Mediacraft : Elevating Industry Standards, Facilitating Brand Conversations Across Diverse Channels

-‘ PR & Reputation Management Agencies To Watch In 2025, How They Shaped 2024’ Series.

Even with the nibbling challenges facing the Nigerian economy, we can still find agencies that can deploy the right mix of communication channels and tools to ensure seamless engagement with critical audiences.

Today, PR practitioners understand that to maintain a competitive edge, public relations must be nimble, possess the ability to predict and adapt to new trends, and be innovative in its approach to managing brands’ communications needs. Many PR agencies are struggling to gain these qualities as they strive for relevance.

 Besides, consumer expectations have equally changed. Today’s consumers want to engage with a brand on a multilevel basis. To achieve this, businesses require effective communications more than ever before, one that is timely, relevant, and captivating.

 The PR Consultancy

One PR consultancy that has encapsulated these relevant capacities is Mediacraft Associates Limited, a full-service Public Relations and Integrated Brand Communications consultancy firm operating since opening shop in September 2003, out of Lagos, Nigeria.

The agency prides itself on providing bespoke communications solutions to a discerning clientele.

It has grown steadily to become one of the leading PR firms in Nigeria, with a staff strength of over 40 full-time employees by December 2022.

The agency is the exclusive Nigerian affiliate of the FleishmanHillard Global PR Network and an active registered member of The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, the umbrella body of PR firms operating in Nigeria. Mediacraft has core competencies in Public Relations Research & Counselling, Brand & Marketing PR, Digital Marketing & Communications, PR Crisis Management, Media Relations, Public Affairs Communication, Reputation Management, Investor Relations, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

The organisation deploys creative ideas and solutions that enable brands to connect effectively with their stakeholders while ensuring the right mix of communication channels and tools to allow for seamless engagement with critical audiences. In addition, it employs an integrated communication approach that promotes and monitors the brand conversation across both traditional and digital channels.

The agency equally commands respect in the industry and among leading brands in the country due to the quality of its contributions, work, and projects it has managed or is currently managing.

The Lead Consultant

On the driver’s seat at Mediacraft is one of Nigeria’s finest PR eggheads, John Ehiguese who revealed that it has been an interesting roller-coaster of a journey, but a rewarding one, nonetheless.  His words,” I have been able to build a squad from scratch – practically from zero – into what is arguably one of the largest PR firms in Nigeria today. It’s also been a school in a sense, where I have learned a great deal about hard work, perseverance, leadership, and human nature”.

Ehiguese boasts of many years of cross-function career, spanning: Management Consultancy, Sales and Marketing, Advertising, Broadcasting, and Public Relations. 2 years as Account Director at C&F Porter Novelli, coordinating PR support for the MTN Nigeria roll-out between September 2001 and December 2002. As CEO of Mediacraft Associates, he has supervised cutting-edge PR support for high-profile clients such as Nigerian Breweries Plc, Stanbic IBTC, Diamond Bank Plc, Mastercard, Western Union, Interswitch Group, and Olam Group.

He holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos Business School of the Pan Atlantic University, Lagos (2004) Alumnus, IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain, and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), Preston, United Kingdom.

 He has served as President of The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN). He is a fellow of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR), a member of the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), United Kingdom, a Member of the Jury for the 2015 PRCA (UK) Awards, and a Member of the Board of Management (BoM) of the International Communications Consultants Organization (ICCO).

The Cutting- Edge

Even after 22 years of running Mediacraft, two major milestones remain indelible in Ehiguese’s mind- when his company won its first retainer account, in June 2004 (the Starcomms Telephones account) and when they secured the affiliation with the Fleishman Hillard global PR network in 2015.

Ehiguese is undoubtedly a stalwart purveyor of PR-novation and professionalism in Nigeria. He established Mediacraft Associates with a client-centric approach to brand management. This approach is reflected in the agency’s recruitment policy, its staff engagement practices, and its early adoption of technology.

The agency treats every brief with the utmost seriousness and professionalism, laced with an abiding commitment to excellence. This probably explains why most new businesses, for Ehiguese and his team, come through referrals from those they have worked with in the past, or those who know their capabilities.

Accounts & Projects

Mediacraft commands respect in the industry and among leading brands which is a strong reflection of its leadership position in the PR industry. It has managed or is currently managing, some of the most coveted accounts in the PR industry in Nigeria. Multinationals such as the Stanbic IBTC Group, Olam, Interswitch, Boston Consulting Group, BUA foods, Western Union, Master Card, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mobil, Nike, and UBS are some of the high-profile accounts to have benefitted from Mediacraft’s cutting-edge services. Others are the US Soybean Export Council, Oando, Sanofi Aventis, Truecaller, RenMoney, and many more.

 One project that is very dear to the heart of the Mediacraft team is the Stanbic IBTC Together4ALimb (T4AL) initiative that takes care of children suffering from limb losses. The project is about identifying and providing these physically challenged children with prostheses and an education trust, restoring their physical abilities, hopes, aspirations, and dreams. The project started in 2016 and has impacted 55 children in about 31 states. This initiative empowers, equips, and educates these children for an active and productive adult life.

 Another strategic project handled by Mediacraft was the consolidation of all agri-businesses of BUA Group, a manufacturing, infrastructure, and agriculture conglomerate. It was formally unveiled as BUA Foods, under which all BUA Group food businesses are now consolidated.

The food businesses were merged into a single entity, BUA Foods Plc, via a listing by introduction (LBI) on the NGX (formerly Nigerian Stock Exchange).  The food subsidiaries include BUA Sugar Refinery Limited, BUA Rice Limited, BUA Oil Mills Limited, IRS Flour, and IRS Pasta.

Mediacraft Associates was tasked to manage the entire PR activities related to the listing by introduction (LBI) of BUA Foods.

The USSEC (US Soybean Export Council) Protein Challenge project was indeed one of the biggest projects Mediacraft has handled to date. In 2023 it was re-christened the ‘Right To Protein’ campaign. The campaign was particularly significant for the agency because they won it through an international pitch, and it is particularly gratifying to the team that their rapid growth continued through 2024.

Digital Edge

As an agency poised to excel speedily, Mediacraft leverages current digital trends to remain relevant in a fast-evolving industry. The agency is responding well to the challenges of technology and talent, which were the two main disruptors in 2024. It has acquired and deployed the latest technology tools, as well as the latest media monitoring tools.  Reinforcing this position of strength are proprietary tools and resources garnered via its affiliation with the Fleishman Hillard global PR network that enables the agency to offer global best practice standards to clients.

Looking Ahead

Bearing his mind on the Nigerian business environment, Ehuguese said “I think that the Nigerian business environment has faced all sorts of challenges in the recent past, from the depreciating form of the Naira to the pains of petrol subsidy removal, with its attendant effects on inflation and the general quality of life of the citizens. But the good news is that the government is getting its act together and 2025 is looking better”

 With the agency’s innovative solutions tailored to modern audiences by embracing emerging trends and other cutting-edge tools, Mediacraft is obviously an agency to watch this 2025.