Bytesize loses juicy Nigerian Breweries digital business
Bytesize Media, a foremost full service digital communications agency in Nigeria has lost the juicy Nigerian Breweries digital business in a competitive global account review that gave the entire Heineken digital business to Red Star Media, a subsidiary arm of Dentsu Aegis Group.
Contrary to earlier report, the Nigerian Breweries digital business will be ware housed by Red Star Media Nigeria, a multi-media company that specializes in the development of modern digital media and multimedia content for Africa and globally. It is also an affiliate agency of Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network.
The pitch was said to have been informed by the need to appoint second global agency that will handle the Heineken digital businesses in Nigeria. It was a global pitch that saw other top rated digital agencies like Havas competing but was won by Red Star.
Havas is a global media agency network that has been looking for an affiliate partner in Nigeria. Authoritative industry source confirmed that the global agency network has been talking to Verdant Zeal’s media agency, Great measures has been on the bill of Havas.
The Nigerian Breweries digital account loss is no doubt a major blow to Bytesize which had and performed fantastically on the Heineken business in the last four years. It would be recalled that NBL digital account gave Bytesize its pre-eminence when it launched into the competitive but inchoate digital sector in its early days. Then headed by the brilliant, suave and debonair Amazon, Bukky Akingbade, Bytesize made a remarkable impact on NBL digital business as the client was so impressed that it invested more and hugely into the digital business.
However, fortune began to turn otherwise for the promising media shop with the exit of Bukky Akingbade following an irreconcilable boardroom disagreements at Bytesize and she had to part ways and set up her own agency.
Not only that, the Publicis Group buy-in into the Troyka agencies created business stalemate for the digital agency as the NBL accounts management, going by the traditional global account realignment ought to have exited from Starcom Media Nigeria and its subsidiaries having lost its foreign affiliation.
The stalemate persisted as the owners of Heineken locally chose to remain with Starcom Media notwithstanding its divorce from the global Starcom Mediavest. This decision, it was authoritatively gathered was for strategic considerations for the local market.
In its few years in the market, Bytesize has worked incredibly on NBL’s businesses like Star, Amstel, Legend, Heineken and Ace Roots. Others are Life, Goldberg, Fayrouz, Strongbow and Maltina. Aside NBL’s brands, the digital agency has worked on brands like Phillips, Always, Pampers, Oral B etc.
Meanwhile, the digital win by Red Star Media which has a full service shop in Nigeria will be expected to take the digital account management of famous NBL’s brands a notch higher. The agency which is relatively new in the industry is believed to have a strong pedigree with its relationship with Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network in Nigeria.
HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a powerful portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. It is committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business and delivers value for all stakeholders. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. It employs 81,000 people and operates more than 160 breweries in 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam.
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