Digital Marketing in Nigeria by Dayo Adefila

Facebook Fans and Brands: Is the relationship worth it?

2011-09-13T10:37:00.000+01:00

As one who actively works in the digital marketing space, the questions and research about use and efficacy of Facebook sometimes make you pause and ask yourself if user behaviour, in relation to brands, is similar or markedly different regardless of geography or ethnicity. The other question you try to answer in a practical way is how Facebook and Social Media deliver desirable ROI to brands. How important should Influence be considered? Of course, you then re-assure yourself that using social media is objectives driven and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to it for every brand.

One of the interesting points that came up in a recent study by Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, who analyzed the behavior of 1,491 Facebook users is that people interact more with brands on Facebook (34%) than other social networks (Twitter 4%) No surprise there. Some other interesting stats from a marketers point of view include:

56% of consumers said they are more likely to recommend a brand to a friend after becoming a fan on Facebook
51% of consumers said they are more likely to buy a product since becoming a fan on Facebook
78% of consumers who “Like” brands on Facebook said they “Like” fewer than ten brands

Recommending to others about a brand you fan on Facebook. Yes, I have seen and done that.

Brand Fatigue anyone?
Like fewer than 10 brands...hmmm..this may vary widely by age? The interesting challenge for brands if this is widespread though is can a fan like more than 10 brands and truly stay engaged with them all? I guess brands that want to stay friends and not just remain a must have but largely ceremonial 'like' have to work harder to fit into the fans Top-10-Brands-I-like space.

You can read more about the STUDY here http://www.slideshare.net/ConstantContact/10-quick-facts-you-should-know-about-consumer-behavior-on-facebook

If your experience with Facebook fans attitude to brands is similar or very different do share your opinion in the comments section.

Meet FORD's Social Networking Vehicle (literally) of the future

2011-09-01T09:48:00.000+01:00

Ford embraced the digitalizing of the consumer market a few years back and has not backed down. Recently they were one of the first major companies to create a Ford Motor Company on Google+ See here
More recently though, they displayed the Ford Evos: a concept car that will take the term smart car to brave new heights with increased levels of car-driver intimacy (ok, that did not come out right) or knowing what the driver wants and what his friends want and more.

We cannot help but feel that humanity and machines are sliding faster into a melting pot than we may not have believed possible 5years ago.

Goofy Prediction Time
Someday soon, before the DALEKS arrive, your car will be able to send hangout invites to those in your friend circle on Google+, record your outdoor hangout via video cams fitted in the headlights, edit and upload to YouTube while your in-brain embedded Android app flashes decoded barcodes before your eyes so you can discover deals along your drive to an event. Surely that would be an advertisers delight! Martin Lindstrom take note. Hrrumpp.

Science fiction? Probably, but the question to ask yourself as a brand builder/maketer: Is your brand preparing for life at deeper levels of social networking? Food for thought.

Check out the inside scoop on the Ford EVOS for some of its cool new features - thanks to the guys at Mashable http://mashable.com/2011/09/01/evos-social-networking-car/

Car image courtesy Ford

4 Reasons Nigerian Brands Should Hate D'Banj's Oliver Twist competition

2011-08-29T01:00:00.000+01:00

'A different kind of MJ and Quincy Jones'

Unless you just hopped off a shuttle that arrived from Mars the chances are high you would have heard someTHING about the D'Banj Oliver Twist competition. You could have heard about some of the ludicrous attempts by 1-day video director and dancers. Or the expertly done attempts by some other competitors complete with edited content that showed a professional touch or two.

So I will go to the point and state the 4 Reasons Brand People Should Hate D'Banj's Oliver Twist Competition:

TURNED EVERYONE ELSE INTO A ME-TOO BRAND
Innovation does have its risks but the rewards of calculated innovation does bear majestic returns.
Now any corporate brand that does any video competition in Nigeria will have to endure the side comments of "Yeah, D'Banj showed 'em how to do it"
Was this calculated innovation? To some extent yes. They had already tested the delicate yet tough nature of social media and fandom with #Enigma another activity they organized with Notjustok.com and seriously hyped via Twitter. With the success of that they decided to move things up a notch while that success was still fresh. Many brands go to sleep after 1 success with social media. Wrong move.

SHOWED THAT CO-CREATIVITY IS NOT TO BE FEARED
Some brand custodians on Agency and Client side still shudder at the thought of allowing their customers any degree of interactivity much less allowing them to co-create a wonderful and memorable experience. Well a memorable experience is what D'Banj, the irrepresible Don Jazyy and the Mohit Crew have created: A warm fuzzy feeling for their brand nicely nestled somewhere in the heart area of anyone who has either watched any of over 400 video submissions on YouTube or even toyed with the idea of doing their own version!
Co-creativity can be done in a fun but orderly way but we are dealing with human beings so human reactions to a brand should be anticipated (with reaction scenarios available) but not dreaded and blocked out. So, are you one of those brands who do not allow your fans say a word on your Facebook page? Better stay out of Twitter.

SOCIAL MEDIA IDEAS DON'T ALWAYS COST A FORTUNE

What did the guys behind the idea do? Shoot a video in one of the living rooms they occupy. Low budget video shot with the crew wearing homey dressing and having fun. Then off they go to their website. Then the social-mediaratzzi pick up the juicy details 1) D'Banj and co are at it again! Yipee! 2) They do not have too many rules for this fun game! 3) I can become a viral hit because of the Mohits crew! Awesome and still win cool stuff like $2500, Koko Mobile phone and even appear in the official Oliver video!

For the fans it is a win win. For the Mohits crew, super viral buzz pre-launch of the album.

Finally, brand folks should hate D'Banj's new viral video launch tactic because it:
KILLED THE MYTH THAT NIGERIANS ARE NOT WATCHING YOUTUBE
True, broadband is still a myth for large swathes of Nigerian with internet penetration but the quality of internet access has improved over the last 2 years significantly. So more people are watching YouTube but more importantly they are watching via their mobiles quite a lot too and not just via desktop browsers. Just so you know, YouTube is currently in the Top 7 sites most visited by Nigerians in Nigeria. See stats here

I love the sharp not-afraid-to-evolve-guys at Mo'hits Records and believe they can produce the first Nigerian to win a Grammy award. What do you think?

Time to wrap up:

Let us stop shutting down any idea that asks for co-creation with our customers and prospects.
Let us not be afraid to innovate (of course do test runs that make sense within your organization setting but test you must.
Let us not be afraid to come up with simple Ideas that actually have clear objectives attached to them.

Like Oliver Twist, I do hope you will keep coming back to my blog for more fun posts and analysis.

Dayo Adefila is the COO of HotSauce, a leading digital marketing firm in Nigeria.

State of the Internet: 2011

2011-08-22T11:48:00.000+01:00

Over 1,000 new internet users every 400 seconds, 35 hours of videos uploaded to YouTube every minute, 119million Tweets daily...help...Earth calling Milky Way we are overloading!

If alien historians were to visit Earth today and compare the stats above with those from a mere 10 years ago (never mind that we did not have YouTube or Twitter then) the massive growth in internet usage could leave them speechless. Ok, maybe not. Check out the full stats at the link below and let me know if they leave you feeling just a little bit speechless.

State of the Internet 2011

Google to laugh last as Yahoo is set to launch Android Phone

2011-08-21T10:36:00.000+01:00

The Android army just will not stop getting collaborators. With Yahoo teaming up with SoftBank, one of the leading telecom carriers in Japan I can be forgiven for saying that 2011 is the 'Year of the Android'. Mobile phone adoption surged as apps became a key driver with mobile phone/device Operating Software (OS) taking centre stage. This happened largely thanks to Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) creating a new world order in which they rock and the others well, don't rock. Ask RIM and the Symbian guys. The recent Yahoo move however also demonstrates that the drivers are now Apps and social networking.

So it was only a matter of time before the social juggernaut - Facebook took notice and we had the first ever 'Facebook phone' thanks to HTC Status http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/07/htc-status-facebook-phone/

YAHOO PHONE: 3 OBSERVATIONS:

SEARCH
It will be interesting to see if Google search will be allowed on the phone. Yeah right. There may not be a need for this as Yahoo is the largest website destination in Japan

MOBILE ADVERTISING
This could give Yahoo a chance to boost dwindling ad revenue by integrating definite mobile ad serving on the phone across its key platforms like Yahoo messenger.

COMPETITING SOCIAL NETWORKS OR ACQUISITION DRIVERS?
Will the new phone come with pre-installed social networks like Twitter and Mixi which represent some of the largest social networks in Japan? Will Facebook get to make a pre-loaded cameo on the phone? Facebook has not made quite a hit in Japan so maybe not. If one of the objectives is to boost use of Yahoo services then this will be an interesting scenario.

You can read the original story here Yahoo to launch Android Phone in Japan

What do you think will be the next big news in Mobile? A Bing phone? Looking forward to your comments. Thanks!

Dayo Adefila is a leading practitioner of digital marketing in Nigeria, a tech entrepreneur who loves to collaborate on cool start up projects. Follow him on Twitter or Google+

Digital media: Why your brand has to learn faster or suffer

2011-08-07T14:04:00.001+01:00

It has been quite a rush, this new year! New products and services being launched left right and center in the digital space. Phew! Each time I was about to make a 'successful' return to the blogging space some new entrant showed up demanding quick and detailed attention.

Starting with the smartphone wars which raged in the first half of the year amongst OS makers (Apple iOS, Android from Google, Symbian, BlackBerry) but also among handset manufacturers. Who moved the most smartphone units so far? For now that title goes to Apple with over 20m units for now with Samsung a close 2nd with +19m units and Nokia playing 3rd for the first time in years. Check out the Smartphone Stats and you will also find that Android OS by Google is marching on swiftly like a true cyborg, happily crushing all other OS to become the top OS (operating software for mobile phones) of choice globally.

Just before leaving the smartphone sector I should make a quick point about RIM, owners of the BlackBerry product. Great product but dying out in relevance in most parts of the world except a few places like Africa where it is enjoying a late resurgence thanks to telco networks willing (who wouldn't) to make very cool bucks from the high value that accrues from blackberry subscription.

Enter social media! Naturally, we have to mention the + factor now driving social media positively crazy thanks to the never say die never attitude of Google who seem to have found a formula that works for social media with Google Plus which has skyrocketed beyond most peoples expectations by hitting 10m users within 2 weeks of launching (check out the Larry Page announcement update at the end of the article)

Ok..just what does all this have to do with YOUR brand?

You still have Facebook right? I mean you have not even gotten round to understanding how to optimize your Twitter account and we are talking about Google Plus? Give me a break you may say. Well, we hope you notice when some of your target audiences start to say "Gimme a break ye old fashioned, brand" (In my next post: What old fashioned means in today's digital branding world - I'll share my cold thoughts on the re-definition of Old fashioned. Watch out!) So, you may be one of a few brands currently getting plenty good bang for your bucks as you use Facebook and you may not have found the right way to use Facebook, so why can't we just leave you alone and give you some time to perfect what you have learned about and on Facebook? Come on..you even paid some good money to attend pretty useful marketing courses, seminars on social media marketing with Facebook as lead subject.

GOOD NEWS!
Your money was not wasted.

ALSO GOOD NEWS!

Learning however cannot stop. The social dynamic, this massive interconnected construct that we are all creating in which billions of data are shared across the globe simultaneously would have made the Architect in The Matrix Trilogy proud but it is the very reason that you can not stay with what you learned yesterday and ignore what you have to learn today. You have to grab your testing boots, strap them on and get a good guide or two (including common sense of course) and explore.

2 TOP THINGS TO EXPLORE BETTER THIS AUGUST 2011

Mobile platforms

You just cannot ignore a platform estimated to have reached 5.3 billion mobile subscriptions by the end of 2010 Wikipedia Jump in but with a proper adoption strategy for you to make sustained entry and not just because your friend in another industry says mobile apps are guaranteed to create ROI. Think clearly about what your marketing and sales process are, what are YOUR own ROI's and company capabilities before coming up with a fancy QR code campaign. I love QR by the way.

Google Plus

I have to assume you already know about social media - surely even the yet-to-be-discovered life on Mars must know all about it by now. Despite experiencing some social media fatigue (ignore the 18 months it took to convince your CMO or CEO to allow your brand 'test social media') Google Plus is a top consumer magnet that you have to try to understand. Soon Google+ will roll out custom account profiles for businesses on its platform. Already some brands like Ford Motor Company have dipped in a toe or two to test out the features.

2 TOP G+ FEATURES TO TEST

Hangout with your customers/marketing team/brand ambassadors via video
Curated content sharing with better managed groups of customers via CIRCLES

DO YOU HAVE TO DUMP FACEBOOK OR TWITTER FOR GOOGLE PLUS?

Nope. Think of them as complimentary. 2011 promises to end with a few surprises in the mobile world and the social media world and I will be there to share it with you via my g+ account.

Join me on g+ for top insights and commentary on where social media and digital marketing are headed.

Dayo Adefila is a pioneer digital marketing practitioner in Nigeria and is Chief Operating Officer of HotSauce a leading digital marketing firm in Nigeria.

How Social Media networks have evolved over the years (INFOGRAPHIC)

2011-01-25T14:29:00.000+01:00

I think you guys will have a blast going down memory lane with this one. Talk about Geocities founded in 1994. Do you remember that after Yahoo bought Geocities they tried to 'own' user generated content like pictures etc? Of course, users promptly left in droves. How times change. No social media owner wants to outrightly own user generated content! How about Usenet.

I remember Usenet as having a forum structure. I just found out I opened an account on Myspace January 2007 and yes, that was the original Myspace logo courtesy of Wikipedia. My exposure to and active use of social networks dates back to 2003 when I served as a Community host on Beliefnet till 2006/7. I bet Beliefnet did not really think of itself as a social network.

Interesting and instructive how social media networks have evolved over the years. I will be working with Hotsauce - digital marketing firm in Nigeria on creating an infograph on social media in Nigeria - out before Valentine Day.

What does all this evolution mean for brands and what kind of evolution can we still expect in 2011 and beyond? That is what I will treat in my next post.

Meanwhile, head over to Mashable to see the infograph that shows the history of social media networks

Have a great week!

Dayo

http://linkedin.com/in/dayoadefila
http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo

What makes me tick and just what is my professional background?

2011-01-16T01:21:00.001+01:00

A few more people than nromal have, in the last few weeks asked about my professional background, how did I get involved with Digital Marketing? What are some of my views about the state and potential growth of advertising in Nigeria?

I would like to invite you to read this profile Interview by Elijah Balogun of News Star newspaper.

Your feedback would be most appreciated.

Have a great day!

Dayo

Dayo Adefila is a tech entreprenuer and COO of Hotsauce, a digital marketing firm in Lagos, Nigeria. A former ad creative and Head, Account Planning at Insight GREY Dayo enjoys discovering and sharing useful stuff about the predictably fast evolving world of digital media in Nigeria and globally. Catch me online at any of the following locations: Twitter Linkedin Facebook

Is there still any doubt that social media is here to stay? STATS

2011-01-13T03:38:00.005+01:00

4 years ago the social media phenomenon was something only early adopters were interested in and used like the true elite explorers they were. Afterall, how many of you my readers had a social media network account in 2006? Much less one that you checked and interacted with right after you woke up, on the way to work, school even while at religious places of work..and all on a daily basis? Don't even mention MySpace or hi5. Nothing personal but really how many times after your first 5 months of use did you stick with those 2 sites? How many months or years ago did you log into your Myspace account?

Fast forward to 2011 and only a few outnumbered members les forces de resistance du social media are NOT on or actively participating on a social media network. Especially on the undisputed King of Social Media in the Western Hemisphere - FACEBOOK.

In Nigeria the STATS are incredible. At the start of 2008 we had just 100,000 users thereabouts. I was one of them, so now you know President Goodluck Jonathan did not bring Facebook to Nigeria :-) This number shot up to 1m users in 2009 and closed at 2m at the end of 2010. As at today (13th January 2011) I can authoritatively tell you the number of active Nigerian users on Facebook is estimated at 2,508,720 people (who live in Nigeria)

Damn! Means I need to revise my predictions that Nigerians on Facebook will double in 2011 if less than a month into Facebook we are already doing 2.5m!

How do we use Facebook? How addicted are we? Feel free to mentally say 'aye' when you find common threads as you read the stats in US and global market on usage of Facebook in the infographic below. Facebook penetration numbers compared to overall internet penetration in Nigeria are still a far cry away (with over 43.9m with internet access as at 2010) but the gulf is certainly closing as far as usage once people sign up. Addiction sets in to some extent. For instance, what is the first thing you do when you wake up these days? Check your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Sigh. How sweetly tiresome.

Key though is the kind of user you find on Facebook. Generally smart, happy to share information and engage with brands and generally with more than average disposable income. This is good news of course to the smart brand managers and advertising agencies out there looking to include social media engagement as part of their digital marketing in Nigeria.When a brand relates to its customers in a way that connects, the customers remember the brand with affection and loyalty. And they reward the brand with their money.

Take a look at some really cool stats and illustrations below or via this write up on Mashable and see just how pervasive social media and Facebook in particular has become. Question some folks are asking -is it a welcome pervasiveness? I would love to hear some of your own experiences with social media in Nigeria. Ok, off to my next browser tab for a quick peek-a-boo at my Facebook...

Via: Online Schools

Dayo Adefila is a tech entreprenuer and COO of Hotsauce, a digital marketing firm in Lagos, Nigeria. A former ad creative and Head, Account Planning at Insight GREY Dayo enjoys discovering and sharing useful stuff about the predictably fast evolving world of digital media in Nigeria and globally. Catch me online at any of the following locations: Twitter Linkedin Facebook

Upsurge in Nigerian Tech Entrepreneurs

2010-12-23T16:36:00.004+01:00

Are you one of hundreds of small existing and wannabe tech entrepreneurs in Nigeria? Are you dreaming of that big break when your ingenious solution will find the limelight and help solve a major human need - while of course, making you tons of cash (in dollars if you please). You are not alone, almost every quarter of 2010 saw the organizing of some tech developers and entrepreneurs forum - from Bar Camp, to MobiFEST to TEdx Victoria Island and many more.

The dream is a very active one thanks to the ever increasing access to the internet that is being experienced in Nigeria and the growing sense of freedom to battle the odds and succeed.

Success then is what the folks behind IDENTIFIED and BOOKNETO have achieved in the first instance. Both are tech start up companies with Nigerian founders/co-founders. Not many may know that both company's have been able to attract over $1m each as funding from folks in the global tech investors haven - Silicon Valley. Other companies demonstrating the ingenuity of Nigerians include Encypher Limited - creators of Inye - android based tablet and led by Saheed Adepoju. He hopes his product can give the more established kings of tablet - iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab a run for their money.

This then are exciting times for Nigerian techies and digital marketing in Nigeria generally as they are finally crossing over from owners of ideas to successful business start ups with viable and sustainable business growth.

As a friend of mine likes to say: We cannot wait for the Government to wake up - we have to start creating the opportunities ourselves and then invite Goverment in.

Big ups then to corporate players like Samsung Mobile Nigeria for organising the first ever Mobile applications development contest in Nigeria - Samsung Mobile Apps Developers Contest which ended in November and winners emerged November 25th winning over N1 Million Naira in cash prizes and more. Bigger news is the fact that 52 mobile apps were submitted by Nigerians with 18 making the shortlist. This is unprecedented and has helped Nigerian mobile software developers get the needed boost and self confidence in the knowledge that the market can be responsive to great solutions.

We hear some other innovative tech solutions for brands and businesses are also in beta stage across mobile and web platforms by Nigerian based companies. 2011 promises to be an exciting year with even more success for Nigerian tech practioners. Do you know of any Nigeria based and Nigerian tech entrepereneur with a wonderful solution? Send us a mail and we'll feature him/her and the product.

Happy 2011!

Dayo

Are Nigerian Advertising creatives technology lazy?

2010-10-24T21:46:00.000+01:00

That was the catch 22 topic I was asked to handle during my keynote speech at the 2010 Pre-Award Seminar for the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF) awards and organized by the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN). Catch 22 because I used to be a full fledged creative before extending my playing field into Brand management, Account Planning and now Digital Marketing.

I did however lay some facts on the table during my session - us folks practicing digital marketing are not saying this is the silver bullet - take one digital pill today and your brand will be successful tomorrow. Nope. Rather, I am saying communications practitioners need to better think INTEGRATION of platforms to tell effective brand stories - and this is where the digital platforms come in.

There is the vital issue of lack of KNOWLEDGE however - if you don't know a thing, ain't taught that thing...well, you won't know the thing! Simple. Lack of knowledge stems from lack of serious interest by Agency heads in appreciating the advantages of adding digital media to their communication repertoire and so do not encourage training of any sort - they feel once they allow the creatives access to Facebook that should be enough.

Some creative people also, like normal human beings are quite comfortable thank you, in believing that old sing along about how low the internet penetration in Nigeria is and all that. Hnmmm. 43.9m is no small figure. Considering a year ago it was 23.9m. More on that later.

2nd myth I had to bust that hot afternoon was the one about Digital = Online.

I had to patiently explain that the playing field is broader and includes Mobile, Web (content development and the popular advertising); Digital OOH in broad terms.

For some reason, the compere of the panel session tried to set up an us vs them situation between digital media advocates and 'pure' creative/advertising practitioners. If it were to have been a real fight I would have thrown the fight as the representative for the Creative people was no less a person than lovely Nnenna Onyewuchi.- Creative director at ZK Advertising Nigeria.

Time unfortunately was the enemy at the session but we took a couple of questions from the audience dominated more by Account Management executives than creatives (probably in the backroom at the agency working!)

Of tons of interest and reflective of the current levels of understanding by ad practitioners in Nigeria themselves is the following conversation thread I created on my Facebook page and which garnered quite a lot of diverse feedback.

You will probably find your point of view somewhere in there. Quite a few extreme positions by the way. Hopefully you will also find that there are more opportunities out there in thinking Integrated Marketing when approaching use of digital marketing for your brands: (Am trying to get permission from the participants before posting their comments here)

Cheers

Dayo

Dayo Adefila recently became Chief Operating Officer of Hotsauce, an innovative digital marketing firm based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Social Media Day Gives Digital Marketing More Attention in Nigeria

2010-07-06T11:28:00.002+01:00

Getting to understand Nigerian digital natives is now becoming a hot burner issue for more brand handlers than ever before. You can not blame them when as at 2008, the International Telecommunication Union had recorded 23.9m Nigerians with regular internet access. That was 2 years ago before the boom in portable internet access thanks to USB enabled internet connectivity solutions launched by Starcomms, GLO and MTN. Simultaneously, there has been an upsurge in demand for internet ready laptops and computers with many banks offering payment schemes that further made it easier for more people to own a PC or laptop. Top this all up with the Blackberry craze. Yep. Literally millions of Nigerians now access the internet from their Blackberry and enjoy the BB instant messaging chat function provided by all the GSM operators including newbie but youthful brand ETISALAT.

With all these increased online activity going on across different age groups brands seem to be in a dilemma on how to get in on the dialogue. Most forget it is about people extending their social lives to the internet so some brands just adopt the ATL approach - DISPLAY ADVERTISING. Unfortunately, much of display advertising is created to raise awareness. Awareness is good, but is no more the Holy Grail. You have to engage your audience. To do that, you have to Know Your Consumer - K.Y.C. to do that you need to enter into a participatory dialogue with your target audience.

This is where Social Media Marketing comes in. A process in which brands can engage the consumer respectfully and in a way that inspires - after all, People love people. Social media can help you humanize your brand better. It has its risks undoubtedly but it also has quantum rewards as it moves people faster along the lines of purchase and loyalty. This is why I commend MASHABLE for the idea to celebrate the 1st World Social Media Day.

I was the Nigeria Organizer for the MASHABLE World Social Media Day event and was able to organize a 'sensible' Flash Mob with just an hour notice. We had a blast, 20 people in all including representatives from Social Media Club, Nigeria chapter and M2 - leading brand and marketing magazine. You can read the report on the event by M2 Online weekly here: http://ht.ly/27rBf

One thing am sure is that more and more Nigerian consumers want better relationships with their brands. Brands have to listen. Brands have to engage. Brands have to co-create. Social Media can help you do that.

* * *
Dayo Adefila was formerly Head, Strategic Planning & Digital Marketing at Insight Communications but is now fully building the digital marketing function within the TROYKA GROUP. A former ad creative Dayo also has diverse experience in brand management from his time at Vmobile Nigeria & Celtel Nigeria in the Corporate Brand function. Catch him in the virtual world at any of these locations.
http://linkedin.com/in/dayoadefila http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo

NIGERIA: Where Mobile Apps Can Help Brands Deeply Engage Consumers

2010-06-20T17:31:00.005+01:00

WHY MOBILE MARKETING?

Well, I think we are at the point with Mobile Marketing where we were with the internet about 2 years ago in Nigeria when most brands and Agencies thought the Internet could not deliver 'jack' or any tangible ROI. "Where are the consumers?" the Clients and agency people asked? (Waiting for the brands apparently)

It will be interesting seeing how you (the reader) could be a pioneer for a different kind of mobile marketing that is more than an SMS campaign, interactive and delivers to a broad spectrum of people and handset types.

In this post, I have attached sample screen shots of a mobile app developed by the digital marketing arm of *TROYKA for a Pan-African reality TV show called STYLOGENIC - www.stylogenic.com Stylogenic is to be hosted in September 2010, by the worlds 1st Black African Ms.World - Agbani Darego.

The Stylogenic **mobile application, like any sensible app, can be installed on low, mid and high end java enabled Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Blackberry and even the now popular 'chinese' phones. It can also publish as iPhone version on request.

HOW CAN A MOBILE APP ACTUALLY HELP YOU AS A MARKETER TO TODAY'S TECH INFLUENCED GENERATION?

3 BROAD USES:

A) INFORMATION SOURCE
Share useful information about projects, events, World Cup stats, teams, news updates, opinion polls with brand loyalists or new customers.

You can even build one to perform like a Micro-Blogging service for sub-groups like Sales, Customer service - within a Closed User Group for companies with large and diverse staff operations. For instance election related bodies like INEC, Banks, Telecoms company, FMCGs.

B) FEEDBACK (OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE)

Strong communities love to give regular prompted or unprompted feedback that is always measurable.

Your brand can provide users variation of this feedback system as listed below:
    - CLICK TO SMS
    - VOTE YOUR TEAM
    - PREDICT n WIN
    - CLICK TO CALL. E.g, as a Customer Service Support Mechanism;
    - TYPE IN via simple in-app form at no cost to the user.

Election monitoring services could find that a service like CLICK TO REPORT POLL PROBLEM would be useful to disseminate to the general populace before an election.

C) IDENTIFY & BUILD A RESPONSIVE COMMUNITY
An interactive and engaging mobile app with clear reason-to-download qualities like those above can help your company develop a network of interested users who can serve as your unofficial ambassadors and who are willing test cases for new initiatives. They can also provide quick feedback by leveraging the powerful impact of the worlds most personalized medium of engagement - the mobile phone. Not the iPad.

The thing to keep in mind is that like the internet usage stats show us - 23.9m as at 2008 (Source ITU not Internetstats) there is a growing pool of Nigerian consumers now more than ever willing to extend their engagement links with brands into ever more personal terrains.

QUICK FAQs:

HOW DO CONSUMERS GET THE APP?

Consumers receive the app in any way they desire or relevant to the Client's ability:
1) Direct download from Client website to the customer's computer
    and then transferred to users phone
2) Direct push to customer phone by registering on website
3) Customer receives after sending request to an advertised code
4) From the Client to existing customers/users via SMS (after sending
    an initial intro sms alerting people they will receive such an app to
    avoid spamming)

WHO CAN USE A MOBILE APPLICATION FOR ITS USERS?
NGOs, FMCGs, Banks, Hotels, Restaurants, Shopping Malls,

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DEVELOP
2-6 weeks depending on complexity and readily available information from the Client.
Complexity refers to both content structure as well as integration with Clients IT structure/website.

If you would like a presentation made to your company on how mobile applications can specifically assist your business, send me a private message here and I will give you a call.

I will be at the upcoming mobiFEST 2010 – a 1st ever Mobile Application Exhibition in Nigeria. It is to happen in the next 7 weeks and is being organized by Mobile Money Africa run by the irrepressible Emmanuel Okoegwale. The theme of the Expo is Reaching the M-Generation. You can read more about it here http://bit.ly/d4UAns See you guys soon - on my mobi-blog.

*TROYKA is West Africa's largest independent Marketing Communications group.
**Stylogenic Mobile App - this is a demo version only without any branding.

If you feel like dropping me a line or seeing what else I get upto visit:

http://facebook.com/dayo.adefila
http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo

Brand Sponsored Twitter Trends Could Be a Different kind of Fail whale

2010-06-12T06:31:00.003+01:00

Would you slow-dance with a Ventriloquist?

My thoughts exactly - you wouldn't know exactly who was whispering sweet nothings in your ear: The Ventriloquist or the doll?

I admit - I have been hooked on Twitter for about a year now. I joined in July, 2009 out of curiosity thanks to @Osmosisfutzing and found Twitter an excellent community to be part of for 3 cool reasons:

1) It's a paradise of organised information.
Not in the Google way but in the way that matters most to us as people -information other people find useful
enough to share. That is the heart of it. Stuff that is good enough to share (of course, you get the occasional spammer and self serving junkster - those you quickly learn to unfollow or remove from your followers list).

2) It's about the People
I have become connected to people who run mega-million dollar enterprises on Twitter simply because they
liked my tweet or I liked theirs. It may have taken a different length of time to access this people directly via
LinkedIn or similar platform. Twitter makes that happen more easily. True, we follow brands on Twitter- those that respect the rules of the game and are innovative not trying to force a trend. Geez.

3) Brands do not - absolutely do not - intrude in my world.
Let's face it, Twitter is our own never ending Tea-party where we gather and say what we want about
what matters to us. We do it confident we are sharing with like minds..which sometimes are also brands

like Apple, Pepsi, Samsung, Google.
So, why is Twitter getting it wrong and trying to force brands into the 1 area Twitterers consider their own
island? The TREND spot!

It's the money stupid! $$$

What effect can it have?

1) An initial high
Sponsored trends = Sponsored tweets and so I would expect there to be agencies or freelance people
waiting in the wings to re-tweet or mention these sponsored 'Trends' and aim for some traction.

2) People get turned off
Fake trends will be discovered for what they are and this becomes Counter productive to the sponsor
brand. No brand should honestly expect to sponsor a trend and think it, the brand is honestly being
absorbed into the community of people.

3) Off They go
Some Twitter users may just decide the competition is getting too hot now you have to pay to get trended.
Small brands without the financial muscle may just easily get out 'trended'.

That is the part I find bemusing - if you have great content, great approach - people will tweet it to high heavens for you! This is a simple cause and effect in social media marketing. Of course you can nudge, influence but not try to hoodwink.

No one is paying me to tweet #worldcup but the thing is definitely trending as was #Justin Bierber some weeks ago. Or #Lindsay Lohan. C'mon..don't we just love her?

No offense meant to any scientists out there but can any folk on Twitter honestly looking forward to a sponsored trend about atomic elements from a government agency seeking some funding and wanting to show 'public support'? Please!

It's early days yet and I really hope Twitter rests this idea of sponsored Trends.

Read more about the Sponsored Trend plan by Twitter at Fast Company http://bit.ly/crt3gr.

You can catch up with me here http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo as I dig deeper into this sponsored trend saga. Happy #world cup and good luck to Africa! http://www.fifa.com/

Dayo Adefila

Digital Marketing Set for Faster Growth in Nigeria – Adefila

2010-05-11T21:45:00.001+01:00

"Digital Marketing Set for Faster Growth in Nigeria – Adefila" by Olaseeni Durojaiye, m2weekly.com

Owing to the huge marketing potentials inherent in digital media as a part of the overall marketing mix, coupled with the increasing use of the internet by Nigerians faster growth in digital marketing has been predicted in Nigeria.

With this projected growth however arises the need for digital marketing campaigns to be carefully planned and executed in line with the objectives of key performing indices (KPI) clearly spelt out.

Dayo Adefila, Controller, Account Planning & Head, Digital Marketing at Insight Communications revealed this in an exclusive interview with M2 when representatives of Habari Group and Wild Fusion paid a working visit to the digital marketing arm of Insight Grey Communications’ office in Ikeja, Lagos recently. Wild Fusion was recently appointed as Nigeria representatives of the social media behemoth, Facebook under license from Habari Group.

While clarifying that digital marketing is not restricted to online marketing, he posits that online marketing is a more convenient platform for engaging in creative conversations with consumers which in turn leads to quality service engagement. He also notes that the current marketing imperatives faced by most brands today is achieving measurable and tangible Returns On Investment (ROI) which explains the already growing interest in the use of online marketing platform by Nigerian brands; a trend certain to be sustained going forward.

“We clearly see a need that exists from the brands’ point of view, a need to achieve deeper connections with consumers and it is this need state that we see digital marketing platforms helping to satisfy. The lifestyle of today’s aspiring Nigerian is leading them more and more to the online space. This is where brands must now boldly but intelligently go, not to advertise in the traditional sense but to engage the consumer.”

Continuing, Adefila contends that, “The holy grail in marketing those days used to be awareness. Not anymore. Today, it is engagement; a reason to notice, a reason to stay with your brand. One key point about engagement however, is that it is not just about a nice new digital platform. It is also about the identified brand challenge and the creativity that is deployed using digital platforms as the consumers must be creatively engaged,” he argues.

He cautions that it is important to have clearly spelt out metrics before starting a digital marketing campaign so that measuring success during and after the campaign is hitch free to avoid mismatched expectations between the client and consumer.

Digital marketing services provided by the digital marketing unit at Insight Communications include online advertising, website design & development, online and mobile applications development such as the one developed for Stylogenic, the Pan-African reality TV show to be hosted by the worlds 1st Black African Miss World, Agbani Darego.

Adefila ended with a note of caution that while he can foresee rapid growth in the use of digital media, he does not see digital platforms like online media replacing the traditional media. He suggests that digital media should be used in a complimentary role alongside traditional media in the real sense of integrated marketing communications to achieve better results.

Culled from m2weekly.com news feature: http://bit.ly/bGb3r7

Why Facebook may be key to helping Aliens like Earthlings.

2010-04-26T01:17:00.000+01:00

Surely, it is not everyday the social media giant, Facebook gets mentioned in the same breath as 'Aliens'? I did not think so. My thinking is however a bit lateral here because if I were an alien able to travel across Solar Systems or galaxies I would be able to detect huge sources of electro-magnetic energy...I would discover this elementary but earth-wide connection looping endlessly across the earth - over 400 million individual threads intertwining in what we call..the INTERNET. Once I found the Internet (or hacked into it) it would only take a few seconds to find FACEBOOK: The ultimate Guide to Humankind Behaviour. Or Earthling 102. (101 would have been encountered while dodging the earth's numerous satellite probes and alert systems for Aliens like me).

Unlike Stephen Hawkins, who I unashamedly agree is one hell of an astrophysicist but who's gone alien bashing of recent, I think Facebook may be one of Earth's last defences when Aliens infiltrate the Earth and need to know quickly if we will mean them harm - just give them an hour to see the fab pictures of people all over sharing billions of fun, wooshy pooshy feely pictures, hard party pictures and the Aleins would simple re-organize and agree Earth would not pose much threat to them. Eh..but would that summary really be a good thing? Watch 'Independence Day and War of the Worlds again.

Well, while I have had some fun poking at the general focus on Aliens right now thanks to Stephen Hawkin's comments on the subject matter, I also find the element of understanding humanity via social networks a distinct possibility by the so-called Aliens. That is, if the aliens did not come in bombing straight off the bat. Maybe a Facebook flag on the Moon anyone?

More of Stephen Hawkin's comments on Aliens can be found at the following link. http://bit.ly/bOXt83

Last thought...if we all exist in the same galaxy who then is an alien?

Some off the wall Alien links you may like to visit in your very spare time:
The lovely alien picture used in this blog belongs to this site - http://aliens.monstrous.com

You can also check out www.alien-ufos.com userpages.bright.net/~phobia

* * *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A science fiction writer who inevitable loves tech, Dayo Adefila has also read one too many Ron Hubbard, Isaac Asimov books in the past and if you combine that with advertising experience you can see why he writes what he calls 'Flash Options' - things worth considering after you may have laughed or dismissed.
He can be found @
http://twitter.com/travelwithdayo
http://www.africanwriter.com/authors/234/Dayo-Adefila

4 Things Brand people can learn from Pep Guardiola of Barcelona

2010-04-07T00:36:00.000+01:00

"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved." - Sun Tzu

Ahead tonight's epic clash between Arsenal and Barcelona,I rummaged through ESPN Soccernet website looking for clues on what the coaches were saying...how confident they were..or how cunning. (check Nigerian coaches, anytime they or the players go boasting about winning the tournament weeks before kicking one ball they usually crash out before the Semi-Final)

So I found this interview of Pep Guardiola, the player turned manager of Barcelona which he had given hours before the match and some instructive things emerged out of it which essentially made my spine tingle in a way only football can cause.

I saw direct relationships between the warring world of brands and the delightful, emotional world of football. I have written this note with quotes from the interview interspersed with some tips.

* * * *

Key excerpts below:

BRAND TIP No.1: HAVE A WELL DEVELOPED POINT OF VIEW BASED ON VALID EVIDENCE

BARCELONA V ARSENAL
Guardiola plays down importance of Walcott:

"Let's be clear, Walcott was not the determining factor, the determining factor was [Manuel] Almunia, who saved 12,000 balls,'' Pep Guardiola claimed. This is the mind of a Counterclaim artist who knows the value of insight which he has acquired rather than be overly swayed on the strength of one strong performance by Theo Walcott.

BRAND TIP No.2: KNOW YOUR ENEMY

"Walcott is so speedy, he has strong legs, he played very well against us (on Wednesday) and also in the last league game [against Wolves]. " - Pep

This guy watched the matches of his competition and confirmed Walcott's strength. Competitive information is often restricted to newspaper research by some of us brand people.

GAMEPLAN
"But we will try to keep the ball, that's the best way to stop Arsenal and to stop Walcott as well." - Pep

BRAND TIP No.3: KNOW YOURSELF

"We are going to try to be ourselves, TO KEEP THE BALL AND PLAY WITH GREAT INTENSITY (sic emphasis mine)

"And I think Mr Wenger will want to do the same." - Interesting that he mentions that. He acknowledges competition may likely try to play like him. Does he jettison his STRATEGY? No. Maybe he modifies the TACTICS. Does not panic at the first copycat move by competition (that is not intended at my Arsenal friends please so I can escape Facebook alive)

Knowing yourself as a brand is an irreplaceable element of building a true strategy.

And DIFFERENTIATION is one of the pillars of true brand identity, brand belief.

There is after all, only one 7up. Only 1 BMW, Only 1 Beyonce and with over 400m members, only 1 Facebook, only 1 Apple.

WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY AS A BRAND? TACTICS WILL EVOLVE OUT OF IT. NOT TACTICS TO BE CONSIDERED BRAND STRATEGY

"We are going to try to be ourselves, TO KEEP THE BALL AND PLAY WITH GREAT INTENSITY (sic emphasis mine) "The team that has the ball most will win the game." - Pep

I like the part about INTENSITY.

That can only come when there is clearheaded-ness, single minded agreement and commitment to the brand vision. The reason for being of your brand. have you identified your brands Vision? Not Company vision - brand.

BRAND TIP No.4 : SHARED COMMITMENT

Abidal (Defender) is not afraid of Walcott, believing that pace is not the only factor which makes a winger effective.

"It may be really good for him to run 100 metres in a little over 10 seconds, but the aim is to get to the goal,'' Abidal (DEFENDER) said. "We'll wait there for him and we'll see what he can do with the ball - let's see if he can get past four defenders.'' (TACTICS to support the STRATEGY)

IS YOUR BRAND STRATEGY WELL UNDERSTOOD BY YOUR TEAM? ARE THEY COMMITTED TO IT? Do the defenders in your brand team grasp it?

"He is a very fast player. For any defender it is difficult to mark him because he can go past you. There are other ways to deal with him and you have to be ready. - Goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

Acknowledge the strengths of your competition, Know his weaknesses, Act on it. (AKA)

* * * *
Recessionary times are not receding as fast as may have been desired. Smart brands are not easily jettisoning their strategies but are seriously tweaking their tactics. They are knowing more so they can do less but the less will achieve more. Thus the need for better understanding of competition, themselves; better understanding their consumers and the new ways of engaging today's evolving consumer to achieve memorable brand contact with consumers in a display that is magical and breathtaking like today's match between dear Arsenal and Barcelona.

Viva great brands, Viva great teams.

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." - Sun Tzu

Pep Guardiola - image courtesy The Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/championsleague/5235812/Barcelona-v-Chelsea-Pep-Guardiola-profile.html

Adebayo Jones is Mr.Stylogenic

2010-03-27T19:25:00.000+01:00

Well, it was an unanimous vote by a select audience at the Media reveal of the all new Pan-African Style reality TV show - STYLOGENIC. Carefully elegant as usual Adebayo Jones initially tried to duck the nomination but the excited crowd would not permit him to retreat and duly gave him the loudest recognition during voting as part of the events at the media unveiling. The show proper, STYLOGENIC is a 1st of its kind reality TV show, focused not just on fashion but style. It will comprise of entire teams made up of Model, Stylist. Photographer and others facing off other similar Style Teams. STYLOGENIC is a Pan-African show and it will be fittingly hosted by Agbani Darego, the continents 1st Black Ms.World. STYLOGENIC will air during the summer after the 2010 World Cup. Reporting by Dayo Adefila (who simply couldn't resist attending such an event)

Stylogenic will awaken a style revolution in Africa

2010-03-27T01:20:00.000+01:00

The concept of a reality tv show around the diverse elements of fashion is no more new...yet, there's something about Stylogenic that thrusts itself into ones mind. It is described as the worlds first style reality tv show in which teams of designers, makeup artists, photographers and models come together to battle it out against other style teams.

The unveiling to the media which took place on the 26th March 2010 at the Clear Essence California Spa & Wellness Resorts, Ikoyi Lagos was well attended by top fashion and style icons like Adebayo Jones, Tara Durotoye and of course, the worlds 1st black african Ms.World - Agbani Darego as host. Agbani Darego who looked stunning in an exquisitely set sequin dress, has promised to be back soon to Nigeria as she hosts this landmark style reality tv show which will be open to the entire African continent. Stylogenic will show during the summer, after the 2010 World Cup. Can't wait. www.stylogenic.net

Living as an In-Between

2009-07-27T02:40:00.000+01:00

I will write what I have observed, what I suspect and what I know about this generation of people I call In-betweeners - people not quite Generation Y and not quite Baby Boomers...

Dancing With Wolves

2009-07-27T02:18:00.000+01:00

“DANCING WITH

WOLVES”

A 5 MINUTE EXCERPT FROM “DESTINY”– A SCREENPLAY

BY DAYO ADEFILA

EXT Dense jungle growth

POV of viewer as dense jungle growth is hurriedly parted at a

stumbling pace in the dark.

SFX: Laboured breathing accompany sounds of twigs snapping underfoot

EXT Wide shot of a well dressed man and a woman in army fatigues threading their way, urgently, yet gingerly through a dried swamp with very dense bushes.

CLOSE UP on THE WOMAN moving surefooted in her army battle fatigues and a white t-shirt with the legend: No Justice, NO PEACE. Blazoned at the back of the t-shirt is a red skulls and bone insignia.

THE MAN, looking out of place in his fitted white Senegalese outfit stumbles on, mopping sweat from his bald pate while clutching a briefcase to his chest as if to ward off some danger when…SNAP!(SFX)

He jumps nervously, almost running his portly 5”7 frame into her as she halts motioning for him to keep still while she cocks her head, listening for sounds coming around them. She points ahead in calm silence through a break in the leaves…

Sweeping slowly past, a few dozen metres to their right in the creeks is a motorboat carrying eight men in balaclavas, camouflaged flak jackets, and brandishing Kalashnikov assault rifles. Farther beyond the motorboat can be seen silhouettes of an abandoned oil installation in the shadows of the mangroves

EXT Man and woman continuing their hurried journey through the swamp

POV of the man behind the woman when suddenly she disappears! He hurries after her in panic, cursing when suddenly he bursts out beside her…disoriented to a small clearing barely lit by Moonlight. A gritty voice seemingly from all around them challenges in Pidgin:

Unidentified voice

Wey the bird dey fly… before him die?

The woman nods her head in acknowledgment and answers:

Two by two

Melting out of the dark gloom, gunmen dressed in black balaclavas

and camouflage flak jackets armed with assault rifles emerge from

the surrounding bush. One of them, sporting a white handkerchief

around his wrist beckons to THE WOMAN.

She joins her fellow militant for a quick dialogue in a Niger Delta language.

"You have what he seeks?" demands the one with white handkerchief directing the question at THE MAN who nods his head quickly, clutching ever tighter to his chest the briefcase he had.

“Then come. He will see you” the militant leader orders turning and leading the way into the bush

SFX: ADVENTURE MUSIC PLAYS.

The small group moves away from the clearing and soon reach an almost impenetrable wall of jungle. THE MAN is disoriented again, finding he is alone. Instinctively, hands trembling he leans forward to part aside some of the dense foliage ahead.

THE MAN (in a trembling whisper)

In God’s name…Where are we?

* * *

INT: Luxury car

His hand jerks back and we see THE MAN coming out of a FLASHBACK drawing his hand away from reaching for the mist covered windows and leans back against his seat. He is the sole occupant in the back seat of a heavily tinted Peugeot 607.

VFX: Film Title dissolves in and out with THE ADVENTURE MUSIC.

He shifts his weight a little, heaving the black leather briefcase closer to his chest. He suddenly tries to unlock the briefcase, starts rolling the combinations, stopping at the last moment as he catches the puzzled eyes of his driver looking through the rear mirror and shaking his head at the unusual behaviour of his boss.

DRIVER

Oga Umar, no cause for alarm. Your security reports have

never failed us. Dey say no militants in the area today. No shaking sir.

UMAR still looking flustered and sweating in the heavily air-conditioned car mutters an acknowledgment whilst gripping the briefcase even tighter.

The driver adjusts the car radio to a news station:

RADIO BROADCASTER

"Little is known about THE Niger Delta Patriots but what is disturbing is their threat of a Final Solution if the latest rounds of talks between delegates from the Niger Delta and the Federal Government fail to lead to a significant shift in the governments stand on their demands. The situation in the Niger Delta remains of strong concern to the international community as Nigeria is the world's eighth largest oil exporter and the fifth largest supplier of crude to the US. The talks are scheduled to commence in a weeks time.”

Voice fades to background as camera catches UMAR deep in thought.

EXT DESERTED HIGHWAY

The sleek black Peugeot 607 speeds down the roughly hewn highway towards a private sea port ahead in the distance.

CUT AWAY to a luxury yacht draped with garish banners proclaiming a first ever world cruise. On board at the bow are gaily dressed men and women, blacks and expatriates having a private cocktail.

* * * *

EXT Near the party yacht tethered at the private port.

VIEWERS POV as someone walks toward the boarding plank then stops and scans the people (pausing briefly on 2 separate expatriates) on the yacht. Hands move up to check the time. 4pm. A phone rings. Our view swivels around the person as the phone continues to ring. It’s UMAR receiving the call a few yards from the yacht. He’s dressed in polo top and jeans, looks refreshed though with a worried look.

CLOSE UP on UMAR as he answers the call on his phone:

HELLO

The caller’s is breezy; American. Party music is in the background

Umar. I see you. Walk straight to the empty table at the far end of the party canopy. I’ll join you.

Umar’s POV-scanning the top deck. Spots the table just described to him and heads there.

DISSOLVE TO UMAR and the American (George Fallon) sitting at the table laid out with bottles of wine and peppered snacks

UMAR is not comfortable and leans forward to speak to George opposite him.

I don’t like this meeting place George. Too public.

GEORGE is unperturbed as his gaze wanders over two beautiful ladies in evening dress walking slowly past their table.

It’s the best I could do on such short notice and besides… He winks at Umar as the ladies sashay slowly past them.it should be a great party.

UMAR is scandalized.

Can’t you understand what is about to happen? The whole Niger Delta is one big warring region ready to explode. From Amasoma to Ogoniland, from Jones creek to Odidi, Egbema to Ogbakiri, everywhere they are armed!

If these current talks with the Federal Government fail, those mad men will unleash unprecedented terror on Nigerians. (Whispers harshly) You’ve got to stop them!

GEORGE

I thought with the release last year of their leader, Dokubo...I thought your colleagues in the Senate assured us the violence would not escalate.

UMAR

Well it has. It’s bigger than Dokubo. YOUR people at SHELL should know better. He leans back with a half smirk. Only last month one of their oil installations was destroyed.

It is George’s turn to lean forward and say in a firm tone

The American government will act quickly in alliance with the Nigerian government once it is confirmed that the Niger Delta Patriots have the means to launch what we all fear – an atomic device somewhere in the Lagos.

UMAR (speaking softly)

They just did. I delivered it to them as planned; an hour ago.

FLASHBACK

The laughter from the party on the deck blends into another kind of laughter as we are transported back to the creeks where we see Umar, an hour earlier meeting with the dreaded leader of the Niger Delta Patriots.

* *

The leader sits on a modern executive swivel chair with a picture of a forgotten Niger Delta hero in the background, he is well built. Wearing a white tank t shirt his broad hands rest atop the gleaming mahogany table littered with toy soldiers in military formation. He is flanked by armed men from his militia. He is laughing in a gentle mocking way at Umar.

“They said you almost wet your pants when you saw how armed my men are eh? (His tone changes slightly) Were you expecting to see a few youths wearing slippers with chewing stick and some pistols? No. That was in the past. He leans forward. Tell me, (he gets up from behind the desk and walks round it towards Umar. A metre away from Umar is the woman who led him here.

“Have you been to Oporoza and Egbema…recently? Drank some of the greenish water they, my people are forced to drink!”

He moves closer to UMAR till they are almost eye to eye.

Why do you assist us?

He smirks at UMAR, looking him over “I smell no fervour in you, no song for justice will burst for joy from your throat…And even though you bring us that which will bring us our greatest victory yet… (He steps back a little, releasing Umar’s hand which he had gripped in his excitement. His voice is tinged with a little sadness) your destiny is…money

He spins around abruptly and walks off into the darkened entrance of his inner chamber. Hold view on the darkened door frame…

* * *

EXT. Door frame comes into focus…behind GEORGE who leans forward in excitement (fade out sounds of the party)

More importantly Umar, the remote disabling device, you have that right?

UMAR relaxing for the first time leans back in his cane chair.

Of course, and without it they cannot really arm the bomb and detonate it.

Fools! You are right. They can be stopped. George, my payment is due…

GEORGE

Next week Tuesday. Which account? Cayman?

At Umar’s nod, George reaches over for a bottle of wine and fills a glass for each of them, then makes a…”To Success!”

EXT WIDE SHOT OF HOTEL AND NEARBY BUILDINGS SHOWING NIGHTTIME.

Dissolve to hotel corridor, track to door with room Number 212 and a

DO NOT DISTURB SIGN

INT POSH HOTEL ROOM.

GEORGE IS BY THE BEDROOM WINDOW… ON THE PHONE

Tell your master that it went as planned. I know the exact location of the remote disabling device… for the bomb.

THE END OF “DANCING WITH WOLVES”

– AN EXCERPT FROM DAYO ADEFILA’S SCREENPLAY – “DESTINY” AS SUBMITTED FOR GOETHE INSTITUTE AND WOMEN FILMAKERS OF ZIMBABWE 2007 SCREENWRITING COMPETITION FOR “KILLING AFRICA. HEALING AFRICA”