Every year, the month of December is always special, with one of the biggest marketing windows globally that brands and destinations maximize aggressively.
It’s the most exciting time with streets bustling with holiday shoppers scampering to get their hands on the best deals and a rise in the volume of sales and promotion bonanza by brands.
In the highly competitive season where several brands jostle for attention, patronage and big profit, we see brands and destinations across the world competing with each other to make a lasting impression in the hearts of customers and prospects during the festive season.
They take the opportunity of the season to add fun, excitement, joy and different colours to their loyal and prospective customers. Spreading joy and fun, showing love and kindness, sharing happiness and magic, making powerful Christmas wishes and family connectivity during the celebration in diverse ways.
Over the years, brands and Cities in Nigeria have deployed different tactics and strategies to carry out these campaigns during the festive season. The campaigns could come in ways of rewards like promos, cash gifts, sharing their products across the country, organising elaborate concerts where popular artistes come to perform, product relaunch with a tagline that resonates with the season or sponsoring well-known events.
2023 December was not any different as brands sponsored or collaborated with some state governments to promote and sponsor various exciting activities thereby boosting their profitability and visibility. From Lagos to Uyo and Cross River as well as other big cities in Nigeria, many outstanding events took place. These events are not just about projecting the city but also about their economic benefits.
Here are some outstanding 2023 Christmas events that took the season by storm in Nigeria.
Pepsi Disemba No Dulling
Pepsi hosted one of the outstanding and memorable shows in December. The brand had fun
lovers lockdown with mega parties and celebrations across different cities in Nigeria during the
festive period. Pepsi did not only refresh Nigerians but brought families and friends together to
nights of electrifying styles and chilled vibes.
From the epic dance moves to the spontaneous singalongs, many created memories that will
last a lifetime at the various shows hosted by the black Cola brand.
Pepsi stacked December (12 concerts), Bear with Us fest, Pepsi Block Parties, Obi’s House 5
Mondays Special (Lagos & Abuja), Night of Queens, Rhythms and Roots, Warri Again Live, DJ-Spinall amongst others were some of the events hosted by the black Cola brand in December 2023.
DecemberIssaVybe
FirstBank, One of Nigeria’s financial institutions, also took advantage of the season as it ignited fun in the annual DecemberIssaVybe with the sponsorship of energetic sensational Nigerian singer, Asake’s super star musical concerts in Abuja and Lagos.
The Lonely At The Top crooner kicked off with a great start with Asake performing his global Afrobeat hit songs in Abuja on Friday, 15th December at Harrow Park.
The concert according to the report was a great experience for music enthusiasts in December. FirstBank gave many Nigerians opportunities to win VIP tickets to watch Asake perform in Abuja and the follow-up concert in Lagos.
According to FirstBank the sponsorship of Asake’s concerts and the DecemberIssaVybe campaign aimed at creating an awesome experience for family reunions, bonding, and entertainment during the December festive season.
The DecemberIssaVybe campaign also embraces the theme of homecoming, as it recognises Nigerians living in the diaspora who take joy in visiting their home country during the festive season.
Calabar Carnival
Another outstanding event and a mega marketing window for brands is the 2023 Calabar Carnival.
Brands such as DSTV, Heritage Bank and many hospitality brands threw their weight behind the 20th edition of the Calabar Carnival.
According to reports, 2023 was viewed by an estimated number of 50 million online viewers across 54 nations which broadcast live on DStv.
Countries like Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, and Egypt participated in the 2023 Calabar Carnival. About fifteen state cultural contingents, including the Cameroon community in Calabar, participated in the 2023 Calabar Cultural Carnival.
Hotels, Guest Houses and other Hospitality locations were filled to their capacities, the report said that tourists, and visitors trooping into Cross River for the carnival had difficulties in securing hotel accommodation in the city.
According to analysis, the Calabar carnival has a significant relationship with job creation, income generation, and infrastructural development in Cross River State.
Cross River’s Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, shared insights into the success of the carnival, noting that hotels have been fully booked.
He said, “We are truly excited with what we have seen so far and we know that it will only get better. As I speak with you, hotels in Calabar are fully booked such that visitors have to be sleeping in propel houses. We had three visitors from Mali who are presently staying with a friend of mine because there is no hotel space. Only those visitors that booked their hotels in advance are smiling now”.
Ekpang acknowledged the crucial role of sponsors in ensuring the success of the carnival, stating, “Some banks and DSTV are working in partnership with the state government.” The collaborative efforts have contributed to the event’s prominence and scale, making it a significant cultural milestone.
He also said that three bands won millions of naira from the N55 million naira offered.
The convergence of diverse cultures and the grandeur of the carnival highlight its significance as a celebrated annual event, drawing attention not only nationally but also globally.
Greater Lagos Fiesta
Another remarkable event that took place in 2023 December was the Great Lagos Fiesta, a three-day event initiated by the Lagos State government to show that the state is not only a business centre but also an entertainment, culture and tourism hub in Nigeria. The event is organised as a 72-hour non-stop excitement for residents and visitors.
From December 29, 2023, to January 1, 2024, Lagos hosted lovers of entertainment, visitors and the general public to a three-day event tagged ‘Lagos Countdown 2024#GreaterLagos Fiesta’.
This year’s edition of the fiesta featured fireworks, live music concerts, comedy, and cultural performances across the five IBILE divisions of the state; Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja., Lagos and Epe had more than 20,000 participants in attendance.
Earlier, speaking during a media parley heralding the tourism event, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, noted that the Greater Lagos Fiesta has become an annual tradition, a celebration of music, entertainment, and the vibrant spirit of Lagos.
She said, “We are intentional in our focus of deliberately positioning Lagos State to favourably compete with developed cities of the world in terms of hosting tourism and entertainment events”.
The state has sustained the hosting of the annual fiesta because of its benefits, especially providing fun activities and entertainment for Lagosians in their various localities across the five Ibile divisions of the state.
Reeling out other benefits, the commissioner said, “As a matter of fact, the Lagos Greater Lagos Fiesta, has been serving the purpose of discovering and nurturing new talents, exposing young talented entertainers to bigger platforms, while also serving as a mechanism for curbing youth restiveness that often characterizes the festive period.
“The three-day event will also positively impact the state’s economy through massive sales of goods and services to thousands of fun and entertainment lovers throughout the event”.
Apart from music, the fiesta also showcased the best of local cuisine, arts and crafts, and traditional performances, offering participants the opportunity to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and flavours that make Lagos such a unique and vibrant city.
Akwa Ibom Christmas Cultural Festival
The Akwa Ibom Christmas Cultural Festival was another outstanding event in December which took place at the Akwa Ibom Christmas park. It was a 32-day galore of fun and festivity.
The government of the state invested heavily in the event allowing each of the 32 local governments in the state to showcase their cultural heritage in songs, dance and food.
Food which took centre stage of the event had both local and national brands like Guinness, and Glo mobile network sponsoring and supporting some of the games.
The grand finale of the event was the Annual Christmas Carol, reportedly the largest symposium of carol singers in the world. The night of songs promoted Nigeria’s Christmas traditions. carol which. The Akwa Ibom State Government championed the glittering concert with the support of a few brands. With this season Uyo was saturated with Christmas songs and other contemporary presentations. The spirit-lifting event featured drama, recitations, Christmas carols, and song renditions by award-winning gospel artistes.
Igbo Uturu Cultural Carnival
This outstanding event takes place in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria In December. From 28 – 31 December, Uturu, Abia State celebrated the Igbo Uturu Cultural Carnival. The event, which is held after Christmas in Nigeria, is a melting pot cultural and entertainment event for the Igbos.
The Igbo Uturu Cultural Carnival flaunts wealth and showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Igbo people. The IUCC is a salad bowl; nationalities of other ethnicities can partake. The most amusing sight during the Festival is the 50-foot-tall magical creature.
Coca-Cola ‘Caravan Campaign’
This is an annual campaign the brand uses to spread joy, and excitement among Customers. In 2023, the mega-brand created a surge of joy and refreshment among its customers across Nigeria with the Caravan Campaign to celebrate the Yuletide season.
As the Coca-Cola Caravan’s iconic red truck, bedecked with festive lights, began its tour in Abuja 7th of December traversed cities and towns in Enugu, Benin, Port Harcourt and other southwestern region in Nigeria made its final stop in Lagos. The tour swiftly evolved into a symbol of shared happiness and celebration. Beyond delivering the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola to communities, it became a transformative platform for shared moments of joy and connection. Families and friends gathered around, indulging in the classic beverage and crafting memories to last a lifetime.
Commenting on the success of the Coca-Cola Caravan Campaign, Yusuf Murtala, the Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Nigeria, said, “We are thrilled to have been part of the joyous celebrations during this festive season. The Coca-Cola Caravan Campaign allowed us to connect with our consumers in a meaningful way, spreading happiness and refreshing moments. We are grateful for the warm reception we received across Nigeria.”
Coca-Cola’s initiative went beyond being just a refreshing drink. It became a catalyst for community engagement and a source of inspiration for positive connections. The brand is proud to have been a part of the holiday festivities, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of Nigerians.
The Coca-Cola Caravan Campaign exemplified the brand’s commitment to making the holiday season special for Nigerians, leaving a lasting impression of joy and refreshment. Coca-Cola continues to stand as an emblem of sharing, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to carry forward its tradition of spreading happiness in the years ahead.
Chivita Christmas Campaign
Chivita, one of Nigeria’s leading juice brands taking advantage of the festive season unveiled its highly anticipated Christmas campaign in Lagos.
The company disclosed that the campaign tagged “Enjoy your Chivita this Season” aimed at spreading joy, celebrating togetherness, and engaging with consumers in exciting and innovative ways during this special time of the year.
As part of the campaign, Chivita engaged consumer activations through twelve days of delightful activities and surprises on various digital platforms.
The activation tagged “12 days of Christmas” commenced with a Christmas Pyjamas photo contest, which ran from the 3rd to the 20th of December. Families and friends shared their best Chivita-themed holiday photos by tagging Chivita handles on Facebook and Instagram. The most festive and creative entries were rewarded with Chivita-themed Christmas Hampers.
There was also a digital Santa Grotto fiesta with Influencer engagements. This collaboration offered consumers an opportunity to interact and win prizes on the brand’s Instagram page. As part of this engagement, guest influencers engaged the audience with relatable Christmas riddles, Trivia, and a chance to analyze entries from the Pyjamas photo contest. The activity ran from the 11th to the 22nd of December.
