At the 2014 Annual General Meeting of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), where three agencies were registered as AAAN members, the rate of growth in the industry came into the fore, for one of the three agencies, Sodium Brand Solutions, the new status only confirmed the stakeholders’ judgment on its recent creative exploits.

Though a young agency, Sodium Brand Solutions, has, in recent time, dueled with the biggest names in the industry to win global accounts. Two of such accounts were the execution of the Coca Cola Christmas tree and the effective organisation of the 2014 Partner to Win Africa Investment Conference of Unilever Africa, held in Lagos. Two years ago, the same agency clinched the Kwara State rebranding business, through which the state redefined her brand essence and personality.

The recent exploit at the Unilever conference can be said to be a positioning platform for Nigerian agency. Through innovation, Abisoye Fagade and his team managed the conference that involved trade partners from different countries to the admiration of global management staff of Unilever. Until it was rested, the annual Coca Cola Xmas tree remained a watershed in the Nigerian market while the Kwara rebranding was the best opportunity the people ever got to reposition the state.

The Unilever Africa had planned to use its conference to contribute to the effort of the Nigerian government to attract foreign investment. To this end, it was necessary to get event agency that would help the company host its global suppliers. The venue for the International conference, Intercontinental Hotel Hall, Victoria Island was filled to capacity with the investors from different countries where Unilever has operation. Also, the 2014 Partner to Win Africa Investment Conference was to share Unilever’s growth plans for Africa and explore mutually beneficial business opportunities in capacity creation, capability enhancement, sustainability practices, and bigger, better innovations. All were achieved because of proper execution by the Nigerian agency.

The success of the Sodium Brand Solutions can be linked to the background of its founder within the corporate Nigeria. Fagade attended the Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied Statistics and Demography. He started his professional career with De United Foods Industries Limited, makers of the Indomie noodles. He also worked with Starcomms Nigeria, a telecomms company. He later joined Integrated Marketing Solutions before moving on to Soulcomm Publicis, where he worked as Accounting Director. In 2009 and 2010, Fagade collaborated with Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye (D-1) to promote and host the Naija Corner at the popular Notting Hill Carnival held in London, United Kingdom.

Tags: Nigeria, Featured, Business, AAAN