By Olusesan Ogunyooye, Head of Marketing, AXA MansardInsurance Plc

Jack Trout, in his book: Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition exposed the concept of “explosion of choice”. At the core of the concept is the fact that consumers are now exposed to thousands of brands and marketing messages every day. So the question for brands today has moved from “How do we get more attention?” to “What do we stand for?”

For us at AXA, we stand to act for human progress by protecting what matters. And at the heart of this purpose is a deep sense of care. Care matters because it is one of the oldest social currencies in Africa. It is the force that has sustained our families, strengthened our communities, and helped us endure difficult times.

Long before the language of brand experience, or social impact became corporate-speaks, care was already embedded in our cultures. In many Nigerian communities, a person succeeds because others make sacrifices. A child is raised by more thanher parents – in fact there’s a Youraba proverb that’s roughly translated; “it is four eyes that births a child, but the child is nurtured by 200 eyes”. This proverb points to the communal structure of traditional Nigerian societies. This is the cultural core of our recently launched campaign, “The Culture of care”.

At the heart of the campaign is a film that tells the story of Pere, a young fisherman divided between his duty to his village and his devotion to his sick mother. By day, Pere fishes to provide for his community. By night, he cares for his sick mother. Exhausted by the weight of these responsibilities, he falls into the ocean while fishing and follows a mysterious glowing light beneath the water. The light leads him to a magical blue stone that tells him: “Take care of your mother, and I will take care of you.” As the story unfolds, the stone keeps its word.

Blending realism and poetry, the film unfolds like a contemporary African folktale, where magic is deeply emotional and symbolic.

But like every folktale, the power of the story lies in what it represents. Pere therefore represents millions of caregivers across Nigeria. He represents parents in multiple jobs and side hustles to educate a child, entrepreneurs carrying the weight of employees and extended families, healthcare worker caring for patients, etc.

Pere’s mother represents dependence, vulnerability, and the people we hold most dear. She is a reminder that caring is rarely convenient. It requires sacrifice. And the blue stone is perhaps the most important symbol of all. It represents protection. It represents the invisible systems, institutions like AXA Mansard, and support structures that allow caregivers to continue caring. It reminds us that those who carry the burdens of others should not have to carry them alone.

In many ways, this idea echoes the African philosophy of Ubuntu: I am because we are. Ubuntu teaches that individual wellbeing and collective wellbeing are inseparable.

That philosophy sits at the heart of what we do at AXA every day. Whether through insurance, healthcare, or investments, our purpose is not simply to sell products. It is to create protection that allows people to keep moving forward. To support families when life becomes uncertain and protect businesses that create jobs and opportunities.

Across Nigeria, many families and businesses are navigating significant economic pressures. At times like these, societies can become more individualistic, more anxious, and more disconnected. But history teaches us that resilience is built not only through economic policies, but through social values.

1. The Culture of Care is therefore more than a campaign. It is a reminder of something many we already understand instinctively. It is a reminder that when we protect those who care for others, we strengthen everyone.