Poised to accomplish his theme agenda during the 2019 general elections campaign for the attainment of a greater Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat have officially flagged off an exciting multi-media laser brand political advertising campaign themed: “A Greater Lagos Rising”.
It was glamour and panache yesterday as Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Gbenga Omotoso unveiled the highly impactful creative campaign during a media parley held at the cozy ambience of Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja Lagos.
Speaking to the media, the Honourable Commissioner said the campaign is based on Mr. Babajide-Sanwo-Olu’s administration track records and stellar performances in the last three and a half years, through the THEMES developmental agenda. He added that the governor is assuring Lagosians again that the hope for a greater Lagos is rising.
According to Omotoso, the brand activation of the campaign kicked off at midnight with the deployment of an array of assets, among which are digital banners, A-Frames, Static Billboards, Digital Billboards, Gantries, Branded BRT Buses, and top rated attention grabbing promotional mementos at strategic locations in the metropolis.
The Governor’s media team had at 4am, laser-branded the Lagos Lagoon along the Third Mainland Bridge. At 4:30am, 1,000 young Lagos residents stood in strategic locations in the state dressed as campaign mascots to alert residents on the campaign flag-off.
Residents in riverine communities also rolled out branded canoes in a special sea show at 6.30am, while at 9am, a multi-dimensional road show comprising power bikers, activation rigs and mobile advertising vans moved in convoy from Ikeja through Ikorodu Road to Lagos Island. From 1pm, campaign jingles hit the airwaves with the first set of television campaigns at 7pm.
Harping on the theme: ‘A Greater Lagos Rising’, Omotoso urged residents “to get ready for more infrastructural renewal and projects”, as reward for hard work is more work.
Omotoso, who re-echoed Governor Sanwo-Olu’s motive for the Greater Lagos campaign, said, “I am running on records; get ready for more”.
When Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu started his journey, promising Lagosians, he moved on with sterling performances in critical infrastructure areas in achieving a greater Lagos. He said that Mr. Governor assured the citizens then that he was going to take them on a journey to a greater Lagos, because his administration is going to make Lagos greater. This, he hinted, the Governor has done brilliantly.
“Now that we have seen signs of the greatness of Lagos all around us, he is saying that we are not at the peak, where we would like to be, but that all around us, we can see that the greater Lagos that we promised is rising,” Omotosho said.
With an air of modesty and victory, the Commissioner recalled some of the successes recorded in the face of daunting challenges. “Just a month in office, the administration had faced its litmus test with Lagos witnessing torrential rainfall which impacted negatively on the state of roads, causing traffic snarls and attendant hardship on the citizens. The response of the Sanwo-Olu administration was to launch the #FixingLagosRoads Campaign, hallmarked by an intensive road rehabilitation campaign. Then came the tragic pipeline explosion at NNPC in Ijagemo, as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals. Governor Sanwo-Olu mobilised help for the helpless. There was also the commercial motorcycle (okada) menace, which got critics railing at the government. But Governor Sanwo-Olu rode through the storm. The move was a containment strategy to keep their activities manageable for the already over-stretched security agencies. Again, respite came the way of the citizens who applauded the bold move by the Sanwo-Olu administration.
With all sense of humility, Hon Omotoso stated that, “Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sent us here to say, I am running on records. Get ready for more giant strides.”
The Commissioner pointed out that the campaign was not focused on the governor but on the power of the people who have contributed immensely to the attainment and growth of the mega city agenda.
“We promised our people A GREATER LAGOS. What do we see around us? Abundant evidence of a new city rising from the womb of time. We do not make a false claim of having reached the zenith of our journey,” he said.
“The idea of rising captures the objective reality of the spirit of thousands of people who call Lagos their home, who are changing the false narratives about Nigeria, with music, with movies, fashion, sports and technological innovations. They are the ones helping to announce the rising of our city. All our campaign assets capture the place of the audacity of the spirit of Lagos as the rising city. The campaign is not about Governor Sanwo-Olu, it is a tribute to all our young people who are putting Lagos on the global map. This campaign is a celebration of the collective progression of all we have made in the last 3 1/2 years against all odds. It is also a big reflection of what is expected in the coming days.”
Rolling out some of the administration’s achievements, he noted that it is a thematic continuum of what the administration promised in 2019 while reiterating governor Sanwo-Olu commitment for a greater Lagos. He highlighted that the administration has accomplished the establishment of a research centre in Yaba, with qualified scientists as a proactive measure against what happened during Covid-19, to avoid waiting for foreign aid. They have also completed lots of infrastructural projects which include: about 197 projects in education, about 970 roads, 15 bridges, the introduction of Lag ferry, to ameliorate the sufferings of Lagosians on the road through the waterways with about 20 boats, one badge and many other projects.
Omotoso also highlighted the powerful elements of the colours of the campaign as it captures the unique dynamic spirit of the everyday Lagosian
“Every time you see our official campaign assets on the streets of Lagos or in the media, we see them red and the brilliant yellow.in branding, brilliant yellow is associated with the sun. It symbolises energy, youthfulness, excitement, enthusiasm, joy, happiness and of course optimism. It is called an attention grabbing colour in branding. The brand colour of our campaign constitutes a little mix of fogging orange which signifies transformation, freedom and of course, fun which are all the hallmarks of the Lagos we see today,” he said.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
