First off, we’d start by just putting this out there - Nigerian Brewery Ltd. is no joke! They are by far the largest brewing company in Nigeria and they also serve several countries in West Africa. With over 30 products, these guys are pretty much used to utterly dominating the market for alcoholic beverages. Their headline product, STAR, gained market leadership as far back as 1960 and they were pretty much in cruise control for at least 50 years.
As far as the Nigerian alcohol market was concerned, it was a very straightforward story. Well, until something unexpected happened!
The Drinking Tribe
Being the most populous country in Africa, It’s not surprising that Nigeria ranks the highest in alcohol consumption on the continent. However, within Nigeria, a particular ethnic group stands tallest when it comes to alcohol consumption - THE IGBOS.
Similar to the political space, where a smart campaign will target certain key cities or states that determine the outcome of the election, to a very large extent, the south-east determines market leadership as long as the Nigerian alcoholic beverage market is concerned.
2012 & The Grand Discovery.
In 2012, a South African brewing company entered the market and sought an opportunity for instant impact. They observed that while there was intense competition at the national level of the beer segment, the regional markets got very little attention.
This discovery gave birth to Nigeria’s first beer brand that will be produced and marketed specifically for the Igbos. The result? A feat that had never been achieved.
In less than 6 months of the launch, well over 10 million bottles were sold… Which leads to the big question
HOW ON EARTH DID HERO LAGER DO THIS?
A Masterclass on Brand Positioning.
Brand Positioning: This can be defined as the space the brand owns in the mind of the customer and how it differentiates itself from competitors. It’s the process of a brand defining what its perception is in the minds of its customers.
It’s no coincidence that some of the most popular and most effective positioning strategies we’ve ever seen have come from what we now know as the most valuable company in the world- Apple Inc. They changed the game in 1984 with the “1984 Campaign.” (Which has become one of the greatest campaigns in the history of mankind) and in the ’90s, “Think Different.” With these campaigns, Apple was intentional about what they wanted their target audience to think of them when they came to mind.
They smartly positioned themselves in 1984 as the rebels; The shift from the norm. At the time, IBM was the sole commander of the computer industry and Apple was saying “Hey, we’re not supposed to be bound by the decisions of these old men in power on the board of IBM. Computers can be more beautiful than what you’ve seen so far. Let’s take the power from them.” In the 90’s as well, with the popular ‘Think Different’ campaign, Apple positioned itself as the company for those who believe in changing the status quo. They made an iconic one-minute advert that said nothing about the features of the product. The idea was to associate themselves with the greatness of some popular figures that have changed the status quo.
Hero’s positioning was different but as clear, precise and ruthless as that of any brand in the world that had mastered the art of positioning.
Having seen the potential in regional markets, Hero’s goal was obvious. They wanted to be known as the drink for the Igbos. How did Hero execute its positioning in this regard?
ANYI BU OFU (We Are One)
Several factors helped Hero’s historical launch and positioning strategy, however one word stands out - Culture. There's a popular saying in marketing circles that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Well, that just goes to say that a smart marketing strategy goes in alignment with the culture of the target audience. If your social studies teacher ever defined culture as "A people's way of life," then he was correct.
To understand the culture of a group of people, the right questions must be asked. How do they behave and why? What's their common belief? What are their greatest desires and fears? Are there activities they do at certain times and what's the motivation behind that?
Understanding the culture of the Igbos defined Hero's marketing strategy.
Hero Lager launched just after the death of Dim Emeka Ojukwu. Arguably the greatest legend of the Igbos, whose war heroics still inspire his people. Hero utilised this opportunity and immediately developed a communication strategy that played into those sentiments in the following ways:
1. Hope and The Rising Sun: The Igbos are a group of people that have an unmatched resilience. After being brought to their knees during the Civil War, they have risen from their ruins to become the most enterprising tribe in Nigeria. Biafra symbolised hope and freedom for the Igbos and the flag was the symbol of the rising sun which served as a reflection of the spirit of the people.
What Hero Did: Hero made their Logo the Biafran flag 😅. Their visual brand identity was an embodiment of Biafra.
It’s important to note that a large percentage of people in the South-east still believe that their destiny is to see Biafra become an independent nation in their lifetime. Hero understood this and played to their beliefs.
2. The Legend: In May 1967, military officer Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the Eastern Region’s secession from the rest of the country. The move was in response to a series of military coups that fueled ethnic rivalries and resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Igbo people; Ojukwu’s breakaway region was deemed the Republic of Biafra. This led to a bloody civil war that resulted in the death of over 1 million Igbo people. Regardless of the outcome of the war, the charismatic leader was seen as a messiah who had the interest of his people at heart.
The timing of Ojukwu’s death, the launch of Hero and the fact that it was brewed in Onitsha, Anambra State made the Igbos believe that the drink was a symbol of the Biafran struggle and it was immediately nicknamed “Oh Mpa.” ( My Father). Hero’s brand positioning is so strong that some people from the east say drinking Hero when they were down helped to uplift their mood because they believe they’re paying homage to a higher cause.
3. Activities and Practices: Certain activities are at the Center of every tribe’s culture. Certain principles and beliefs define the Igbos and Hero has done nothing else than use those activities, beliefs and practices as the foundation for ALL their communication pieces.
IGBA-BOI: There’s an apprenticeship system in the East that entails a “master”, taking a relative from the village, teaching him his trade for 5-7 years while he serves and understudies his master. After about 5 years, he’s settled so that he can set up his own business, and when he’s successful, he does the same.
What Hero did was play this out as an advert: “Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya.”
Several other adverts like that have been changing the game in Nigeria and since 2012, Hero has had the East on lockdown.
How You Can Utilize Culture for Your Business.
Because of the extraordinary PR of tech companies, most businesses now come into the market with a mindset of changing the way people do things. That’s not bad at all. However, before the thought crosses your mind to change anyone’s way of life, you should understand it first and ask yourself (and everyone working with you) these questions:
1. Are you crystal clear on who your target audience is? Define them immediately and make them concise.
Don’t be vague and say something like “women.”
Gender is just one demographic. What age? Where are they located? Their economic class? How do they think?
2. Are you clear on how your brand aligns with their desires? Is it just a product that meets their needs or it’s a product that forms an emotional connection?
Answering these questions will give you a good foundation to know how to position yourself.
Remember this: The brand that would always stay relevant in the mind of the consumer is the one who shows that they thoroughly understand them and can speak the language they understand.
Here’s to becoming the Hero your business needs!🥂
🤲🏾🤲🏾🤲🏾