GUINNESS

Created to replace a hugely popular campaign deemed ‘unfollowable’ in Africa, a vital market for Guinness, ‘Greatness’ was conceived and executed across all media channels and activated within the on-trade globally.

It went from a local initiative to a global positioning largely on the back of the breakthrough creative, the first African TVC to receive a D & AD nomination.

The effect of this campaign extended way beyond sales of bottles of beer. It is now common parlance when young Nigerians suggest a night out for them to say “Are you coming out with Udeme?”, the name of the fictional pilot in the commercial.

Indeed the Governor of Calaba (the region from which the unusual name “Udeme” comes from) personally thanked the CEO of Guinness Africa (after whom Udeme was named) for bringing honour to the area. Around tables in bars across West Africa, when people raise their glasses, the toast they invoke is “To the sky”.

Finally, the Chief of the Ibu Tribe, one of the largest in Nigeria, thanked Guinness for giving the young men of his country hope.