The 8th edition of the NollywoodWeek film festivalwhich will be launched online from May 6th to 9th is showcasing a record number of entries in the animation category.
This year, NollywoodWeek, one of the leading forums for the discovery and distribution of high-quality productions from Nigeria has expanded to receive films from other African countries as well as the African Diaspora.
Animation has made a stellar entrance into the festival according to festival director Nadira Shakur. “This year we are celebrating the entry of 5 animations, 4 shorts and a feature film from Nigeria called Ladybuckit and the Mopley Mopsters (https://bit.ly/3b3QxTT), a Nigerian adventure through time seen through the eyes of a young girl which happens to be the very first animated feature film to come out of Nigeria and to be released in the cinemas there. We are delighted to profile the talent that is now booming in this sector.”
For the organizers, this development in the area of animation is a testament to the specialization and professionalization that is taking place in the African cinema landscape.
“The industry is developing rapidly with an increasing number of production houses specializing in animation. Many young people, both self-taught and certified, are being creative and re-defining how we tell African stories and of course, the animation is one of the best ways to expand the audience for home-grown, exciting African content that can inform, challenge and delight younger viewers” added Nadira.
NollywoodWeek film festival aims to bring the best of Nigerian talent to the global scene. This year’s edition will include 4 world-premieres. The networking and community aspect of the festival will be maintained through the virtual Networking Hub, the Q&A sessions after each film, and panel discussions on screenwriting, funding the African animation sector, and distribution of African content.
The festival will showcase over 30 entries, including feature films, animations, and short films from Nigeria, Brazil, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
The Beer Sectoral Group (BSG) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in collaboration with the Cross River State Ministry of Quality Education launched the SMASHED Project in Calabar on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021.
The SMASHED Project is an initiative of Collingwood Learning UK, aimed at breaking the culture of underage drinking and reducing alcohol-related harm among underage persons in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, H.E. Ben Ayade, represented by the Deputy Governor, H.E. Prof. Ivara Esu, commended the Beer Sectoral Group for its efforts in tackling the issue of underage drinking through such a credible and impactful platform.
L-R: Jordi Borrut Bel, Chairman Beer Sectoral Group (BSG) of MAN & MD/CEO Nigeria Breweries presenting BSG kits to H.E. the Deputy Governor of Cross River State Prof. Ivara Esu, at the Relaunch of Beer Sectoral Group (BSG) SMASHED Project (Campaign against Underage Drinking) on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Calabar, Cross River State.-Brand Spur Nigeria
“We are pleased to collaborate with the BSG on the SMASHED Project in Cross River State, as a public-private sector partnership on social responsibility. Partnerships of this nature are crucial, as the government and private sector have a better chance of achieving their shared objectives when they work together.
“There is no gainsaying that the private sector comes with significant insights. In this case, the BSG has extensive experience in social advocacy against harmful consumption of alcohol, such as the SMASHED Project and the BSG’s campaign against drink drinking, to mention a few. The Government of Cross River state is keen to build on such industry insights and have them applied for the benefits of the good people of our state”, he said.
The Deputy Governor went on to thank BSG for creating an avenue for positive social impact others organizations can emulate, citing the initiative as a highly effective means to influence the decision-making in teenagers with regards to underage drinking.
In his address, the Chairman of Beer Sectoral Group, Jordi Borrut Bel stated that part of the initiative’s focus is to help teenagers build confidence in the face of peer pressure as it is considered one of the causes of underage drinking globally.
“The SMASHED Project is a global campaign against underage drinking, aimed at educating and enlightening adolescents on the dangers of underage drinking and ways to prevent and avoid it. With this Project, parents are also engaged as this enables them to understand the vulnerability of the teenage years and how to sensitize their children on the dangers of underage drinking.
“This is in addition to being encouraged to help preclude their underage children from consuming alcohol by being better role models and talking to them about how to overcome peer pressure during their formative years”, he stated.
Mr. Borrut Bel went on to reiterate BSG’s commitment to campaigning against the harmful use of alcohol, saying that its members will continue to enlighten the public on the inimical effects of abuse.
“The campaign against underage drinking is only a part of a broader aspect of the discourse on the harmful use of alcohol, which the BSG and its members continue to advocate against. The key notion here is that the dangers associated with alcohol consumption arise from the harmful use of alcohol”, he added.
Conceived in 2004, the SMASHED Project has engaged over 1 million students internationally and has been delivered in 25 countries around the world. In Africa, SMASHED has been delivered in Cameroun, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.
The SMASHED Project was introduced in Nigeria in 2018 and has so far been delivered in Lagos, Abuja FCT, Ogun, Edo, Enugu, Anambra, and Delta states, covering over 100 different localities, both urban and rural. The initiative has reached about 35,000 students in over 170 public and private schools and has enjoyed the immense cooperation of the State Ministries of Education, principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and students.
The BSG plans to continue to deliver SMASHED on an annual basis, with a focus on reaching a minimum of 12,000 students across 60 schools in 3 states in 2021 alone (referring to Cross River, Delta and Oyo states).
Other social responsibility initiatives of the Beer Sectoral Group include its annual Don’t Drink & Drive Campaign and the donation of breathalyzers to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). The BSG’s Don’t Drink & Drive campaign has been delivered in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt and has in all cases included motor park rallies and billboard campaigns, educating on the dangers of drink-driving.
In addition to this, the BSG maintains an active social media presence, through which it promotes public enlightenment messaging on responsible consumption.
The BSG is a section of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria comprising leading beer manufacturers in Nigeria. Its membership currently consists of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, and International Breweries Plc.
In addition, Mr. Surendran will be appointed to the Executive Committee (ExCo) as Regional Operating Director, reporting to the CEO of Airtel Africa plc, and onto the Board of Airtel Networks (Nigeria) Limited.
Mr. Surendran replaces Mr. Olusegun (Segun) Ogunsanya. Mr. Olusegun (Segun) Ogunsanya will become Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa plc with effect from 1 October 2021, with a transition period from 1 August 2021.
Mr. Surendran has been with Bharti Airtel since 2003 and has contributed immensely in various roles across customer experience, sales and business operations.
In his most recent role as CEO Karnataka, which is the largest circle in Airtel India with over $1bn in revenue, Mr. Surendran delivered an exceptional performance with significant movement in Revenue Market Share (RMS) over the last few years, currently at 54%. He has over 30 years of business experience, including 15 years at Xerox.
Mr. Surendran will transition into his new role from 1 June 2021 and spend the time onboarding into the business until 31 July 2021.
British Airways, supported by its sister company IAG Cargo, is flying 27 tonnes of medical aid to Delhi this evening, Wednesday, May 5, 2021
1,349 items of aid will depart on an aircraft specially chartered by British Airways and supported by volunteers from the airline to ensure life-saving supplies reach the country urgently
British Airways Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle says the airline has offered the free support as it “stands with its friends in India as the country endures one of the worst crises it has ever known”
As the humanitarian crisis in India worsens, British Airways has announced it will fly a Boeing 777-200 aircraft loaded with emergency aid to Delhi this evening to support the Indian government as the country continues to battle rising Coronavirus cases with dwindling oxygen supplies.
The airline commissioned a special project team to organize the flight, which is due to leave on Wednesday, May 5 at 5 pm (BA257F), landing in Delhi at 5.45 am (local time) on Thursday, May 6. The aircraft is being loaded with more than a thousand items from the High Commission of India and charities including Khalsa Aid International and the largest Hindu temple outside of India, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Neasden, London.
British Airways Airlifts 27 Tonnes Of Urgent Medical Aid For India On Special Emergency Flight-Brand Spur Nigeria
The load includes hundreds of urgent life-saving oxygen cylinders and shipments of oxygen concentrators, respirators and blood oxygen saturation monitors. British Airways is also donating care packages for families in need.
While IAG Cargo and British Airways have maintained a vital air link between London and India throughout the pandemic, sending aid on scheduled flights, this air lift is a special charter, fully funded by the two companies.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chief Executive and CEO, said: “The British Airways family has been deeply affected by the terrible scenes in India of the deepening humanitarian crisis that has impacted the lives of many of our people.
“We are fortunate to be in a position to help transport aid and I am so proud of the volunteers from across the airline and IAG Cargo who have stepped up to make this happen. We continue to stand with our friends in India as the country endures one of the worst crises it has ever known.”
British Airways works in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is organizing the UK’s humanitarian response. Saleh Saeed, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee, said: “The DEC brings together 14 leading UK aid charities to respond quickly and effectively to disasters, with the fantastic support of partners in the corporate sector, including British Airways.
“We are hugely grateful to British Airways for springing into action to support our emergency appeals, enabling us to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to people in India and elsewhere across the world when disaster strikes.”
Captain Minesh Patel, a member of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir temple, has been instrumental in helping to organize the flight and is commanding the relief service.
He said: “It seemed natural to connect British Airways with the wealth of aid and relief material amassed by BAPS in the UK to enable the medical supplies to reach the organization’s volunteers in India who can provide relief, medical and social aid to the victims in the worst affected regions.”
The airline’s people have also raised several thousand pounds for the DEC’s appeal through internal online donations.
Tagged Bank Wars, the keenly-anticipated competition is set to commence on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at the centre located at Yudala Heights, 13A Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Yudala Heights, 13A Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. | Brand Spur Nigeria
The event is sponsored by the foremost Original Equipment Manufacturer, Samsung.
Among the banks set to do battle at the Tech Experience Centre are:
Access Bank
First City Monument Bank (FCMB)
Standard Chartered Bank
Zenith Bank.
Others are:
Sterling Bank
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB)
Union Bank
Fidelity Bank.
The competing banks are divided into two groups, with the first four listed above occupying Group A while the latter four will compete for honours in Group B.
Meanwhile, the competition, which will run for five Saturdays until June 5, 2021, will kick off on Saturday, May 8 with a potentially tasty tie between Access Bank and FCMB by 1 pm. Also expected to trade tackles are Standard Chartered Bank and Zenith Bank in the second fixture of the day.
Winners of the Bank Wars FIFA 21 Gaming competition are expected to smile home with some mouth-watering prizes, courtesy of Samsung.
A Samsung 55-inch TV awaits the first prize winner while the runner-up will go home with a massive Samsung Refrigerator. Also, the third-best team will claim a Samsung Washing Machine. In addition, there are prizes for individual representatives of the competing teams while the best goal of the competition (to be determined by votes) will fetch the scorer a Samsung 49-inch TV.
Tech Experience Centre, a game-changer for Nigeria – Schneider Electric MD | www.wordpress-1516176-5827464.cloudwaysapps.com
Already, excitement is building up for the competition as the banks talk up their chances of carrying the day.
‘‘Bank Wars is a prime opportunity for some of the leading commercial banks in Nigeria to prove who is the best among the lot in the FIFA 21 arena,’’stated Chidalu Ekeh, Head of the Tech Experience Centre.‘‘We have witnessed huge excitement from many Nigerians who will be storming the Tech Experience Centre to watch the banks do battle from this Saturday. Also, the participating banks have been in bullish form and from the evidence on the ground, it is bound to be a keenly-contested competition.
‘‘Right here in the Tech Experience Centre, we have one of the most immersive gaming arenas in Nigeria which will play host to the potentially action-packed competition between the participating banks. It promises to be a good time for everyone, so I urge you to come out with your friends and family to witness the excitement,’’she disclosed.
At Kantar, we love great creative content, and we love it, even more, when that creativity is harnessed to deliver against brand and marketing objectives. Each year we test over 10,000 ads for our clients around the world with Link, an independently validated solution. Each year we learn more about winning ads and the ingredients for success.
Kantar’s Creative Effectiveness Awards recognise the best TV and digital ads from around the world – as judged by consumers. They celebrate great advertising that drives sales in the short term and equity in the long term. While we recognise that not all ads seek to do both, our approach provides a framework for assessment and recognises the power of creative to build brands, not just activate sales.
An exceptional year
2020 was a year like no other, and our work showed that people wanted advertising to continue, as it provided a sense of normality at a time of 24-hour COVID-19 news cycles. For the most part, consumers were processing content in the same way during the pandemic as they did before. Advertisers that held their resolve and invested in their brand during the downturn saw their bravery rewarded.
Revealed: the most creative and effective ads of 2020
This year we saw some amazing ads that are both creative and effective. Our winners come from a diverse range of brands, categories and countries, and use many different tactics in their creativity. What they share in common is a commitment to creative excellence and a focus on ensuring their work performs exactly as intended.
Consumers rated Heineken’s ‘Cheers to all’, the world’s most creatively effective ad for 2020. In this ad, Heineken addresses gender-related drinks stereotypes in a way that is light-hearted rather than preachy or self-righteous and for that reason is loved by viewers.
Have a look at the great ads that consumers ranked in our top 20 from around the world in 2020. Congratulations to all our winners.
3. Brand: Burger King | Country: France | Agency: Buzzman
4. Brand: SheaMoisture | Country: USA | Agency: BBDO New York and JOY Collective
5. Brand: Samsung | Country: USA | Agency: R/GA
6. Brand: Milka| Country: France | Agency: DAVID Madrid
7. Brand: Google| Country: USA | Agency: Google Brand Studio
8. Brand: TENA| Country: UK | Agency: AMV BBDO, London
9. Brand: TD| Country: Canada | Agency: Leo Burnett
10. Brand: Adrenaline Rush| Country: Russia | Agency: KAPIBARA
11. Brand: YouTube Kids| Country: USA | Agency: Droga5
12. Brand: Avocados from Mexico| Country: USA | Agency: Energy BBDO Chicago
13. Brand: Gatorade| Country: Chile | Agency: TBWA / Chiat de Los Ángeles
14. Brand: Toyota Corolla| Country: Canada | Agency: The Showroom
15. Brand: Kozel| Country: Slovakia | Agency: Armada
16. Brand: Nissan Sentra| Country: USA | Agency: NissanUnited
17. Brand: Panadol Actifast| Country: Malaysia | Agency: Grey Group Singapore
18. Brand: EBay Australia| Country: Australia | Agency: Che Proximity Australia
19. Brand: Siemens Home Appliances| Country: Turkey | Agency: MullenLowe Istanbul
20. Brand: Hershey’s Kisses| Country: USA | Agency: mcgarrybowen
The 5 habits of highly effective advertisers
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to creative and effective advertising – we observed five habits from our winners that ensure their advertising will deliver for their brand, in both the short and long term. These can act as guidelines for all advertisers.
1. Be distinctive
Create the ability to be noticed and remembered in a world where there’s a profusion of ads. Your ad is not just competing in its category. It is competing for attention against the world. Stand out from the category as a minimum, and ideally from any other advertising.
2. Brand intrinsically
Make sure that the attention won by the ad is in the service of the brand. Ensure the brand is at the heart of your creative or get your branding cues right. A surprising number of brands forget this.
3. Be meaningfully different
To grow market share or defend premium pricing you need to show how your brand fulfils consumers’ functional, emotional and social needs in the category AND illustrates your uniqueness compared to the competition.
4. Trigger an emotional response
Making the viewer feel something wins engagement for the ad, bypassing the natural tendency to screen out advertising. It also has positive effects on the brand’s emotional associations.
5. Talk with your consumers
Successful marketers know they can get ‘too close’ to their brand and lose perspective, so they listen to viewer feedback throughout the creative development process and refine their ads accordingly.
Get your recipe right
As well as great habits, we noted many creative devices, or ingredients used effectively by our 2020 winners. Some of our winning ads tackle diversity or challenge gender stereotypes (and we know progressive ads drive greater ROI), others use celebrity creatively, some nailed humour during challenging times – and much more.
As football fans all over the world unite to protect the beautiful game, Heineken has strengthened the movement’s resolve by announcing the Heineken UCL Challenge, hosted by Nancy Isime, VJ Adams and Uti Nwachukwu.
With the semi-finals kicking off, these celebrities are ramping up their connection with fans and consumers through the challenge. The Heineken UCL Challenge will feature each celebrity host an Instagram Live session on their respective platforms with fans getting the opportunity to dial in, share some banter, participate in a trivia challenge and win prizes, courtesy of Heineken.
Renowned for being a football conversationalist, Uti Nwachukwu has asked fans to get hyped about the upcoming activities from him and his partners. “It’s going to be very exciting!” he said.
“Being at the forefront of these exciting football activities has been a breath of fresh air and the Heineken UCL Challenge allows me to do that once more. My fans and followers can expect an enjoyable and hugely rewarding time and I can’t wait to get started!” he concluded.
Nancy Isime, also anticipating her session with her fans and followers, told football fans and followers to “get ready for a truly amazing time.” She will be joined by e-sports fanatic, VJ Adams, who will be hosting a solo Heineken UCL Challenge as well.
Other activities the celebrities will be driving during the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League include the Heineken UCL Trivia Night, in which fans and consumers answer trivia questions for a chance to win exclusive Heineken merchandise and other prizes.
Fans interested in participating have been told to keep tabs on the social media spaces of each celebrity starting April 27 through till May 5.
4th May 2021: Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc (Seplat), a leading Nigerian independent oil and gas company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Limited and London Stock Exchange, today confirms that the following currency exchange rates will be applicable in the determination of the proposed final dividend for 2020 to any shareholder that qualifies for and has elected to receive the dividend payment in Naira or GBP:
Exchange Rate
1 USD = 410.24 Naira
1 USD = 0.7197 GBP
The exchange rate for the Naira or Pound Sterling amounts payable was determined by reference to the exchange rates applicable to the US dollar available on 30th April 2021.
The closing date for the Dividend currency election to the Company’s Registrars is 18th May 2021. In the absence of a qualifying Dividend currency election by shareholders to the appropriate Registrar, dividends will be paid in their default currency.
Shareholders should refer to the Company’s announcement on 1st March 2021 for the definition of default currencies and dividend currency election forms can be found on the company website at https://seplatpetroleum.com/investors/dividend.
The attention of Guaranty Trust Bank PLC (GTBank) has been drawn to news circulating in the media about imminent changes on the Board and Management of the Bank.
As an organization listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, there are processes that guide such Board changes and channels of communication of such changes as required by regulation.
Photographer: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images
The Board of the Bank has approved certain changes in its constitution and is presently engaging its primary regulator on same and would formally communicate upon the conclusion of all required regulatory engagements.
Ford’s April retail sales were up 57.1 percent, not only selling above 2020 results but also up 23.7 percent relative to April 2019 results. Together, retail truck and SUV sales were up 70.1 percent providing Ford Truck and SUV sales with their best April retail sales performance since 2006
F-Series retail share expanded 2 percentage points through April of this year in the full-size pickup segment. F-Series retail sales were up 19.7 percent for the month while beating April 2019 retail sales levels by 9.3 percent.
“Ford’s retail sales not only increased 57 percent over a year ago but also exceeded April 2019 by 24 percent. Strong customer reaction to our newest products, despite tight inventory, confirms our strategy of investing in electrified vehicles, along with trucks and SUVs.
In April, we not only beat pre-coronavirus sales numbers from April 2019, but we saw record electrified vehicle sales for the month, along with record April Ford and Lincoln SUV sales. Trucks had their best retail performance since 2008.”
Ford electrified vehicle sales produced a new all-time monthly sales record – up 262 percent on new product offerings. Mustang Mach-E sales totaled 1,951, F-150 PowerBoost sales totaled 3,365, while Escape electrified sales totaled 3,695 in April. Electrified vehicle sales totaled 11,172 – up 262 percent.
The fully electric Mustang Mach-E is turning on dealer lots in just 4 days, with a majority of buyers only considering a fully electric vehicle as their purchase. Ford has sold 8,565 vehicles and sales continue to grow.
Order banks now open for the high-performance GT Mach-E version. Total sales of Ford Mustang were up 50.9 percent, with sales totalling 8,000 in April.
New products drove transaction pricing to record levels, with 94 percent mix of trucks and SUVs. Ford transaction pricing in April totalled $43,600 per vehicle. Bronco Sport, turning on dealer lots in just 13 days, produced an average transaction price of $31,800 per SUV – the highest in the segment.
Mustang Mach-E is turning in just 4 days on dealer lots and transacting at $45,800. Ford’s investment in trucks and SUVs is not only producing greater volume but replaces sedans like the Fusion, which produced an average transaction price of $22,600 in April 2021.
Ford brand SUVs hit record high retail sales – up 125 percent over a year ago on new product introductions. Ford SUV sales were up across the board, besting April 2019 by 54.7 percent.
Ford’s gross stock at the end of April remains favourable relative to competitors. Ford’s overall gross stock position going into May was 265,000 vehicles, which is at the higher end relative to the overall industry and stands at 35 days’ supply. This compares to an overall industry with 33 days’ supply
Lincoln SUVs posted record April retail sales. Lincoln SUV sales were up across the board in April, with a total of 9,943 SUVs sold.
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