Afromedia Marks Golden Jubilee, Commits to Environment

Nigeria’s premier out-of-home agency, Afromedia Plc, recently marked its golden jubilee. The company also used the landmark anniversary to commit itself to the environment, Kenneth O. Eze writes.

Afromedia, Nigeria’s leading out of home service provider, recently rolled out the drums in celebration of its golden jubilee. As part of events marking the anniversary, the company flagged off its CSR initiative  “Going Green.” The initiative draws from the Afromedia Creative Competition (ACC) tagged “My Green Nigeria.” A theme sources at the company claim is in keeping with its friendship pact with the environment.
M2 gathers that the ACC is creative competition in which participants are expected to submit graphical illustrations or representations in any form of art, but must be specifically designed for the out-of-home campaign. The organizers emphasise creativity, originality and innovation as attributes that people entering the competition with a desire to win must focus on in creating the works they would be submitting for the completion.
The competition is open to creatives from schools and  professionals. The winner will be crowned Afromedia Best Graphic Artist for 2010 and would be rewarded with a cash prize of N2m. The first and second runners-up will go home with cash prizes of N500,000 and N250,000 respectively.
Akin Ore Olopade, the group managing director/CEO, speaking at media parley to unveil the initiative as part of his company’s golden jubilee celebrations, declared that Afromedia is enjoying its pact with the environment hence the choice of an environmentally friendly CSR initiative to mark the landmark anniversary.
He laid emphasis on his company’s commitment to innovatively changing the landscape as a major reason for its resort to a series of initiatives to improve the landscape including tree planting, use of environmentally friendly materials for billboards and erection of billboards in a responsible and environmental friendly manner. He recalls that this is why the company suffered only minimal losses with the advent of the Lagos State Advertisement and Signage Agency (LASAA).
Elucidating on his company’s affinity with the environment Olopade says “as our business impacts a great deal on the environment, we realize and deeply understand the urgent need to protect our environment and by so doing, protect our future.”
The company also promises to show high sense of responsibility in handing all materials submitted to it for the ACC.
Patrick Osita Nwabunie, group deputy managing director, while clearing the air on possible copyright issues that may bar astute creatives from submitting entries, explained that Afromedia has been in business for long and has a reputation of playing by the rules and upholding high ethics. He encouraged all to submit their entries, reassuring that prospective competitors are in for a fair deal.
Olopade emphasized that age or no age, Afromedia is in business “to transform lives of brands through innovative out-of-home services, compelling us to roll out products in keeping with international standards.”
Major industry players graced the event in solidarity with the company which M2 gathers has been in business for about 80 years, but chose to celebrate 50 years counting from date of incorporation. Industry regulators, LASAA, and major clients, Glo and Etisalat sent representatives and goodwill messages. Yinka Akande, director, brand and communications at Etisalat in a goodwill message disclosed that his loyalty to the company is based on Afromedia’s consistent display of “professional leadership and strong brand equity.” He encouraged the management to leverage on its strong brand equity and make good their vision of exploring other markets outside Nigeria, particularly in Africa