Noah’s Ark, Think Shop, Centrespread Breast the Tape
One of Nigeria’s newest financial institutions, Heritage Bank, had kept three frontline creative agencies battling for the multiple million naira creative business waiting for over 4 months after the pitch process had been concluded, LEADERSHIP can authoritatively revealed.
The top three agencies that have been shortlisted for the business by the Bank after extensive and painstaking processes are Lanre Adisa’s Noah’s Ark, Sam Osunsoko’s The Think Shop and Kola Ayanwale’s Centrespread. Chizor Malize’s Brandzone Consulting and Lolu Akinwunmi’s Prima Garnet Africa amongst others were pruned prior to the third, second and final pitches respectively.
According to investigations, the pitch commenced since October 2015 while the final process ended in early March 2016. But the Bank is not in a hurry to name the winner of the pitch, which observers believe would be the most lucrative in the banking industry.
Investigations revealed the top 3 agencies had performed creditably well leaving the pitch management and the top echelon of the Bank to wonder, which agency not to pick.
The successful agencies would be responsible for the bank new strategic plans that would involve exploring capital market, brand expansion, and the bank’s ambitious top 5 target in the next 10 years.
The Bank with the aim of selecting the most suitable agency with the best interpretation of the brief have suddenly found itself between the devil and the deep blue sea. The presentation from these agencies were said to be top notch. According to findings, The Think Shop led by Sam Osunsoko became the surprise of the exercise.
The Think Shop, which pushed aside agencies like Prima Garnet, Brandzone, Hormonee, SO&U and DDB, should it win would be the first bank account on its stable since the agency débuted last year. The Osunsoko led creative outfit actually gave the pitch management some goose pimples during it presentation.
More experience agency in Centrespread that have previously managed Skye Bank with that famous ‘Hakuna Matata’ campaign also said to have put up a fight. It experience with Skye Bank and other financial institution was reported to have come handy.
Meanwhile Noah’s Ark in its characteristic manner pulled a rag off the feet of bigger agencies to claim a place in the top 3. it presentation according to sources from the Bank was good too.
In another development, Heritage Bank has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the N3billion Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YIEDP) to empower young graduates. The scheme has kicked into its second phase with the invitation of over 1500 applicants for a training workshop this week.
Following the inauguration of the initiative by the CBN and the subsequent launch of a business application portal by Heritage Bank in March this year, not less than 4000 applications have been received.
Out of this number, 1,547 candidates, representing the first batch of possible beneficiaries of soft loans for their business ideas, have been shortlisted to report for a 3-day business development training workshop, which will be conducted across CBN Enterprise Development Centres in the six geopolitical zones.
According to a statement from the Corporate Communications Department of Heritage Bank, the shortlisted candidates will be contacted via SMS and Email on the details and modalities of the CBN-EDC training.
After the training workshop, which is to herald the third phase of the programme, each participant will be required to write a comprehensive and viable business plan, submit on the application portal for the Business Review Committee to screen, review and select the eligible and viable business for YIEDP funding.
Credit: LEADERSHIP
