile industry, largely based in the northern city of Kano. But in recent decades, as the nation’s state-run electricity company fell into shambles, the mills slowed and finally stopped. Some companies, like Omas Nigeria Limited, still produce clothes for government agencies and private businesses, but making a profit has grown increasingly difficult as they depend on diesel generators for electricity. Katangua Markets sit past the international airport, nestled in the suburbs of Nigeria’s largest city. Piles of clothes ranging from jeans to underwear lie on the ground..... visit: http://brandxchangeonline.com/are-secondhand-clothes-nigerias-first-choice/
Gala; Rich Look, Poor Taste? GALA sausage roll needs no introduction in Nigeria. From the stables of UAC Foods, the snack is a great brand and serves as good filler between meals. Having been around for almost half a century, it has a long track record that inspires many in the same line of business. Recently, UAC even bagged the ISO 22000: 2005 certification from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in recognition of its efforts at providing quality products for consumers. Recently, the A-class packaged snacks was rebranded with a new attractive look, an initiative that was well applauded by consumers. But some lovers of the brand maintain that UAC Foods obviously has a lot of work to do to upgrade the snack to meet earlier standards. Lovers of Gala in the early 90s, for instance, observe that the beef roll does not ... read more: http://brandxchangeonline.com/category/food-beverage/
Ecobank Eyes Customer Welfare with ‘Back To School’ Campaign As the new school year begins, parents and guardians have been encouraged to pay their children and wards’ school fees with the Ecobank Rapid Transfer, reputed to be a fast, convenient and reliable means to transfer money within Nigeria and across Africa. The Ecobank Rapid Transfer “Back to School” campaign, which is available to both customers and non-customers of the bank, provides a special window for parents to pay their wards’ school fees and other necessary upkeep allowances without hassle. Announcing the commencement of the campaign, Ecobank Product Head, Domestic Products, Funwa Akinmade, said the Rapid Transfer is an Ecobank proprietary ‘send and receive’ money transfer product available in all Ecobank branches in Nigeria, and facilitates easy transfer and access to funds across the nation and in all countries where Ecobank is represented. According to Funwa, the Rapid Transfer, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, is designed to save customers from the risk of carrying cash as well as facilitate easy payment for goods and services across Nigeria. “Also, it enables easy payments across African borders without the hassles of sourcing for foreign exchange as the payments are made in the local currencies of both the transfer and the receiving countries”, he said. Rapid Transfer product is one of the innovative products of the Ecobank Group developed out of the need to provide convenient, accessible and reliable money transfer systems for its retail and wholesale customers, thereby contributing to the financial and economic development of Africa
It starts with a SNAPP!!! …..Guinness unveils its newest brand
Guinness Nigeria Plc launched its newest brand … the first of its kind …the exquisite SNAPP - the first apple-tasting alcoholic beverage with a crisp taste specifically made for women of style and sophistication. SNAPP is the first apple tasting alcoholic beverage with a crisp taste in Nigeria specifically made for women. It is packages in an attractive and crystal clear 30cl bottle with a gold and green label which gives it a distinct and classy look. SNAPP is packaged in a clear & attractive 30cl gold and green labelled bottle which gives it a distinct and classy look. The launch brought the most glamorous and sophisticated women in Nigeria together in one place. The women at the launch showed all the qualities that SNAPP is all about in their trendy and sophisticated outfits. Guests were treated to the best in entertainment, food and lots and lots of SNAPP! To find out more about SNAPP visit their face book page and like their page at www.facebook.com/SnappNigeria. SNAPP is already sold in bars, supermarkets and retail outlets all over the country.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Larry Annetts is MTN Nigeria new CMO After Bola Akingbade exists which started effect on June 30 2012, Larry Annetts, an accomplished professional with more than 16 years cognate experience gained in multinational organizations is replacing him as the new Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria. This development brings to rest months of speculations by onlookers and industry watchers on who succeeds the veteran marketer. In 2004, Annetts served as MTN Nigeria’s General Manager, Products and Services Development in the Marketing & Strategy Division. In this role he designed, implemented and launched the first Mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) platform in Africa. He also led the team that customised, implemented and launched GPRS and MMS technology for the first time in Nigeria. In 2005 as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, at MTN Irancell, he set up and developed the Marketing & Strategy Division there, launching the entire suite of products and services including 30 first-to-be-launched products that spearheaded MTN’s regional growth. He contributed immensely to the accumulation of over 36.2 million customers for MTN Iran in slightly over 5 years of operations in that country, setting the MTN Group record for the highest numbers of activations per day. MTN Nigeria clearly intends to maintain its leadership position and capacity to provide innovative products and services earmarked to enrich the lives of its esteemed customers.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Quadrant, CentreSpreadFCB Clinches New Accounts The Nigeria marketing communications industry is getting robust as more brand owners engage the services of account handlers for proper projection of their brands. The latest of such engagement is the signing on of CentrespreadFCB to handle the advertising angle of Keystone Bank and The Quadrant Company (TQC), one of the companies within TROYKA Group to now work on Dana Group. Following the recent crisis of Dana Airline, the Dana Group employed the services of Quadrant to project the public relations angle of both the airline and the group. The account, which was managed in-house by the company was said to have been clinched by Quadrant without opposition. This accounts joined the leagues of other notable brands such as Etisalat, Standard Chartered Bank, Virgin Nigeria, Emirates Airline, Nigerian Breweries Plc, iTouch, Champion Breweries, TSKJ Oil and Gasn in the agency collections. The Bolaji Okusaga-led Quadrant Company recently won an award from the largest PR awards competition in the world, 2012 Superior Achievement in Branding and Reputation (SABRE) Award. The Quadrant Company, which started operations in 1990, is Nigeria’s first full service public relations consultancy firm. On the part of CentreSpreadFCB, the Keystone account was clinched after a keen contest among nine agencies. CentreSpreadFCB emerged as the winner and the first job executed was to break a ‘New Dawn’ campaign with an audio/visual commercial of the bank that is presently enjoying massive airplay. The Kola Ayanwale-owned CentreSpreadFCB also has accounts such as SkyeBank, Moneygram, and some state governments in Nigeria among others.
Sesema PR wins Etihad Account In a keenly contested marketing communications industry where accounts are hard to come by, Sesema PR, a Lagos-based public relations consultancy agency with a –UK based associate, has clinched the mouth-watering Etihad Airways public relations account. A statement on the agency’s website reads: “Sesema PR is delighted to announce that the agency has been awarded the PR contract for Etihad Airlines, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, ahead of its launch in Nigeria, in July 2012.” When contacted, the Managing Director of the Sesema PR, mrs Alima Atta confirmed the development and added that “In an effort to consolidate the brand strategy of global penetration, Etihad Airways, decided to pick Lagos as it first entry point into the West Africa market. Sesema PR would be expected to support the airline’s PR activity in Nigeria, and promote its hub in Abu Dhabi and its global network to African leisure and business travellers wishing to fly to key North and Southeast Asian destinations and markets in the Indian sub-continent and Australia. The direct flights will link Abu Dhabi and Lagos six times a week and will be operated by a two class A330-200 aircraft with 22 Pearl Business class and 240 Coral Economy seats”. Lagos becomes the 83rd destination in Etihad Airways’ global network and the return flights will create a new link between Nigeria, Africa’s third largest economy, and the United Arab Emirates. Following the launch of services to the Seychelles in November 2011, Tripoli last month and Nairobi in April, the addition of Nigeria marks another milestone in Etihad Airways’ African expansion plans.
Rufai
Ladipo Bows Out from STB McCann The STB-McCann group, one the nation’s advertising group of companies, chairman by Sir Steve Omojafor is currently facing one of the most challenging times in the group’s two decades of operations in the industry. Information has revealed that Rufai Ladipo, the Managing Director, STB McCann, has resigned his appointment. Investigation also revealed that Ladipo’s resignation must have resulted from the company’s recent loss of many accounts, the situation which now put him in the bad book of Omojafor, the company’s chairman. Insider claimed the Chairman requested Ladipo to resign his appointment as managing Director due to his recent attitude towards work. Sources disclosed that the latest development is traceable to Ladipo’s possible distraction from being the President of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), a post he chose not to be re-elected into in the last election of the association. It was gathered that he chose not to re-contest for the post of AAAN president in his bid to concentrate on the agency, STB McCann only for him to be serve a letter by the management to resign from the agency honorably. It would be recalled that STB-McCann used to be a frontline agency which had been the cash-cow of the group, but recently, it has become a drain pipe, losing most of its businesses. After the retirement of Sir Omojafor from the day-to-day management of the company as the MD/CEO, the firm’s fortune was said to have started waning. The agency lost its best paying clients – Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestle and Swift Nsetwork among others recently.
Austin Ufomba, Coca-Cola Marketing Director Resigns Coca-cola Nigeria has lost one of its versatile and capable hands; Austin Ufomba. It was gathered that Mr. Ofomba resigned his appointment as Marketing Director after working on coca-cola brand for close to three years. As Marketing Director, Mr. Ufomba drove the marketing vision and strategy of the Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria after succeeding Kofi Amegashie who left the post he later occupied. Ofomba rejoined Coca-Cola in 2010 as Marketing Director after a two-year stint at FCMB where he served as vice president and head of brand marketing. Ufomba began his marketing career at Guinness in 1995, as a management trainee in the sales and marketing function and rose to occupy several positions in the marketing department including Brand Support Manager, Brand Manager in charge of Malta Guinness and the flagship brand, Guinness Extra Stout. In 2002, he was seconded to Diageo Plc in the UK, the parent company of Guinness Nigeria as a Global Marketing Manager. He first joined Coca-Cola Nigeria & Equatorial Africa Limited in 2005 as Strategic Marketing Manager (Flavours). In 2006 he was appointed Strategic Marketing Manager (Colas) and subsequently Strategic Marketing Manager for all Sparkling Beverages, with responsibility for building brands Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Limca and Gold Spot. Close source hinted that he might be going back to Guinness.Efforts to confirm his next move before press time proofed abortive.
Oyo State Set To Rebrand The Senator Abiola Ajmobi led Oyo state is set to rebrand with new identity. The change will be in the state colour, logo and payoff. The State Government is set to reposition the state as an investment destination for both local and foreign investors with the plan to unveil its rebranding campaign any moment from now. In an exclusive chat on the objectives of the rebranding campaign, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Bosun Oladele who gave a lecture at the AAAN 39th AGM/Congress which was held in Ibadan last weekend explained that the government intension is to blend the state’s cultural identity with its unique trade and investment strengths. He disclosed that what prompted the rebranding is the Governors’ bid to re-orientate the people of Oyo state on what to expect from the government and what they must all do to make the state a place to live. “Our intention is to sell Oyo state through a composite approach that reignites our people’s sense of pride in their state while at the same time emphasizing our key strengths in terms of our innovative trade, industrial, solid minerals, and tourism and investment policies. Morese we need to change the perception of the people in state about what they should expect form the government and how they must contribute their quota to enjoy the dividends of democracy” He added that “considering our peaceful atmosphere, efficiency of government business and an evolving regime of solid social and physical infrastructure, Oyo state is today one of the most favorable to private investment in Nigeria. We intend to sell that attribute to the world through our branding campaign” He indicated that advertising as well as other marketing platforms like outdoor, online and mobile communications would be deplored to reach the people and friends of the state within and outside Nigeria. Oyo state which the Times Magazine of London referred to as the Best Emerging place for business in Africa, is presently the state of choice when it comes to investment
AAAN: Rufai Ladipo’s Wobbly Tenure Heaps Pressure on New Executives. In a society where smooth succession is always a big challenge even among professional bodies, the surprise decision of the immediate past president of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), and former Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of STB McCann, Rufai Ladipo not to seek re-election as the AAAN President could be considered an achievement. However, close observers reveal that this “unNigerian” refusal of an incumbent executive to seek re-election might not be exclusively linked to turbulent electoral atmosphere peculiar to the Nigerian environment as most stakeholders struggled to decipher some semblance of achievements within the bland one year tenure of the Rufai Ladipo led executive . A year ago, Rufai Ladipo’s emergence had set a new industry record as he became the first employee Manager elected, as president of AAAN. This development was received with high hopes. His agency, STB- McCann also made history as the first agency in the Nigerian advertising industry to produce two presidents with Sir Steve Omojafor, Chairman, STB-McCann being a former president of the association. Regrettably, last week’s emergence of Bunmi Oke, the COO/ Executive Director of 141 worldwide, another employee manager, as the new president of the regulatory body marked the end of Rufia’s drab tenure. The election which took place in Premier Hotel in Ibadan after the 39th AGM/congress with the theme “Strategic Marketing communication and governance” was attended by industry top executives. The 2-day program had in attendance the executive governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi among other speakers who delivered pertinent issues on the marketing communication industry. A year ago when Rufai was coming into Office, top industry players like the Registrar, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi bubbling with expectations, commended the election of Mr. Rufai Ladipo as the President, (AAAN). He specifically pointed out that his antecedents which include his years of experience as former executive member of AAAN, Fellow of the Advertising Profession and Chairman, APCON Education Committee would ensure that AAAN would go places during Rufai’s tenure. He contested alongside Erhabor Emokpae, Executive Vice Chairman, Lowe Lintas and Longley Evru, MD/CEO, Angels Communications and won convincingly. At his inauguration last year, Ladipo promised to consolidate on the achievement of his predecessors, to ensure the take off of the Advertising Academy. He also promised to restructure and repackage AAAN to promote corporate responsibility, to support APCON’s reform project and to improve the human capital development in the industry through training and retraining of practitioners. From his valedictory presentation, none of the above promises was delivered; rather, what was listed as achievements was the admittance of three agencies- Fuel Communications, Creativexone Limited and Prize Communications into the body. Pundits wonder if the number was the unique factor or it was AAAN that midwifed these three agencies. Another achievement listed by Ladipo’s team was that they brought down the level of unethical conduct amongst AAAN members to a bearable level. Unarguably, the major feat of Rufai Ladipo’s administration was the effort to ensure that media stakeholders agree to resuscitate the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) project expand the scope and improve on its present deliverables. Despite all the promises, the assessment of Ladipo’s tenure by industry analysts indicate that he had a botched performance in key areas like establishing a functional Advertising Academy which he set up a board headed by Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, couldn’t hold to his promise to join AAAN with APCON in the efforts to sanitize the Advertising Profession in Nigeria. More so, he could not fulfill his major campaign promises that he is going to make sure that brand owners pay pitch fee, a practice that it is held in high esteemed in other climes among other vital issues that tally with the objective of the body that says …… It’s not far fetched why Ladipo could not go for the second term; the agency he sits atop of has consistently deteriorated since he took over from his Chairman, Sir Steve Omojafor. STB-McCann group, one of the nation’s top advertising group of companies that comprises STB-McCann Advertising and Universal McCann, a media specialist agency is now a shadow of its former self after losing most of her clients and businesses. Accounts like Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestle and Swift network among others fell off the agency’s shelves while its managing director was busy attending to the services of a regulatory body. Though, insiders claimed Ladipo had the backing of the group, especially the Chairman to run for the office of the AAAN president, his involvement at the top echelon of AAAN has not in any way improved the lots of the agency. The situation in the agency according to investigations has attracted that attention of the senior Partner- McCann global agency and insiders confirmed that a major reorganization was imminent. Just last week, exactly two days after Rufai stepped down as AAAN President; he was pushed out unceremoniously as CEO of STB MacCann. The shaky performance of the immediate past AAAN executive has put tremendous pressure on the new executive led by Bunmi Oke. Practitioners’ expectation on what Bunmi Oke’s tenure will look like is also on the high side. Most practitioners are of the opinion that her reign will full of discipline considering her calm mien among other great managerial asserts she possesses. The Social Sciences graduate from the University of Lagos began her Advertising career at Grant Advertising, where she worked as a PR Executive/Account Management trainee between 1986 and 1989. Her unique organizational and presentation skills resulted in her being moved to client service department where she worked on multinational brands like Unilever’s Blue Band Margarine, Berec Batteries, UTC, Coca-Cola amongst others. Bunmi moved to LTC Advertising (now LTC-JWT Lagos), in 1989, and spent 10years (before a brief stint as head of Account Management in Advertising Techniques (Nig) Ltd in 1991. She moved to England UK in 1992 where she worked at the West End Job Employment Centre, London. She eventually returned to Nigeria in 1993 to rejoin LTC Advertising in 1994. In 1995, Bunmi became the 1st female Client Service Director of LTC-JWT Advertising and in 1997 she became the Director/Head Client Services and Media department. She left LTC-JWT in 2000 for a “career adventure” with her family to Abuja for 4years, working in an NGO and eventually, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as the pioneer Chief Public Affairs Officer .Bunmi has been and is still on several AAAN committees including LAIF Management Board (2006 – 2010). She has been the Chairman for LAIF Awards since 2010. She is currently the only female member of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) Executive Board.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Quadrant, CentreSpreadFCB Clinch New Accounts The Nigeria marketing communication industry is getting robust as more brand owners engage the services of account handlers for proper projection of their brands. The latest of such engagement is the signing on of CentrespreadFCB to handle the advertising angle of Keystone bank and The Quadrant Company (TQC), one of the companies within TROYKA Group to now work on Dana Group. Following the recent crisis of Dana Airline, the Dana Group employed the services of Quadrant to project the public relations angle of both the airline and the group. The account, which was managed in-House by the company was said to have been clinched by Quadrant without opposition. This account joins others like Etisalat, Standard Chartered bank, Virgin Nigeria, Emirates Airline, Nigerian Breweries plc, iTouch, Champion Breweries, TSKJ Oil and Gas, among several notable brands. The Bolaji Okusaga led Quadrant Company recently won an award from the largest PR awards competition in the world, 2012 Superior Achievement in Branding and Reputation (SABRE) Award. The Quadrant Company, which started operation in 1990, is Nigeria’s first full service PR consultancy. On the part of CentreSpreadFCB, the Keystone account was clinched after keen contest from about nine agencies. CentreSpreadFCB emerged as the winner and the first job executed was to break a ‘New Dawn’ campaign with an audio/visual commercial of the bank that will hit the television screen in few weeks time. The Kola Ayanwale owned CentreSpreadFCB had worked on accounts like SkyeBank, Moneygram, and some state government among others.
Keystone Bank Rolls Out ‘Never say Never’ Campaign To strengthen the bond between the brand and its patrons, Keystone Bank has taken a fresh step towards creating a new aura around the brand. The bank launched its new campaign tagged ‘Never Say Never’, a promise to customers and commitment by the organization. Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Oti Ikomi said in the last 10 months that the bank has existed, a lot of strategies have been embarked upon to reposition the bank. “Keystone Bank has not only kept to that promise but has proved through innovation that its newness is nothing but a mark of freshness and better service offering. The new campaign is a story to inspire all stakeholders of the bank and Nigerians in general that the bank can still break into new horizons if they dare not give up. In view of the gloomy socioeconomic landscapes Nigeria is witnessing as at the moment, the campaign says that bank can only be relevant to people by inspiring them never to give up on their dreams’ he revealed. At the launch, a TVC, a brilliant execution of a modern story that it’s a wider screen ready with emotional music and world-class production was unveiled to show the bank new disposition towards challenges. Speaking on the theme and its relevance to the history of the bank, the Creative Director of CentrespreadFCB, Mr. Kenny Badmus, said it was conceived to let the banking public knows that the bank is never tired to give consumers the best. “The Television commercial is a journey of a mountaineer who keeps climbing a mountain that seems impossible to surmount. In the end, we discover that the mountain he is climbing is actually a financial graph of the Keystone. The print version of the ads looks into human history and shares the stories of great people who didn’t give up on their dreams” he claimed. Commenting on the TVC, Mr. Oti Ikomi said “That’s the spirit of our people and we can share this story because we know what it means never to say ‘never’. Look at the history of the bank, especially the fears raised by many but today, we are promoting staff.”

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Brand Ambassador: Who Really Does The Cap Fit?
Everyday, consumers are exposed to thousands of voices and images in magazines, newspapers, on billboards, websites, radio and television. Every brand attempts to steal at least a fraction of a person’s time to inform him or her of the amazing and different attributes of the product or brand at hand. The challenge of the marketer is to find a hook that will hold the subject’s attention. In helping to achieve this, brand custodians sometimes deploy the marketing devise of using celebrity endorsement or brand ambassadors to achieve their goal. Thus, celebrity endorsement in advertisement and its impact on the overall brand is of great significance. In this process, the brand owner hires celebrities from a particular field to feature in its advertisement campaigns. These celebrities are called Brand Ambassadors. A brand ambassador is usually actresses, actors, sports players, singers and similar celebrities who symbolize a brand in a positive manner and carries the message of the brand out to the public. Brand ambassadors endorse products for which they get huge royalties. They also participate in marketing and launching campaigns of the product. The management board of a company connects its product with certain qualities of the celebrities figure. The promotional features and images of the product are matched with the celebrity image, which tends to persuade a consumer to fix up his choice from a variety of brands. Although this sounds pretty simple, but the design of such campaigns and the subsequent success in achieving the desire result calls for an in-depth understanding of the product, the brand objective, choice of a celebrity, associating the celebrity with the brand, and a framework for measuring the effectiveness. Virtually all brands have one or more ambassadors in Nigeria. We have quite a number of brand ambassadors with Globacom - both in the movie and in the music industry. While other brands like Mortein insecticide has the sensation singer, Omawumi, Hapic toilet cleaner has Chioma Chukwuka Akpote, Good Mama Detergent has Funke Akindele and the list goes endless. The recent signing of the new entrant into the music industry, Davido by MTN as an ambassador to the MTN Pulse package has continued to generate controversy as some consumers are not comfortable with their idea of signing an artiste who doesn’t even have a single music album to his credit. What really is the idea behind brand ambassadorship? What are the pains and gains of the act to a brand? A brand ambassador directly interacts with potential customers and is able to give consumers more “feet on the street” without the extra cost of hiring employees all over the country. A brand ambassador can play a powerful role in the development of a brand and will definitely help emerging brands establish themselves far quicker that they otherwise might. But what most brand owners neglect is the fact that as with all communications, the wrong person could do the product and brand more harm than good. The brand ambassador relationship is, to some extent, symbiotic. It relies on PR – that’s media relations rather than public relations and unfortunately most brand owners in Nigeria are not fretful of this. Basically, a brand ambassador should be a darling of the media, the kind of person who has created a niche for him/her self in the chosen industry not just a ‘flash-in-the pan’ celebrity, whose future career blink and not well reported in the media. The signing of Saka, real name Hafeez Oyetoro by Etisalat as an ambassador was what many subscribers applauded looking at the actor’s pedigree in his chosen profession. The comic artistic attitude of Saka in all the commercials, his pedigree as a successful actor coupled with other unique qualities makes many not to question the authenticity of the free blackberry promotions. Most consumers are not against the usage of a musician as brand ambassador because many of them applauded the signing of the likes of Sammy Okposo and other talented young musicians by Globacom. Who really are the target audience of MTN pulse package? How well can Davido connect with this target audience? Though, at this point, some industry watchers and many music lovers might think he is a flash in the pan, yet only time will tell how much impact Davido will make as the face of MTN Pulse compared with the success of Saka and others who have helped their brands to drive consumer traffic. Highlighting the essence of brand ambassador, David Aaker n his book ‘Brand Leadership’ said ‘Because of their fame, celebrities serve not only to create and maintain attention but also to achieve high recall rates for today’s highly cluttered environments. Similarly, every product has an image. The consumer tries to consume a brand which has the maximum fit with his/her own personality/image. The celebrity endorser fits in between these two interactions, where he tries to bring the image of the product closer to the expectation of the consumer, by transferring some of the cultural meanings residing in his image to the product. A good brand ambassador is the one who is interested in the product that they are endorsing. The brand or product that has less competition and enjoys a good market share has less need for a brand ambassador compared with a product which has many strong competitors. What is obtainable in terms of brand ambassador in our community is slightly different as some brand owners, out of pure sentiment engaged celebrities as brand ambassadors. Commenting on the act of brand ambassadorship Yinka Olaito, an Executive with Michael Sage Consulting said there are other factors brand owner should consider when choosing a brand ambassador. His words, ‘Brand ambassador concept was first developed in the western world. It is a concept or process whereby a brand identifies a known person whose attributes aligns with its brands and selects that individual to serve as its representative. In some cases brand ambassador may be a person of influence in the market the brand has influence. So for the brand it will help to use the ambassador's goodwill to penetrate the market. Some brand ambassadors are paid while some are glad for the recognition and association. “For instance Kanu, DBanj are noted UN ambassadors.. Having said this, One huge disadvantage of this practice for the brand is appearance of character failure in a brand ambassador since the attitude of the ambassador may affect brand’s image. For example Tiger Wood immoral affairs greatly affected the brand he was associated with then. So, for the brand ambassadors, their lifestyle can affect brand positively or negatively’. He said. On the part of Muyiwa Akintunde, CEO/lead Consultant at Lead Communications he claims the motive behind having a brand ambassador is connecting with the market segments that acknowledge such an ambassador as a role model. He explained that “the more acceptable or credible the ambassador is to the core targets, the more the brand equity is enhanced. Most people would like to adopt the same lifestyle, products and services that their icons identify with. It therefore adds significantly to the bottom line of the brand in the long run”. Commenting on negative effect brand ambassador can have on a brand, Akintunde said ‘When a celebrity gets involved in scandal or otherwise loses reputation, the brand he/she represents is dragged down along in the mud, if crisis containment strategy is not immediately activated’. Brand ambassador serves as the face of the company and offers an opportunity to the company to make an excellent impression on prospects. Brand ambassador describes the qualities of the product with an impressive personality and magnetic charm as well as shape the fortune of products. The success of a brand relies on customer satisfaction, quality, marketing, and somewhat on brand ambassador. So the companies select famous personalities to endorse a product which help in building brand demarcation and rapid awareness as well as connect with the consumer. The brands and products that are launched newly get the utmost publicity and attention of the public when they have shining celebrity as brand ambassador. The brand ambassador’s positive trademarks get relocated to the brand as the patrons begin to view the brand in connection with the brand ambassador. Brand ambassadors guarantee the patrons to trust in the reliability of the brand. Brand ambassador endorse names of brand and products through interacting with sales prospects, business partners, customers and the media.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Malta Guinness Low Sugar Officially Launched Guinness Nigeria PLC has officially launched Malta Guinness Low Sugar, a new lower sugar variant of the nation’s favourite Malt drink. The event took place recently at the Darlington Hall, Lagos. According to the maker, this new variety has been developed in response to the growing demand from consumers across Nigeria for a great tasting, lower sugar variant of the nation’s number one malt drink to satisfy the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle. Mr Devlin Hainsworth, Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria PLC said: “We know that people across the country love our classic Malta Guinness. Today’s launch of Malta Guinness Low Sugar is not a replacement to the country’s number one malt drink, but an alternative offering for those people that want a lower sugar beverage that still tastes great. “We have seen that there are an increasing number of people in Nigeria who are becoming more health conscious when it comes to diet and exercise, and Malta Guinness Low Sugar will meet the demands of a lower sugar alternative on the market while still giving the same goodness of their favourite malt.” Earlier this week, Guinness Nigeria PLC also announced that Arsenal Football Club has chosen Malta Guinness to be the Official Malt Drink of the club in Nigeria for the next three years. As part of the partnership, new Malta Guinness Low Sugar will be the Official Malt Drink of the Arsenal FC tour in Nigeria in August this year. Guests at the event were thrilled to view specially recorded messages from Arsenal Football Club. Head of Global Partnerships, Vinai Venkatesham, said: “We have a huge following in Africa, and Nigeria in particular. We are looking forward to working with Malta Guinness and Guinness Nigeria to connect with our many millions of fans in the region during the tour and beyond. To kick off our partnership, we are delighted that new Malta Guinness Low Sugar will be the official malt drink of our tour in August.” Devlin Hainsworth added: “Malta Guinness is proud to partner with Arsenal FC in Nigeria and for new Malta Guinness Low Sugar to be the Official Malt Drink for Arsenal’s Tour. “The Club’s great history and exciting style of play is set to energise and inspire Nigerians when they tour here in August whether they be fans of the club, fans of football or simply fans of the good things in life. We look forward to giving them great receptions on their first ever visit to Nigeria and to showing them the passion we have for our football as well as the vitality and energy of Nigeria and its people”. Arsenal FC Club Captain, Robin van Persie delighted guests with a special pidgin message urging fan to get ready for their arrival. As part of the tour, Malta Guinness and Arsenal FC will be providing malt drink lovers across the country with a variety of opportunities to interact and get involved.
PRODUCT LAUNCH: What Determines its Success?
The very word "launch" brings with it, mental images of a forceful and powerful forward thrust that will catapult new product far ahead of the ordinary. But is it actually possible in this age of information overload to launch a product with such finesse and direction that it absolutely hits the Intended target market? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. A Product Launch is a process that has a lifecycle and this exercise is the result of years of scientific research, trial and error and precise formulas. Breaking a product launch down into its simplest terms for guaranteed success is not as difficult as some brand owners make it seems. Many people think of a product launch as an event only, something that happens with a big bang. There may very well be a launch event as part of a launch process, but it is just one of the things that are part of a successful launch. David Daniels, president of Launch Clinic in America in his book “6 Secrets to a Winning Product Launch” highlighted the following as the key factors to hosting a successful product launch. They are: matching product capabilities to market needs, clear positioning and messaging, setting clear launch goals, using the power of leverage, priming the pump, timing the launch to maximize sales. Summarizing the keys, the writer said a winning product launch starts with matching the capabilities of the product (or service) to the needs of target market. ‘You have to know that your product is solving real problem that buyers are willing to pay you to solve. You can’t just believe there is a problem that needs to be solved. A winning product launch can’t happen if the market wants one thing and you are delivering another. The perfect storm is to have your product ready, your partners screaming at you to ship, your buyers foaming at the mouth in anticipation, and the media wanting all they can get. It’s a good day’ Giving professional details on how a product launch should go, Kunle Onime, Managing Director of Marketing Promotions Company (MPC), the first indigenous experiential marketing agency in Nigeria mentioned steps to put in place to achieve a successful product launch. He highlighted basic steps that must be in place and that event launch shouldn’t be given too much priority as its common today. ‘There are basic steps that must be in place for a successful product launch and they include the prelaunch, seeding your market, obtaining endorsements among few others. The prelaunch is about planning for your product. Advertise without giving every detail away. Build some anticipation. It will work wonders. Then follow up seeding your market, how do u do this? Once you've conducted your prelaunch it's time to seed your market. Get your product into the hands of influential consumers. Offer limited trial offers, send out free products to review sites and saturate your target market with prizes, discounts and freebies. This will stimulate sales and build credibility. Obtaining endorsements gives credibility. Credibility is a key factor to product launch success. Take the time to meet with influential industry leaders, analysts and of course-the media. Let's face it, if you can get an industry leader or a highly recognized figure to put their seal of approval on the product, you are home free. The product launch event shouldn’t over shadow the whole essence of the launch and its unfortunate that what its obtainable in our society today’ he revealed. Also Demola Adedoyin, Managing Director of a group of company that has Integrated Troops as the experiential outfit is of the opinion that consistent delivery on brand promise is very salient for survival. He made mentioned of distribution and Visibility as key factors to follow immediately after product launch. ‘Product launch is to build sales momentum. Sales momentum enables your company to grow and prosper. You will add more customers, expand your influence, hire more people and grow even more momentum. When a consumer believes that you won't leave them hanging if they have a problem, your product is poised for success, that’s brand promise. A strong support base with excellent customer service will give your product the high powered forward thrust it needs. We live in an IT world; this is probably the most important step because it will keep your product from experiencing the fifteen minutes of fame syndrome. Have a killer website built that is pleasing to look at, easy to navigate and even fun. Once your site is set up, do everything you can to reach your customers and develop meaningful relationships with them. Listen to their suggestions and grow with the changing times. Website is a 'must have' in today's ruthless market. Distribution and visibility are key factors. Why will you launch a product that in the next few months you can see it again in the market? i don’t want to mention names but there are a lot of such in this country’ he claimed On his part, the Managing Director of Neo Media & Marketing Limited, Ehi Braimah who recently launched the new Omo Multiactive detergent is of the opinion that the launch event should be given appropriate consideration and there must be comparison of market share before and after the event. ‘The Launch event should be considered. Its all about Where, When and How the launch will be done. Key Industry Personnel should present at the Launch because this will serve to promote credibility for brand image and third party endorsements. The quality of PR coverage received also is key. Scope of amplification and talkability generated and availability of the product in the market after the launch must not be ignored. Another thing that must be considered with product launch is that the creative direction of the advertising and media deployment pattern must be the one that matches the product. Then the brand owner can ask:: will the launch influence favorable long term perception? Consumer engagement activities after the launch and how the product gets to consumer must to be taken with levity. There must be comparison of market share before and after the event to determine the future of the product’. David Tyreman,a brand expert who launched the likes of Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, Guess and Disney some years ago said before launching new product there are considerations that must be accounted for to assure product launching success. On his blog, he mentioned factors that are very important as they consequently mold the assets of sales after launching. ‘(1)Timing of the launch You may want to launch your product as an add-on to a product you are already launching. Try to avoid launching a new product at the same time your competitors do unless you are sure that your products is far more superior to theirs. (2)Introductory price A great idea is to lower your preceding price for the launch period, then conjure it again later. Every choice has its pros and cons, and you must think hard about this particular factor. (3)Relevance Maybe your product was relevant at the time of its conception but this may have changed at the time of the launching, you should always keep your finger on the pulse of the market and target audience, so that even if your product loses some of its relevance, you can fix the problem with a few tweaks here and there before the launch.(4) offering a second item on the purchase receipt of the first item Perhaps you should think about allowing your customers to return faulty new products after launches and immediately give them a working replacement. This will remove any bad feelings about the business or the product and will help your launch success despite having a bumpy start.’ He concluded with these words ‘Be careful not to force or pressure people to buy from you. Your launch campaign should meet potential customers where they are and move them through the buying process. Remember that people are interested in your product because it solves a problem in their lives. In addition it will take consistent, sequenced communication to increase their buying interest. How will your launch campaign help people move along the buying process should be your primary target’.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

‘WE ARE THE LEADING WINE & SPIRIT DISTRIBUTOR IN NIGERIA’ – Wilson Theodore Roosevelt, 26th American president, youngest ever though said “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it”. These words rightly describe, Paul Wilson, the Managing Director of Brain Munro Limited, makers of the famous Campari spirit. Paul Wilson’s leadership style is like that of Mahatma Gandhi who said leadership is not about muscles but it means getting along with people. In this exclusive interview, the MD, who treats his members of staffs as one big family, reveals the secret of the success of brands in Brain Munro’s spirit and wine collections, and gave details about the ongoing promotions on Campari among other issues. Excerpt You’ve been in the Nigerian market since the 60’s but you’ve been silent. Is this your selling tactics or strategy? We have a dichotomy, a manufacturing company where we produce our own range of nutritional products. And in addition to that, we import a wide range of wine and premium spirit. Which we‘ve been doing from the 60’s. Its not necessarily our startegy. We are not an ostentatious company; we’ll like to think while our brands do the talking for us, Brain Munro is really about that premium brand. We can say with complete confidence that no brand that Brain Munro handles is anything other than a premium global brand. What Brain Munro enjoys is a good reputation, code of conduct and a good ethical behavior in the trade and the market place. We don’t blow our trumpets, we like our products to speak for themselves. We are the leading spirit and wine distributor, even in Africa. Which are the brands that you have under Brain Munro? Starting with the premium spirits, we have the Campari groups of spirits which include Campari, a brand that has been in Nigeria for many years. We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of Campari and with its wonderful profile; these products have been known in the Nigerian market. We also have whiskey, American honey (a mixture of whiskey and honey etc. We also have a wide range of Faustino wine and spirit, the popular B&G wine with many varients How challenging has it been operating in Nigeria? Life is full of challenges. There are lots of challenges and it’s been competitive; It’s been challenging especially since the subsidy removal issue began and one has to economize with minimal budget. Brain Munro has been in Nigeria for 60years now and we try to promote our brand in spite of these challenges. In your words, what gives you the competitive edge in the Nigeria? We have a lot of experience, our staffs are well trained and highly motivated people. I think we have a well rounded strategy and work with credible people who are loyal; it’s a good chemistry How have you been combating counterfeits of your products? That’s a very good question. Our products are hard to be faked and we advise our customers to be vigilant. Another thing is that we work very closely with the traders in order to detect counterfeit products. But the most important thing is that if you have a quality brand and its in supply, you don’t give room for counterfeits. It is important that as you build brand you popularize them in the market place. You also support the distribution channels. One can never say that 100% you can keep mischief makers out. If you can provide good products and sustain its availability in the market, then you can curb the activities of counterfeits. Lets talk about Campari, You are presently running a consumer based promo, what propels such a promo? Campari is a well established brand in Nigeria. Its the first choice quality drink in the Alcohol and Spirit category to launch a Consumer and Trade promotion across five major cities in Nigeria. These cities are Lagos, Aba, Onitsha, Port Harcourt and Warri. The 8 weeks promo aims at rewarding Campari loyal consumers and stockist it kicked off on the 28th of March 2012 and will end on the 28th of May 2012. The Promo is taking place in open markets, grocery supermarkets and bars. Campari is an alcoholic spirit obtained from an infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruits in alcohol and water with its distinct color and flavor. It comes in 20cl and 100cl bottle. For the Trade promo, wholesalers and retailers will be encouraged to stock and creatively display Campari; points will be awarded to traders daily based on the quantity and creativity of Campari displayed. Prizes to be won by traders with the highest creative display are Deep freezers, Generators, Nokia phones, to mention a few. For the Consumer Dare To Mix promo, consumers will be encouraged to purchase shots and bottles of Campari, which they can mix with their Beer, Stout or Chapman. Consumers who purchase a shot of Campari will be issued one raffle ticket; the purchase of 20cl bottle will attract three raffle tickets and face cap; the purchase of 100cl bottle will attract seven raffle tickets, T shirt and face cap. Consumers are to keep their corks safely to exchange with raffle tickets at designated Campari Dare To Mix Collection Centre’s. There will be weekly draw in each city at a designated location where prizes to be won includes; I-pads, Blackberry Phones. At the end of promotion, a grand draw will be held in Lagos where a winner will emerge to win the grand prize of a brand new Kia Rio. We think that if we have broad base grass root approach, it will create brand awareness. We like to reward and engage the retailer and distributors of our products. There has been a very nice display around the market and I’m confident it is doing well. Apart from the promo we are support other activities the will add to the mileage of Campari. One of such is with the Organizer of Anioma Cultural Festival for this year. The Anioma cultural festival is an annual event of the Anioma people of Delta State organized by OFAAC to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the people. The sponsorship was born out of the desire to promote the rich culture and historical achievement of the Anioma people. Campari being a brand with a strong heritage, it is important that we recognize the significance of culture in the overall development of a nation. This year’s Anioma cultural festival which was the 9th edition, show cased dance, songs, drama, traditional wrestling and folklores to remind fun lovers present the rich culture of the state and Campari, an alcoholic spirit obtained from the infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water which is nature too was happy to be part of it. Apart from keeping the equity of Campari as a brand, what are your plans to bring other brands of the company to the same level in the face of consumers? Campari is just one brand in our stables and we are have several others, our job is to make sure that every brands is as big or even bigger than Campari, we started the journey with B&G red wine and we have seen transformation on the brand, it’s now an household name in the wine industry. We are transforming Campari brand and we are looking at every opportunity possible.we have started the journey with Campari and with time it will be the turn of other brands on our shelves. In five years from now, as the managing director of Brain Munro, what are your projections for the company? We will continue to be the leading wine and spirit brand in Nigeria, and my projection is that Campari becomes the number one. The essence of the campaign is to showcase the product which has a great quality; It has a very unique flavor. It has the potential of being the number one brand in the federation of Nigeria.
ECOBANK INAUGURATES OMNI In direct response to the newly introduced Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Cash-lite policy, Ecobank launches a new product Ecobank OMNI, an integrated electronic banking platform designed to provide cash management solutions for corporate customers. Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Jubril Aku said Ecobank Omni offers a comprehensive suite of flexible online Cash Management solutions – all designed to enhance productivity, manage cash flow and maintain efficient management of a company’s working capital cycle. Ecobank is now a stronger bank with presence in all the 36 states of the federation. “We carry out your banking transactions at any of the more than 600 Ecobank Nigeria branches across the combined network in Nigeria, making your banking more convenient and more accessible.” “Customers can now use their debit (ATM) cards free of transaction charges across all 890 Ecobank ATMs as well as use their debit cards free of charge at all POS terminals in the country.” He added. The Group Corporate Bank Head, Charles Kie said Ecobank is bringing you a world of added convenience, better, simpler, faster, and safer banking with OMNI, corporate internet banking platform. He said the product comes as a direct response from the constructive feedbacks received from Ecobank’s numerous customers - corporate, institutional and public sector. “We are grateful for the continued partnership with Ecobank. In each of our markets in Africa, the Ecobank Group differentiate ourselves by making customer focused products and services. OMNI is the latest addition to why we make value added products to cater for the needs of our customers. “With the introduction of the CBN cash-lit policy, this product will modernize the hand to hand payment of our people. “This product ensures the ability to initiate a wide range of payment instructions such as transfers between accounts at Ecobank, domestic inter-bank transfers, cross-border or international transfers, and cheques or drafts in local and foreign currency. “Multiple payments and currencies within one file upload for processing of payments out of accounts in different countries. Beneficiary Remittance Advices with references fully captured” he said. The Head, Corporate Products, Ecobank, Emile Sagna explained the key features of the product. He said it has customizable workspace supported by local language and time zone, with comprehensive, but easy to use intuitive navigation. On the Integrated access, he said it has single sign-on giving access to information on accounts at Ecobank or other banks. Multi-geography,multi-language, multi-currency and fully integrated. It Supports all your payments, collections and liquidity management needs. On the System Security of the product, it has multiple tiers of firewall to prevent unauthorized access to our servers. 128 bit SSL encryption – Secure communication protocol that encrypts client information during transmission over the internet. “Role-based security implementation with each user configured to access certain accounts or perform specific tasks as per their designation within the company, “he said. He noted “that it has real-time transaction information and customized reports for reconciliation, planning or forecasting. Statements are available on operating, investment and loan accounts. Information on transaction history can be downloaded in formats including CSV (comma separated values), Excel, PDF, AFB 120 and MT 940. MT940 reporting and download is both on Ecobank accounts and also on accounts at other banks. Same cross country, multi-geography reporting into a single base currency and balance reporting.”

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Heineken Thrilled Fun Lovers At Intercontinental Night 25th Anniversary Poised to align its premium value to event that depicts what it stands for, Heineken, a premium Intercontinental lager brand sold in over 170 countries thrilled fun lovers present at this year edition of Intercontinental Night. Heineken represented Holland, its home country at the event which took place at the Lagos Motor Boat Club. The all night socio-cultural event had nationals of various countries in attendance showcasing food, drinks, culture, dance and more from each participating countries with the aim of exhibiting and promoting intercultural relations. The night, according to Kehinde Ebuoma, Assistant Brand Manager, Heineken who represented Jacqueline Van Faassen, Senior Brand Manger, Heineken was filled with fun and fanfare as guests moved from stand-to-stand sampling delectable cuisines from participating countries and sharing cultural tips of their country with people from other countries. Her words “This event, which has in attendance hundreds of foreign nationals is another way for Heineken, a premium beer to connect with its consumers across the world. Heineken is sponsoring this events is in tune with it’s tagline, ‘Open Your World’: opening consumers’ world to connect to other people from different cultural background to see many things around the world to show that there is much around that can be shared together”. Also speaking at the event was Brain Hills, ex-commodore of the Lagos Motor Boat Club who applauded Nigeria Breweries Plc, makers of Heineken lager beer for the unsurpassed initiative of been one of the prominent sponsors. He said ‘what can I say than to say thank you Heineken? Thank you for helping to bring various nationalities together to share culture amidst fun. To us at the boat club we are glad to have the premium beer, Heineken to be part of us again, we are really glad” Apart from guests including tourists from different nations and members of the Lagos Motor Boat Club and their families, moving around freely, gyrating to the sweet music from the disc jockey, the highlight of the night was the food tasting segment where guests were allowed to go round the stands of any country of their choices to taste the foods and beverages on display at no cost. Nations represented include: Lebanon, Indonesia, Scotland, United States of America, South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, England, India, China, Spain, Republic of Benin, Holland etc. Another interesting part was when there were presentations of prizes to the best decorated stand which had England coming first and Switzerland and Lebanon coming second and third respectively. The Heineken’ stand at the occasion was however the busiest as majority of the guests, kept besieging the stand for refreshing glasses of free chilled Heineken beer. The Intercontinental Night is an annual international cultural display that brings people of different climes together under the ambience of fun, leisure and festivity. It is organized annually by the Lagos Motor Boat Club which has been in establishment for 25 years.