BHM, Africa’s Leading PR Firm, Announces UK Operations
BlackHouse Media, a Nigerian public relations and communications company has announced the commencement of its UK operations.
Founder Ayeni Adekunle CMPRCA, MCIPR will serve as principal consultant and chief executive officer.
Stephen Waddington FPRCA, FCIPR, of Wadds Inc has been appointed adviser and non-executive director, alongside Moliehi Molekoa, managing director of Magna Carta South Africa.
Oladotun Ayeni, human resource management expert and doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh, and Femi Falodun CEO of Lagos-based ID Africa will also serve as directors.
Founded on November 6, 2006, BHM is one of Africa’s promising agencies, representing market leaders in FMCG, ICT, and Media. Nigeria Breweries PLC (Heineken), Nigeria’s leading brewer has been a client since 2013. MTN Nigeria Communications PLC, the continent’s telecommunications leader, has retained BHM for brand and corporate communications since 2017. The company has worked for Coca-Cola, the world’s leader in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages since 2019, as well as MultiChoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company, since 2018. Other clients include Reckitt Benckiser and the Project Management Institute.
BHM has also pioneered several innovations on the continent, introducing a PR App in 2014, the annual PR report in 2016, and the Global Day of Influence in 2020. A proposed World PR Day is billed to debut on July 16, the birthday of Ivy Lee.
Ayeni Adekunle says,
“We recognise the importance of the UK, in the global PR industry, as well as the bilateral opportunity between Africa and Britain. So it’s only natural that this is the home for our first international operations. We want to help organisations in Nigeria and other parts of Africa build better relationships and explore opportunities the UK provides, while also providing insight, intelligence, and advisory that will help British organisations make better sense of Africa partnerships, trade, and investment.’’
The World Bank says Africa presents the opportunity to create the world’s largest free trade area – if the African Continental Free Trade Area goes right – by connecting over one billion people in 55 countries with a combined GDP of almost £3 trillion. And UK-Africa trade, which increased by 7.5% to £36 billion in 2019, is something to watch.
Stephen Waddington adds,
‘‘Wadds Inc. is pleased to be advising Ayeni and his team at BHM as they set up in the UK. The public relations industry is in need of some new perspective and ideas, and it’s about time we pay attention to what Africa, a continent of over one billion people, and so many experts, has to say. I have no doubts the UK will benefit from a company that has done so well in Africa, and knows the UK well.’’
Ayeni worked as a journalist and columnist before setting up BHM in 2006. The company worked with celebrities and entertainers before winning a ViacomCBS pitch in 2010, followed by Moet Hennessy. He is a fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, a council member of the PRCA, and a committee member of CIPR Scotland. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria and Edinburgh Scotland where BHM UK was incubated.
The company will have offices in Edinburgh and London but BHM advocates remote and flexible working for employees. With an additional 25 hires in the past year, staff strength is now almost 100.
Enitan Kehinde (Lead Consultant, FMCG), who studied public relations at Sheffield Hallam University before joining BHM in 2016 will return to the UK as general manager.
African PR and Tech Company Plaqad To Launch First Of Its Kind Global Communications Platform
Plaqad, a marketing and public relations software company, is set to release a proprietary marketing platform that lets brands advance an affordable, data-driven campaign from start to finish. The platform, which automates the entire campaign workflow, gives users the ability to find and hire talent and service providers, launch a campaign, track and measure campaign performance and process vendor payments—all in one place.
Plaqad launched its initial offering, SocialCred, a free influencer and social media ranking tool, in June.
SocialCred is a free influencer and social media ranking tool that leverages non-traditional metrics to measure influence on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. It provides social media users with actionable insights to grow their influence, while also providing brands with sufficient data on influencers to make informed decisions on which creator to partner with. The tool, by downplaying traditional metrics like reach and impressions, also helps to counter influencer fraud and measure real engagement.
Plaqad, first established in 2017 as a startup within BlackHouse Media (BHM), one of the most successful PR companies to come out of Africa, was built to connect brands and individuals to bloggers, news websites, publishers and social influencers.
Today, Plaqad, strengthened by a community of over 15,000 influencers, creators and publishers, has successfully placed over 25,000 pieces of content on social and web platforms across four continents. It has paid out over $1 million on hundreds of campaigns to members, in effect helping its program members monetize their content, platform and influence.
“Plaqad, a contorted way of spelling the word ‘placard,’ is a protest against the norm,” said BlackHouse Media and Plaqad Founder, Ayeni Adekunle. “In line with our mantra ‘Make Your Voice Heard,’ we continue to live our mission to help businesses irrespective of their sizes, location or budget, reach and effectively engage their audience. We conceived the idea for Plaqad to help democratize an important aspect of modern communications.”
Amplifying Your Brand’s Message
Plaqad houses two broad products: PlaqadM, an online freelance marketplace that connects brands to thousands of freelance service providers, and PlaqadIQ, a robust set of social media tracking and analytics tools, to measure and optimize the performance and impact campaigns.
While both products sit on one platform, brands do not have to utilize or pay for both. For example, a brand can pay to track a campaign using PlaqadIQ without having to hire service providers on PlaqadM. This flexibility is also reflected in the platform’s payment models. Plaqad users can choose to pay a monthly or annual subscription, depending on their needs and usage frequency.
“Our platform gives every individual and brand a voice in the marketplace by opening up access to quality talent and tools and automating the entire process of executing PR and marketing campaigns,” said Plaqad CEO Gbenga Sogbaike. “Plaqad levels the playing field, giving SMBs the ability to connect to quality service providers regardless of budget, while also tracking their campaigns real-time all in one place.”
The Plaqad platform is the result of years of industry experience, active listening, data and insights gathering and solution-driven engineering to uniquely solve age-long PR and marketing issues.
Brands and agencies still grapple with challenges relating to limited access to quality talent, poor attribution, opaque agency and influencer practices and a largely cumbersome and slow engagement process. By providing brands, agencies and individuals with the tools and resources they need to effectively engage their desired audience in a seamless and measurable way, Plaqad is helping to address some of these issues.
Plaqad’s history is rooted in innovation, from being the first to create a content trading social network for bloggers, news websites, publishers and social influencers (micro-bloggers), to launching Africa’s first Influencer Compensation Report.
Its parent company BHM has been named PR Agency of the Year for three consecutive years and has published the continent’s only PR report since 2015. BHM built Africa’s first PR app and was named the Best PR Agency to Work in Nigeria in 2017. Its roster of blue-chip clients includes Heineken, ViacomCBS, Coca-Cola, Reckitt Benckiser, MTN and Multichoice. When BHM rolled out its U.K. operations earlier this month, it became the first Nigerian PR firm to go international. Founder Ayeni Adekunle is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).
“We are driven by innovation and it is reflected in the solutions we bring to the market,” said Ayeni. “With Plaqad, our goal is to build the most convenient and efficient community-led marketing platform. We want to build communities that give people the power to directly collaborate and exchange value on multiple levels, and ultimately give everyone—organizations and individuals—the power to make their voices heard, without barriers.”
Ranking Influence
SocialCred is Plaqad’s response to the mushrooming issue of influencer fraud and fake news. Its algorithm measures real influence and minimizes influencer fraud by downplaying traditional metrics like follower count, reach and impressions, focusing instead on engagement rate, audience sentiments (positive, neutral or negative), content quality and the creators’ ratio of original to shared posts within a 30-day window.
While designed as a tool for influencers and the brands that want to engage with them, the free app is available to all social media users. Individuals are awarded badges—titled A-Lister, Big Shot, Socialite, Trend Setter, JJC, Superstar, and Learner—based on their rankings.
Beyond the fun factor, SocialCred’s badges serve an important function, helping brands assess and select influencers based on their influence quotient across Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. The platform makes it easier for brands to find genuine influencers who can drive real actions.
It also helps influencers to get better—and acquire bigger and better badges—by offering tips and tools to boost their visibility and social credibility.
“Influencer fraud is one of the biggest threats to the success of brand campaigns,” said Sogbaike. “SocialCred is our first step to promoting greater transparency and accountability in influencer marketing, thereby helping practitioners to counter influencer fraud. SocialCred separates real influencers from those simply faking it. We will keep adding new features to improve the app and expand its use cases.”
SocialCred is available now.
The Plaqad platform, including PlaqadM and Plaqad IQ, will be in full release beginning today. From November 30 through December 15, Plaqad is offering brands, agencies and individuals the opportunity to test drive the game-changing platform at no cost. For more information, visit plaqad.com.
About Plaqad
Plaqad sits at the intersection of technology, marketing and PR, bringing together the people, the tools, the products and the resources required by businesses to run successful campaigns on a single platform. Plaqad is an emerging global tech brand and Africa’s first-ever end-to-end marketplace and analytics platform.
10 Key Highlights of the President’s Speech
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, addressed the nation on Sunday, 29th March 2020 on the COVID-19 situation in Nigeria and his government’s on-going efforts to tackle and contain the pandemic. In his address, he also announced new directives and orders. Below are key highlights from the speech:
- Update on number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria & its Epicenter in Nigeria
The President announced that the number of COVID-19 cases as at the morning of March 29th, 2020, has risen to ninety-seven and declared both Lagos and Abuja as COVID-19 epicenters in Nigeria with Lagos and the FCT having the majority of confirmed cases in Nigeria.
- Steps to Avoid Contracting the Virus
The President emphasized the need for Nigerians to continue with regular hygienic and sanitary practices as well as social distancing practices such as regular handwashing with clean water and soap, disinfecting frequently used surfaces and areas, coughing into a tissue or elbow, etc.
- Lock Down in Lagos, Ogun States and FCT Abuja
President Buhari issued a 14 day lock down in Lagos and Ogun States as well as, Abuja commencing from 11pm on Monday, 30th March 2020. Consequently, offices and businesses in these locations are to be fully closed within the period of the lockdown.
- Exemptions to Lock Down Order
Businesses and Organisations exempt by the order of the President includes:
- Hospitals and all related medical establishments.
- Food processing, distribution and retail companies;
- Petroleum distribution and retail companies,
- Power generation, transmission and distribution companies,
- Private security companies
- Telecommunication companies,
- Broadcasters, Print and electronic media staff who can prove they are unable to work from home.
- Government Measures Combating COVID-19 Effect
In his address, the President mentioned the measures undertaken by his Government to tackle the spread of the virus. He mentioned the healthcare measures led by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and National Center For Disease Control (NCDC), border security measures through Nigeria Customs and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), fiscal and monetary policies led by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Some of the monetary measures includes a 9% to 5% interest rate reduction on all CBN intervention facilities, directive to banks to temporarily restructure loan given to organisations and households affected by the pandemic, creation of a N50 billion credit facility to organisations (SMEs) and households affected by the pandemic, etc.
- Suspension of Commercial and Private Flights Within Nigeria.
The President announced the suspension of all inter-states or community flights in Nigeria. This covers both commercial and private flights. However, an exception was made for flights with special permits granted by the Federal Government through its appropriate agencies.
- Federal Government Funded Loans
The President announced a directive to relevant government agencies, e.g. CBN, Bank of Industry and Nigeria Export Import Bank, to give a moratorium to borrowers of all Federal Government funded loans.
In addition, he announced a directive to Nigerian development financial institutions to engage and negotiate concessions with international and multilateral development partners in favour of borrowers based in Nigeria.
- CSR and Citizen Support
While recognising private efforts so far, the President urged all Nigerian citizens and businesses to assist the Federal Government by taking personal responsibility to support and provide for those who are vulnerable within their communities.
- Coordination of Donations
The President reiterated that all contributions and donations will be organized and coordinated by the Presidential Task Force. This Task Force is the central coordinating body on the COVID-19 response.
- Guidance of the National Bodies
In Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19, President Buhari recognized the coordinated efforts and guidance of important bodies such as medical professionals and experts at the Ministry of Health, NCDC, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) and other relevant agencies. He advised Nigerians to continue to adhere to their guidelines as they are released from time to time.
As the President said, “there is no such thing as an overreaction or an under reaction. It is all about the right reaction by the right agencies and trained experts”. We as a people have to work together to protect ourselves and community at large.
MTN Nigeria Board condemns Xenophobia and Violence.
“The Board of MTN Nigeria wishes to add its unequivocal condemnation of the xenophobia and violence against Nigerians and other nationalities in South Africa over the recent days, as well as the violent response to it in Nigeria. Violence cannot and must never be acceptable and we must reject it in the strongest terms possible.
We offer our profound sympathies to all those affected and urge all stakeholders and communities in Nigeria, South Africa and other countries, to act with restraint, and to work collaboratively to address these issues. Our future as a continent will be built on enhanced connections and greater integration economically, culturally and politically. It is in all of our interests to work together.”
Ernest Ndukwe OFR, Chairman
MultiChoice Condemns Violence In South Africa
“MultiChoice is committed to uniting Africans through our programming and cultural initiatives.
We advocate equality and condemn all forms of discrimination. The on-going violence in South Africa against foreign nationals, is against the spirit of Africa, and counter-productive to the decades of work done by African leaders and well-meaning organisations to unite the continent.
We embrace and celebrate the diversity of varied nationalities, traditions, cultures and religions from across the continent and beyond. This is demonstrated through our multinational staff complement, our multicultural supply chain, as well as the local and international content that we showcase on both our DStv and GOtv platforms.
We believe Africa’s full potential can only be realised through dialogue, peace, and unity.
This is a sombre period for every African on the continent and beyond, and we urge all our customers, followers, and stakeholders to shun violence.”
John Ugbe
CEO, Multichoice Nigeria
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc Says No To Xenophobia
MTN Nigeria strongly condemns hate, prejudice and xenophobia and reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of all violence.
We seek to connect people, bring people together and provide a platform for everyone’s voice to be heard. We are against all forms of bigotry and discrimination; they should have no place in society.
Everyone has the right to a world where their rights and freedoms are respected – the right to live and earn a living, freely, safely, and protected by the law.
Ferdi Moolman
CEO MTN Nigeria
ID Africa Advocates for a United Africa
In the same week that Romelu Lukaku, a star footballer of African descent was racially abused while playing in Europe, it saddens the heart to see Africans attacking other Africans on the continent.
ID Africa is a firm believer in the concept of ‘One Africa’. As an organisation that proudly flies the African flag in our corporate identity, we are not only disappointed by these recent events, but deeply heartbroken.
Africa has a lot to offer the world, and only with strong trade relations, collaboration and inclusion can we overcome our decades old challenges. Violence, bloodshed, xenophobia and hatred of one another will lead us nowhere.
We hereby join other well meaning Nigerians and South Africans across the world to call for cessation of violence and embrace of unity, which will lead us to lasting peace and collective prosperity.
In the words of Shawn Carter, ‘We all lose when the family feuds.’
Femi Falodun To Speak At PRCAN Masterclass
The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has announced Mr Femi Falodun, the CEO of Marketing, Media and Technology company, ID Africa, as one of the speakers during their masterclass themed: ‘How to write Winning PR Proposals, Plans and Case Studies’ happening on Friday, March 22, 2019.
Mr Falodun, who has years of experience, consulting on diverse Public Relations, Content Marketing, Digital Communication campaigns and developing strategies/tactics for some of Nigeria’s biggest brands will be drawing knowledge from his robust wealth of experience to speak on the topic: ‘Documenting PR Campaigns as Case Studies.’
Also speaking at the event which holds at Adna Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, are Chuddy Oduenyi, Managing director of Compact communications and Tola Bademosi, Managing director of BD Consult. The training is expected to draw participants made up of PR professionals both in the public and private sector.
While commenting on the upcoming training, Mr Falodun says, “sessions like this one are of utmost importance to the media industry as a whole, it helps each of us document our experiences and also share ideas on the next phase for the industry.”
PRCAN is a body established to uphold the best practices in the Nigerian public relations sector in the areas of standards, conduct, as well as economic well-being for stakeholders in the public relations industry.
Travel Agency: Request for Proposal
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
1 -Introduction
1.1 Purpose
BHM group seeks information on travel services and is requesting proposals from qualified supplier. BHM requests that all suppliers examine the specific requirements in this RFP and prepare responses pursuant to the terms contained herein.
BHM is soliciting proposals that illustrate cost buildup, service delivery, and methodology for a range of travel services, including airfare ticketing, hotel booking, car services, visa advisory & facilitation, airport protocol and ticketing of other modes of travel such as trains and ferries. The award/contract will be for a period of one-year subject to periodic performance review and renewable for an additional year depending on performance.
1.2 Background & What We Do
BHM is a media and public relations company involved in reputation management, consumer engagement, content development, community and assets management, research and intelligence as well as media relations.
Our mission is to provide the best possible corporate and marketing communications to the best brands on earth using strategies no one can beat.
Our vision is to become Africa’s leading media and public relations agency by working with our partners in the media, business and publics to achieve the best possible solutions for clients and consumers, as a result build a far reaching reputation and profit for investors.
2 -Proposal Preparation Instructions
2.1 Timelines
The following dates are for informational and planning purposes. The term COB means 5:30 PM. BHM reserves the right to change any of the dates and times set below. If changes are made, BHM will contact all interested Suppliers.
2.2 Procurement-Related Communications
All questions, inquiries, and requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to the designated contact listed below no later than 2nd March, 2019.
Questions submitted to BHM after this period will only be answered if BHM determines the question is critical to the success of the RFP process. Responses to all questions will be circulated to all Suppliers.
Suppliers shall not contact BHM staff outside the written communication channel described above unless authorized by BHM. BHM may, at its sole discretion, contact vendors for in person or verbal briefings or discussions.
Suppliers may notify BHM of any discrepancies, errors, or omissions that may exist within this RFP. With respect to this RFP, Suppliers may recommend to BHM any enhancements, which might be in BHM’s best interests.
2.3 Right to Reject Proposals
Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by BHM to award a contract. BHM reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or portions of proposals received in response to this RFP, to request modification or clarification of any part of a proposal, or to cancel this RFP if it is in the best interest of BHM to do so. Furthermore, BHM may reject any proposal if it is considered incomplete or conditional, contains irregularities, or does not meet qualifications, requirements, or specifications. Failure to furnish all information may disqualify the proposal.
2.4 Ownership of Proposals
Proposals and any other materials submitted to BHM in response to this RFP will become the exclusive property of BHM upon receipt and will not be returned. BHM is not liable for any costs incurred as a result of responding to this Request for Proposals.
BHM expects to select two firms to provide travel management services for the entirety of its operations. BHM anticipates that the agreement will run for 12 months with the option to extend for an additional period subject to performance. BHM expects to sign service agreements with the winning bidders laying out the conditions of the agreement.
In responding to this RFP, the vendor accepts full responsibility to understand the RFP in its entirety, and in detail, including making any inquiries to BHM as necessary to gain such understanding. BHM reserves the right to disqualify any vendor who demonstrates incomplete understanding. Further, BHM reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, whether the vendor has demonstrated such understanding. That right extends to cancellation of award, if award has been made. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault, cost, or liability whatsoever to BHM.
2.5 Good Faith Statement
All information provided by BHM in this RFP is offered in good faith and are subject to change at any time. BHM makes no certification that any item is without error and will not be responsible or liable for any use of the information or for any claims asserted there from.
2.6 Proposal Submission
Vendors must send proposals in electronic copy via e-mail, on or prior to 4th March, 2019, 5:30 pm to: [email protected] and [email protected].
Each Proposal should provide a straightforward, concise description of the vendor’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFP. Proposals should not contain unsolicited, extraneous or duplicative information. A proposal may be considered non-responsive if information is either conditional or incomplete, or if it contains extraneous material. Proposals must be based solely on the requirements contained in this RFP.
By submitting a Proposal, the Vendor grants BHM the right to obtain any information from any lawful source regarding (i) the past history, practices, conduct and ability of Agency to perform the services and otherwise to fulfill the requirements under this RFP, and (ii) the past history, practices, conduct and ability of any director, officer, or key employee of Vendor.
3 -Agency Profile
3.1 Profile
Please provide the following information:
• Full name of the corporate entity placing the proposal,
• Company address,
• Telephone,
• Contact Name,
• Email,
• Background,
• Year of Establishment,
• Corporate History,
• Corporate Philosophy.
Primary location, branch, or division of the company that will be providing services to BHM.
4 -Implementation
If your organization is successful in being awarded BHM’s travel services contract, explain how
you would implement services by providing an implementation plan that:
Outlines major action items;
Provides the implementation timeframe;
Includes staff responsible for the implementation at each location;
Provides Vendor’s process for creating traveler profiles;
Describe the actions that would be required of BHM.
5 -Account Management & Service
Kindly detail specifically the number of agents, experience level, management team, resources for agents, as well as roles and responsibilities.
Kindly provide us with the average number of years of experience among your agents
What type of ongoing training do you provide to your agents?
How will you ensure that your agents are well-versed in BHM’s travel policies, procedures, forms and travel trends?
How will your team identify BHM policy exemptions?
How will you measure the quality of your team’s performance?
Describe your proposed process of resolving customer service issues?
As a travel agency, describe if you are able to provide any or all of the following services internationally:
airfare tickets
hotel bookings
visa advisory and facilitation
airport protocol
car rental
car and driver service
tickets of other modes of travel
10. Does your agency offer executive travel services?
11. Do you offer any type of discount, loyalty, or rewards program to corporate clients?
12. Can you offer a discount for early invoice payment?
13. How will you inform BHM of breaking industry news, security advisories, and market updates?
14. What additional services and benefits is your agency able to provide? What are the costs associated with those benefits?
15. How do you measure customer satisfaction?
16. Suppliers must provide three references, with contact information.
17. Do you offer credit facilities to clients? If yes, for how long is it available?
6 -Cost Reduction Opportunities
Describe how your agency can deliver incremental savings beyond transaction fee savings.
Describe preferred vendor relations for airlines (including regional/local airlines in Africa, Asia, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, South, South East, and Central Asia), car, and hotel agreements providing an overview of existing preferred vendor programs.
What cost savings opportunities can BHM leverage from your agency contracts with travel vendors?
Do you provide any discount/loyalty/rewards programs to corporate clients?
Do you provide discount % points for early payment?
What tools or processes do you use to guarantee that the lowest compliant airfare is offered to travelers?
Describe your ability to provide special airline, car, and hotel services for travelers, including seat clearance in preferred seating areas.
7 -Additional documents to provide:
A copy of your Agency’s latest annual report, if available;
Copy of your standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) or standard terms and conditions.
Copy of your company profile and company Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration documents: Certificate of Incorporation, Form CO2 and CAC 7.