S/Africa media agencies set to deepen footprint in Nigeria

Investors from South Africa are increasingly finding Nigeria as favourable investment destination, as Brand Union, a South Africa-based brand development agency, is set to deepen its footprint in the Nigerian market.

The firm with growing business interest in Nigeria, specialises in strategy, environmental design and brand experiences, and is part of British multinational advertising and public relations company, WPP. Brand Union has been working for some Nigerian blue-chip companies in various sectors in the last 13 years.

Presently, Engage Brandcraft, a company based in Cape Town, South Africa, is eyeing the Nigerian market because “West Africa as a whole is an exciting economic region developing incredibly fast, but Nigeria is extremely significant because right now it’s the second largest economy in Africa.”

Already, a South African firm recently acquired stake in Dangote Cement. Also, Tiger Brands, a leading company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange had acquired stake in another member of Dangote Flour Mills. Also recently, South African Famous Brands acquired 49 percent stake in Nigeria’s UAC. This is an addition to various South African companies such as Shoprite, MTN, Woolsworth, and many more that operate in Nigeria.

At a conference recently in Lagos, the officials of Brand Union confirm that there are lots of opportunities that are under-utilised in Nigeria. The firm’s deepening interest in Nigeria is therefore aimed at resuscitating the branding process in Nigeria by introducing new trends that are practised in other parts of the world.

The brand experience conference, with the theme, ‘Own Your Own Brand’ and attended by senior executives of Nigerian institutions and local marketing was an opportunity for the senior Nigerian marketing community to consider ways of managing growth, while maintaining certain aspects of their brands’ identity and essence that have helped guide their current success.

Speaking to the press, Hermann Behrens, Brand Union’s Middle East and Africa CEO, says the firm has played a significant role in building formidable brands in Nigeria since 1999, explaining that as part of a targeted resurgence into the Nigerian market aimed at acquisition and retention of top tier clients, the Brand Union has begun to engage local brands in a more holistic and meaningful way that goes beyond the logo and corporate identity systems.

He says ‘Own Your Own Brand’ became a topic of conversation around how local marketers should manage growth within and outside of Nigeria, and how global brands should behave when trading in the Nigerian market.

On his part, Ricardo Gressel, business development director for Brand Union Africa, explains that within the context of brand ownership, the ‘Own Your Own Brand’ experience conference was an opportunity for marketing executives and organisations to learn and discuss ways to work with a clear brand purpose, craft a compelling brand narrative and deliver memorable brand experiences. In order to give brands competitive advantage, the brand union is keen to share how the agency’s ethos: ‘the experience of the brand is the brand’ can differentiate a brand’s offering, proliferate customer favourability and build barriers to competitor in-roads.

For brand custodians to ‘Own Your Own Brand’ not only do they need to define what the brand stands for, but this purpose also needs to be brought to life across multiple brand assets. When these two elements: purpose and assets work together, the result is a seamless brand experience that is bold, differentiating and ownable.

The key take out from his presentation was the fact that CMOs of emerging markets need to take their rightful seat at the boardroom table with an agenda that demonstrate the value of communicating innovation to deliver sales. Many brands in emerging markets have been successful through targeting low-income consumers and sparking innovation.

In his speech at the conference, Olanrewaju Oke, founder/director of Elbeo, a research and marketing strategy firm who shared his knowledge and experience of working on packaged goods brands, cautioned the delegates to be wary of the future because the darling of brands today can be tomorrow’s failures.

By: Daniel Obi and Hope Akporowhe