Access Bank, Coca Cola, listed amongst 12 most exceptional brands in 2016

As musicians, actors and other entertainers win awards for their achievements in 2016, top Nigerian brands have also been recognized for their efforts on Social Media. These brands – ranging from banks, to telecoms operators and FMCGs have creatively used Social Media to get closer to their customers, touch lives, and promote their products and services.

This list, compiled by Chidi Okereke, a top Nigerian-Based Digital Communications Strategist includes Access Bank, MTN, Coca-Cola, Airtel, EFCC and others.

You can check out the full list HERE. But see the first 3 that made the list:

1) Coca Cola

Singing: No-o-one can stop, me when I taste the feeling, nothing could ever bring me, dowwwnnn…

Since I was born, Coca Cola has been the most popular brand on earth – giving us hit adverts, back to back. In 2015, they definitely won the online space with their Share a Coke campaign that had everyone searching for their names on bottles like it was the book of life. Then towards the end of December 2015, just as we were wondering what next, they hit us with Share The Feeling – bottles with smileys that conveyed diverse emotions and messages. The smileys included popular Nigerian phrases giving consumers a way to share their feelings with family, friends and even enemies.

Fast-forward to April 2016, they hit us with Taste The Feeling. With the theme song originally done by Avicii, remixed by local Nigeria acts like Tuface, Darey, Yemi Alade, etc, and an ad where a big brother won’t let his kid brother be bullied, the campaign served to refresh consumers’ memories of their love affair with Coke and how the brand embodies great taste, refreshment, love and happiness.

Before this seems like a show for Coca Cola, I will not talk about Coke Studio Africa – another successful Coke campaign in 2016. They sure had a good year and were very exceptional in 2016.

2) Access Bank

Remember in 2015, when #NigeriansAtHogwarts trended on Twitter and Nigerians shared what would have happened if Hogwarts was a Nigerian school or had Nigerian students? Access Bank was the first brand to jump on it, and their tweet was so good, their account trended all over Nigeria.

It works abroad, even in Diagon Alley #NigeriansAtHogwarts pic.twitter.com/Vu9EePRoMs

— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) August 1, 2015

Amongst top brands, Access Bank is one of the pioneers of leveraging on trending events with very witty posts. In 2016, they did not relax, as their football banter (one of the reasons I followed them in the first place) had fans of the game reeling with laughter or pissed, depending on what team was the butt of their jokes.

Did you buy a really expensive item that doesn’t work as promised? @PayWithCapture supports discounted merchant refunds #POGBACK pic.twitter.com/TQ4kNdsRxv

— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) October 23, 2016

This one had a few pained Man Utd fans threaten to close their accounts. It had other Man Utd fans and the rest of the football community laughing hard.

Access Bank also sponsored the Lagos City Marathon in January – and even though Kenya’s Abraham Kiptum won the prize money, the top Nigerian bank was the real winner – seeing as they were at the center of every conversation, meme, and joke that spun off the event.

To crown it all, AccelerateTV, the visual content platform for young and upwardly mobile people that is powered by Access Bank was rebranded and is now one of the fastest growing websites in Nigeria.

Very impressive year for the bank on Social Media, I tell you.

3) MTN …

..read full list on www.lists.ng