FG to Grant Scholarships to Winners of Cowbell NASSMAC to Study Mathematics at University Level

Abuja, Nigeria, 5 July 2012: The Federal Government has promised to grant scholarships to any winner of the Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) who choose to study Mathematics at the university level.



L-R: Professor Sagir Abbas, Special Adviser on Education to the Minister of Education, Professor (Mrs.) Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I, Master Uwa Benjamin, overall winner senior category star prize  , Professor Adewale Solarin; Acting Director-General, National Mathematics Centre,  Master Akintokun Gboyega , overall winner junior category star prize and Chief Keith Richards at the 2012 Cowbell NASSMAC prize giving ceremony in Abuja yesterday.

Professor Adewale Solarin , Acting Director-General /Chief Executive of the National Mathematics Centre (NMC) disclosed this in Abuja yesterday at the prize giving ceremony of the 2012 Cowbell NASSMAC  ceremony.

Master Uwa Benjamin a 15 year-old SSS 2 student of Iganmode Grammar School, Ota, Ogun State was the overall winner in the senior secondary school category with a total score of 96 per cent while Master Akintokun Samuel Gboyega, a JSS 2 student of Ota Total Academy, also in Ota, Ogun State emerged the overall winner in the junior secondary school category. 

Professor Solarin said students should adopt the idea that better is not good enough, they must strive beyond, remarking that for the Vision 20:2020 of the Federal Government to become a reality, efforts must be geared towards science education, training and development, saying this is the bedrock for national development.

The director –General  said he hoped that “Our students will continue to take advantage of the Cowbell Mathematics competition and other competitions to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead as future leaders of this great country.”

Professor Solarin said Promasidor, makers of Cowbell Milk has over the years, demonstrated its resolve not only to contribute towards the development of the nation ,but also assist in the advancement of mathematics education in Nigeria, through the organization and sponsorship of the National Secondary School Mathematics Competition.

He said this development has endeared the company to the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Mathematics Centre and indeed to all states’  ministries of education and other stakeholders, remarking that the prize giving ceremony was historical as it was another step towards addressing the problem of apparent loss of pupils’ interest in Mathematics.

Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Professor (Mrs.) Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I said the Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) which has become a national competition covering the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja is annually organize to rekindle students’ interest in Mathematics at junior and secondary schools in Nigeria through well guided seminars, workshops, counseling and career talk.

He said it is also a forum for identifying and selecting excellent and gifted student participants to represent Nigeria at the various International Mathematics competitions and the Olympiad.

The minister who was represented by her Special Adviser on Education, Professor Sagir Abbas also noted that Promasidor has been providing financial assistance to schools and students in a bid to promote science, technology and Mathematics education in Nigeria.

Earlier in his address of welcome, Chief Keith Richards (OBE), Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria quoted Isaac Barrow, an English classical scholar, theologian and renowned Mathematician as saying that “Mathematics is the unshaken Foundation of Science.”

He said Barrow recognized that Mathematics was a universal language and the bedrock of science and technological advancement.

“We at Promasidor Nigeria Limited clearly recognize this fact and have been sponsoring NASSMAC for more than a decade through our flagship brand- Cowbell, “Richards said.

He said the primary objective of this CSR initiative is to arouse and re-awaken interest in Mathematics amongst secondary school students as a road map to nation building.

              

ET&S: South Africa: Is Marketing Moving With the Times?

ET&S: South Africa: Is Marketing Moving With the Times?: pinion  A few years ago I calculated that, every year in South Africa, roughly R50 billion was wasted on ill-conceived or just plain bad ma...




comment

Before now, production process and good concept of product design were all that was need so drive sales. But now the story is no longer the same, the consumer is the king and everything should centre on him. Often time, the consumer is barraged with diverse communications ad that some create conflict of choice. That is the reason why every company that desires to succeed in the 21st century should employ the tool of Market research not only to make decision but also to keep relevance.

South Africa: Is Marketing Moving With the Times?

pinion A few years ago I calculated that, every year in South Africa, roughly R50 billion was wasted on ill-conceived or just plain bad marketing.

This revelation came on the heels of research produced by Millward Brown, that showed 20% of all advertising not only didn't work but actually impacted negatively on the brands it was supposed to be promoting.

So, have things improved? Is marketing still efficient or continuing to shed money as though there was no tomorrow?

Deregulation
 Since 1994, there has not only been considerable deregulation but this country has become well and truly integrated into the international community in every sense of the word - business, sport, culture and crime.

The past couple of decades have seen a major change in the psyche of the South African consumer from being too timid or terrified to complain to toy-toying at the drop of a hat. Global competition has come home to roost.

But still our marketers are sticking to old-fashioned stereotype strategies.

Strategies that pay lip-service to the concept of customer care - our service levels are still pitifully low. Surprisingly enough, it seems to be the previously disadvantaged, who were largely excluded from front-line marketing in the past, who seem to have a firmer grasp and understanding of the importance of customers than those with decades of experience in the marketing field.

Customer service sucks
Customer service, quality and employee development in the marketing field still seem inexorably stuck on wall plaques and in mission statements, rather than put into practice.

But where marketing really seems adrift in the doldrums is in the field of communications.

From a PR point of view, marketers still hang on to naïve and horrendously defensive strategies to protect their products, brands and companies. They're like parents who just can't accept that little Johnny isn't a gullible five-year-old anymore but a young, mature adult.

And, on the advertising front, it is even worse. It is as though those creative teams responsible for our advertising are either stuck in the 1980's or floundering about in desperation. Quite apart from which, I am convinced that not many of our creatives make a point of consuming media to the same degree as their target markets.

Because far too many advertisements suggest that they are completely out of touch with the media which they are employing as a communications tool.

Consumptive media
The main problem seems to be coming to terms with the dramatic changes in media consumption over the past two decades.

Twenty years ago, when South Africa was isolated from international sport, art, culture and to a large degree, business as well, we not only had a lot of time to devote to media, particularly newspapers, television and magazines, but we simply had to keep in touch with what was going on around us, if only to look for clues in the news as to whether we were to live or die in a bloody revolution.

Now things are completely different. We don't need to read or watch the news to know if we are going to live or die - that's a given and depends entirely on our lack of luck with regard to hijackers, Aids and road traffic.

While all of this explains drops in newspaper readership, for example, it also suggests that we have all sorts of other things that demand out attention. The internet and international sport, to name but two.

Shocking shock tactics
All of which means that we have less time and inclination to watch, read and listen to advertisements. And marketers have reacted to this by trying to "shock" consumers into noticing ads. Or entice them with what look like Hollywood productions. Which, in my opinion is a suicidal strategy because consumers, frankly, have far better things to do than work out the subtleties of an ad.

Perhaps it's time to go back to basics in marketing communications. After all, isn't this that the consumer is crying out for?

"Cut the platitudes, shock tactics, subtleties and guesswork; just tell us what you're flogging and one good reason why we should buy it," is what I hear the market saying.

So, has marketing really changed in SA? The short answer is no. Because everything you have read above is pretty much word for word what I wrote 12 years ago. Nothing has really changed.

MillwardBrown lists benefits of research in product development

MILLWARDBROWN, a global research agency, which specialises in advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research, has emphasised the need for advertising agencies and business organisations in the country to get expert advice on marketing communication in brand development.

According to the Managing Director, MillwardBrown, Ghana, Soumya Saklani, investing in research creative development process to test strategy and ideas could help save time, costs and ensure that there is return on investment.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday in Lagos to announce the company debut in Nigeria, Saklani stated that the company, with 82 offices in 52 countries, which work with 90 per cent of the top 100 global brands, was set to bring new innovation into marketing communication in Nigeria.

According to him, the company is determined to provide research-based consultancy to help marketers successfully manage their brands, optimise the return on their media and communications investments, and create value for their businesses, employees and shareholders.

He explained, “what differentiates us from other agencies is our passion for brands. As a leading global research agency specialising in advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research, we’ve been in the business of brands for more than 35 years.

“Our focus on all things “brand” is fuelled by our clients’ expectations for success and our own appetite for challenge, insight, solutions and innovation.

“We have helped our clients build strong brands and services through research-based consultancy and today, we continue to push the boundaries of marketing research and brand consulting wherever we go.”

Also, the Managing Director of the company in Nigeria, Ugo Geri-Robert, identified Nigeria as the ‘powerhouse’ of Africa, adding that tremendous growth in recent times, rising income levels and consumer aspirations has further increased marketers’ needs to understand real-time how their brands are evolving on their journey and their communications connecting with consumers and by extension their requirement for consumer research.

“Nigeria is at the centre of any growth prediction for Africa and West Africa, a potential BRIC country. If you mean business in Sub - Saharan you must be in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

“For our global clients, who work with us across the globe, they can expect the same set of our proprietary solutions, high quality of service & cutting-edge insights & advice that has made then choose Millward Brown as their global research partner.

“For marketers, who we haven’t as yet had an opportunity to work for, they can expect from us solid research based insights & recommendations that can help them obtain a stronger return on investment from their marketing communications & strengthen their brands,” he added.

Global Market Research Firm, Millward Brown Makes Entry into Nigeria

WPP-owned global marketing research company, Millward Brown has formally established an office in Nigeria, five years after operating in Ghana from where it served its Nigerian clients. In 2007, it planned to set up a full operational office in the country but was discouraged by complex and cumbersome registration process.

But Nigeria, big market to ignore and Africa’s ‘powerhouse,’ is enthralling to Millward Brown that has beat all odds to set up shop in Nigeria to provide service in marketing communication research to more clients and create value in Nigeria’s over N100 billion advertising industry. Established in the UK in 1974, the objective of the company in Nigeria is to assist organisations, which spend huge sums on advertising yearly, to develop strong advertisements that meet and connect with consumers.

The company’s coming will definitely jolt rethinking in advertising business as a lot of money goes into especially TV advertising. Clients will begin to re-examine the process and their advertisement to ensure they are gotten right with expected ROI achieved. “Our strategy therefore is to help them test the advertisement before they make the massive big budget commitment,” Soumya Saklani, managing director, Millward Brown West Africa, told BusinessDay last week in Lagos.

In some instances, advertisements are produced with good lyrics and visuals to the delight of viewers but do not connect with the consumers and ultimately fall short of creating the necessary impact. To Saklani, advert testing is about optimisation of adverts with the objective of ensuring that advertisers get value for their money.

Clarifying that such expertise insight is complementary to the work of creative agencies, he said the idea is to help organisations save money and focus advert copy and visuals directly in order to achieve return on investment. “Ineffective ad is a sheer waste of money and resources,” he noted.

“In the UK, we test a number of adverts, some of which have won awards. We are the best friends of advertisers. In advert testing, it is the creative agencies that win the glory,” he stated. Second leg of Millward Brown’s objective in Nigeria is brand health research. Under this role, it will help clients understand the strength of their brands in the minds of their consumers.

“We tell our clients what the consumers think about their brands and what they should do for their brands to stand out,” he said. According to him, my strong motivation in Nigeria is based on the fact that Nigeria is without doubt the ‘powerhouse’ of Africa and one of the continent’s leading and most dynamic growth economies, and a significant member of the ‘Next 11’ club of growth countries.

“Tremendous growth in recent times, rising income levels and consumer aspirations has even further increased marketers’ need to understand real-time how their brands are evolving on their journey and their communication connecting with consumers and by extension their requirement for consumer research,” he disclosed.

On how Millward Brown, which offers a full qualitative and quantitative research service in 51 countries working across a wide range of industries and categories, will compete in the local market, the managing director of Millward Brown Nigeria, Ugo Geri-Robert, said “we are not everything but have passion for brands specialising in advertising, marketing communication, media and brand equity research.”

Speaking on the level of research in Africa, she said Africa ratio is about 3 - 4 percent of the global research. In Nigeria, it is lower when compared with other African countries, because the research culture is still evolving.

Mobile now drives consumer spending

Kenyan consumers are increasingly turning to social media and mobile phone advertising to guide their spending. This development has seen corporates battle to come up with strategies to tap into the lucrative marketing.


A survey of Kenyans’ digital habits by research firm TNS RMS East Africa found that 73 per cent of Kenyans would be happy doing all their Internet surfing on their phones.

Further, 67 per cent use social media to research brands, and around half of them would like to be able to purchase products through social networks.

“Growth in Internet access offers big opportunities for brands and marketers that can be explored with the right strategies,” said the TNS associate director of technology, Mr Bob Bugoyne.

Other medium

And according to research data released last month by mobile advertising firm, InMobi, Kenyans are using mobile phones more than any other medium.

In the InMobi survey, 89 per cent of users said they were as comfortable with mobile advertising as with television or newspaper advertising.

Entrenchment of the mobile culture was so pervasive that even while consuming other media, Kenyans still used their mobile phones to connect to the Internet and confirm information, a phenomenon known as second screening.
Share This Story
Share






TNS found that 19 per cent of Kenyans use their mobile phones to find out more about products that they had just seen advertised on television, while 21 per cent use them to find out about product availability in stores.

Despite the wide engagement with brands online, consumers were quickly turned off if they felt that corporates were intruding into their private spheres. TNS discovered that users are more likely to trust complete strangers than firms promoting their products.

“Digital marketing can actively create brand-resistant consumers. Brands cannot control messaging. Even a stranger on the other side of the world is trusted more,” said Mr Bugoyne.

This leaves companies that hope to leverage on social media and mobile phones in a predicament. They cannot explicitly market their products, yet it would be foolish to ignore the opportunity.

The solution, according to Mr Bugoyne, lies in waiting for consumers to invite companies onto their networks. When consumers post comments online about services or products, this amounts to an invitation.

TNS says that 77 per cent of users use social media as a customer service channel. Fifty-two per cent of them expect responses from companies, and when they are ignored their perception of a company and a brand is negatively warped.

“The majority of those talking about brands have wide social networks with an average of 250 contacts. They do have the ability to make or harm a brand,” said Mr Bugoyne

TPT Brand News: Promasidor Plans Fresh Mega Investment in Nigeria

TPT Brand News: Promasidor Plans Fresh Mega Investment in Nigeria: Promasidor Nigeria Limited , makers of Cowbell milk is planning to inject more investments in Nigeria that will be four to five times the s...