By Tunji Faleye
Two of Nigeria’s fastest growing marketing communications agencies at this year’s African Cristal Awards, X3M Ideas and Noah’s Ark have emerged big winners at the continent’s creative mundial that held at Marrekesh, Morocco yesterday night.
At the Pan- African category, Nigeria got 12 awards out of which Noah’s Ark got 8 (2 Sapphires and 6 Emeralds) while DDB Lagos, Leo Burnet Lagos, SO&U and X3M got an emerald each. Noah’s Ark emerged Pan African Nigerian winners of the awards and also the most awarded Nigerian agency at the awards winning ten medals at the regional level and eight medals at the Pan African level.
X3M Ideas emerged overall winners at the Nigerian regionals with 1 Cristal and an Emerald. The agency won Cristal with it’s work, Oando O-Gas Switch which it submitted for the Promo & Direct category. It also won Emerald under the same category with it’s Etisalat Super Recharge1.0. The agency also won an Emerald at the main events, making it three medals in all.
DDB Lagos is next with 1 Sapphire and an Emerald, while Leo Burnett Lagos also registered it’s name on the medal table with 1 Sapphire.
Over all, Nigerian agencies won a total of 26 awards at the just concluded African Cristal Awards in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Reacting to the feat, Steve Babaeko, Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer of X3M Ideas exclusively to Brand Communicator that despite this success the agency will not rest on its oars in its creative enterprise. According to him, “we have more work to do. Like they say the reward for handwork is more work. We have always felt that we have what it takes to be the best in the world, this is a clear testament that we were not wrong.”
Babaeko added: It’s an opportunity to be very grateful to almighty God for His blessings thus far. We are not unmindful of the fact that some of the feats God has helped us to achieve are still unreachable for many that are decades old. Thanks to God and our young but ambitious team. We keep shattering records.”
He said that after this feat, Cannes is definitely on the agency’s bucket list, adding that right from the time the agency opened shop, it has been their desire to compete at the world stage, promising that the agency will not stop until it wins Cannes award.
His word:
“We have a very young and passionate team that is very hungry and we are confident and consistent. I guess those are all the traits you find in most word beaters. Trust me we are ready.”
He also encouraged other agencies that are lukewarm about participating in an award of this calibre to take it as a point of duty to participate. He says, “yes it’s a little bit expensive to enter and send delegates but the truth is that if we want to compete with the rest of the world we have to show up. X3M Ideas is never intimidated by global competition. We are always ready to take it on that is why we keep winning.”
Also speaking on the awards to Brand Communicator, Maurice Ugwonoh, Creative Director, Noah’s Ark, said, “Our mission is to be in the league of the world’s finest brand builder in Africa.” He said, “We have our eyes set on conquering the world as an Africa titan and every time we win big on a continental or global level. We further imprint our mission as a win for Africa. Just under 9 short years Noah’s Ark has helped elevate Nigeria’s advertising and creativity industry to an enviable position, the record is there to bear us witness about our contributions to the development of the industry. Our huge wins are important for our agency as they further validate us living our mission statement. Talk Big, Walk Big.”
Maurice added, that the performance of the agency at this year’s African Cristal Awards makes him feel like the agency did little and got more. “Imagine what happen when we do a little more? Africa Cristal expects us to win big and what we simply did was to deliver on that confidence. This also signifies that our clients are hungry for international recognition that creativity does more than offer. For me and my colleagues that is where fulfilment is…”