Ambode Bags Political Brand Personality Awards

Emmanuel Otaru

The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode has been honoured with the ‘Political Brand Personality of the Year Award,’ by MARKETING EDGE magazine, in view of what the organisers of the award described as the governor’s enviable massive infrastructural development of the state.

The award which was conferred on the state governor at the 2018 MARKETING EDGE yearly National Marketing Summit & Brands & Advertising Awards of Excellence, held at Balmoral Hall, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, was received on his behalf by his Tourism, Culture and Arts Commissioner, Mr. Steve Ayorinde.

In the citation, Ambode in the last three years, was said to have turned the state literally into a construction yard, with massive infrastructural development projects, dotting the landscape of the entire state.

In the citation, the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of MARKETING EDGE, Mr. John Ajayi, while announcing the state government as winner of the prestigious award, said the advisory board of the awards was unanimous in selecting the governor for the award because of his sterling performance in office.

“Selecting Governor Ambode for the award was the least tasking exercise by the Advisory Board of the Awards, as Ambode’s track records of performance towers above his peers.”

He stated further that Governor Ambode has in the last three years turned the state into a “Smart City,” adding that these and many other land mark projects are visible all over the state.

Similarly, a leading experiential marketing agency in Nigeria, Oracle Experience Limited was equally recognized for its outstanding performance in the experiential marketing category. The agency won two awards, including the Leadership Award in Experiential Marketing in Nigeria and the Brand Personality of the Year award, which went to the agency’s founder and CEO, Felix King Eiremiokhae.

In his reaction to the award, Mr. Eiremiokhae expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the awards and the convener, Mr. John Ajayi. He stressed that the awards further affirmed that the work of his agency and the stories it had been telling till date are compelling stories that touches the consumers.

“We are quite humble by the award, considering the category which is the leadership awards. This means that the stories we have been telling all these while are stories that are inspiring other people as well as giving a direction of how the industry has been for the last couple of years. I am really grateful for these awards and we at Oracle Experience highly appreciate them.”

He added that the awards would further spur the agency’s drive and enthusiasm to do more in ensuring that it remains above at all times in the industry.

Other winners at the award were New Crystal Communications Limited- Innovative Leadership Awards in OOH; Rock City FM- Innovative Young Radio Station of the Year; Algorithm Media- Outstanding Young Digital Agency of the Year; APCON- Regulatory Excellence Recognition Award; while AIT emerged as the Television Station of the Decade.
The list of honorees also included FirstBank- Financial Brand in ICT & Social Media; Fidelity Bank won the award for Outstanding TV Commercial of the Year; Knorr Cube was the Preferred Seasoning Brand of the Year; Three Crowns Milk was Outstanding Dairy Brand of the Decade; MTN- Outstanding Telecoms Brand of the Decade; Trophy Larger- Brand of the Year; GMD Direct- Innovative Experiential Agency of the Year Award; while Tequila emerged as the Outstanding Experiential Agency of the Year.

The list of winners also included Red Media which got the Innovative Leadership in Public Relations Management award; and Wazobia FM which won the award as the Outstanding Radio Station of the Year. Young entrepreneurs like Adetona Ademola, Managing Director, Expoza Nigeria was honoured as Outstanding Young Digital Entrepreneur of the Year.

MARKETING EDGE Brands & Advertising Excellence Awards has experienced consistent brand equity growth in the last six years of its existence. This was evident in the caliber of personalities that graced the event and the high number of brand endorsement for the award. Apart from Governor Ambode, who was represented, a handful of notable traditional rulers were present. And of course the icons and key players of the brands and marketing industry completed the roll-call.

Among those honoured, included Mr. Udeme Ufot, who received the Advertising Icon of the Decade Award; Dr. Ken OnyealiIkpe was also honoured for his invaluable contributions to the industry.