In a bid to demonstrate its innovation in storytelling and further connect with its teeming subscribers, Airtel, a leading telco in Nigeria, has unveiled a new and exciting TV commercial tagged “The Rainmaker”. For over a decade, Airtel has told unique African stories in the most innovative ways.
The new TVC is based on the African mythology which ascribes esoteric powers of halting or making rain to fall to certain individuals in African communities. According to the commercial, the powers of such individuals tagged “Rainmakers” often fail to deliver on their promises during critical situations. The TVC used storytelling to depict the brand promise of the leading telco to deliver a reliable “Data that works”.
The new TVC features veteran actors, Jide Kosoko and Jude Chukwuka and many others. Kosoko plays the role of the King while Chukwuka is the “Rainmaker”. Chukwuka became a hero after he halted the rain during an event at the king’s palace. Consequently, he was contracted to halt the rain during subsequent events at the palace but he failed twice thereafter. The king was embarrassed and he ordered that he(Chukwuka) be reprimanded for the “disgraceful’act. The ‘Rainmaker’ also felt disappointed by the unreliability of his powers due to unfavourable climatic conditions. On the flip side of the story , the connection on the Airtel network, with the best 4G Network and widest coverage would go on to work even in the most unfriendly weather conditions.
The new commercial tells a compelling African story with a rich heritage of Nigeria’s culture across different parts of the country. The costumes, setting, visual effects and the creativity in telling the story says a lot about the Airtel brand’s understanding of the Nigerian culture and business environment. Over the years, the telco has churned out award-winning commercials that have resonated with its subscribers.
Commenting on the new TVC, Vice President,Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel, Emeka Oparah said: “In the past ten years, it has been a steady story of progress. we have done some of the best materials in advertising. We have done some of the best materials in CSR. We have done some of the best activities in terms of PR. The “Rainmaker” is a unique African character and we have tried to make something out of it”
Storytelling involves the use of a narrative to communicate a message and connect the brand to its consumers. The objective is to capture the attention of the audience, make them feel something and get them inspired enough to want to take the desired action. The latest effort from Airtel has shown that the brand is a master story teller. The new Airtel TVC will no doubt generate a lot of interests and talkability in the coming weeks.
The new commercial is a creative work from Noah’s ark, Nigeria’s award-winning creative agency. The agency has also worked on several creatives for Airtel including “Lost” ,”Amaka must Go” and “Tailor”.
