Marketing communication experts have blamed poor communication process for the blurred launch of Nigeria Air logo, an exercise that is generating misperception among millions of Nigerians.
The whole exercise in the manner it was executed and the followed negative perception is capable of further dimming what is left of Nigeria’s image. On May, 26, 2023, Sirika who served under Muhammadu Buhari, according to revelations, had hired Ethiopian Airline plane, painted it in Nigeria’s Airline colours for the launch of Nigeria Air Logo.
The marketers also called for investigation into the launch which involved the hiring of Ethiopian plane with tax payers money and painting it in Nigeria’s Airline colours for the purpose of the launch, which in the minds of Nigerians indicated the proper launch of the Nigeria airline.
Some see the launch as pulling the wool over the eyes of millions of Nigerians and which on the face of it shows the fulfilment of the long-time promise of former minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika that the Nigerian Air will fly before May 2023 end.
Akonte Ekine, CEO of Absolute PR, a firm based in Lagos who sees the launch in the manner it was organised as deceitful marketing believed that the logo could have been launched locally without hiring Ethiopian Airline which will save the country huge sums of money.
While joining other stakeholders to call for investigation of the whole exercise, Ekine said the former administration took stakeholders and aviation customers for granted.
Read also: Aircraft used for Nigeria Air unveiling was chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines — MD
He said the brand that the Buhari administration under the former minister of Aviation was trying to create does not have reputational mind and this is dangerous as aviation business is about integrity and safety.
Ekine said the whole exercise has added up to the negative perception about a country that is struggling with image issue.
On his view, Kelechi Nwosu, Chief Executive Officer at TBWA\CONCEPT described the launch as hasty though with eight years planning.
Nwosu, former president of Advertising Association of Nigeria, AAAN believed that there was poor communication about the proposed airline in terms of the ownership structure and management. He said any investigation will reveal more details about the launch of the logo.
Yinka Adeyinka, President of Experiential Marketers Association also agreed that communication process about the launch of the logo was badly managed.
Also recently, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Haruna Gololo, urged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) to investigate the former Minister of Aviation over unpleasant discoveries on purported launch of Nigeria Air aircraft.
Gololo, however, said: ”we are giving the EFCC two weeks to arrest and investigate the former Minister of Aviation and other key participants in the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”
The calls for investigation followed the revelation by Dapo Olumide, acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Air that the aircraft that flew into Nigeria with the logo of the airline was chartered from the Ethiopian Airline for the purpose of unveiling the logo.
Olumide said this in Abuja, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation.
He also disclosed that the airline was yet to secure an operating licence for full flight operations
