CBN, FIRST BANK, ZENITH BANK AND SONA GROUP WIN BIG AT THE 2018 BRANDPOWER GOLDEN ICON AWARDS
It was a night of excitement, erudition, glitz and glamour as proudly Nigerian brand owners and key government institutional leaders converged on the Balmoral event Centre in Lagos, on Friday, November 9, 2018 for the 2018 edition of the BrandPower Golden Icons Award. The very classy event witnessed organizations from different sectors winning various awards for their salutary contributions in building proudly Nigerian brands and making the Nigerian economy better, brighter and stronger.
Managing Director MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, delivered a brilliant presentation at the ceremony which focused on “Winning Strategies for brands of the future in Nigeria”. Citing both global and domestic brands, Ugbe highlighted key strategies such as relevance, presence, authenticity, trust, inclusion & representation, responsiveness & sensitivity, listening to customers and consistency. Mr. Ugbe went through a gamut of brands that are taking conscious steps towards engaging their consumers in more exciting ways.
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, received an awarded for the most innovative economic regulator for the creative way the CBN under his watch has defended the country’s currency against an avalanche of FOREX-depleting activities and policies and his various interventions to boost local production and boost the Nigerian economy. Mr. Emefiele was ably represented by the Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor who was equally accompanied by the Head of Media, Mr. Abdul-Mumin Isa. Mr. Okoroafor expressed the Governor’s profound gratitude for the award and assured Nigerians that the Governor will continue to do his best to grow the Nigerian economy.
First Bank of Nigeria also clinched an award for the Best Retail Bank Brand in Nigeria. This award was measured by customer and bank deposit base; First Bank of Nigeria recorded the highest among all commercial banks with a total of N3.94 trillion as at year-end December 2017.
Chairman of the bank, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika was also awarded personally as a Business Legend and Entrepreneur par Excellence. Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, who is a renowned entrepreneur as well as the youngest and first female Chairman of First Bank Nigeria, is equally a leading light in business and philanthropy. Mrs. Awosika is both a source of pride and inspiration to young people and to women not only in Nigeria but across the world.
Zenith Bank of Nigeria took home an award for Nigeria’s Most Profitable Bank 2017. Measured by profit, Zenith Bank recorded a total of N177.93 billion as its Profit after Tax as at year- end December 2017. The feat saw Zenith Bank emerge as No 1 commercial bank in Nigeria as at 2017
The Chairman of Sona Group of Industries, Mr. A.K. Mirchandani was received an award for being a Legend and Extraordinary Contributor to Manufacturing & Brand Nigeria. The conglomerate which encompasses 10 different companies over the past 30 years has been a major player in the sustenance of the Nigerian economy. His vision has built and sustained a diversified business conglomerate. This has contributed immensely to the growth of the country through job creation for thousands of Nigerian youths. Mr. Mirchandani’s award was received on his behalf by Mr. Ashok Maghnagni, Group COO, Sona Group of Industries and Mr. Ajai Mussadi, Group Managing Director of the Group. They both expressed the Chairman’s appreciation of the award and promised that the group will work even harder to not only make Nigeria self-sufficient in quality FMCG products but also make it a major export hub for finished products, a move which they had begun since 2016.
Euro Global Foods & Distilleries Ltd, a member of Sona Group of Industries won an award for Best Malt Brand Relaunch with Maltonic which is the first malt drink in Nigeria to be fortified with vitamin C and paved the way for others to join the fray, leading to malt drinks being fortified with multivitamins thereafter.
Euro Global Foods & Distilleries Ltd also clinched an award for Best Performing Dark Rum Brand. Brave Heart, a proudly Nigerian Dark Rum which has gained deep market penetration and wide acceptance among connoisseurs, making it Nigeria’s leading Dark Rum. The Euro Global awards were received by Mr. Duraijaj Gunasekaran, Head of Business and Mr. Felix Aighobahi both of whom expressed appreciation for the awards and promised to continue to sustain international quality standards in the brands.
Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited (SAAFL) received an award for Best range of biscuits and wafers: SAAFL is an outstanding company whose product quality and portfolio growth has been phenomenal in recent years creating excitement and fulfilment for teeming consumers. Managing Director of the the company, Mr. S. Murugesan whileexpressing delight at the award promised to continue to produce and package biscuits and confectionery of excellent quality and serve the needs of not only Nigeria but the entire West African region and beyond in the shortest possible time.
Shongai Packaging Industry Limited took home the award for Best Plastic Pallets Solutions in Nigeria. Shongai Packaging Limited range of plastic packaging solutions meets global best standards. Its pallet solutions however are a study in environmental safety, food safety and smart industrial packaging innovation especially with the heavy deployment of recycled plastics in their production.
Finally under the Sona Group family was Shonagi Technology Ltd who won the award for Best Flexible Packaging Solutions Provider. Shongai Technologies Limited offers great packaging solutions. Shongai Technology Ltd provides global best quality products and services which has been growing from strength to strength.
MultiChoice Nigeria was got an award for Youth Empowerment through Access to Information. Being the No 1 digital satellite service provider in Nigeria, MultiChoice uses its power of entertainment in enriching lives. Multichoice makes best entertainment accessible to millions of households. Multichoice also creates job opportunities to millions of Nigerian youths. This is done through cutting-edge technology on DStv and GOtv platforms through delivering content customers love and contributing to the success of local economies.
Mr. John Ugbe, the Managing Director of Multichoice was also personally awarded for his Thought leader Par Excellence. MultiChoice, under his watch, has innovated and evolved to provide more inclusiveness for millions of Nigerians. This has been achieved through cutting-edge technology on DStv and GOtv platforms through delivering tailor-made packages and rich content that keeps expanding our world-view and enriching our art, culture, sports, education and business.
Still under the FMCG was O.K Foods Limited who won the award for Fast & Effective Market Penetration of Pure Bliss Biscuits. The products deliver excellently on taste, packaging and premium quality. OK Foods makes premium indulgence biscuits that is at par with premium international offerings in the category.
Chikki Foods Industry Ltd won the award for being First in Africa to use the full automatic box packaging machine from Japan with technical support from Singapore, Indonesia and Japan companies. Driven by the fast growth of technology, Chikki Foods Industries Limited is focused on producing the best quality noodles for Nigerian consumers under a safe working environment with high tech machinery.
TBWA Concept received an award for its Collaborative Brand Campaign which was the Made-in-Aba Campaign. TBWA/Concept Limited identified the rich and industrial potentials in Aba and proactively came up with a campaign which was supported by critical stakeholders including theFord Foundation and Abia state government, leading to a worthy collaboration. The campaign was successful and has repositioned Aba once again as an important fashion and industrial destination in Nigeria and Africa. This is a laudable brand Nigeria campaign that is capable of making the city of Aba reach its full potential. Mr. Kelechi Nwosu was on hand to receive the award on behalf of his agency. He posited that the challenging times calls for deep strategic thinking outside the ‘traditional box’.
Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, Managing Director of Prima Garnet Africa,who was inadvertently absent at the event but called to send in his apologies clinched an award for his Extraordinary Contributions to Advertising & brand Nigeria: Mr. Akinwunmi has been a leading light in the advertising industry for decades; continually setting new standards within the practice, grooming new leaders and making extraordinary contributions to support and protect the local industry in your various positions in the industry and in government.
The event which attracted an elite list of guests in the marketing and business community, was spiced up with great entertainment, gourmet food, wines and great cocktail mixes of BraveHeart Dark Rum. The BrandPower Golden Icons Award seeks to contribute to the collective strive for perfection of Nigerian brands by seeking out promoting and celebrating the best that Nigeria has to offer. According to the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Nnanke Harry Willie BRANDPOWER Golden Icons Awards will now be an annual event and will be a much treasured item in Nigeria’s marketing calendar going forward.
