A good number of Nigerian brands, especially in the telecommunications and banking sectors are now associating with creative personages in music and acting, to make their brands more endearing to their targeted audiences.
The trend which started a little over five years ago, has gained more relevance as a result of increasing exposure to television.
The popularity of the entertainment industry is also giving fillip to brand ambassadorship. Top celebrities in the Nigerian creative industry have, in the last five years, found this growing business a new way of making huge earnings. Some Nigerian top stars who have bagged major endorsement deals include;
IYANYA
Since his highly successful 2012 monster hit single ‘Kukere’, it has been one hit after another, one award after another and one endorsement contract after another for the once impoverished singer.
The pop singer recently closed a deal reportedly worth N35 million with mobile phone manufacturing company, SOLO Mobile. According to his publicist, Wildflower PR, the deal was iced with a brand new 2014 Prado SUV.
Earlier in May 2013, the 27 year-old singer was lucky enough to have been included in MTN’s swoop of some of the major players in the music industry, becoming one of the company’s highest paid brand ambassadors in a N40 million deal.
Zinox Technologies Limited, manufacturer of Nigeria’s first internationally certified branded computers was looking for a face to represent its brand, guess who quickly came to mind? None other than the rave of the moment, Iyanya. The Leo Stan-Ekeh owned tech-company put pen to paper, inked a deal and made Iyanya N56milion richer.
Others who have put pens to paper include Rita Dominic who was snapped up a couple of weeks ago by Keystone Bank Plc; Tiwa Savage has a mouth-watering deal with Forte Oil and Gas, MTN, Pepsi, among others; Wizkid, Hafiz Oyetoro, Mike Ezuruonye, Stephanie Okereke and a host of others are enjoying a new lease of life as brand ambassadors with millions of naira to the good.
2FACE
Born Innocent Idibia, the former member of the band, Plantashun Boyz, is said to be among the richest artistes in the industry. With two platinum records in his kitty, Tuface is speculated to be worth about N550m.
It comes as no surprise as he has had endorsement deals with brands like Guinness, which earned him N20m and Airtel, which earned him N22m. He was also said to have earned N30m from the producers of Phat Girls movie, and charges between N4m and N5m for shows.
OMOTOLA JALADE
As one of the most decorated actresses in Africa, Omotola scored a bygone when she made it to TIME magazine’s 2013 edition of the “100 Most Influential People in the World”. Her TV reality series, “Omotola:
The Real Me” generated a landmark viewership on M-NET’s Africa Magic when it debuted, and the mother-of-four is now warming up for international break. The star actress and UN ambassador recently sealed a multi-million naira deal.
The singer is now the face of BO-16, a hair relaxer and hair care company- Ghandour cosmetics Limited. Nobody knows what Ghandour is paying Omotola but with her gleeful declaration online “ Then I saw them, they will be my hair’s only companion for a couple of years- yeah, they paid that much” said so much. She was also the Face of Hollandia Milk.
GENEVIEVE NNAJI
Nollywood queen Genevieve Nnaji is smiling all the way to the bank with her latest endorsement deal with telecommunication company, Etisalat Nigeria.
The actress was unveiled as the company’s newest brand ambassador alongside actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim. Genevieve’s deal is alleged to be worth N100 Million and she will be the face of Etisalat’s brand new mobile package “Easy Flex”.This isn’t Genevieve’s first endorsement deal, although it’s her first major deal.
In the past she had been the face of cosmetics brand MUD Cosmetics & Coscharis Motors as the face of luxury SUV “Range Rover Evoque” in Nigeria. She was also recently endorsed by Amstel alongside Chelsea footballer, Mikel Obi.
BANKY W
Also known as Mr. Capable, Banky W has proved to Nigerians that he is capable of being among the richest entertainers in the industry.
He makes the bulk of his wealth from gigs. He is said to charge between N2.5m and N3m per show and performs three to four times in a week.
He is a brand ambassador of Etisalat, one of Nigeria’s telecommunications giants, where he featured in their popular commercial, 0809ja for life. He also featured in Coca Cola-Nigeria’s World Cup theme song and Microsoft’s Anti-cyber Crime Initiative. He is also hooked up with Samsung Mobile.
D'BANJ
Former Mo’Hits artiste, Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’Banj, signed a new endorsement deal with Globacom Nigeria.
This is D’Banj’s second endorsement deal with the telecommunications company; the first ended in 2010 with the artiste’s refusal to extend his 2008 two-year contract.
Although the exact amount agreed on was not made public, there is speculation that it is a jaw dropping sum and that it is most likely the priciest endorsement signing in 2013. The singer who has a penchant for making money, has a deal running into millions with Chris Aire, as the face of his watches and another one with UAC Foods.
He collects between N5m and N7m as performance fee for local gigs. His first deal with Glo was said to have worth more than N70m while speculations are rife that his current deal with the telecom giant is in the region of N120m.
P-SQUARE
The singing and dancing duo, Peter and Paul Okoye, are unarguably among the richest in the industry. They won the KORA award for Best Africa Artiste 2010. The award came with $1m (N150m). Shortly after, the duo got an endorsement deal with Globacom telecommunications worth about N240m for four years. Their American tour of seven cities earned them a whopping $1m (N150m). Their new deal is worth much more.
KATE HENSHAW
Star actress, Kate Henshaw landed a major endorsement deal with Samsung Mobile Nigeria. By this deal,the actress who is also a Nigeria’s Got Talent Judge, replaced Nigerian hip-hop artiste, Sasha, as the female brand ambassador for the company.The actress is also a brand ambassador for Blessings Perfume in the UK. She has also been a brand ambassador for telecommunications company, Globacom Limited. There are whispers that the actress pocketed scores of millions of naira.
Vanguard.
No comments:
Post a Comment