By Lukmon Oloyede.
Brands need to stay relevant to their target market, to keep up with the times and keep pace with changing customer needs. A brand that has become old-fashioned in the eyes of its audience is in danger of stagnation if not already in a state of erosion and loss of market share.
Hence, a tactfully planned relaunch and rebranding strategy can generate enormous value for brands. This is why even the greatest brands in the world need rejuvenation.
Brands like Coca-Cola, Apple and Microsoft are iconic and global players in their status. Yet when you look at their market leadership over the decades, they have all changed even if it has been in a more evolutionary sense over time, rather than radical overhauls.
In this area, Nigerian Breweries Plc is a game- changer in the Nigerian market. Following the successful merger between Nigerian Breweries Plc and Consolidated Breweries Plc which was concluded in December 2014, products of the latter have started feeling the quality mark which NB Plc is noted for. The latest brand to experience this unique turnaround is More lager beer which is brewed in Makurdi, Benue State.
Speaking during the media briefing for the elaborate relaunch which took place recently in Makurdi, Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB Plc, Mr. KufreEkanem said the relaunch of More is meant to reinforce the heritage embedded in the product and its connection with consumersin Benue State and environs. “Our enlarged Company embarked on an upgrade of the Makurdi brewery to deliver on stakeholder expectations and reflect the world class standard of Nigerian Breweries Plc. This upgrade has led to the enhancement of the brewery’s infrastructure and production process which is evident in the improved quality of More Lager beer that offers our consumers a new taste experience.”
He stressed that today’s More Lager Beer, “still proudly brewed in Benue and iscomparable to any quality beer of repute. More lageris specially brewed in controlled manner under closely monitored processes to confine with precise parameters which give the beer that special aroma and tastethat isuniquely Benue.”
On the investment potentials of the brewery, Ekanem pointed out that the investments in upgrading the Makurdi brewery and enhancing the brand represents a bold attempt to showcase the company’s commitment to the people of Benue State. “As the brewery responsible for brewing More Lager Beer, a brand wholly produced with locally sourced raw materials, this investment totaling over N1 billionfor 2015 alone, highlights our confidence in the fundamentals of the local economy to provide the enabling macroeconomic environment for businesses to thrive. This brewery and the ancillary industries that support the business, will impact the economy of this region in diverse ways. It will create employment, increase non-oil revenue generation to different tiers of Government and contribute to improved standard of living in the area.”
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Beyond the economic investments, Ekanem stated that the company remains firmly committed to its societal responsibility as part of its philosophy of winning with Nigeria. To this end, it has, since 2014, constructed and commissioned a block of six classrooms and a library furnished with tables and chairs at NKST Primary School, Angwar, Gboko. Similarly, it also constructed and commissioned a school block of three classrooms and an office at NKST primary School Agbaikyor, Fiidi in Makurdi.
Currently, there is an ongoing renovation of three blocks of classrooms and construction of three toilets at NKST Gaadi Primary School, KM 5 Gboko Road, Makurdi. Also, plans have been concluded for the construction of a school block of three classrooms and a library at Mbaiwyem Community Secondary School, Yaikyo, Makurdi. “This is just one dimension of our commitment to Winning with Nigeria, a philosophy that has guided the company’s operations since 1946.” Ekanem said.
