Global Success Of Afrobeats Inspires Martell’s New Campaign With Davido

Mary Nnah

Martell, the oldest of the great cognac houses, kicks off the second chapter of its 2021 award-winning ‘Be the Standout Swift’ campaign with singer, songwriter, and Grammy- nominated superstar, Davido. Celebrating the rise of Afrobeats, this new chapter looks to honour and inspire those who have stayed authentic to their craft, resilient on their journey, and are taking others along with them.

To launch this chapter of the campaign, Martell has unveiled a new film starring Davido as the lead character, and brought to life by award-winning director, Meji Alabi, who also shot the first campaign film. The plot is inspired by Davido’s decade-long contribution to Afrobeats’, its critical acclaim, and its success. In recent years, Afrobeats’ music genre has exploded into pop culture globally, unapologetically redefining the world’s view on what it means to be African.

The film celebrates the journey of Afrobeats and its global acceptance, spotlighting those who have paved the way, or contributed to its continued success today. Its global success is “no accident”. With courage, resilience, and audacity, it has evolved beyond just a music genre, but a cultural beacon the world celebrates today.

Music legend and Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, is paid homage in the film for the pivotal role he played in birthing and inspiring what is Afrobeats today. Fela, whose determination to do things on his own terms, continues to inspire those like Davido who are embracing this spirit of audacity by being resilient enough to break down barriers, believe in themselves, and pave the way for the next generation.
For Martell, a Standout Swift is someone who challenges convention and opens the way for others – and Davido certainly has that influence. His partnership with Martell aims to inspire others to be unapologetically themselves and create their own path for the benefit of others.

Speaking on his journey as an Afrobeats ambassador, Davido said; “After so many years of staying true to ourselves and honing this craft we’ve poured so much into, I can’t explain how good it feels that Afrobeats is loved across the world. The wins we’re seeing means so much knowing we didn’t change who we are. Afrobeats’ success took a village, and our collective passion and drive is what fuels us.”

Sebastien Borda, Global Marketing Director, Pernod Ricard added; “Davido’s role in the global success of Afrobeats is undeniable. For us at Martell, Davido on this journey has embodied hard work, courage, resilience & audacity; all of which are values that resonate strongly with our brand. Furthermore, on his journey, he consistently values people around him and seeks to create a path for others to follow and succeed. This is what makes him a Standout Swift.

As a brand committed to driving positive change, Martell celebrates those who boldly take on challenges to benefit many, instead of conforming to codes that favour a few. Drawing inspiration from this ethos and Davido’s legacy, Martell is looking to encourage people to stand out from the crowd and redefine conventions.

Pernod Ricard Nigeria is the local affiliate of Pernod Ricard, a global leader in wines and spirits. It holds a comprehensive portfolio of premium and luxury brands, with 16 out of the top 100 spirit brands in the world, including Jameson Irish Whiskey, Beefeater Gin, Martell Cognac, Seagram’s Imperial Blue Whisky, Absolut Vodka, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet Scotch Whisky, Olmeca Tequila, Malibu Liqueur, and Mumm Champagne.

The oldest of the great cognac houses, founded by Jean Martell in 1715, Maison Martell is renowned throughout the world for the finesse and elegance of its cognacs, the result of a legacy of savoir-faire handed down through nine generations. Together with a passion for its craft and a profound attachment to the terroir, Maison Martell is defined by the audacity with which it has challenged convention to create new expressions of cognac, including the icon Martell Cordon Bleu in 1912. The free spirit of the House is symbolised by its historic emblem: the swift.

Born David Adedeji Adeleke, David has cemented his position as a global force within music.

The American born, Nigerian raised Afrobeats icon Davido’s has amassed over 2 billion streams and over 1 billion video views across his 11-year career. The most followed Afrobeats artist across social media, Davido has been a forerunner in connecting the world to Afrobeats and vice versa. Breaking records in 2019 with hit singles “If”, “Fall”, “FIA”, the tracks marked the beginning of the adoption of Afrobeats Stateside, and saw the artist pick up awards and nominations accordingly.

In 2023, Davido released his fourth studio album, Timeless, continuing to break global records for an African artist, streaming over +133M in its first week. The Nigerian superstar’s “Timeless” had the most first-day streams ever for an African album on Apple Music. Timeless became Davido’s highest charting project debuting at #2 on Billboards World Music chart and immediately produced three top charting singles from the project; the + 23M tiktok smash, ‘Unavailable’ which debuted at #8 on Billboard’s Afrobeats chart and ‘Over Dem’ which debuted at #10 and following closely behind ‘Feel’ at #11.

In 2022 global superstar Davido was handpicked by FIFA to lead their 2022 World Cup Soundtrack “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)”. Career milestones have also included two sold out shows at London’s O2 Arena, headlining AfroNation around the globe and closing the 2022 World Cup with a performance seen by over 250 million viewers. His third studio album, 2020’s A Better Time, the critically acclaimed follow up to his 1.2 billion streaming 2019 release A Good Time.