marketing world - issue 26 | 2015

Contentsw w w . m a r k e t i n g w o r l d m a g . c o m

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182612

Keith Weed,Unilever's chief marketing &communications officer

Olaseni Ashiru Head Of Corporate Affairs Nigerdock Nigeria PLC

30 34Henry Alade,Managing Director,Impact Direct

Tori AbiolaMD Montgomery West Africa

3216

First Bank, 5 other banks partnerUni�ed Payments to implementPayAttitude

Dana Motors unveil made inNigeria all-new Kia Sorento

Diamond Bank LaunchesDiamond Y’ello Debit Card

Mobile Advertising Spend to Reach$105Bn Globally by 2019

NICHE CARVERS Launches VirtualBillboard Mobile Application

Companies Should ValueMarket Research-THOMAS WALKER MD TNS RMS

Group Publisher

Akin Naphtal

Group Editor

Kehinde Olesin

Contribu�ng Editors

David Ajao

Terry Washington

Crea�ve Manager

Isaac Agyeman-Duah

Crea�ve Officer

Lawrence Otoo

Associate Editor, Ghana

Carol Hogan Bassey

IT& Research

Henry Gyedu

IT/Business Reporters IT/Business Reporters

Derrick N.A Tagoe Tope Ajayi

Deborah Arthur

Social Media Execu�ve Business Development Execu�ve

Julius Ofori Boadu Gina Ibeh

GH: 271 Telecom Junction Dome, Accra - GhanaMob: +233 208 910 380, Tel: +233 302432849

NIG 3a, Shomoye TejuoshoClose, off OgunmodedeStreet, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos Tel: +234 1 291 5803, Mob: +234 806 3603521,+234 8161342518

UK Unit 2, Anchor Bay Ind. Estate Manor Road, Erith, Kent, DA8 2QA Tel: +44 777 510 9698 [email protected] www.instinctwave.com

Liability

While every care has been taken in the preparation

of this magazine, the publishers cannot be respon-

sible for the accuracy of information in herein, or

any consequence arising from it.

MobileWorld is a controlled circulation magazine

and not available on newsstand. It is free to quali-

fied readers worldwide.

c Instinct Wave 2014

No part of this publication may be used, copied or

reproduced without prior consent of the publisher.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Kehinde OlesinGroup Editor

rands can thrive for

years if associated

products are reliable,

the logo is instantly

recognizable and the

s l o g a n s a r e

infectious. However, in a competitive

marketplace where customers yield to

mercurial tastes and shifting loyalties, a

brand that once enjoyed devotion can

be vanquished… However, no brand has

to die without a fight. Brands can live

again depending on whether expert

resuscitation is applied in time and with

the right savvy.

Death of a brand ‘doesn’t have to be

permanent. The Volkswagen Beetle

came back, and the mostly localised

lager beer in Nigeria, Trophy, is winning

international awards. Many thanks to

brand owners who allowed huge

investment(in the case of Trophy) and

catered for the cult followers adequately.

The moment you star t to notice

stagnancy, shrinking customer base,

disappearing profit and old and

boring identity, then you need to get

something done.

Brands can get on their feet again! They

can be revived, whether by original

owners, descendents of founders or

entrepreneurs who want to buy the

brand as an intellectual property in

hopes of capitalizing on what's left of the

brand recognition.

You can start by leveraging on the

memories. For instance, if a brand has

been successful at any point in time, play

on the nostalgia. Keep the logo, keep the

tagline, re-record the catchy jingle, but

update the relevance. Many emotional

buyers will be willing to give revived

products a try based on sentimentality

alone.

There is also every need to reinforce

positive associations. Before rolling out

the revived brand, do market studies to

see what traits people most remember

about the ghost brand and which traits

have made the best impressions. Expand

the associated product line to give

customers more options.

You also have to make the product

innovative and contemporary. Many

products fail because they don't make

use of new technology, new trends, new

directions. Change what's dated about

the product and make it modern while

still familiar. Pitch the product as the

same, but better.

Partnering with more successful brands

could give a brand being resuscitated a

big climb. Don't attempt to resuscitate

your brand in a vacuum. If you are

reviving a toothpaste brand you can

partner with a well known toothpaste,

sell in a mini pack with the toothpaste or

even give promotional packs.

Finally, many brands die after failing to

properly identify their niche market. The

benefit of the death is that it reveals who

the target audience should have been

and where the potential niche market

lies. Nearly every dead brand has a

group who laments its demise, and

clamour for its return. Upon revival,

identify and cater specifically to that cult

following. Don't mind who they are but

just have faith they have never left you

and will never leave you. They are your

brand followers. They are loyalists. Zero

in on the l i festyle of the cult in

advertising and special events in order

to redefine your market. These zealots

can be persuaded to create a frenzy

around the re-launch; make them

ambassadors who will host product

parties or pass out coupons and freebies

as part of a street team. The word-of-

mouth in their offline and online

communities alone will buoy sales and

begin rebuilding audience interest and

loyalty.

In no time your brand will sprout to live

and you can be bold on the shelves

again. You brand surely has a new life to

live.

Have a happy read.

Getting Your BrandOn Its Feet Again

B

5www.marketingworldmag.com

Visa's NotATourist Campaign Unleashes theImagination of travellers to Africa

V i s a , a

g l o b a l

payments

technolog

y company, has announced the

launch of 'NotATourist', an

i n n o v a � v e , f u l l - fl e d g e d

regional campaign aimed at

driving interna�onal tourism

during holidays, and making

the summer ho l idays o f

c a r d h o l d e r s r e w a r d i n g .

Running in key Middle East and

African markets including,

I v o r y C o a s t , C a m e ro o n ,

Democra�c Republic of Congo

(DRC) and Senegal un�l 31

August, 2015.

The NotATourist campaign is

designed to inspire travel

beyond the regular tourist sites

t o s a v o u r t r u l y l o c a l

experiences that are the

e s s e n c e o f m a k i n g a

des�na�on unique.

Downloading the Visa Explore

Applica�on from Apple Store

or Google Play will ensure that

travellers will stay informed

with the most updated Visa

offers and opportuni�es, ATM

l o c a � o n s , a n d v a l u a b l e

informa�on for cardholders.

N o t ATo u r i s t a l s o o ff e r s

t rav e l l e rs a p l a �o r m t o

describe the many facets of a

des�na�on by sharing their

own images, videos, posts and

comments, making them

ambassadors or tour guides of

their favourite travel spots.

Visa wil l supplement the

crowdsourced content with

essen�al travel informa�on

and its global merchant offers

across des�na�ons.

“Travellers o�en desire a taste

of local culture and a�rac�ons

that are hard to find in travel

books or with a guided tour.

The #NotATourist campaign

tries to build on this desire, by

connec�ng people and their

e x p e r i e n c e s t h r o u g h

unleashing the imagina�on of

the traveller to interact with

the beauty of the des�na�on,”

says Karim Beg, Head of

Marke�ng at Visa Middle East

and North and West, Central

Africa. “The most important

highlight of this campaign

is that we are able to

communicate with the

h e a r t s a n d m i n d s o f

African travellers and help

t h e m a p p r e c i a t e t h e

hidden treasures of the

places they visit.

“As a global payments

technology company, we

believe in the power and

r e a c h o f m o b i l e

applica�ons, to tap in to

the large popula�on of

smart phone users, mostly

m i l l e n n i a l s w h o c a n

effec�vely influence other

aspira�onal travellers in

the same age group.”

The #NotATourist campaign

�es in with Visa's efforts to

promote tourism in Africa,

through partnerships with

government author i�es ,

financial ins�tu�ons and

merchants.

Beg added: “The Visa Global

Travel Inten�ons Study 2015

shows that travellers are more

digital-savvy than ever before,

with 78% of global travellers

using digital informa�on while

planning their trips, and 66%

resor�ng to digital sources for

travel �ps at the des�na�on.

T h i s i s a p h e n o m e n a l

representa�on of the impact

of digital engagement on the

travel sector, and one of the

main drivers for our efforts

with NotATourist. Besides

driving home the message of

safe and convenient payments

with Visa at target markets, we

also want NotATourist to start a

conversa�on with people on

easy, unique and fulfilling

cross-border travel.”

V


n a bid to

d r i v e t h e

C e n t r a l

B a n k o f

N i g e r i a ' s

( C B N ) ' s

F i n a n c i a l

S y s t e m

Strategy 2020, a consortium of six

banks have inaugurated the

Unified Payments' electronic

money transaction scheme known

as PayAttitude.

First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Zenith

Bank, Access Bank, Diamond Bank,

Skye Bank and United Bank of

Nigeria, last week, restated their

c o m m i t m e n t t h r o u g h t h i s

c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h U n i fi e d

Payments to make it an objective

to drive innovation in service

del iver y, convenient mobile

payment system and making

Nigeria's financial system the

“safest and fastest growing among

emerging markets.”

PayAttitude guarantees sub-

scr ibers the confidence and

comfort of successful mobile

payment for goods and services at

merchant locations at all times,

notwithstanding the challenges of

t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n o r

unavailability of network in the

merchant's bank or the customer's

bank.

With this solution, transactions are

authorised offline up to the value

of the customer's mobile wallet

subscription with the bank. To

guard against fraud or unauthor-

ised access, PayAttitude transac-

t ions are Chip and Pin

e n a b l e d a n d h o l d e r ' s

unique Pin must be entered

on the acceptance device

before transactions are

approved. The PayAttitude

tag is carried on the mobile

phone and suits the lifestyle

of mobile phone users,

being convenient for retail

transactions by tapping the

phone against the PoS

terminal.

The GMD/CEO, First Bank,

Bisi Onasanya, who spoke at

the official launch of the

p ro d u c t , a ffi r m e d t h a t

U n i fi e d Pa y m e n t s a n d

PayAttitude would redefine

the domestic payments

ecosystem that had been

p l a g u e d b y n u m e r o u s

challenges.

According to him, First Bank

is working to constantly provide

dynamic and relevant solutions

that will improve the lifestyle of its

customers while ensuring the

safety and security of their funds.

Meanwhile, he noted that with the

developments in the electronic

money industry, it has become

imperative for the payments

industry to look inward for a

solution that wil l guarantee

successful retail payments of PoS

terminals without depending

w h e r e o n l i n e r e a l - t i m e

communication is not required

between the acceptance device

and the customers' accounts in the

bank.

I

First Bank, 5 other banks partner UniedPayments to implement PayAttitude


n preparation for this year's Young

L i o n s

Competition,

B D C o n s u l t

L i m i t e d ,

N i g e r i a ,

t a l e n t e d ,

y o u n g a n d

h i g h l y

c re a t i ve P R

professionals Priscilla Adeboye and

Ebun Owoyele Amusan have

e m e rg e d w i n n e r s o f t h e P R

Category of the award which

climaxed at the PRCAN Secretariat,

Maryland, Lagos.

Th e yo u n g w i n n e r s w i l l b e

representing Nigeria at the Cannes

Lions Festival holding in Cannes,

France, in June, 2015.

T h e P R t e a m j o i n i n g t h e

competition was given 24 hours to

create a PR Plan for the South

A f r i c a ' s N a t i o n a l t o u r i s m

Promotion that would recover

South Africa's negative perception

by promoting the countr y 's

tourism endowment as a reason to

invest in South Africa.

The idea of BD Consult Limited

becoming the winner of the PR

category of the Young Lions was

premised on the fact that the

organization through their PR Plan

demonstrating how PR can be

effectively used for recovering the

p e r c e p t i o n o f S o u t h A f r i c a

internally and among relevant

stakeholders in respect to the

adverse impact that xenophobia

has on the billions of tax payers'

money spent to win investments to

the country.

Th e h i g h l y c re at i ve e nt r i e s ,

adjudged outstanding by the jury

and regulators, attest to the fact

that the Nigeria PR industry are

breeding a new crop of highly

creative professional minds giving

hope of a future ensured for the PR

and advertising industry.

In his remarks, PRCAN President

and a member of the jury, Mr. John

Ehiguese said that the various

juries were encouraged as the

quality of materials received which

is a great sign that the industry is

making progress.

He revealed that it was a close call

as all the young professionals'

d e m o n s t r a t e d g o o d

understanding and grasp of the

brief and came up with exciting

ideas.

Speaking on the award won, Mr.

Tola Bademosi, Managing Director,

BD Consult said his team through

their plan have demonstrated high

level of creativity, Manner of

p r e s e n t a t i o n , t e a m s p i r i t ,

confidence and in-depth insight to

the brief.

He noted that this plan need to be

applauded and adopted globally

as it might be the best plan to

revamp South Africa's Tourism

industry.

On their performance, Priscilla

Adeboye said “We are very proud of

our work, and we are especially

thrilled to go to Cannes and

compete against the best in the

industry. “Not only will we be able

to compete in the Young Lions

competition, but we will also be

able to gather more experience

through the creative work that's

being done by other countries.”

BD Consult wins Nigeria PRYoung Lions Competition

I


Thomas Walker Managing Director Tns Rms


What are the values that have made TNS RMS stand out as a world leader in consumer measurement?

hen I

think

abou

t TNS

globa

l l y

a n d

a l s o

here in Nigeria, one of the core

values is integrity. We stand for

doing high quality work on

behalf of our c l ients and

bringing impactful insights that

h e l p t h e m g r o w t h e i r

businesses. Integrity, honesty

a n d t r a n s p a r e n c y a r e

paramount.

Secondly, it is about proven

expertise and know how, and

bringing our best thinking to

our clients. This is one of the key

benefits of working with TNS.

We have over 10,000 associates

around the world and we pride

ourselves on being able to tap

into this vast knowledge bank

and translating it into tangible

value for our clients.

Another hallmark of TNS RMS is

that we go the last mile with our

clients. It is quite important to

u s t h a t o u r c l i e n t s g e t

maximum return on their

investment in insights. We are

there to support our clients to

move beyond insight and into

action so they can grow their

business. And we have a solid

track record of delivering on

this promise which is what

makes us a global leader.

What is your assessment of the market research industry in Nigeria?In my opinion, the market

research industr y is quite

mature and well established in

Nigeria. Interestingly, it is also

an industr y undergoing a

massive transformation that is

very much in its infancy. For

example, Nigeria is historically a

paper based market. However,

in the last few years advances in

t e c h n o l o g y h a v e

fundamentally shifted how we

collect information. It is also

creating new ways to interact

w i t h a n d u n d e r s t a n d

consumers, and enabling us to

deliver insights virtually real

time.

The industry in Nigeria is faced

w i t h a n e v e r i n c r e a s i n g

demand to provide rich insight

for decision making. As the

market leader, we are investing

heavi ly to accelerate the

development of a deep bench

of talent and expertise in the

market to deliver against this

n e e d . T h i s i s c r i t i c a l f o r

c o n t i n u e d i m p a c t a n d

influence in the boardroom.

While it is early days, we are

building strategic partnerships

with University of Ibadan and

Lagos Business School, and also

creating internship programs

to attract top talent to our

industry.

Do you think the government can help in any way?I believe the government can

and should play a prominent

role in demonstrating the value

of research and insight when it

c o m e s t o m a k i n g p o l i c y

decisions. As an example, TNS

RMS have a long standing

relationship with Lagos State

Government. When priorities

and action plans are debated

and decisions made at the

Cabinet level, the issues are first

informed by the voice of the

citizens of Lagos. This will

become critical increasingly

important for government in

Nigeria. How can politicians

and leaders make qual ity

decisions if they have not

listened to the people they are

meant to represent?

W h a t a r e t h e m a j o r projections /forecast your company has for the Sub Sahara, especially Nigeria as regards consumers' trends?As the giant of Africa, Nigeria

has been catapulted onto the

global stage. The idea of

upward economic mobility and

dynamism is more alive in

Nigeria than ever before. If you

l o o k c l o s e l y a t N i g e r i a n

consumers, there is a real

tension between stepping into

a new future while preserving

past traditions. There is a deep

belief among Nigerians that

one's social and financial

standing is merely temporary

W

Companies Should ValueMarket Research-THOMAS WALKER MD TNS RMS


and that wealth and prosperity

are attainable by al l . This

presents a great opportunity for

brands to offer products and

services that allow consumers

t o a c c e s s s m a l l d o s e s o f

aspiration.

How in�uential do you think your researches have been to t h e m a r k e t i n g a n d advertising sector in Nigeria?Just to give you a quick bit of

background, RMS has been in

this market for over 35 years, so

we established the market

research industry in terms of

actually showing companies –

multi-nationals and SMEs – the

value of research. TNS RMS is

b u i l d i n g o n t h e s t r o n g

reputation that exists within the

Nigerian market. We have and

continue to work closely with

our clients to engage their

target consumers, listen and

understand their needs, and

t h e n d e v e l o p

recommendations to connect

brand with consumers.

What impact does the social media or the new media in general has on your activities?For us, it means that we have to

think differently, develop new and

innovative solutions, and build

new skills and new capabilities.

Social media listening is just one of

the new ways we can unlock

consumer insight. Instead of going

out and asking consumers what

they think, we now have the ability

to tap into the conversations that

are already happening online. This

has been an area of significant

investment for us over the last few

years. One example of a new

solution we have developed is

t a k i n g m a s s i v e a m o u n t s o f

unstructured data in the social

media world, putting it into a

structure to make sense of it all, and

the using it to predict brand equity

and share shifts.

We also believe the mobile devices

opens up an entirely new way of

thinking about how to engage

consumers. Within that last year,

we have launched a set of mobile-

based solutions that enable us to

understand brand equity in-the-

moment where the brand choice is

made. Our view is that tracking

programs that rely solely on recall

based questions, and fai l to

integrate social media and other

listening systems, will more often

than not be doing more harm than

good.

Could you please tell me what do you love about this job? Has it affected any particular area of your life?The most rewarding aspect of my

job is the opportunity to work

closely with people from a diverse

s e t o f b a c k g r o u n d s a n d

experiences. I love being out

t a l k i n g w i t h c l i e n t s a n d

understanding their challenges

and finding solutions. For me, it is

very rewarding to see ideas come

to life and move people and

organizations closer to achieving

their goals and aspirations.

It is also an honor and a privilege to

work with a team of such talented

and passionate people. If it were

not for them, TNS RMS would not

be the market leader it is today. I

love the fact that each and every

day I get to rub minds with the

b e s t a n d b r i g h t e s t i n o u r

industry.

I am not sure if this position has

changed me but it certainly

motivates me to be the best I can

be for my team and our clients. I

t ru ly enjoy helping others

achieve th

eir personal and professional

goals.

What interest you outside the office, what do you love doing?Well, I need to get into football

which is the major sport in

Nigeria. However, being from the

States, my version of football is

played in shoulder pads and a

helmet. I enjoy spending time

with my wife and three children.

Beyond that, I enjoy golf.

How do you relax apart from the family and any other thing?Reading a book or playing video

games with my kids. I am still a

gamer at heart.

So you are indoor person?I love the outdoors too. We enjoy

going to beaches and traveling

across Nigeria and abroad. I like

v a r i e t y a n d n o t b e i n g s o

predictable. It helps keep things

interesting and keeps us in a mode

of experiencing and learning new

things. Nigeria is a place where you

can do this if you are willing to

explore.

Co u l d yo u p l e a s e d e s c r i b e yourself in three words?Honest. Adventurous. Driven.


n i l e v e r ' s

S u s t a i n a b l e

Living Plan has

b e c o m e a

benchmark for

e n l i g h t e n e d

marke�ng. Will

achieving the

targets it sets out also drive an

increase in your products' market

share?

Keith Weed: Our brands have an exci�ng and fundamental part to play in our sustainable growth agenda. They are used by 2bn consumers a day and are in homes all round the world.

W e k n o w t h a t c o n s u m e r s increasingly want brands with purpose – and that purpose delivers growth.

We know that consumers increasingly want brands with purpose – and that purpose delivers growth

Just look at some of the insight: responsible-consump�on products will account for 70% of total grocery growth in the US and Europe over the next five years (according to Boston Consul�ng Group). In the US alone, responsible-consump�on products have grown about 9% annually in the past three years.We also know that sustainability is par�cularly important for the millennial genera�on. For our brands, we are seeing par�cular growth in sales for those that have built purpose and sustainability into their brand mixes.

Some great examples include our brand Kissan. We moved [over] to sustainably sourced tomatoes and

helped propel Kissan to become the number-one ketchup in th is category in India. And if you look across our por�olio at brands with a clear social purpose – such as Lifebuoy (with its handwashing agenda), Dove (with its important work on self-esteem) and Domestos (with its sanita�on programme, building toilets in developing markets) – they have all grown consistently over the past four years.

Consumers are asking us to help them live more sustainably and we can do this.

Changing consumer behaviour is at

the heart of achieving these goals.

What role is marketing playing in

shifting consumer sentiment?Unilever's Project Sunlight, which we launched in 2013, very much sits at the heart of this. Through this

Unilever's Keith Weed: Brands WithPurpose Deliver Growth

U


movement, we have connected with 100m consumers who say living more sustainably matters to them.In 2014, the programme heard directly from young people across the world [about] their vision for change. In the UK, we partnered Oxfam UK's Poverty Programme on t h e # c l e a r a p l a t e t o d o n a t e campaign to address the issue of hunger by donating more than half a million meals to families in need.Across India, Indonesia and Brazil, the focus of Project Sunlight was water, sanitation and hygiene projects. And it will continue to engage with people in a tangible, relevant way and raise awareness of social and environmental issues.

There's never been a better time, either: 2015 is a crucial year on the global stage, with talks to agree sustainable-development goals to improve people's lives around the world and, later in the year, to find a binding deal on tackling climate change.It's about taking people along the journey with us and empowering them to be part of the change they wish to see. And, of course, social media is a key platform in this.

Do you worry about appearing to preach to your customers and therefore alienating them? S o m e c o n s u m e r s w o u l d question why the brand they buy has the right to dictate the length of their shower. What would you say to that?For us, this isn't about preaching,

but more about encouraging small

steps toward a positive, more

sustainable way of l iving for

consumers.

Innovation is a core driver of this: we can help through the way we design our products – and we have seen positive responses from consumers. We haven't patented our packaging-reduction technology, so others can use it too.For example, our compressed deodorants – the same amount of product but in a smaller can – use

25% less aluminium and half as much propellant gas, so they have a reduced environmental footprint, are lighter and more portable. Or take Comfort One Rinse, which uses two-thirds less water, or dry shampoo that does not require any water. They conserve water, but also meet consumer needs – 2.8bn people live in water-deprived areas today and that number will only increase.

So, we believe that the demand is growing and people are looking for ways to enable them to live more sustainably. Why would you not buy a product that works really well and also does good?U l t i m a t e l y , w e a r e r a i s i n g

aw a re n e s s o f g l o b a l i s s u e s ,

p r o v i d i n g p e o p l e w i t h a

sustainable solution, and it is their

choice as to which brands they

want to buy.

Refocusing your brands on their

p o w e r f o r g o o d h a s h a d a

phenomenal impact. How has this

shift affected the way you market

your brands?

Yes, it's exciting what is possible – we have the opportunity to drive change at scale, and can be even m o r e e ff e c t i v e t h r o u g h partnerships.Take Lifebuoy (above), for example. Our handwash changes colour from white to green in 10 seconds, the time it takes to protect against 99.9% of germs. Children wait for the colour change [before they rinse their hands] and therefore are protected. Launched in India, Indonesia and other markets in Asia and Africa, this is an example of what our consumers want and a way of helping to tackle disease.

In tandem, Lifebuoy runs the world's largest hygiene-promotion programme, which aims to change the handwashing behaviours of 1bn people by 2020. We do this closely with partners such as Oxfam and UNICEF, which can help to deliver the programme within communities. So people really understand the purpose of that

brand when they buy it – a product to buy and an idea to buy into.This is very much a growth strategy and all elements need to be in place – great marketing, great innovation, great products, great partnerships, and sustainability underpinning it all. The Lifebuoy example wouldn't be possible without world-class innovation, a n d t h e re i s a l w ay s a h u g e emphasis at Unilever on building great brands.

How is Unilever's commitment to sustainability moving the entire i n d u s t r y f o r w a r d ? D o y o u believe you have rede�ned the concept of marketing for good?We see this as the only viable business model. We live in a world of finite resources – with 2bn-3bn more people going to join the planet [by 2050, according to the UN] – and we want to be able to serve our consumers in decades to come. We hope the whole industry will adopt a similar model, as the scale will mean greater change. Businesses need to create new models with sustainability at their core.

Palm oil is a good example. Our vision is that, by 2020, we will achieve a transformation of the m a r k e t w h e r e b y t h e e n t i r e industry moves to sustainable palm oil. But we can't do this on our own. So, as well as committing to sourcing 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably by then, we've been working to support corporate commitments to ending d e f o r e s t a t i o n , s u c h a s T h e C o n s u m e r G o o d s F o r u m commitment on deforestation, and to persuade governments to deliver the incentives needed. The New York Declaration on Forests, launched last year, was a key moment in this, but we need to keep the momentum going.

Another example is when we innovate. We don't always patent the technology, to encourage industry-wide adoption [of ], for example, more environmentally friendly packaging.


You have a broad definition of

sustainability with a commitment

to improving the experience of

employees. How does this work in

principle? Are you increasing your

commitment to diversity, how are

you tackling issues such as the

gender pay gap within your

business?

Unilever is the third-most-sought-a f t e r e m p l o y e r g l o b a l l y o n LinkedIn, which is a great privilege, but I believe that means an even greater responsibility to lead the way on these important issues: health and wellbeing and women's empowerment [are] key parts of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan and embedded in the way we do business.

I n c l u s i v i t y a n d d i ve r s i t y o f p e r s p e c t i v e , c u l t u r e a n d e x p e r i e n c e a re c r u c i a l t o a successful business and having g e n d e r b a l a n ce a m o n g o u r employees is key to achieving this

Our target on the latter is to empower 5m women by 2020. Not only does it make business sense – w o m e n a r e U n i l e v e r ' s c o r e c o n s u m e r s , w i t h 7 7 % o f purchasing decisions made by them, and they have a strong presence in many of our supply chains – but there is also a clear moral case. Women do 66% of the world's work, yet they earn just 10% of the wor ld 's income. Empowering them is one of the b e s t w a y s o f s t i m u l a t i n g development as women reinvest more of their money in their families, communities and local economy.

But we have to start at home. I n c l u s i v i t y a n d d i ve r s i t y o f p e r s p e c t i v e , c u l t u r e a n d e x p e r i e n c e a re c r u c i a l t o a successful business and having g e n d e r b a l a n ce a m o n g o u r employees is key to achieving this.

By the end of 2014, over 43% of our managers were women, up from 38% in 2010. There is more to do, especially at senior level, and we are committed to this through

cont inued focus on flexible working, women's networks, job shares and maternity/paternity support.

D o y o u c o n s i d e r t h e C S R

credentials of your agencies and

c re at i ve p a r t n e r s ? H a s t h at

b e c o m e m o re i m p o r t a n t i n

pitches?

Yes, it is impor tant that our partners and agencies share a similar vision and values in their approach to how they do business.

What is the role of innovation in your sustainability strategy and how important is offering viable alternatives to changing consumer behaviour?

Innovation is a growth driver and a vital part of our sustainability strategy – both marketing and product innovation.I talked about some examples earlier, but another recent one is o u r p a c k a g i n g - r e d u c t i o n technology. Dove Body bottles contain at least 15% less plastic [than their previous iterations]. Gas is injected to create bubbles in the bottle wall, reducing the density and amount of plastic needed, but not its strength. It's lighter for consumers and cuts raw-material costs. We haven't patented the technology, so others can use it too.

In terms of marketing innovation, we have been doing this for years. Take Dove again, and its self-esteem programme. More than 10 years ago the brand started its groundbreaking conversation about "real beauty", to try to create a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety. Since then, the Dove self- esteem-b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m m e s h a v e reached more than 15m young people. It's another example of us 'starting at home', when it comes to our women's- empowerment agenda.

Do you bel ieve the average

U n i l e v e r c o n s u m e r v a l u e s

sustainability as much as you?

We know there are many who do, because they tell us so. We also see this sentiment increasing around the world. Unilever is one of the largest commissioners of market research globally. We conduct this in more than 100 countries and are seeing increased engagement on sustainabi l i t y issues. This is particularly important to young people.

What I see are citizens increasingly holding businesses and brands to account on issues like climate change and social inequality, and I expect to see this trend only increase. So it 's becoming a demand, as well as a supply, issue, which is a good thing.

With our relentless focus on social

media and technology, are we in

d a n g e r o f m i s s i n g t h e

f u n d a m e n t a l p o i n t – t h a t

m a r k e t i n g f o r g o o d a n d a

commitment to real, not virtual,

community is at the heart of

building sustainable brands and

businesses?

Ultimately, marketing is about relationships, and social media is one channel to connect with p e o p l e . M a n y , e s p e c i a l l y millennials, don't distinguish between 'virtual' and 'offline' – it's seamless for them and for us, too, as mobile continues to transform the way we all live.

Social media is a great enabler for change. It is a good way to drive a call to action and raise awareness of issues – just look at the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign and No Make-up Selfies.

You still have to have excellent brands and something to say, of course, and you still communicate 'offline' too. But social is a key platform for two-way dialogue. It is a b o u t a c o - c r e a t i o n – a r e l a t i o n s h i p i s b u i l t w i t h consumers on their terms. And as I have said many times, successful companies are marketing for and with people, not to them.


el low is the m o s t luminous of all the colors of the spectrum. It's the color that captures our attention more than any

other color.

In the natural world, yellow is the color of sunflowers and daffodils, egg yolks and lemons, canaries and bees. In our contemporary human-made world, yellow is the color of happy faces, post its, and signs that alert us to danger or caution. It's the color of happiness, and optimism, of enlightenment and creativity, sunshine and spring.

So when we see yellow in the new logo of First City Monument Bank Plc, then we know that the bank which had hitherto had black and gold stripes is up to something.

Purple symbolises the sub-

conscious, creativity, dignity,

royalty – and it evokes all of these

meanings more so than any other

color. Most young people view

purple as a happy color. No

baggage. Purple is the hardest

color for the eye to discriminate

and for this one easily sees why

FCMB combined the two colours

to announce their new presence.

According to Ladi Balogun, the

Bank's Group Managing Director

the logo has been modified to be

slightly less formal and more

contemporary, yet retaining a

distinctly FCMB feel.

He added that the bank has set

itself a long term vision to be the

premier financial services group of

African origin. He explained that

at the heart of the group is

emerging a vibrant retail bank that

seeks to rewrite the rules of the

game.

“We have reached a tipping point

in our evolution, and we feel we are

now ready to wear a new look that

is reflective of not only where we

are, but also where we are going.

Today, our products provide

p r a c t i c a l s o l u t i o n s t o t h e

borrowing,saving, investment,

a n d p a y m e n t n e e d s o f o u r

customers. Ever y month, we

welcome 50,000 new customers

and we disburse 20,000 new loans,

with over 2,000 monthly to women

owned micro- enterprises. Every

month over 70,000 customers are

registering on our mobile banking

solutions that offer reliable and

convenient ways to bank. This not

s o q u i e t r e v o l u t i o n i s a l s o

becoming evident in our financial

statements” he added.

The bank is growing steadily .Right

now, 50% of FCMB's deposits are

now retail deposits. 30% of its

loans are retail loans, the vast

m a j o r i t y o f w h i c h a r e t o

individuals. The diversity of the

bank's business is bringing greater

resilience and strength. Steadily

this strength is revealing itself in its

financial performance.

“For us it is not just about numbers,

but more importantly it is about

quality. We have been investing in

building a unique FCMB customer

experience, defined by simple

helpful reliable products and

services, and professional and

friendly bankers willing to go the

FCMB'S NEW LOOK OF OPPORTUNITY

YBy Kehinde Olesin


extra mile for you” said Balogun

Every company writes its history. It

i s t h e s a m e f o r F C M B . T h e

management believe the future is

intertwined with the collective

future of their customers. They do

not believe that they can succeed if

their customers do not.

Balogun's words: “We are always

ready to reinforce our position of

being an inclusive lender. We will

support sectors that will drive the

prosperity of the markets in which

we operate. We will bring greater

accessibility to a broad range of

financial services. By so doing, we

will build one of the most relevant

financial service franchises of

African origin, providing the best

customer experience. We are

optimistic about the future and

d e t e r m i n e d , w h a t e v e r t h e

challenges, to make this happen”

Imbued with the best of traditional

values of professionalism and

excellence, FCMB Foundation

c r u i s e s o n . T h e b a n k h a s

complemented this with the

sustainability and customer focus

t h a t a m o r e i n c l u s i v e b a n k

demands. There is also a strong

belief that a strong retail franchise

strengthens the corporate and

investment banking aspects of the

group, providing a more robust

b a l a n c e s h e e t a n d b e t t e r

d i s t r i b u t i o n o f c u s t o m e r s '

opportunities.

The new look, whilst unexpected to

many in its vibrancy, is reassuringly

familiar.

Bursting with ecstatic voice at the

brand relaunch, Balogun said-“ This

not so quiet revolution is about

much more than a look. It is an

honest reflection of where we are,

and a signalling of where we are

going, together. Welcome to the

new look of opportunity”

B A P a n -A f r i c a n fi n a n c i a l s e r v i c e s group, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has w o n t h e A f r i c a n

Investor (Ai) Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year award.The award was announced at the Ai CEO Infrastructure and Sovereign Investment Summit in Cape Town, South Africa last week.According to a statement by the b a n k , t h e A i I n f r a s t r u c t u r e I nvestment Awards formal ly

r e c o g n i z e s achievements across t h e m a i n infrastructure sectors in Africa, and reward the institutions and personalities driving t r a n s a c t i o n s a n d i m p r o v i n g t h e c o n t i n e n t ’ s i n f r a s t r u c t u r e investment climate.It explained that UBA was given the award f o r i t s s i g n i fi c a n t investment in social infrastructure across t h e c o n t i n e n t i n b u i l d i n g t h e economic capacity of

t h e c o m m u n i t i e s w h e r e i t operates. Commenting on the awards, the Group Managing Director of the bank, Phillips Oduoza, explained that the award was a reflection of t h e b a n k ’s c o m m i t m e n t t o supporting the growth of critical sectors of the African economy with its financial expertise and strong balance sheet.He maintained that infrastructural development is critical in driving and sustaining Africa’s growth momentum.He added that the bank has built the needed expertise to package

a n d s u p p o r t t h e r i g h t infrastructure deals that would deliver value to the majority of Africans and support economic growth.“We are happy that this award recognizes the significant efforts we have made in this direction”Also commenting on the awards, Ai’s Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman, Hubert Danso, said, “Showcasing Africa’s infrastructure investment success stories is critical to creating references and increasing the required finance and institutional infrastructure i nv e s t m e n t t o d e v e l o p a n d i m p l e m e n t t h e c o n t i n e n t ’s u n p a r a l l e l e d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e investment opportunities. Africa investor is therefore delighted to host these unique awards and congratulates the winners and all t h o s e t h a t e n t e r e d a n d participated in these important Ai Awards.”The Social Infrastructure deal of the year award is third award UBA is winning in the last one month. The b a n k , i n M ay 2 0 1 5 wo n t h e Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Corporate Citizens Award in t h e ‘ E x t e n s i v e C o m p l i a n c e Category at the maiden edition of the awards ceremony organised by CAC in Abuja.

UBA Bags Social Infrastructure Deal Award

U


ana Motors Ltd,

representative

of Kia Motors in

N i g e r i a h a s

unvei led the

latest edition of

the all-new Kia

Sorento sport

utility vehicle at the just concluded

Lagos Motor show. The new

Sorento was assembled at Dana

assembly plant in Lagos with

world-class features.

Presenting the all-new Sorento to

the Motoring Press, the Chief

Operating Officer, Dana Motor, Mr.

Sandeep Malhotra stated that for

over a decade, Kia brand has

remained the leading Korean

brand in Nigeria, offering best in

class cutting-edge technology at

affordable price.

He pointed out that the local

p r o d u c t i o n o f K i a m o d e l s

d e m o n s t r a t e s D a n a M o t o r s

commitment to the Nigerian

automobile industry. The Sorento

comes in two engine variants, a 2.4

litre four-cylinder powerplant with

outstanding performance and the

top-of-the-range 3.3 litre V6

engine which offers 5000 pound

towing capacity.

The all-new Sorento, which was

first revealed at the Paris Motor

Show late last year, has continued

to reel in different awards globally

for its outstanding and iconic

automotive technology which

include the prestigious iF product

design award and reddot award

2015 honourable mention.

The Kia Sorento unites the classic

poise of an SUV with a premium

look and feel that is particularly

tangible in the cabin. It offers the

very highest design quality and

excellent value for money. The all

new KIA Sorento is redesigned

with a sleeker, more sculpted

exterior; the Sorento exudes

sophistication with an edge. It has

a w i d e r s t a n c e a n d l o n g e r

wheelbase for even more versatile

cabin space with available seating

for up to seven. The Sorento is one

highly stylized, modern utility

vehicle with improved handling

and dynamic power.

With the available Dynamax™ All-

Wheel-Drive (AWD) system, the

Sorento delivers a smooth, refined

drive even on rough roads. It

presents two engine trims to fully

customize your experience. The

2015 Sorento guarantees comfort

at its peak. It's a spacious cabin

with clean, modern styling. It's

driver-focused, featuring a 14-Way

Power-Adjustable Driver's Seat.

From Nappa Leather seat trim to

the quality soft-touch materials,

the Sorento is premium comfort

everywhere you go.

The seven seater third-generation

Sorento SUV received the 'Top

Safety Pick' award by achieving a

'Good' rating in every one of the

IIHS's demanding tests, thanks to

an even stronger bodyshell and a

wide array of passive and active

safety equipment. This is the latest

a c c o l a d e f r o m a g l o b a l l y -

r e s p e c t e d c r a s h s a f e t y

organization. The all-new Sorento

has already been awarded the

maximum five-star crash safety

rating by Euro NCAP. The car's

passenger compartment came in

for particular praise for remaining

stable in the event of a collision,

and offering good protection for

passengers of different physiques,

no matter where they were seated

in the car.

Dana Motors unveil made inNigeria all-new Kia Sorento

D

The new Kia Sorento is a stylish and

practical SUV with exceptional

versatility and practicality. The

smoother, swept-back profile and

deeply sculpted surfaces give the

K ia S orento a l i the, e legant

appearance. The spacious interior

follows the horizontal lines of the

overall design concept and delivers

a luxurious look and feel with top-

quality materials throughout the

cabin. The new Kia Sorento, which

comes with seven seats, has a

longer wheelbase and provides

more passenger room than its

predecessor. The luggage area is

larger, and thanks to the sliding,

60:40-split seat row it is even more

versatile, holding up to 1,732 litres.

The Kia Sorento has a powerful and

efficient 270 ps engine with four-

wheel drive fitted with Kia's new

Dynamax™ All-Wheel-Drive system

with torque vectoring. High-tech

specifications and a range of

premium features including the

rear camera and smart parking

system that makes it easy to

manoeuvre and park. Smart Key

entry with Push Button Start makes

it outstandingly easy to get in and

drive the sporty Sorento.

Mood lamp, led combination rear

lamp and illuminated Door Scuff

adds to the interior luxury feel of

the SUV. Other unique features that

makes the Sorento stands out for

other SUV in the country with its 6

speed automatic drive and a touch

screen sound system with six

premium surrounding speakers.

Aligning with Nigerian's densely

populated urban centres that are

characterized with traffic logjams;

the Sorento Eco Mode helps

minimize the fuel consumption.

The structure of the new Sorento is

significantly stronger, thanks in

large part to the more widespread

use of ultra-high tensile steel

(UHTS). The previous-generation

model was made up of 24.4 per

cent UHTS, while the bodyshell of

the new model consists of 52.7 per

cent UHTS, aiding the integrity of

the car's core structure in the event

of an impact and also improving

torsional rigidity by 14 per cent.

The new Sorento also features

more than twice as much ultra-

strong hot-stamped steel as the

outgoing model, up from 4.1 per

cent to 10.1 per cent in the new

model, greatly strengthening the

A- and B-pillars.


s part of its c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t o f U N I C E F , Access Bank Group, along w i t h 5 t h Chukker, The

Access Bank UK and Access Private Bank hosted the ‘Access Bank Polo Day’ at the Guards Polo Club, Windsor on Saturday June 13. This follows last month’s h i g h - p r o fi l e A c c e s s B a n k / U N I C E F C h a r i t y Shield Polo tournament, which is in its eighth year. Held in Nigeria it is the b i g g e s t c h a r i t y p o l o tournament in Africa.Access Bank’s sponsorship provides a platform for supporting orphaned and vulnerable children in Nigeria, with the Bank and Fifth Chukker.Since the UNICEF/ACCESS Bank initiative was started

it has rebuilt two schools in Kaduna in Northern Nigeria and kept over 2750 students in continuous e d u c a t i o n s i m u l t a n e o u s l y developing new school blocks, a computer literacy building all in a more secure and friendly school

environment. The communities surrounding the schools are being supported with bore-holes for wate r, s e w i n g a n d gr i n d i n g machines to secure employment and stimulate economic and social development.The UK event was organised by The Access Bank UK Limited which has just published its Report and Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2014. These show impressive growth indicators including an increase in operating income of 37% from 10.9-million in 2013 to £15-million. The Bank’s profit before tax grew by an outstanding 138% to £5-million. The latter reflects the growth in trade finance and also asset management activity by Access Pr ivate Bank . Assets under management for 2014 were £34-million, which is a year on year rise of 12.2%, while total Private Bank customer funds were £46-million, a rise of 16% on the previous year.

Access Bank Group ContinuesTo Support UNICEF

A


he recent introduction of

S a m s u n g

G a l a x y S 6

Duos to the

smart phone

e c o s y s t e m

has gained

m a r k e t

attention as

a result of

dual t SIM cards capacity.

The S6 Duos comes with an

impressive set of charging

features that support the built-

i n Q i w i r e l e s s c h a r g i n g

capability, using a wireless

charging pad with ease.

With the super-fast charging

feature, the device can run for

four hours on just 10 minutes of

charging, and charges to full

capacity in about 80 minutes.

The home button also doubles

as a fingerprint reader, meaning

that users no longer need to

swipe, to open the phone.

Carefully crafted from metal

and glass, the Galaxy S6 Duos

particularly shows unique and

outstanding beauty while also

providing great grip and an

immersive viewing experience.

Its glass body, made out of a

fusion of Corning Gorilla 4

(which is 50 percent stronger,

tougher and more durable than

any other Gorilla Glass) protects

against sharp contact damage.

Speaking at the unveiling of the

smartphone recently, Head,

B u s i n e s s D e v e l o p m e n t ,

Te c h n o l o g y a n d M o b i l e ,

Samsung Electronics West

Africa, Mr. Olumide Ojo, said

that the device gives a new

definition to double value with its

dual-sim capability and consumers

will find the functionality useful for

mixing work and pleasure, rather

than carrying separate phones for

their official and personal contacts.

A successor to the Galaxy S5, the S6

Duos is the dual-sim variant of the

S6 Edge, offering two nano sim

card slots. It has similar features as

the S6 Edge; it is only differentiated

by its flat surface.

The smartphone is imbued with

incredibly intelligent cameras and

has set a new industry standard for

d e s i g n , c r a f t s m a n s h i p a n d

per formance, redefining the

company's signature Galaxy series,

popularly dubbed THE ALL NEW

GALAXY.

With the Galaxy S6 Duos, users will

always stay connected as they can

switch from one service provider to

another with ease as well as

optimize data deals. The Galaxy S6

Duos is imbued with Samsung's

renowned high-per formance

camera system that generates

bright and clear images.

The device's 16-megapixel rear-

f a c i n g c a m e r a a n d t h e 5 -

megapixel front-facing camera are

equipped with F1.9 lenses and

high resolution sensors that

e n a b l e u s e r s c a p t u re e ve r y

precious moment with friends,

even in the dark.

The camera snaps in about 0.7

seconds, which is super-fast by

current standards. Users can easily

launch the camera app by double

clicking the home button, while

the volume keys can be used as a

shutter button. Combining that

speed with the quickness of

launching the camera delivers an

all-around great experience.

Olumide reiterated that the new

Galaxy S6 Duos highlight the most

refined phone experience ever,

with the adoption of the latest

technology that users should

expect from Samsung's Galaxy

series. “The company is committed

to fulfilling its brand promise of

inspiring the world and creating

the future by bringing new and

outstanding innovations to the

r e a c h o f c o n s u m e r s . O u r

i n n o v a t i v e t e c h n o l o g y h a s

adequately captured customers'

aspirations and desires in these

latest offerings,” he explained.

Galaxy S6 Duos gains marketattention with dual SIM capability

T


The rising sale

o f

smartphones

and tablets has

p r o p e l l e d

Facebook to

b e c o m e t h e

f a s t e s t

growing media owner in the world,

according to ZenithOptimedia.

Fa ce b o o k ' s m e d i a re ve n u e s

increased 63 per cent over the past

y e a r a s t h e s o c i a l n e t w o r k

embraced the rise of mobile to

b o o s t u s e r s ' v i s i t s a n d i t s

advertising offering.

Facebook, winner of Campaign's

medium of the year in 2014, is now

ranked the tenth largest media

owner in terms of media revenue,

defined by ZenithOptimedia as "all

revenues deriving from businesses

t h a t s u p p o r t a d v e r t i s i n g –

t e l e v i s i o n b r o a d c a s t i n g ,

newspaper publishing, internet

search, social media…”

The next-fastest growing company

is Baidu – China's equivalent of

Google – which grew by 43 per

cent over the year. Baidu's growth

has been driven by the rapid

development of China's ad market,

as well as improvements in search

technology, and it is now the

world's 14th-largest media owner,

ahead of digital rivals Yahoo (18th)

and Microsoft (21st).

However, Google's dominance as

the world's largest media owner

has increased, with the gap

b e t w e e n i t a n d i t s n e a r e s t

competitor widening significantly

over the past year.

Google is now 136 per cent bigger

than the second-largest media

owner (Disney), up from 115 per

cent a year earlier. It is also bigger

than the second-largest and third-

largest (Comcast) combined.

The Top Thir ty Global Media

Owners report has been published

by ZenithOptimedia since 2007. It

includes not only advertising

revenues but also other revenues

generated by these businesses,

such as circulation revenues for

newspapers or magazines.

It is designed to provide a clear

picture of the size and negotiating

power of the biggest global media

owners that adver tisers and

agencies have to deal with.

The report covers the financial year

2013, which is the latest year for

which we have consistent revenue

figures from all of the publicly

listed companies.

In a change from previous editions,

we have tightened the definition

of media revenues to exclude

simple redistribution of third-

party content. This means that for

pay-tv providers, we only include

revenues from content in which

they sell advertising – the part of

their business that is relevant for

marketing purposes.

Elsewhere, there are five purely

digital media owners in our global

top 30 – Google, Facebook, Baidu,

Yahoo and Microsoft. Between

them they generated $71 billion

i n m e d i a r e v e n u e , w h i c h

represents 68 per cent of all global

digital ad-spend, up from 67 per

cent in our previous report.

Power in the digital advertising

market is concentrated in the

hands of a few large platforms, and

i s b e c o m i n g e v e n m o r e

concentrated.

J o n a t h a n B a r n a r d , h e a d o f

forecasting at ZenithOptimedia,

said: "The rapid growth of digital

media and emerging ad markets

has strengthened the position of

media owners such as Google,

Facebook, Baidu and Globo, at the

expense of traditional media

owners in developed markets.

"The top digital media owners

currently maintain a strong grip on

the digital ad market, but they face

t h e c o n s t a n t t h r e a t o f

d i s p l a ce m e n t by d i s r u p t i ve

innovators.

“While some emerging-market

media owners face challenges in

expanding their businesses in the

short term, we expect to see more

media owners from emerging

markets enter the top 30 over the

next few years."

World's Fastest-growing MediaOwner Named By Facebook

T


iamond Bank Plc announced i t s p l a n s t o i s s u e M a s t e r C a r d debit cards to m i l l i o n s o f Diamond Y’ello a c c o u n t

holders in a move that is expected to significantly expand financial inclusion and reduce cash-based transactions in Nigeria’s economy.

The scheme, according to a statement made available to the press at the 25th World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town,

South Afr ica , i s targeted at ensuring that interested Diamond Y’ello account holders are issued with debit cards that will give them unhindered access to the Bank’s services and their funds at automated teller machines across the country.

Shedding more l ight on the rationale for the scheme, Diamond Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Uzoma Dozie, stated that the launch of the Diamond Y’ello debit card is timely and aligns with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). According to him, millions of Diamond Y’ello account

holders of the bank will have access to the Bank’s services while s t i l l e n j o y i n g t h e fi n a n c i a l transaction freedom that are now available to the Bank’s numerous customers.

‘’With the introduction of this card, Diamond Bank has raised the bar for cashless banking in Nigeria’s financial services sub-sector. As you know, the card automatically grants account holders unlimited access to their funds and other financial transactions and also provide customers with additional interaction channels besides the agent locations. I think it is the

Diamond Bank LaunchesDiamond Y’ello Debit Card

D


biggest thing that has happened in the industry after the launch of the Fingerprint authentication feature on our Mobile app.”

Speaking further, Mr. Dozie stated t h a t a c o r e c o m p o n e n t o f Diamond Bank’s strategic focus is to ensure the enhancement of the freedom of the financial lifestyle of the unbanked and under-banked by providing convenient banking services and multiple payment channels via the web and the POS, pointing that the Diamond Y’ello debit card will act as a physical link to this unique t y p e o f “a cco u n t yo u o p e n without documentations and other rigours associated with

traditional accounts”.It would be recalled that in 2014, Diamond Bank launched the Diamond Y’ello account into the Nigerian market as part of its financial inclusion programme to reach the unbanked.

Diamond Y’ello account, which was introduced in partnership w i t h t h e m o b i l e telecommunications giant, MTN, is a fully mobile hybrid account that offers the over 55 million subscribers on MTN Nigeria network a fusion of financial services and telecoms incentives.

Every MTN subscriber has access to a Diamond Y’ello account.

Benefits include easy access to Diamond Y’ello account holders’ community, full banking services w i t h i n te re s t p ay m e n t s o n account balances and access to loans via application from the subscriber’s mobile device on demand.

The Diamond Y’ello Account is activated by dialing *710# on any MTN line. According to the Bank, there are over 3 million Diamond Y’ello accounts owners who are serviced by over 500,000 agents in Nigeria.

e a d i n g Telecommuni c a t i o n s s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r , A i r t e l Nigeria, has n a m e d m u s i c

legend, TuFace Idibia; Rap artiste Phyno; reggae dancehall singer, Patoranking; one of Nigeria’s fastest rising comedian, Akpororo and renowned On-Air-Personality, I K O s a k i o d u w a a s b r a n d ambassadors.

The brand ambassadors were unveiled to the public at a star-studded event themed, ‘The Icon,” which held recently at MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos.S p e a k i n g a t t h e o c c a s i o n , Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, stated that t h e n e w A i r t e l b r a n d ambassadors; who are tagged S m a r t I c o n s a r e r e s p e c t e d members of the society who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields and as a result, have now become forces in the

entertainment sector.He sa id : “ We have careful ly s e l e c t e d a m b a s s a d o r s w h o embody the values, character and overall image inherent to the Airtel brand, therefore making them a perfect fit for further endearing Airtel to millions of Nigerians whilst strengthening the relationship we have with our customers.”He added that the selection of the highly talented ambassadors was also meant to encourage the teeming youth population and inspire them towards realizing their dreams.Ogunsanya also noted that the appointment of enterprising and talented Nigerians as brand ambassadors is in line with our commitment to delivering value and rewarding excellence.He descr ibed the unvei l ing ceremony of the celebrities as further demonstration of the Telco’s commitment to support t h e a r t s , c r e a t i v i t y a n d entertainment industry. “ The selection of this unique blend of brand ambassadors is a testimony of our commitment to promote entertainment, creativity and the arts in Nigeria”, he said.

Airtel Unveils Tuface, Phyno, Patoranking, Akpororo,Ik Osakioduwa As Brand Ambassadors

L


Google grabs Outdoor PlanningAwards top prize in UK

oogle outside

2.0" featured

dynamic ads

r o l l e d o u t

across 1,240

d i g i t a l

outdoor sites in London and the

south-east. Tailored content about

local attractions and the weather

was mixed with geo-targeted

search results.

The work also won Best Use of

Digital in Outdoor at the awards,

which are held in association with

Brand Republic.

Talon, OMD and Grand Visual were

highly commended in the same

c a t e g o r y f o r H a s b r o " m y

Monopoly" along with Ambient

and Bite.

Best Use of Innovation in Outdoor

was awarded to "ESPN FC" by TPF,

while "Three" by Kinetic and

Mindshare landed Best Use of

O u t d o o r i n a M u l t i - M e d i a

Campaign.

Chris Pelekanou, The Commercial

Director at Clear Channel UK, said:

" T h e w i n n e r s n o t o n l y

d e m o n s t r a t e c re a t i v i t y a n d

innovation but have incorporated

emerging technologies and data

to produce campaigns that deliver

powerful standout messages."G



h e N e s t l é

confectione

r y b r a n d ,

K i t K a t , i s

encouragin

g consumers to take a YouTube

break in its biggest ever redesign.

The “YouTube break" will replace

the KitKat branding on wrappers

as part of the "celebrate the

breakers break" campaign by J

W a l t e r

Thompson.

It is one of

72 different

t y p e s o f

"breaks" to

feature on

more than

400 limited

editions for

t h e t w o

a n d fo u r -

finger bars,

as well as

the Chunky bars. Others include

"me time break" and "sporty

break".

As part of the campaign, Google

is also encouraging users to

search for "KitKat YouTube my

b r e a k " t h r o u g h t h e v o i c e

activation on their android phone

to find trending videos.

T h e m a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r o f

branding and consumer markets

at Google UK, David Black, said:

"It's great to see KitKat consumers

are huge fans of YouTube and,

along with our one billion users,

regard YouTube as a favourite

source of entertainment.

"With half of YouTube views now

on mobile devices, 'YouTube my

break' is a fun way for more

people to interact on the channel

a n d e n j oy t h e b e s t v i d e o s

available.”

The limited edition bars are

available in shops now.

Dame Fiona Kendrick, the chief

executive and chairman at Nestlé

UK & Ireland, said: "As KitKat

celebrates its 80th anniversary

and YouTube turns 10 this year, it

is really exciting to be taking the

partnership to a new phase with

our most iconic brand and slogan,

'Have a break, and have a KitKat'."

YouTube takes over KitKat wrappers.

T

Huggies delivers 3D printedultrasound to blind mum-to-be

uggies, Nappy brand has

created a 3D cast of an

ultrasound scan for a

blind mother, showing

t h a t t h e b r a n d i s

"concerned about every

m o m e n t b e t w e e n a

mother and a son".

The brand, in Brazil, has created a video

showing a 30 year old expectant mother

"meeting" her baby for the first time via a

3D cast of her 20 week ultrasound scan.

The mother, Tatiana, went blind at the age

of 17 and had therefore been unable to see

the scan.

The emotional spot shows her describing

how she imagines the baby would feel

before surprising her with a cast of the

child's face for her to feel.

The video has racked up more than 8m

views since it was posted 30 April.H


We Are Particular About How We ArePerceived As A Leading Nigerian Brand -Olaseni Ashiru Head Of Corporate Affairs Nigerdock Nigeria PLC

Despite the fact that you are on an Island, far from your usual places, O l a s e n i Ashiru, the H e a d o f

Corporate Affairs at Nigerdock makes you feel at home on Snake Island, where, Nigerdock operates from. His calm mien coupled with the serenity of the environment could easily make one linger on the Island. A good host, he shares with MarketingWorld's team the h i s t o r y a n d e s p e c i a l l y t h e rejuvenation of the Nigerdock brand….. Excerpts

What are the challenges in your role as the Head of Corporate Affairs of such a large and complex organization like Nigerdock?

We are a bit different here at

Nigerdock,; for us the primary role

for the Corporate Affairs leader is

helping to build the brand and

e n s u r i n g p r o p e r p e r c e p t i o n

management of the organization.

And for us, in our industry, I think one

of the foremost things we are

particular about is how we are

perceived as a leading Nigerian

brand.

I say that because with Nigerian

C o n t e n t D e v e l o p m e n t a n d

M o n i t o r i n g B o a r d ( o n e t h e

regulatory authorities that oversees

our activities), local content is a very

big thing for us. That's pretty much a

major focus for my role; it's helping

to projec t our N iger ian-ness,

maintaining our license to operate in

our industry and using it as a

competitive advantage in the

i n d u s t r y f o r t h e b e n e fi t o f

Nigerdock, and especially to help us

to project our brand. So what we've

done recently is that group-wide

we've been undergoing a brand re-

modification for the better part of

the last 6-9months. That process is

now coming to a close. As a member

of the Jagal Group, we've had to

follow what the parent brand was

doing. Jagal has now finished its

rebranding exercise as of February of

this year, which now allows us to

focus on developing ours.

One of the things that we' ve

achieved is we have started work on

a new website that is almost

complete, we've got the prototype

site in place, we are trying to finalise

the content which has largely

already been developed. So that's

pretty much what we look at, it's how

we project our Nigerian-ness, how

do we project our appeal to the

stakeholders who operate in our

industry as a leading Nigerian

company in our own oil and gas

service sector.

What is your take on the new media, especially when it comes to doing this job?

I think the way we see it is that we

incorporate all media into our

communications strategy. And one

of the things that we started looking

at is how to develop pervasive

communications plan, I mean this

was something that we didn't do

very well in the past, and the reason

why we didn't do that very well in the

past was because we were a very

project-oriented company, and the

perception that we had was that as a

Business to Business entity our

customers knew who we were so we

only needed to focus on providing a

qualitative service to them. We were

not trying to appeal to the mass

market; but sometimes invariably

when you want to influence your

business customers, you still need to

be speaking to the mass market, who

have some sort of influence over

your business customers and I think

we have realized that. So one of the

things that we started to do is focus

on our rebranding effort, focus on

identifying those messages that we

want to get out to those customers.

We want to then focus on the

platforms that help us reach that

niche best. So you are still going to

see us adopting all platforms when it

comes to doing that. For example, if

we are looking to appeal to potential

employees (because we want to be

seen as a preferred employer in

N iger ia) we wi l l be going on

platforms like LinkedIn to get our

message across; we are going to be

advertising our jobs then we are

going to be talking more about our

c o m p a n y a n d a l l o f o u r

achievements. So you'll see us

writing up articles on LinkedIn, you

will see us engaging people on

LinkedIn, you will see us in chats, in

forums, in groups on LinkedIn. Same

goes for platforms like YouTube.

There are some kinds of events that

YouTube serves as a good platform

to get that message out to people so

they can actually have the visual for

what it is it that you are doing and

scale of the work that you are

delivering in the country.

All too often, when we have people

come to Snake Island, one of the

things that they say is we didn't



B E P R E P A R E D

realize that this sort of facility existed

in Nigeria and these capabilities

were available in Nigeria. So for us,

that's the message we haven't

previously gotten out there because

of our project-oriented past and

now we are going to have to put on a

marketing hat and start projecting

ourselves, and projecting ourselves

better. So now we are engaging with

a g e n e r a t i o n o f p e o p l e w h o

originally would never have heard

us.

You said you started your brand re-modi�cation some months ago, so far so good, what is the perception of your customers now?

One of the things that was done for

us by our branding agent was that

they conducted surveys within the

country, within our space and even

outside the country. I think people

were very comfortable with our

brand and they thought it was a

legacy brand. One major feedback

that we got was that we probably

need to be out there more and we

need to boost our brand identity and

I think that's the feedback that we've

taken on which is one of the major

inputs that goes into the process

that we are currently undertaking.

Before now our website had a very

old look and feel to it, but if you look

at what we are working on now, it's

young, its energetic, its appealing, its

visually attractive, and its vibrant. We

want to communicate the passion

and the enthusiasm that we have for

the business that we are running.

One of the things that my Managing

Director has done is make the team

focus on our four business streams.

Our messaging will come from the

four business streams.

S o h av i n g co nve r s at i o n w i t h

customers, stakeholders, people

that are interested in what we are

doing was a very straight forward

process because we said to them

look, we've got an Upstream service,

we've got Marine service area, we've

got a Support base service, which

speaks to the logistics and the

ancil lar y ser vices that wil l be

required by our maritime customers,

and of course we have a Training

service, so even though that we have

training capabilities but what we

have probably not done very well in

the past was to let people know our

ability to provide that service to a

wider group, and that's something

we're now geared to have to be

projecting a lot better.

Could you say you are getting your strategies right when it comes to projecting the Nigerdock brand?

I think the quick way to answer that is

yes, but the logical way to respond is

to say strategy will always evolve.

I came in with a plan for the function

and presented the plan to my boss

and he was very happy and he had a

lot of input. He was also able to state

clearly that a particular area had

more priority than the other, and

then we fine-tuned the strategy.

After all these we were able to

deliver a better and a more concise

solution to the challenges that we

have and I think right now we have

ourselves on the right track towards

achieving what we set out to

originally achieve.

Where do you look for inspiration for how to improve on your performance?

God, usually when people say that

they are Christian, it's a nominal tag,

like the response required from you

on an official form that you fill when

the census officials come or at the

bank. My faith is Christian and I don't

want to sound cliché but God has

been a great source of inspiration.

There are certain times when you

have a certain thing that you are

dealing with and you can't find a

solution and all you need do is just

step away and in your quiet time as

you meditate, God brings the

solution. A flash of inspiration can

come through there.

How would you describe yourself?

Someone used to call me an open

book, so I think it's just a function of

picking up the book and reading it.

My background is legal so I came in

to this function by way of legal

practice and over the years my

career has evolved. I started doing

regulatory affairs work, which

evolved into government and

regulatory relations that saw me

doing more of lobbying as time went

on. I guess as a lobbyist this is role is

the logical evolution for me. I am

very happily married, I have two

children, I have a son and a daughter

and also am privileged to serve in

the church where I worship.

Mobile Advertising Spend to Reach$105Bn Globally by 2019

Ju n i p e r

R e s e a r c h , a

leading analyst

h o u s e h a s

revealed that

annual global

a d v e r t i s i n g

s p e n d o n m o b i l e d e v i ce s i s

expected to reach $105 billion by

2019, up from an estimated $51

billion this year.

The research – Digital Advertising:

Online, Mobile & Wearables 2015-

2019 – suggests that this increase in

advertising spend is in large part

attributable to an attitude shift

amongst brands and retailers who

now use mobile as a core channel

for consumer engagement. It

a r g u e s t h a t t h e a b i l i t y o f

smartphones to deliver targeted,

p e r s o n a l i s e d a n d t i m e l y

advertising – allied to the media-

s t a c k i n g t r e n d s a m o n g s t

consumers – means that mobile

adver t is ing offers both high

visibility and high response rates.

The research also observes a

marked uplift in ad spend within

the Far East & China region, fuelled

by the dramatic adoption of

mCommerce retail activity within

China, and claims that the region is

expected to account for 43% of

global mobile advertising spend in

2019.

T h e r e s e a r c h h i g h l i g h t e d

i n c re a s i n g co n ce r n s a ro u n d

consumer privacy, with advertisers

keen to exploit 'Big Data' analytics

to gain an insight into consumer

online and offline behaviour,

including purchasing patterns.

It observed that when the device

user's information is shared for

advertising purposes, without their

prior consent, consumers may feel

a violation of their rights has

occurred. It therefore stressed the

need for consumers to be 'opted-in'

to any data sharing to avoid both

potential litigation and adverse



Henry Alade, Managing Director, Impact Direct

'Lack Of Funds Sties The ExperentialMarketing Business'Henry Alade, Managing Director, Impact Direct

When it

comes

t o

experi

e n t i a l

busine

ss, the Managing Director at

Impact Direct, Henry Alade,

k n o w s h i s o n i o n s . I n t h i s

interview with MarketingWorld,

t h e v i b r a n t a n d w i t t y

e n t r e p r e n e u r s h a r e s h i s

memorable times, challenges

and projections… Excerpts

What is the cutting edge here at Impact Direct?Impact Direct basically is a young

and dynamic agency. We are go-

getters. And we are always ready to

go the whole hog to satisfy our

clients and help them achieve their

objectives. For any brief that comes

on our table, we use our vibrancy,

ingenuity and creativity to make

things happen for the client.

Beyond that, our cutting edge

would be the fact that we are

continually reinventing ourselves

and we don't cut corners. We

execute every brief as if it would be

our last because we believe in the

maxim that you are as good as your

last result.

By October this year, Impact Direct would be six years old.


Could you tell me some of the memorable events you have handled?Oh, quite a number. One of the

memorable events that we

handled was the Pepsi Music

C h a l l e n g e , w h i c h w a s a

partnership with (the talent hunt

reality television show) Nigerian

I d o l . Pe p s i wa s o n e o f t h e

sponsors for Nigeria Idol then, so

they decided to just go around

campuses and do their own Music

Challenge. And it was a tight

budget project but at the end of

the day, we got what we needed.

The grand finale happened at the

University of Lagos with Wizkid

and Tiwa Savage doubling as

panelists and headliners. Crowd

control was a huge challenge

because of the stars involved. The

whole of UNILAG was filled. To get

things done was a task but luckily

for us, we started in good time

and we ended in good time and

therefore, we were able to control

the crowd. Another memorable

one is the Honda Motorcycle

Dealers Conference, a Pan-

Nigerian affair, hosted in, of all

p l a c e s , S a n g o - O t t a . T h e

challenge then was that we had to

bring everybody involved from all

over the nation to Sango-Otta. It

was tough; a huge logistical

challenge but we pulled through.

At the end of the day, the

conference held smoothly; the

clients were happy, the dealers

were happy and we were too. For

us, it was a memorable one

because it took everybody out on

the field, stretched us to the limits

to get all these things done and at

the end of the day, we got even

industry plaudits for it. We have

a l s o h a d m e m o ra b l e o ffi ce

activations for different brands

notably, Mcvities. In this case, we

hit offices during their lunch

period to serve them samples of

the biscuit. It was a successful

activation too. We have been part

o f t h e a n n u a l R i ve r s S t a te

Carnival, for the past three years.

In all, I can say that we have been

blessed with clients who are

a l w a y s s a t i s fi e d w i t h o u r

deliverables.

So, what are the challenges you face in the course of this job?Basically, the challenge is not only

f o r I m p a c t D i r e c t , b u t f o r

everyone in the experiential

marketing industry. It is financing.

We are in one very tight industry

that for you to get a project, the

question is can you finance it? If

you say no, you are out of the

business. When you say yes, you

get the brief immediately; you

then have to rush to your bank for

funds. There are some projects

that, at the end of the day, you can

only get payment in 70days, some

in 200days. Some, you won't even

get any bank support, but use

your personal funds. It has been a

very pathetic experience. We are

part of the Experiential Marketing

Association of Nigerian (EXMAN),

and the main thing on the front-

burner right now is for our clients

to agree to global standard

practices, which stipulates that

we either work on commission

basis or we are on a retainer. But

the major militating factor for our

business is funds; it stifles our

creativity. That is why we are

telling the clients, to look at the

creative agencies, the media

buying arm especially, the way

they deal with them is not the way

they deal with us. If a creative

agency is sending a CD to the

client, there is a cost attached to it.

Majority of them are on retainer,

we are not.

So, where do you see Impact Direct in the next �ve years?In the next five years, I see Impact

Direct as a one-stop shop for all

marketing communications

b u s i n e s s e s ; y o u h a v e t h e

experiential, you have the media,

you have the digital and so on.

That's the vision. We have a plan

for a k ind of vi l lage where

everything will be done. It will be

called Impact Village; where

everything happens. We want to

have an entire village, where staff

quarters will be at every angle, I

don't need to drive to my office, I

will just trek from home and there

would be a walk place that takes

me from my office to the house,

that is our vision and we are

working towards it. Luckily, we

have some staff that have been

with us from inception, and we

have some that joined us and

have keyed into the vision.

However, we have created a

communal working environment

that is at once stimulating and

strategic. This is because of the

expediency of instilling discipline

in the younger generation in this

bus iness . They want a fast

business, whereas experiential

needs patience and a lot of

strategising.

H o w w o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e yourself?It's funny that many people don't

know my full name. I started with

Group Africa way back and in

those days, for security reasons,

we don't call our real names. So,

Old School was my nickname and

it has stuck. My name is Henry

Ademola Alade. Henry is one guy

t h a t i s u n a s s u m i n g b u t

spontaneous; you can't predict

what he is going to do the next

minute. Even at the r isk of

sounding immodest, I dare say

that I am very hard-working, I

work hard and I play hard. I have a

measurement for everything,

when I'm supposed to call it off; I

do, without making a song and a

dance of it. I am also a God fearing

family man but very extroverted.

Toyota: The Evolving Magic On WheelsThere is a car

b r a n d t h a t

m a n y h a v e

come to love in

Nigeria; that is

Toyota. Toyota

i s a l m o s t

synonymous

to a car in Nigeria. For every ten cars

o n t h e r o a d t h e r e i s e v e r y

possibility that 6 or 7 are of the

Toyota brand.

In its early days in Nigeria, the

Toyota brand had to strive for

acceptance, particularly in the face

of competit ion from Nissan,

Peugeot and other established

brands. In the late 70's and mid 80's

t h e r e w a s a n o t h e r w a v e o f

competition backed by strong

G overnment patronage: the

Federal Government had taken a

stand to buy vehicles assembled

locally. However, with positive

development in the financial

sector paving way for easier

purchase terms, quality product

l ine up, strong and superior

marketing effort, propelled by

excellent after sales services, the

Toyota brand is currently the brand

of choice in today's Nigerian

automobile market.

In recent years the brand may have

had to battle with the Honda brand

but its classic designs and ever

available spare parts are strong

p o i n t s t o m a k e m i l l i o n s o f

Nigerians even love it the more.

DESIGNSToyota (Nigeria) Limited, offers the

Nigerian public high quality

products tailor-made to suit the

N i g e r i a n c l i m a t i c a n d r o a d

conditions. What indeed has set

Toyota apart from competition is

the excellent range of products in

the brand's portfolio that have met

the demand of the market in terms

of customer satisfaction.

Some of the products offered are

p a s s e n g e r v e h i c l e m o d e l s :

including the Corolla, Avensis,

Camry etc. while the commercial

vehicle models include the Hilux

pick up, Hiace, Coaster, Land cruiser

etc.

Some of these models are modified

to meet specific fleet's special

requirements and challenges

w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g s e t

standards. A great deal of premium

is placed on after sales service

support as the company is not only

sales oriented but market driven to

e n s u r e t h a t w e m a k e o u r

customers partners for life. One

element of trust that Toyota

(Nigeria) Limited has been able to

build into the mindset of its

customers is the availability of

genuine spare parts. This has

helped it bond with its customers,

giving the brand a competitive

edge over other automobile

products in the market.

TOYOTA NAME, BRAND AND LOGOI n 1936, Toyota entered the

passenger car market with its

Model AA and held a competition

t o e s t a b l i s h a n e w l o g o

emphasizing speed for its new

product line. After receiving 27,000

entries, one was selected that

additionally resulted in a change of

its moniker to "Toyota" from the

family name "Toyoda". The new

name was believed to sound

better, and its eight-stroke count in

the Japanese language was

T



associated with wealth and

good fortune. The original logo

no longer i s found on i ts

vehic les , but remains the

corporate emblem used in

Japan.

Still, no guidelines existed for

the use of the brand name,

"TOYOTA", which was used

throughout most of the world,

which led to inconsistencies in

i t s w o r l d w i d e m a r k e t i n g

campaigns.

T o r e m e d y t h i s , T o y o t a

introduced a new worldwide

l o g o i n O c t o b e r 1 9 8 9 t o

commemorate the 50th year of

t h e c o m p a n y , a n d t o

differentiate it from the newly

released luxury Lexus brand.

The logo made its debut on the

1989 Toyota Celsior and quickly

gained worldwide recognition.

The three ovals in the new logo

combine to form the letter "T",

which stands for Toyota. The

o v e r l a p p i n g o f t h e t w o

perpendicular ovals inside the

l a rg e r ov a l re p re s e n t t h e

mutually beneficial relationship

and trust between the customer

and the company, while the

larger oval surrounding both of

these inner ovals represents the

"global expansion of Toyota's

technology and unl imited

potential for the future."

The new logo started appearing

o n a l l p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l ,

advertisements, dealer signage,

and the vehicles themselves in

1990.

WORLDWIDE PRESENCEToyota has factories in most

p a r t s o f t h e w o r l d ,

manufacturing or assembling

vehicles for local markets.

Toyota has manufacturing or

assembly plants in Japan,

Australia, India, Sri Lanka,

Canada, Indonesia, Poland,

South Africa, Turkey, Colombia,

the United Kingdom, the United

States, France, Brazil, Portugal,

and more recently, Argentina,

C z e c h R e p u b l i c , M e x i c o ,

Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan,

E g y p t , C h i n a , V i e t n a m ,

Venezuela, the Philippines, and

Russia.

B E P R E P A R E D

You Have To Manage Everyone's Multiple AndConicting Expectations When Handling An Event- Tori Abiola Managing Director Montgomery West Africa



a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r, Montgome r y W e s t Africa, Tori A b i o l a , s p e a k s w i t h

M a r k e t i n g W o r l d o n t h e c o m p a n y ' s c o m m i t m e n t t o bringing value and class to event planning in Nigeria. Excerpts:

What makes Montgomery West Africa unique, what is your cutting edge?I think what makes Montgomery

unique is the heritage of the brand,

in fact it was launched in 1895 ,

starting with the UK's first major

building exhibitions, and it's been

in Africa since 1968, and also been

in Nigeria since 2009. So in terms of

ex h i b i t i o n s a n d ex h i b i t i o n s

experience, it a very old company

and in terms of operating in Africa,

it's got a long history of operating

in Africa and I think that makes it

quite unique.

Montgomery also owns Sub-

Saharan Africa's largest exhibition

venue in Johannesburg Nasrec,

Johannesburg Expo Centre.

The cutting edge ,will be legacy

and the heritage of the brand, how

long it's been around.

W e a r e a l s o k n o w n a s t h e

* g e n t l e m a n * o f t h e e v e n t s

industr y and work well with

companies across the industry

globally, working ethically and

with fairness at all times in business

transactions.

Running exhibitions and trade fairs

is a real skill and enteprise. By this I

mean, proper exhibitions, large

scale; not a conference with a few

stands, the 2000, 3000, 10000,

square meters is quite a feat, and its

requires financial investment as

well as strategic insight, I think they

have that.

Can you compare different market spaces you have worked

in when it comes to event management?When I started my career, I started

w i t h F T S E 2 5 0 c o m p a n y

Euromoney, managing training

programs as an Event Manager, so I

managed anything from 10 to 30

people attending banking and

finance courses in the UK. The

responsibility included managing

and sourcing, Faculty, Course

Materials, Venue, Presentation

requirements. I was promoted

twice in Euromoney, moving onto

s a l e s a n d fi n a l l y H e a d o f

Development for Africa, where I

customized and developed in-

h o u s e a n d p u b l i c t r a i n i n g

programmes which were fit for

purpose for the African market,

working with key financial services

institutions across the continent. I

worked for Euromoney for about

five years. That role was more

focused on Faculty and market

requirements, and technical in the

sense I worked to develop the

training programmes with the

banks and our faculty. The focus

was more around ensuring that my

faculty, the trainers, the course

materials, and the certification was

done, so it was very much focused

on delivering professional training

a n d b u i l d i n g t h a t b u s i n e s s

proposition in Africa, that's where I

started. And then I moved on to

what they call one to one business

meetings, where we organize high

level meetings between budget

holders and vendors. This kind of

event management required real

time communications, so we used

walkie talkies, it required a high

level of diplomacy because you are

dealing with CEOs, CFOs, their time

is precious, they are very important

people, and you are moving them

from one meeting, to another

meeting. Imagine people that are

not used to being told what to do,

you are now managing their dairies

for two days. That was different.

There was also a focus on ensuring

commercially, we matched the

right buyer to the seller, and you

would be qualifying for high value

c o n t r a c t n e g o t i a t i o n s a n d

opportunities, prior to the event.

And then I moved on to awards and

c o n f e r e n c e s . W o r k i n g

independently as a consultant

producing events for Central Banks

and Government agencies to

e n a b l e t h e m t o m e e t t h e i r

strategic goals in Africa.There was

the usual operation requirement

around venue management,

d e l e g a t e m a n a g e m e n t ,

registration, and sponsorship. I

think I also have to say this that

there is a difference between event

management and conference

p r o d u c t i o n a n d e x h i b i t i o n

production. For managing an

event, there is an operational side,

which is just making sure that

things run, and then there is

actually the concept and event

concept and market creation. So

creating commercial event assets,

which aren't managed events that

a client is giving you a budget and a

brief to produce, you need to

create clear value propositions and

business model for generating

revenue and maintain the event.

For example, you look at the

economy/market place and you

say, the market or community of

professionals requires a platform

to evolve their industry, share and

showcase solutions or market their

products. The market driven and

professional community concepts

are like industry conferences,

exhibitions or awards. That kind of

event is about creating a market

place in one venue of what already

exists in the real world. So it's

basically realizing market drivers in

an event setting. In terms of

exhibitions and trade fairs, in

Nigeria these are still very much at

early stages, in comparison to

events in Asia, Europe and North

America – they are massive affairs.

In places like Germany, Berlin and

Hannover it can take you up to a

M


full day or sometimes a week to

walk across a trade fair. Here in

Nigeria, it's still 2000sq meters, it's

still very small. But I believe the

market is here with our population

and growth rates The key thing is

ensur ing you have national,

regional or at times global buy in

across all stakeholders in the buy

and sell side for these exhibitions,

so they offer value.

In events we are in service industry

which is time and relationship

sensitive, you need to ensure you

a r e m a n a g i n g e v e r y b o d y ' s

expectations and delivering on

t i m e a n d t h e n t r y i n g to b e

d i p l o m a t i c a n d p o s i t i v e i n

everything.

P e r s o n a l l y , w h a t a r e t h e c h a l l e n g e s y o u h a v e a s a professional event manager?The challenges are managing

m u l t i p l e d e m a n d s a n d

expectations and sometimes they

are conflicting. Your delegates'

expectations might be totally

c o n fl i c t i n g t o t h a t o f y o u r

commercial vendor/sponsor or

exhibitor – but the latter provides

the financial investment for the

platform. Your vendor wants to sell

to the delegate or visitor, the visitor

does not want to be sold to but

they want knowledge. But the two

need to meet, and the two are

paying you or investing in your

event in terms of their time or in

cash. Additionally, your marketing

or media partner might want

everybody's name and want to be

emailing them, the people visiting

might not want that. You might

need to make a certain profit

margin to remain sustainable or

grow or deliver value requested by

clients, but the market is telling you

that there are pressure on them

because of the real life economic or

political events. So I guess the

biggest challenge is managing

m u l t i p l e a n d c o n fl i c t i n g

expectations from all the key

stakeholders that are involve in the

event and delivering for everybody

as best as you can, and meeting

their expectations –while running

a sustainable and profitable

business which continuously

delivers value .

What position do you place yourself right now and where do you think Montgomery will be in the next �ve years?I think in the next five years,

Montgomery will be producing

Nigeria's and Africa's biggest

e x h i b i t i o n s i n t h e s e c u r i t y,

packaging and building in the

spaces where they are already

operating in Africa. In the UK, they

run the leading food and drink

shows, they also run Sony World

Photography Awards, which is a

massive photography awards,

there is also the Art Fair in London, I

see them bringing those brands

into this market and doing that

successfully. There is scope for

those global brands to be launched

and managed successfully in

Africa.

Co u l d yo u s h a r e t h e m o s t memorable event you have had to handle and what gave the success? I think my most memorable event

might be launching the Institute of

Chartered Accountants Finance

Excellence Awards in Dubai, which I

was responsible for putt ing

together that award working with

senior executives in ICAEW in terms

of the commercials and that is

really my most memorable event

because that event went from an

idea which was driven by strategic

goals to a successful awards

ceremony in the space of under a

year, where we put together all the

k e y p l a y e r s i n fi n a n c e a n d

accounting under one roof and

also generated sponsorship. To me

it was exciting because we aligned

all the strategic objectives of the

member organization of the

Institute and you can imagine

138,000 members, over 100 years

old, operating in a relatively new

emerging market for them in

Dubai. There are so many different

elements and stakeholders that

you have to manage, and we did

manage them well, and the event

made budget and everyone had a

good time. So I think to me that was

probably my most memorable

event. I think it was successful

because we achieved the events

objec t ives in a compl icated

environment – and it was for the

first time.

Is there a particular body that regulates the same business in Nigeria?I think we need to set one up, I think

the event managers, the ones that

do the weddings, have a body but I

don't know if there is a body for

c o n fe re n c e a n d e x h i b i t i o n s

organizers and I think it needs to be

done. I know that Montgomery is

part of the global body but in

Nigeria, I am not sure there is one

and I think that is what I will be very

interested in looking at in future.

Is Montgomery Nigeria office the Hub for Africa?There isn't a hub for Africa, if there

is a hub for Africa, it will be in

London because the head office is

in the UK. We operate in South

Africa, East Africa in Kenya and

Nigeria/Ghana, with local partners

and agents across Africa and

globally supporting and driving

the event brands.

If you are given a ticket to plan an event in any country, where will it be and why?I think it will be France, and it will be

in Paris, just because it's such a

beautiful city, and it has amazing

landmarks. There are so many great

venues, there is so much you can

do and play with.

Describe yourself in three wordsResilient, Ambitious and Visionary.

s part of its

e ff o r t s a t

fulfil l ing its

m i s s i o n o f

c a r v i n g a

unique niche

f o r b r a n d s

a n d

organizations, NICHE CARVERS

Ltd. A marketing communications

firm in strategic partnership with i-

Works Technologies has launched

VoidLocator, a Mobile application

designed to transform outdoor

advertising in Nigeria, Africa and

indeed the world.

According to the Managing

Director NICHE CARVERS, Mr.

Jimmy Babatunde, VoidLocator is

an application that powers a

closer relationship between

brands and consumers. It is a GPS

b a s e d a p p l i c a t i o n w i t h a

simplified users interface that

k e e p s c o m p l e x i t y i n t h e

background, which creates virtual

(billboards) spots on a digital map

embedded within the application,

users who then pass through

these virtual radius are alerted

with pop up notifications, carrying

picture, videos, audio, texts or all

the listed formats. I t is also

compatible with all mobile phone

devices.

Babatunde sa id the mobi le

application comes with a reward

system for the application users.

Such that the adverts viewed

accrue monetary incentives,

points and/or loyalty rewards, and

via an integrated shopping

module within the app called the

'Cloud mall', purchases can be

made on popular e-commerce

sites using their rewards.

The Lead consultant for i-Works

Technologies, Mr. Femi Akande,

assured users of the stability of the

a p p , e m p h a s i z i n g t h a t

coordinates are synced real time

within the virtual map using the

unique VOID Intuition Robot

Aplication (VIRA). VIRA ensures a

simplified user interface, while

delivering a service in a secure and

stable environment. He also

mentioned the application is

available for download on the

Apple store, Play store and

Blackberry apps store fronts.

Jimmy Babatunde also added that

V O I D i s s e t t o t r a n s f o r m

advertising in Nigeria because it

offers a precision system that

ensures the advertisers get what is

paid for, as it functions on a pay as

you go system. It simultaneously

nurtures brand involvement,

engagement and loyalty for VOID

users and everyone they interact

with.

NICHE CARVERS Launches VirtualBillboard Mobile Application

A


marketing world - issue 26 | 2015

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