11 biggest events and highlights of 2021
By Zion Rufus
The pandemic which made 2020 one of the toughest years ever, held the world spellbound as everyone anticipated a better 2021. To say the least, brands, industries, global organizations, and individuals across the globe can agree that the year 2021 has both been recompensing, productive, and dramatic. Hence, we took it upon ourselves to compile some of the biggest highlights of the year.
- United States Capitol attack, January 2021
One of the biggest events that shook the world at the beginning of the year was the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The mob breach, which was incited against the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s win, left four people dead during the attack on the nation’s capital.
Following the mob attack global corporations like Coca-Cola and JPMorgan Chase announced their intention to pause all political donations. Tech and Media companies like Google, Amazon, AT&T, Stripe, Facebook, and Microsoft also announced that they would halt all contributions from their PAC as a result of the riot.
- WTO names Okonjo-Iweala as first female Director General, February 2021
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) announced Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as its first female and first African leader at the WTO’s Geneva Headquarters. She resumed office on 1st March 2021 and her term, renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025.
- Inflation hits 18.17%, March 2021
Nigeria’s galloping inflation hit a new high of 18.17 per cent in March from 17.33 per cent in the previous month.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the increase was 0.82 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in February 2021 (17.33 per cent), adding however, that the food index rose by 22.95 per cent in March 2021 compared to 21.79 per cent in February 2021.
NBS attributed the rise in the food index to increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, meat, vegetable, fish, oils, fats and fruits.
- FG inaugurates Digital Switch Over, 30 free-to-air stations, April 2021
The Federal Government inaugurated the Digital Switch Over and the launch of set-top boxes in Lagos with 30 free-to-air stations as part of its long-anticipated digital switchover (DSO) program. The Digital Switch Over saw the country move from analogue to digital broadcasting, which has the capacity to facilitate video-on-demand, audience measurement and a better viewing experience.
- Nigeria bans Twitter, June 2021
Twitter deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari citing a breach of its community rules as the post insinuated war and injustices. With about 61.4 percent of Nigerian social media users on Twitter, the reactions which followed the president’s tweet further fueled the site’s decision to delete the post. However, the Federal government announced a ban on the microblogging site as it also instructed Telcos including MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile to commence the process of blocking their subscribers from accessing the social media platform.
- Big Brother Naija Season 6 premiered with N90 Million grand prize, July 2021
Africa’s biggest reality TV show, Big Brother Naija, announced the special double launch and premiere of its sixth season on Saturday, 24th July and Sunday, 25th July 2021.
With N90million worth of prizes up for grabs, the 10-week long reality TV show came with promises of fun, suspense, engagement, entertainment and diverse plot twists as it followed the lives of contestants that fought to emerge winner by entertaining their growing fans and avoiding being evicted from the house by viewers who voted to keep them on the show.
- Taliban Takes Control of Afghanistan, August 2021
The Taliban seized power in mid-August as the last of the US-led coalition troops that had been supporting the previous government pulled out.
Regarded by multiple governments and organizations as terrorists, The Taliban, which refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamist religious-political movement and military organization in Afghanistan.
Following America’s withdrawal, the immediate seizure of Afghanistan’s civilian government immediately stirred the concerns of major governments across the world and social media giants including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
- MARKETING EDGE shakes the country with 8th Awards of Excellence, August 2021
Graced by the presence of His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo -Olu, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, the prestigious MARKETING EDGE Awards of Excellence became both symbolic and iconic in the history of Integrated Marketing Communications and beyond.
The 2021 edition of the award ceremony, witnessed by the Lagos State Governor and his entourage, further set the Nigerian leading advertising magazine on the centre stage of the country’s IMC industry for further traction and strategic positioning.
- APCON kicks off AISOP Law, October 2021
The Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP) which took effect from 6th of October, 2021 was introduced by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) as the new guideline for all advertising practices in Nigeria. Although the standard of practice was birthed after the thorough joint brainstorming of an all-inclusive committee made up of all sectoral groups in the industry in collaboration with APCON to produce a suitable framework that defines a minimum standard, in order to have equal and fairly represented opinions that will form the guidelines of the entire advertising ecosystem, some bodies faulted the regulations.
- MARKETING EDGE wins 2021 PR Magazine of the Year, December 2021
MARKETING EDGE Magazine, Africa’s number one leading brand-centric magazine known for journalism excellence with a credo of promoting the brand idea, bagged the PR Magazine of the Year Award at the just concluded Lagos PR Industry Gala and Award (LaPRIGA), 2021.
Let’s not forget the Metaverse
The Metaverse is fast becoming a big deal in the global marketing and communications industry as data from market research company, Emergen Research has revealed that the global metaverse market size which hit $47.69 Billion in 2020 is expected to reach $828.95 Billion in 2028 registering a CAGR of 43.3% during the forecast period. Google analytics also revealed that interest in the metaverse has peaked. This year, the number of searches for the word increased more than tenfold from 2020 to 2021.
The digital world has become an all-inclusive space where commerce, marketing, advertising, learning, entertainment, social interaction, and community-building can be carried out effortlessly. This can be credited to the growing reliance of the world on technology which is rapidly launching us into the possibility of the Metaverse soon becoming a reality.
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