• Clinches Diamond For LAMATA’s Blue Rail Launch Campaign

By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West

Chain Reactions Africa once again lived up to its reputation as one of the continent’s leading Public Relations and Integrated Communications consultancies, winning seven awards in the just released list of winners for the 2024 SABRE Awards.

Just like in last year’s award where the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu clinched the prestigious SABRE Awards Diamond category for use of public relations to tell the story of his administration’s achievements as part of his re-election campaign, the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, beat notable industry heavy weights to emerge the 2024 CEO of the Year. She won the award for being a Champion and Enabler of Public Relations within the LAMATA and the Lagos Blue Rail Project. This is in addition to two other prestigious categories in which the Chain Reactions Africa secured the global honours for the Lagos Blue Rail in recognition of its dexterous usage of public relations to enable citizens.

The category won by the LAMATA Boss is the second highest award category and is for corporate or political CEOs who have elevated the role of public relations and communication within their organisation by using the practice to effectively communicate with stakeholders and building their organisation’s reputation currency.

The Sabre Awards is the world’s most prestigious PR awards programme dedicated to benchmarking the best PR works across the globe. It recognizes works and campaigns in public relations across United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

In the same Diamond Sabre Awards category, Chain Reactions Africa scooped the SABRE Award for Superior Achievement in Reputation Management for ‘The Hack – Expand Your Hustle’ campaign for Nigeria’s innovative telecommunications company, 9mobile. Chain Reactions also won in the Crisis and Issues Management Practice Area category for its handling of issues and crisis management campaign around the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal government, a campaign titled, ‘Taming the Bull’ managed for the Presidency. ‘Taming the Bull’ was a proactive strategic communications campaign executed in close partnership with the Presidential media team and Economic team to explain the benefits of the removal of fuel subsidy to critical stakeholders and secure social approval for the policy and prevent violent protests in the country. 

Chain Reactions Africa also won in the Employee Communications category for its ‘Next Era of Happiness’ campaign for leading biscuit company, Pladis Foods Nigeria Limited during its rebranding exercise that saw it change its name from A&P Foods Limited. It also emerged the winner of the Public Affairs/Government Relations category for its campaign for the Lagos Blue Rail by LAMATA. The company also won the Special Event/Sponsorship category prize for ‘The Hack – Expand Your Hustle’ campaign for 9mobile, as well as the Public Sector/Government category for the Lagos Blue Rail campaign for LAMATA.

Commenting on the latest SABRE Awards recognition, the MD/Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa, Israel Jaiye Opayemi said the awards are the result of the hard work of the staff of the company in the course of the past year. He commended the staff for their dedication, professionalism and creativity, and thanked the company’s clients for putting their trust in the company.

“These awards are a reflection of the brave and brilliant creative work we do at Chain Reactions Africa. But this honour truly belongs to our listening and receptive clients and not onto us. We celebrate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo who has been fittingly honoured with this global Diamond award; members of the Governor’s communications team, LAMATA’s communications team, our clients at the Presidency, 9mobilie and pladis. We could not keep making miracles without your faith in our craft”, Opayemi said.

Chain Reactions Africa has over the years won the prestigious SABRE awards and has been awarded more than 15 Certificates of Excellence. At last year’s award, the company scooped two Certificates of Excellence in the Corporate Image category for the ‘Momentum Campaign’ for Cellulant, a flagship payment solution provider; and ‘Marketing to Consumers’ category for ‘The #NaijaHighlandah Campaign’ for William Lawson’s, Scotch Whiskey brand.

The 2024 Africa SABRE Awards shortlist included more than 120 campaigns, selected from over 500 entries in this year’s competition, which recognizes Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation and Engagement. The campaigns were evaluated by a jury of industry leaders. The 2024 Africa SABRE Awards will take place on May 16 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire as part of the APRA Abidjan 2024 conference.