Four consummate achievers were inducted into the Brandcom Awards’ Hall of Fame last Friday November 19th 2021 at the third edition of the prestigious Brandcom Awards 2021, organised by Nigeria’s leading brands and marketing publication, Brand Communicator.
The four include Udeme Ufot, Group Managing Director of SO&U; Seni Adetu, a former Managing Director/CEO Guinness Nigeria and Founder/GCEO, First Primus West Africa Limited; Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Group Managing Director, CMC Connect Burson Cohn & Wolfe; and Ayo Oluwatosin, Group Managing Director, Rosabel Group.
The four were inducted for their contributions to the growth of the brands and marketing communication industry.
The event held at D’Podium International Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos equally recognized brands, agencies and marketing communications professionals.
The new hall of famers joined other eminent individuals who have been inducted into the Brandcom’s Hall of Fame. The Induction into the hall of fame is a vital segment of the Awards programme. It could be recalled that at the maiden edition of the awards that took place two years ago, the doyen of advertising in Nigeria and Chairman, Troyka Holdings, Biodun Shobanjo was the only personality honoured with the prestigious ‘Hall of Fame’ induction. It is usually the biggest honour of the night presented for quality contributions to the growth of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry in the country and Africa as a whole.
Last year, Nn’emeka Maduegbuna, a consummate PR strategist and Mbanefo Dozie, one of the leading lights in the Out-of-home (OOH) sector in Nigeria were also inducted.
According to the organisers of the event, the four personalities inducted this year have consistently contributed to the integrated marketing communications industry, the business community and the country at large. Hence, this year’s edition, which was bigger than any previous one witnessed the induction of four personalities for the first time.
Commenting on the awards, Convener of Brandcom Awards and Publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi said the four distinguished gentlemen have contributed enormously to the growth of the integrated marketing communications industry and that is the reason they were recongised and celebrated.
He added that “We are indeed happy at Brand Communicator, to have taken up the challenge of creating a respectable platform that recognises and rewards excellence in this very vibrant industry.”
The four newly inducted hall of famers were delighted and said the honour spur them to continue to do the great works they being doing, thanking the organisers for the recognition and others that have one way or the other to achieving greatness.
Udeme Ufot is the Group Managing Director of SO&U, affiliated to Saatchi & Saatchi, a global advertising agency. A company he started since 1990 is still making great strides in the world of advertising, even to the extent of winning the Fate Model Entrepreneur Award 2012.
Providing thought leadership and mentorship in diverse areas of the marketing communication spectrum, Ayo Oluwatosin has about 35 years cognate experience in the industry. He is a past President of MIPAN and a member of Institute of Directors (IoD), among others. He is a fellow of the advertising profession in Nigeria, and a member of the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
Seni Adetu, a former Managing Director/CEO Guinness Nigeria Plc has over 30 years of sound private sector experience garnered at the highest levels working with multinationals such as: John Holt Plc, Coca-Cola International and Diageo Plc in different countries within and outside Africa.
He is presently Chairman/Group CEO, First Primus W.A, Ogilvy Nigeria Limited and Algorithm Media Nigeria Limited – Nigeria’s foremost Marketing Communications companies
YBO as he is fondly called, is the Group Managing Director at CMC Connect Burson Cohn & Wolfe (CMC BCW) formerly known as CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller is a public relations firm that provides communication solutions since 1992 He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and was a past Chairman of NIPR, Lagos State Chapter. Currently, he is the President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), West African Chair of the Public Relations and Communications Association and on the board of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and many other blue-chip companies in Nigeria.
In their acceptance speeches, the inductees all expressed great appreciation to Brand Communicator for recognizing their efforts and contributions in the industry with each of them promising to re-double their efforts to utilize their wealth of knowledge and experience to grow the country’s marketing communications industry.
Brand Communicator is Nigeria’s most consistent brand and marketing communications magazine. It is also a partner to the two biggest creative advertising shows on the continent, Loeries Africa Middle East and African Cristal Festival. The platform was named PR magazine of the year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos Chapter.