Nike launches "Find Your Greatness" campaign

Just few of days before the Olympics kick off, Nike has rolled out a new film to inspire athletes and common people to find their greatness not only at competitions but in everyday life.

The film is a centerpiece of the ‘Find Your Greatness’ campaign, which is also runs on digital channels. The film will air on TV in 25 countries starting July 27.

The film shows international athletes training, playing and competing in London as well as in Little London, Jamaica and London, Ohio.

“The idea behind ‘Find Your Greatness’ is simply to inspire and energize everyday athletes everywhere to celebrate their achievements, participate and enjoy the thrill of achieving in sport at their own level,” said Greg Hoffman, Nike VP of Brand Design & Communications. “Nike’s co-founder Bill Bowerman said, ‘If you have a body you’re an athlete,’ and that’s a really compelling insight for all athletes as we celebrate great sporting moments this summer.”

Nike Air Max2 CB

Nike Basketball’s releases over the past 20 years represent the definition and redefinition of the hoops shoe. A 20-year work-in-progress. In 1994, the Nike Air Max2 CB was born.

CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2012 winners announced

Evanson Nyaga and Tom Mboya, from Kenya, have been awarded the top prize at this year's CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2012 Awards Ceremony which took place on Saturday, 21 July 2012, in Zambia.

They both won for their work 'African Tribe in India', which aired on Citizen TV, Kenya and was chosen from among 1 799 entries from 42 nations across the African continent. Their work tells the story of an African tribe in India, long forgotten and little known about, based in Karnataka, Southern India.

Tom and Evanson were among the 34 finalists at the awards ceremony and were winners in the category 'Television Features Award (TV60).'

The awards, which rotate location each year in tribute to their pan-African credentials, were hosted by CNN and MultiChoice at Auditorium Hall, Government Complex Convention Centre, Lusaka, Zambia and broadcast live on ZNBC.

The evening also recognised Enenche Akogwu and Zakariya Isa as this year's recipients of the Free Press Africa Award, for their work in Nigeria. Isa, a cameraman for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), was killed in October 2011, and Akogwu, a news reporter with Channels Television, was shot and killed, having covered the Kano bomb blast in January this year.

Again this year the Judges highlighted some excellent work and awarded certificates of Commendation to ten journalists. These journalists participated in the finalists' programme in Lusaka and received a cash prize, a Nokia 800 Lumia and a Certificate of Commendation from Nigeria includes: Peter Nkanga, Idris Akinbajo, Elor Nkereuwem, Musikilu Mojeed, Next on Sunday, Tunde Akingbade, Freelance for the Guardian on Sunday, Peter Nkanga, Next on Sunday.

Other winners in the continent are: Stephen Ssenkaaba, New Vision, Nelson Wesonga, Daily Monitor and Edward Echwalu, Freelance for the Observer - from Uganda, Teresa Sofia Fortes, A Semana, Cabo Verde
Ramusel Alves De Carvalho Da Graca, Televisao Sao-Tomense, São Tomé and Príncipe.

Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo produces winners

Winners have begun to emerge in the on-going Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo that was recently launched by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk to reward loyal customers of the brand and create excitement around the 2012 London Olympics.

The winners are Mrs. Akinola Bosede, a business woman who won a gold medal of N50,000 and Mrs. Akinbola Bolanle, also a business woman that won a bronze medal of N20,000. The winners were at the head office of Promasidor in Lagos to collect their cash prizes last Thursday.

In an interview, Mrs. Akinola Bosede expressed great delight after the receiving the prize, remarking that, she could not believe it was real until the cheque of N50, 000 was handed over to her by Mrs. Chioma Ajunwa Oparah, the Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo ambassador. "This is my first time of winning something, I feel so happy; I am going to use part of the money to pay my tithe and use the remainder to buy food stuffs. Promasidor is a fantastic company; they make very good products”, she said.

In this same vein, Mrs. Bolanle, a business woman who won N20, 000 in the promo said she had never participated in any promo before in her life because she did not believe in it. In fact, she stated that this is her first time of winning in a promo even though she never knew that Cowbell was doing a promo.

However, one of her children encouraged her to participate in the promo when she saw the sticker in the 400 gram sachet of Cowbell that she bought. She further narrated excitedly that she called the mobile number in the sticker and she was asked to come to Promasidor office to claim her cash prize.

Chioma Ajunwa Oparah, the promotional ambassador and the 1996 Olympics gold medal winner, encouraged more people to participate in the promo by buying Cowbell milk, adding that, the promo is as real as life.

To participate in the promo, Mr. Olusegun Koleoso, Business Development Manager of Promasidor explained that consumers should detach a coupon or sticker in the promotional packs of 400 gram sachet, 400 gram tins, 500 gram box and 900 gram tins and stand a chance of winning gold, silver or bronze, which will be instantly redeemed for cash of N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20, 000 respectively at any branch of Zenith Bank nationwide while 10 lucky star prize winners will be treated to an all expense paid trip to the London 2012 Olympics. Also, cartons of Cowbell 400 gram sachets will be given as consolation prizes to other winners.

Besides the promo, Cowbell Milk is also the Official Milk of the Nigerian contingents to the 2012 Olympics Games in London.

Forbes Africa AdAwards calls for Nominations Commence

In an attempt to celebrates the excellence of agency networks and individuals across the continent has opened nominations for the inaugural Forbes Africa AdAwards.

Forbes Africa will pay tribute to the stars in the advertising industry across Africa at a gala dinner and awards ceremony which will take place at Urban Tree, in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa on 4 October2012.

The awards was opened on Forbes Africa on Friday, 20 July 2012 and the closing date for entries is 31 August 2012. These awards will acknowledge agencies across Africa to encourage and drive them to new levels of performance with the goal of being ranked amongst the top listed in Africa.

The categories include: Forbes Africa Network Agency of the Year, Forbes Africa Advertising Leader of the Year, Africa Agency of the Year, Campaign of the Year, Africa, Brand of the Year, Africa, Celebrity of the Year, Africa, Sustainable Brand of the Year, Africa

ABN Publishing officially launched Forbes Africa on 28 September 2011 with magazines on shelves in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya from 1 October 2011. Forbes Africa will now pay tribute to the stars in the Advertising industry across Africa through the Forbes Africa AdAwards.

All the winners and industry news across Africa will be available in the Forbes Africa AdAwards supplement which will be distributed with the October 2012 edition of Forbes Africa. This year’s supplement will be the ultimate guide on the top ranked agencies in Africa for 2012.

Promasidor Sponsors Lagos -NYSC Volleyball Competition

Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk, has sponsored the grand finale of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) inter-platoon women volleyball competition

The event which held last Thursday at the Lagos orientation camp, Iyana Ipaja, in Lagos had platoons 5 and 3 playing host to invited guests and other corps members.

Besides the sponsorship, the company also rewarded the winners of the competition with N30, 000, N20, 000 and N10, 000 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions respectively, amidst several other consolation prizes resulting from raffle draws. It will be recalled that the company recently donated a volleyball court to the Lagos National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp.

Speaking on the kind gesture of the company, the Lagos camp head of games & sports, Mrs. Olaleye Francisca admitted that Promasidor has always been supporting the Lagos camp volleyball competition. “Volleyball is not a do or die affair. It is a game. The sponsor of this competition is Promasidor. The company has always been sponsoring this competition,” she said.

Mr. Abiodun Ajiborode, Cowbell Chocolate Brand Manager, in his address said the company has been partnering with NYSC for five years running, adding that, it is passionate about sport development in the country.

“We have been partnering with NYSC for five years. Promasidor is the maker of Cowbell milk. We are passionate about sporting development, and we partnering with Nigerian Olympics Committee (NOC) to sponsor some people to London for the Olympics Games,” he added.

The Lagos National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Deputy Camp Director, Pastor Shobo Adewunmi reiterated Promasidor’s commitment to sporting development, adding that its initiative to sponsor Nigerian contingent to 2012 London Olympics is plausible.

Etisalat Offers Special 1 Kobo Tariff with Talkzone in 30 States

Telecommunications company, Etisalat has announced the extension of Talkzone, its dynamic discount tariff offer that allows customers enjoy up to 98% discount, to 14 more states in the country, thus bringing the number of states enjoying the discount tariff to 30.

Talkzone offers flexible discounts on calls to any network in Nigeria at different times and in different locations. Subscribers can enjoy up to 98% on calls made on Etisalat lines enabling them make calls for as low as 1 kobo per second and up to 20% discount on calls made to other networks.

The tariff was first introduced in October 2010 in five states of the North east, and later extended to other regions in February and May 2012. The states are: Abia, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kano, Osun, Taraba, Yobe . Sokoto, Kebbi,  Zamfara,  Kogi, Bauchi and Katsina. Others are Jigawa, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Plateau, Benue, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra and Imo states.

Speaking on the development, Etislat’s Chief Commercial Officer, Wael Ammar said this was just one of the ways of delighting the brand’s teeming customers with affordable tariffs. “This is about giving the Etisalat subscriber value for money. With calls as low as 1 kobo per second, which is the cheapest discount on any network, our subscribers can do more talking and in turn, achieve more in business or pleasure each day.

Customers who would like to go back to their default packages can also opt out by dialing *244*1# to change back to EasyCliq, or dial *244*2# for EasyStarter. The service also provides customers with different platforms to check their balance, be able to confirm their status and lots more,” he explained.Etisalat has announced the extension of Talkzone, its dynamic discount tariff offer that allows customers enjoy up to 98% discount, to 14 more states in the country, thus bringing the number of states enjoying the discount tariff to 30.

Talkzone offers flexible discounts on calls to any network in Nigeria at different times and in different locations. Subscribers can enjoy up to 98% on calls made on Etisalat lines enabling them make calls for as low as 1 kobo per second and up to 20% discount on calls made to other networks.

The tariff was first introduced in October 2010 in five states of the North east, and later extended to other regions in February and May 2012. The states are: Abia, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kano, Osun, Taraba, Yobe . Sokoto, Kebbi,  Zamfara,  Kogi, Bauchi and Katsina. Others are Jigawa, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Plateau, Benue, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra and Imo states.

Speaking on the development, Etislat’s Chief Commercial Officer, Wael Ammar said this was just one of the ways of delighting the brand’s teeming customers with affordable tariffs. “This is about giving the Etisalat subscriber value for money. With calls as low as 1 kobo per second, which is the cheapest discount on any network, our subscribers can do more talking and in turn, achieve more in business or pleasure each day. 

Leftfield Takes Over WAMCO Friesland Account

An independently owned full-service advertising agency based in Cape Town, South Africa, Leftfield, has been appointed as agency of record by FrieslandCampina WAMCO in Nigeria.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO, the multinational manufacturing company is the Nigerian affiliate of the global dairy cooperative namely, Royal FrieslandCampina of The Netherlands. The ten-man strong team beat other agencies in Lagos to the account after an extensive and rigorous pitch process.

"Peak and Three Crowns are iconic brands in Nigeria. It is critical that the guardianship of these brands is of the highest level. As a practice, FrieslandCampina formally reviews its agreements with the creative agencies every three years.

We are happy to say that after a rigorous and closely fought competitive pitch, we have retained Leftfield. They have displayed a robust understanding of our business and the opportunities that lie ahead. We believe that with their strategic and creative potential, combined with market insights, they will be a potent partner for our ambitions in Nigeria," says Shraman Jha, marketing director at FrieslandCampina WAMCO for Nigeria and West Africa.

Jason Cumming, managing director of Leftfield, attributes the success to the agency's proven track record in Africa and specifically to the creative director's international experience in countries as far afield as Thailand and Indonesia. Their recent, well-received work on a "Drink Milk Everyday" above-the-line campaign, brave creative and superior strategic plan presented in the pitch itself, also played a significant role.

"As an independent, South African agency based in Cape Town - we were up against bigger, established, local agencies with global alignment, who we felt might have had the advantage when it came to local relevance and resonance in creative execution come pitch time, we had to show we could outshine all agencies in the area of consumer insights, despite the fact we're based in Cape Town," says Cumming.

"This win is huge for us. The Lagos agencies, as with pretty much everything in Lagos, have improved significantly and are headed up by expats from SA, Australia and of course Nigerians returning from London with world-class skills, so we are pleased to have won the pitch so we can focus on the new challenges arising in the market," adds strategic and creative director, Jono Swanepoel.

Microsoft unveils cloud-based Office

Microsoft has introduced a new Office, the new version will see documents saved on Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service by default.

Microsoft will sell the next version of its Office productivity suite under a subscription model to users as part of its continued moves to a cloud-based version of the software.

Under a revitalised strategy unveiled last night, the software giant will sell most versions of its Office 2010 successor under the existing Office 365 cloud software-as-a-service moniker in what chief executive Steve Ballmer labelled primarily “a cloud service”.

The new software will see documents saved on Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service by default while allowing subscribers to access applications on internet-connected Windows PCs in 'streaming' mode. Users can also 'roam' onto other PCs while retaining access to customised user profiles, dictionaries and templates.

The suite is split into three editions, all including updated versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.

Office 365 Home Premium features 20 GB of SkyDrive storage and 60 minutes of Skype minutes for worldwide calling. The Office 365 Small Business Premium includes shared calendars, business-grade email service, website development tools and high-definition video conferencing.

Cowbell Milk Flags off National Consumer Promo

Cowbell Milk, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited has launched a national consumer promotion targeted towards rewarding loyal consumers of the brand. The promo is tagged “Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush.”

Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards, Brand Ambassador for Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo, Chioma Ajunwa Opara, and Head Legal and PR, Promasidor Nigeria at the launch of Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo held in Lagos last Friday.

The promo which was unveiled last Friday in Lagos is expected to run for three months.

Chief Keith Richards, managing director of the company said the promo is intended to create opportunity for consumers to win cash prizes up to N50, 000, and that, 10 lucky star prize winners will be treated to an all expense paid trip to the London 2012 Olympics.

Consequent upon this, Richards said Chioma Ajunwa Oparah, the 1996 Olympics gold medal winner and the first African to win such a coveted title, has been appointed as the Promotional Ambassador throughout the duration of the promo.

Richards however stressed that the promo has the approvals of relevant authorities such as Consumer Protection Council (CPC).

To participate in the promo, Mr. Olusegun Koleoso, Business Development Manager of the company, said consumers should detach a coupon or sticker in the promotional packs of 400g sachet, 400 gram tins, 500g box and 900g tins and stand a chance of winning gold, silver or bronze, which will be instantly redeemed for cash of N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20, 000 respectively at any branch of Zenith Bank nationwide.

Also, cartons of Cowbell 400g sachets will be given as consolation prizes. Cowbell Milk Brand Manager, Mr. Abiodun Ajiborode, said the promo intends to reward loyal consumers, adding that, it will also entrench the Cowbell brand in the minds of the consumers while creating fun and excitement around the brand.

Commenting on the bold initiatives the company is taking in various social responsibility programmes as well as promotional efforts, Ajunwa-Oparah said this is the first time a company will come and give Nigerians the opportunity they have been looking for.

“It has been a long time we have been looking for companies to come and embrace sports in Nigeria. And more especially at the big glamour games like the Olympics. We need people to support all our athletes and this is what we have seen today. The company has partnered with the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), and I know that a lot of money would have been committed."

“You can also see what the company is doing in the Cowbell Football Academy, grooming the younger ones, and at the same time, the National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC), which has become something enviable in Nigeria,” Ajunwa-Oparah added.

Besides the promo, Cowbell Milk is also the Official Milk of the Nigerian contingents to the 2012 Olympics Games in London.

NBC Graduates over 420 Technicians from its Training Centre

Four months after graduating 23 technicians from its Technical Training Centre, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd, the franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the country, is today graduating a second set of 17 technicians from the Centre.

These 17 have fully satisfied conditions for the award of the Technical Training Certification and, in its usual custom. NBC has offered all 17 graduands immediate full time employment.

Additionally, fifteen employees from the Engineering department from all NBC plants graduated as Automation Specialists having completed a 10 weeks intensive training program.

The Technical Training Centre was established on March 1, 1996 , in response to the dearth of competent Technicians in the industry and to enhance the skills of existing technical staff through routine training and re-skilling sessions in a rapidly changing industry. Through these training programmes, the renowned centre produces proficient and multi-skilled technicians who are able to meet and sustain production targets efficiently and effectively.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony which was held at NBC Ikeja Plant, Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director of the company, said that the Technical Training Centre is indicative of the company’s commitment to investing in the development of young Nigerians whilst in the pursuit of solutions for its business operations.

“NBC is committed to improving the quality of education in the country and also providing skilled manpower. Currently, about 20 of the Technical Training Centre graduates are in Managerial positions within and outside the company.  More than 50 of our graduates are holders of Higher National Diploma and B.Sc., and 400 have passed various levels of the City & Guilds thereby adding significant value to the economy. We are extremely proud of our graduates and know that they will carry out their duties diligently and professionally thus reflecting our values.” Ogunsanya stated.

After going through a highly competitive screening exercise, candidates with basic qualifications of National Technical Certificates or National Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, who are not more than 25 years old, are admitted to the two-year intensive Technical Training Certification programme.

Besides the Technical Training Centre, the company contributes to the depth of technical and engineering competence in the country through another initiative, ‘Polytechnic Recruitment programme’.