Life Progress Booster – Brand’s way of pushing Igbo’s entrepreneurial culture industry
A brand or business that cares for and brings about a good life for its consumers by building loyalty and garnering unflinching support through worthy empathy today surely plans for a desirable and rewarding future.
Such relationship becomes more interesting and successful if the consumer’s economic base is enhanced through the brand’s well designed innovative programmes and activities that resonate with the consumers.
The above aptly describes the relationship between Life Continental Lager Beer, a brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc, and its consumers across South East and South south states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta and Rivers. A few of Life Beer innovative programmes perfectly designed to tickle consumers across the seven states listed above include the HiLife Fest and Life Progress Booster initiatives.
For four consecutive years, the brand has consistently executed these unique programmes in a bid to improve bonding with consumers, improve their economic base and boost business and economic well-being of the areas in general and ultimately the individual consumers and beneficiaries’ businesses.
Life Continental Beer HiLife Fest is about the promotion of highlife music, a genre specially loved and enjoyed in the South East and environs. This aligns with the brand’s desire to promote the cultural heritage of the Igbo people across the South east and beyond. The initiative designed to promote Highlife music and cultural dances has been on since 2016 and the brand is committed to achieving a lot more.
“Hi-Life Fest is our way of paying homage to the cultural heritage of the Igbo people through Highlife music”, said Brand Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Emmanuel Agu, adding that the brand understands the relevance of these classic tunes to the people here and we delight in bringing a full package music festival to our esteemed consumers through its unique experience.
Closely aligned, is the Life Continental Beer’s “Progress Booster” initiative. This programme, according to available records, has stood the test of time, recording outstanding success for four years. It is designed to support the people of the South-east, who have great and innovative business ideas to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo people.
The difference between the Life Continental Initiatives and other brand promotions activities is the fact that while majority of the promotions are sales inducements gimmicks, the Life Progress Booster’s primary concern is to cater for the consumers and ensure they succeed in their businesses. It is not tied to purchases or sales as condition for participation.
Life Continental Beer understands that the passion to succeed is the driving spirit of the Igbo people and the brand is part of that story of progress. Life Progress Booster promotion is a celebration of the essential Igbo spirit of industry, will to succeed, enterprise and passion in the world of business. This project is, no doubt, a reinforcement of the heritage embedded in the Life Continental Lager Beer, its essence, connection and affinity with the people and heritage of South East.
In line with the brand’s growing tradition of availing its consumers’ economic empowerment, “Progress Booster” season four was unveiled last week in Enugu, precisely on August 26, 2018.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Brand Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, explained that like its previous editions, a consumer and interested participant needs to have a simple, viable, not necessarily outlandish business idea that he desires to take to the next level of success.
“Progress Booster is a programme with the sole aim of supporting the people of the South-East, who have innovative business ideas to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. We are excited by the success of the previous three editions. We are also ready to support another set of entrepreneurs, who will qualify through the business pitch this year, and we look forward to empowering other innovative business men and women”, Agu said.
While noting that “Life Progress Booster” is a platform for budding businessmen and women to present their proposals and transform their ideas to reality, Agu said that Progress Booster was initiated to raise more entrepreneurs and self-dependent individuals in South-east Nigeria.
A total of 25 entrepreneurs received cheques of N300, 000 each to grow their respective businesses during the Life Progress Booster event held in Enugu on Sunday evening. The beneficiaries drawn from the applicants interviewed and selected from Ebonyi and Enugu States included 11 women and 14 men. They were presented with the cheques by representatives of Nigerian Breweries Plc on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at the BLD Arena, Enugu, Enugu State.
Some of winners, including Okafor Victor expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian Breweries for the initiative “I am so happy for this gesture. It is least expected especially from a Beer company. I don’t believe companies give money without telling you to participate in a buy and win promotion. This is a total surprise. No collateral, no interest, and no refund… I am so happy. Thank you.”
In her own remarks, Ify Nwamba Oguelina said “I am so happy; a friend whose uncle participated in the 2017 edition encouraged me to apply for the grant. I defended my business idea. Here I am with a Cheque of N300, 000 with no strings attached. Thank you Life Beer.”
Some winners of past edition and their proposals include Eusebius Owusi (Cold Room Business Expansion); Stella Okechukwu (Hair Dressing Salon Establishment) and Felicia Emeh (Canteen Expansion). Others are Augustine Okoli (Household & Furniture Welder); Tuvia Kings Enterprises (Creative Fashion Designer and Prints); and Anyachukwu Donatus (Food Condiments Processing).
Stella, a hairdresser, who won in the 2016 edition and has been a stylist in Onitsha for almost 6 years for lack of fund, said she has been able to open her own shop and now operates independently thanks to the Progress Booster fund.
Like Stella, another beneficiary, Donatus was full of appreciation to Life Continental Beer and Nigerian Breweries Plc. He confirmed he has deployed the fund to positively impact on his food condiments business. “We injected the money into the business for expansion as we had, hitherto, found it difficult to widen the scope of operation before the winning provided a Booster”.
Unlike the previous editions, no radio show is involved. Interested participants only need to pick and fill the entry forms. Shortlisted candidates will proceed to pitch their existing business that needs more funding to a team of three experts and beneficiaries will win a grant the catchment zone
Life Continental Lager Beer is a beer from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc made from the choicest grains, hops and the purest of waters. It is brewed to give that rich, crisp distinctive taste and well-rounded aroma in true quality fashion of the master brewers.
DANIEL OBI