Airtel Launches Brand Campaign to Inspire Youth Creativity

Emma Okonji

Airtel Africa, a provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, has launched a new Africa-wide brand campaign focused on building a deeper emotional connection with young people.

The brand campaign is also expected to connect Nigeria’s productive generation of youths.

The campaign includes a new strapline for Airtel: ‘A Reason to Imagine’. It is driven by the insight that in Africa, imagination is the only qualification that matters and showcases Airtel Africa’s role in harnessing this potential by delivering relevant solutions to consumers that enhance digital and financial inclusion.

The ‘A Reason to Imagine’ campaign highlights the status of Airtel as an enabler of young people’s dreams and ambitions, whatever these might be. To this end, the campaign seeks to celebrate the energy, creativity, and innovation of Nigerian youth.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos recently, Airtel Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Carl Cruz, said: “Africa’s young people are now more than ever, owning their passions boldly, chasing their dreams with all their heart, and living life on their terms. At Airtel, we see this growth as a beautiful thing. This is why our new brand purpose represents our commitment to the future. It is about youth, about excitement, about fun, and most of all, about imagination.”

Airtel Africa’s Group Chief Commercial Officer, Anthony Shiner, said: “It’s a well-understood fact that youth are central to achieving Africa’s potential. More than 60 per cent of Africa’s population is under the age of 25, and empowering this new generation is transformative for the future of the continent.

“Through this campaign, we are reaffirming Airtel Africa’s commitment to advancing the progress of Africa’s young people by providing the connectivity to turn every situation into an opportunity.”

According to Shiner, “The ‘Reason to Imagine’ brand campaign is Airtel Africa’s most ambitious, yet it comprises a series of television commercials and a combination of market-specific print, online, outdoor, and mobile creative executions. The current title sponsorship of ‘The Voice Africa’ is an example of how Airtel Africa is giving the youth a reason to imagine by partnering with The Voice to bring the show to the continent. The Voice Africa showcases exceptional African musical talent in a show that also features a high-profile panel of coaches and TV hosts. One of the 100 selected talents will eventually be crowned ‘The Voice Africa’ in a live show that is currently airing on free-to-air TV stations across the continent and Airtel TV. This is one of the initiatives that Airtel Africa has invested in to promote youthful talents and expertise in the education, sports, and innovation sectors.”