The All Progressives Congress (APC) has beaten the strict political advertising rules set by the American international cable channel, CNN International, successfully airing its “change” campaign on Thursday.
TheCable had reported how the network had been turning down explicit vote-canvassing campaigns from Nigerian politicians who are preparing for the 2015 general election.
Ashley Hogan-Gancarz, the account manager of CNN International, had informed TheCable that CNN International never accepted political or religious advertising owing to industry regulations, denying that Nigeria was being targeted.
“If you want to promote investment opportunities, etc. that would be fine but nothing to do with politics or the 2015 election,” she had said.
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The APC did not canvass votes in the TV commercial, but showed a series achievements in states governed by its governors in a veiled pitch for the forthcoming elections.
The one-minute video begins with the display of the images of great Nigerian icons, including Fela, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe.
It then shows the APC governors in a group photograph, identifies them and lists what they have achieved in their states. The achievements listed include the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge in Lagos, hospitals in Rivers and free education in Kano.
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It ends with several brooms merging, and is then signed off by “Change for Democracy”.
By beating the advert trap, APC may be showing the way for other political parties to be more creative with their messages in the campaigns intended for CNN International.
The channel is a the favourite among the Nigerian elite and is watched by a global audience of 200 million households and hotels in over 200 countries.
Although its advert rates are still considered “reasonable”, it charges one of the highest premium rates in the world.
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9 comments
APC is the only party that can match PDP in the coming election.let the truth be told,Apc governors has done a great job in their respective states.I was in Lagos,Kwara,Kano in October and i was “like what the what”!
What i saw can be compared wit the developments here in the United States where i lived in terms of infrastructural facilities.Flyovers and new Unity stadium in Kwara,lekki epe express in Lagos and Great roads and schools in Kano to mention few! Great Job APC and long live Nigeria
What you have seen in those 3 states can’t be compared to what Chief Godswil Akpabio has done in Akwa Ibom.pls try visit the state
Hope you entered Sabon Gari when you came to kano.
I hope you reckon that these achievements save that of the inflated cost of building the lekki-ikoyi bridges were done by the respective governors whilst still with the PDP before they deflected to the APC!
Mr man you don’t know What you’re saying PDP never govern Lagos for once, so stop lying
Advert/propaganda would not do the trick.Its our penchant for waste and negativity. How many voters in Nigeria watch CNN? only the few elite who can rarely stand the rigours of voting in most centres. The voters knows who has/can perform.CNN OR NOT
I concur. You hit the bull eye man.
We all want change but how can we have this change when eligible voters cannot get voters card? What type of country is this? GOD where is your face?
If only the Electoral Chairman, Prof. Jega, can learn from the seminar he just attended in the US,
Many of the lapses recorded (or still recording) in the in-going ‘voters registration’ seems deliberate.
I still believe in Nigeria. Sooner or later, we would get a set of people that will restore our ‘OUR NIGERIA’.