For many years, Nigeria’s marketing communications industry has been highly competitive and segmented; run by a proliferation of companies playing individually in niched parts such as advertising, public relations, digital marketing, experiential marketing, media buying and so on. With advertising alone recording above-the-line spend of N97.9 billion in 2015, and digital marketing’s estimated revenue at $2 billion in 2015, it is safe to say the industry is undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s top service industries.
With shifting client-consumer preferences, consistent changes in technology, and disappearance of big budgets, Marcoms in Nigeria faces major challenges like storytelling and extreme segmentation with template solutions being offered on a day-to-day basis.
Few companies such as Livespot Group, owned by Deola and Dare Art Alade, are able to apply empathetic storytelling, futuristic strategies, and offer holistic services under one body. The company, from inception in 2013, has been treading disruptive paths to building a world-class 360 marketing communications company by executing industry redefining projects and talk-of-the-town concepts.
According to Femi Osinubi, a Technology, Information, Communications and Entertainment (TICE) Industry Leader at PwC Nigeria, a user’s experience is what bridges the gap between brands and their users. In a PwC report, he noted that the way to achieve this was to capitalize on emerging technologies to delight users in new ways and provide superior user experiences.
By following this approach, Livespot has been able to turn consumers into fans and advocates by merging entertainment and marketing and also aiming for the heart rather than the head. The company has put together some of Nigeria’s most remarkable experiential and digital marketing campaigns and concerts in recent times.
Between 2014 and 2016, Livespot was responsible for Darey Art Alade’s Love Like a Movie which saw in attendance of some of the world’s top celebrities — Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara. Love Like a Movie has been voted one of Nigeria’s best music concerts of all time.
In December 2017, Livespot handled production, experiential marketing and digital engagement of Falz’s debut concert tagged The Falz Experience which was later described by Nigerians as “The Best Music Concert of 2017”. Being the most successful and highest ranked music showcase of 2017, the concert generated renewed attention and investment which will result in a second edition.
Livespot has gone beyond the borders of entertainment to work with leading brands such as Airtel for its ‘Data Life’, ‘Smart Connect’ and ‘By Your Side’ campaign, GTB’s Fashion Weekend, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Heineken, World Economic Forum, First Bank and so many more providing integrated marketing solutions.
Considering the background of the founders, Deola and Dare Art Alade — the former, a creative designer, record label CEO, and the latter, a singer-songwriter and producer — one would wonder how they were able to make a dramatic shift from succeeding in design and entertainment to breaking barriers in marketing.
Commenting on this, Dare Art Alade, Executive Creative Director, Livespot noted:
“The creative revolution Livespot brings to the marketing industry is based on years of commendable work and a track record of excellence. We thrive in applying our immense creativity to providing real, exciting marketing solutions for all our clients. We are a 360 creative collective of the digital era, unified by a passion for developing disruptive ideas that convert consumers into fans.”
Speaking at a media day which held at their office in Ikeja on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, Deola Art Alade, CEO, Livespot said, “We define and grow exceptional brands through a carefully refined system of ideation and creative development, then leverage our extensive resource network to communicate the brand across multi-platforms.”
Deola Art Alade studied Graphics at Obafemi Awolowo University. She is a member of Interior Designers Association of Nigeria while her husband-partner Darey Art Alade studied Music at the University of Lagos. He was launched into international limelight with his excellent performance as a contestant on Project Fame Africa in 2004. He has since gone on to release critically-acclaimed works, including Fuji, Escalade, Not the Girl and Pray For Me featuring the Grammy award-winning band, Soweto Gospel.
Based in Lagos, with offices in Abuja, and consultants working from different cities around the world, Livespot is a member of the Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria (AAAN).
American marketing author and professor, Philip Kotler once said, “integrated marketing communications is a way of looking at the whole marketing process from the viewpoint of the consumer.” Being able to tell one story across different user touchpoints as Livespot has done for its brands is important and is what would define the growth of agencies in Nigeria’s highly competitive marketing communications sphere.
