In a region undergoing such tremendous changes and where brands are becoming an essential part of the African identity, the African Cristal stands as the first Summit for Media & Communications dedicated to the African continent. This event aims to bring together the entire media & communication industry to network and to promote regional culture through dedicated competitions, conferences and debates.
Smarting from its last AGM/Congress in Osogbo, Osun state, Nigerian Advertising appears recharged to take its rightful place in the continent . The AGM which considered the theme: Nigerian Advertising, What Next?, rounded off with submissions that the players in the industry should exert themselves through participation and winning reputable industry awards beyond the shores of the sub-region.
As if charged, the country is exerting itself in the real sense of the word as it garnered a fairly sizeable nominations in the on-going African Cristal Awards which holds in Egypt. The nominations list released earlier today showed that Nigeria is revving to putting up a good show contrary to what it used to be in the time past. The on-going 2015 edition of the African cristal reveals more Nigerian agencies submitted entries for the awards and it is also heart warming to know that the country is also fairly represented on the nominations table with new agencies such as 7even Interactive and the Thiink shop recording exciting first time presence.
Nigeria leads the Press Cristal with 17 nominations. It dominated the Food/Drink category with Nigerian agencies nominated for all the five slots. Noah’s Ark has three with ‘Static break the boredom(Bullet) for DUFIL PRIMA FOODS PLC (MINIMIE CHINCHIN); Traditional Mum Healthy mums for Friesland Campina (THREE CROWNS MILK) and YOGA MUM Healthy mums also for Friesland Campina’s Three Crowns.
DDB Lagos and SO&U helped to seal this glory for Nigeria with their ‘Real Chicken’ for Unilever and Toast Independence for Guinness Nigeria respectively. Whichever way it goes, Nigeria is sure to clinch the gold, silver and bronze in the category.
The 2015 African Cristal also promises to be a good outing for Nigeria in the Insurance/Banking category as all three nominations are taken by one Nigerian agency. SO &U is the king here as it has all three nomination via it works for Access Bank. These include ‘World Savings Day’; ‘Current Kids’ and ‘Bounced Kids’ all for Access Bank. SO & U is sure to pick up laurels for Nigeria.
It is however surprising that despite the huge amount of works being churned out for telecommunications brands across Africa, only two nominations featured in the category. Nigeria’s X3M Ideas attracts one of slots with its work for Etisalat tagged ‘20million subscribers’.
Nigeria also featured prominently in the NGO/Charity/ Public Interest category, the country got five of the six nominations in this category. The entries that got the nominations and respective agencies are ‘STOP BOKO HARAM VOTE FOR CHANGE’ and ‘STOP CORRUPTION VOTE FOR CHANGE’ both are works for APC by Insight Communcations. DDB Lagos also showed huge presence in this category with three nominations ‘Carpenter Test before you treat’, ‘Plumber Test before you treat’ both for its client, SUNMAP. The agency’s ‘No to Xenophobia’ sponsored by The Concerned People also got another nomination for DDB Lagos Nigeria. The only external nomination in this category outside Nigeria is the work by Havas Worldwise’s ‘OMG Last Messages’ for Road Traffic Management Corporation of South Africa.
Noah’s Ark also came up strong in the Beauty/hygiene /health (Cosmetics, Make-up, Medicine…) It got three of the four nominations here for Nigeria. The works include ‘Platitude Hypo Made Of White’; ‘Define Hypo Made Of White (Guinness spoof)’ and ‘Yanga Hypo Made Of White (Guinness spoof)’ all for Dufil Prima Foods. The ‘outsider’ in this category is Kenya’s Ogilvy & Mather Africa/ MEC Africa Kenya whose ‘Shades of Grey’ for Durex by Reckitt Benckiser Services also got a nomination.
Noah’s Ark and DDB Lagos helped to secure a nominations for Nigeria in the Outdoor category with two nominations each. Noah’s Ark nominations came from its hollow veils – ‘Dorcas Yakubu’ and ‘Naomi Zakariya’ in the #BringBackOurGirls’ series in the agency’s Boko Halal CSR campaign.
DDB Lagos records its nominations through its works for SUNMAP – ‘Carpenter Test before you treat’ and ‘Plumber Test before you treat’.
Nigeria is shot out of the prestigiuos Film/TVC category as it is dominated by Egypt, South Africa and Morocco safe for 7even Interactive which featured in the Insurance/banking /Financial services with one nomination.
Tough job indeed it was for Nigeria in the Integrated category. The category has 14 nominations and Nigeria struggled to get just one all thanks again to extremely young 7even Interactive whose fidelity’s ‘Tough Job’ – Fidelity Masterbrand Campaign got the nomination for Nigeria.
In the Radio Cristal, Nigeria has a nomination in the Food/drink. The Thiinkshop, a rather unknown shop made history as its entry ‘Making other people happy, makes you happy’ in the #foundonkonga Konga.com series got a nomination for the country.
It’s also not a cheering news in Digital /Mobile category which features about 40 nominations and Nigeria featured just once here in the Food / Drink / Mass-Consumption Product / Home Product segment. The nomination came via X3M Ideas’ Chivas Father’s Day campaign for Pernod Ricard. This goes to support the industry’s position of the last AAAN AGM when it came to the fore that Nigerian agencies need to deepen their skill in the digital ad space as most of the briefs in this regard are awarded to agencies outside Nigeria.
Similarly, DDB Lagos saved the day in the Promo & Direct category with its ‘Invite Starring You’ for Pernod Ricard.
As the award is about being underway, it will be on record that Nigeria got sizeable nominations at the 2015 African Cristal but it’ll be a lot more better news to know that the country is recorded ample success winning a lot laurels better than previous outings.
Credit: Brandcrunch
