While many have discussed this in hushed tones or play the ostrich, there is a general consensus that contemporary music in any society plays a strong role in shaping how children grow into adulthood. This is because songs and music shape their lives and thinking as the move on in the ladder of life.
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It must be admitted that over the years, especially with the coming of hip-hop music genre and the desire of songwriters and their promoters to capture their audience, lyrics have become lurid and hyped on the concepts of sex, drugs, violence and Internet fraud. Ironically, these songs are not only listened to by adults, but also by kids. Surprisingly, songs that promote these themes are played at occasions meant for children and on their special days like birthdays. Some of these songs are the tunes used during dancing competitions among children.

No doubt, as kids, who are very receptive to new things, they assimilate, not only these songs, but also the themes the music promote. As depicted in a trending video –a communication material, pieced together by #teamX3M, a Lagos-based creative powerhouse for Nirvana water brand to mark this year’s Children Day, the company reiterated the fact that there is subtle link between the purity of the children’s minds and the water.

This is why the campaign is not only instructive, but also a reminder of the truth that many have chosen to ignore or pretend it is not there.
In the about two and half minutes video that featured some select children, the opening montage was a gentle reminder of the fact one in three of Nigerian songs actually promote sex, substance abuse and violence.

The video showed these kids being asked about the understanding of some lurid songs and their choruses. For instance, the children were asked to say what they understand by “Chop banana”. They innocently say what they understood about that line which in actual sense is a lyric about sex but delivered in a coded language.

They were also asked what they understood by “Riding it” (another sexually explicit lyric) and they gave, yet again, very innocent responses. The video ended with the need to help kids protect their innocence.

The campaign is a unique corporate social responsibility which touches an area many, including parents, have chosen to ignore. And that is why the Nirvana brand has created a kind of awakening that is not meant to directly promote the brand but highlight how much it values and cares for the society where the brand sells.
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Conceptualised by X3M Ideas, a leading creative agency in Nigeria, the essence of the TVC was captured through a well-selected dramatic persona and a familiar setting to match. In the short video, the creative agency of the consumer goods company, tells an enduring story through Nigerian kids. Beyond serving as a positioning tool for the brand, the campaign depicts how an unregulated entertainment industry can impact children negatively.

From the beginning to the end, the agency brought a human face to the campaign and connected with an average Nigerian, especially children, teachers and parents.

From any angle one chooses to look at it, the campaign sends a powerful message, which is difficult to ignore.  Perhaps the greatest beauty of the commercial was the choice of setting and the Nigerian children, which connect easily with the target audience. In a world that moves too fast, the campaign is saying; “safeguarding the innocence of our children must be done at all cost. Let’s all work together to preserve their purity.”

Again, the campaign has simply played up the uniqueness of #teamX3M. It will be recalled that one of the campaigns from the 11-year-old agency was recently adjudged among the best 40 most successful campaigns promoting good causes in the 2022 Good Report.

The Good Report is produced in collaboration with West Africa Research Centre (WARC) the worldwide authority on marketing effectiveness and publisher of the WARC Creative 100 Rankings, a global benchmark of creative excellence in advertising. Recent records have also shown that the agency occupies a special class among creative agencies in Nigeria and Africa.
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