How Glo explores Nigerian tenacity in sequel TVC

On February 1, indigenous telecommunications brand, Globacom, unveiled a Television Commercial (TVC) about Anthony Joshua, the world heavyweight championship, which ignited a fire of patriotism in Nigerians all over the world.Following the success of the TVC, the network has released a sequel to the commercial that every Nigerian can relate to, given their common challenges.

The commercial captures how Nigerians draw inspiration from Joshua’s success story, as seen in the first TVC, which could be found in the cities of Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Aba and a student’s little corner in the University of Lagos, where Glo network seems a seamless digital solution provider.The voice-over, ‘Don’t stay down’, speaks of the never give up spirit of a typical Nigerian. Glo explores the tenacity and ‘Can-Do’ spirit of its people to sell a proposition of the strength and ubiquity of its network across the country.

In an environment where telecom services are poor and epileptic, Glo explores the achievements of the Nigerian-born British boxer, Joshua, to tell the story of its strength and reliability.To reinforce his Nigerianness, the boxer mentions his Nigerian names, Oluwafemi and Olaseni. This removes any doubt about the genuiness of his origins, which the British media is silence about.

The commercial also portrays the network’s tenacity to help subscribers stay limitless with achieving their big dreams and goals. Transforming them from bottom to top like Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, a bricklayer turned heavyweight champion. Viewers can connect with his warrior like fighting spirit, and like Joshua, believe in themselves and that their association with the network will make their dreams come true. 

In doing this, Glo desires to be seen as a network that not only serves Nigeria’s teeming internet users, but one that is capable and actually positioned to link up the people with their kinsmen in the diaspora, spreading the Nigerian spirit in the process.The grass-to-grace story of Anthony Joshua also aligns with the aspirations of every Nigerian caught in the poverty web to break the glass ceiling. In just a few words in the one minute TVC, Joshua tells his life story and how he was once a bricklayer in England but now has become the heavyweight champion of the world, a testament to how much anyone can achieve with tenacity and the Nigerian ‘never-say-never’ spirit.

The brand also tells the story of its vast network and matchless connectivity across the country. The TVC opens with a lady, cast as a student at the University of Lagos, lounging on her bed and with her phone that enabled her connect to other parts of the world and following Joshua’s story of inspiration. Right there on her bed, without moving an inch, this student is able to link up with folks in other parts of the country, mobilising everyone to gather around the story she is sharing.

That this inspired a response is evident in the boxer that rises up to win his fight and the basketball players that are moved to muster their individual skill and strengths to win a tournament for the country, all responding to the call by Joshua when he says, ‘If you believe in yourself, there is no limit to what you can achieve.’

This corporate ad has a strong message for all market segments. Elements in the story have messages for the all segments of society in need of inspiration. The TVC is also a strong nationalistic call for Nigerians to look beyond present limitations, or actually avoid paying attention to those limitations in the quest to lift themselves as individuals and consequently, the entire nation. The Ad ends with the reassurance that ‘Glo is always in your corner’.