It is more so because, going against conventional wisdom, Tecno did not start trading from China, even though it is from Shenzhen, China.

Instead it set up shop in Africa with the intention to take over the continent from giants such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei who used to run the continent like a satellite to their major operations. 

With research and development labs set up in Nigeria and Kenya, a factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that employs over 700 people, and grassroots marketing campaigns that promote its African affiliations above anything else, Tecno appears to be hitting the targets it set out aiming for.

In 2020, Tecno is not only a top-of-mind brand; it is also a financial juggernaut. Holding the top spot for the most number of devices sold in Nigeria, Africa’s largest consumer electronics market, its parent company, Transsion Holdings is also listed on the Shanghai STAR Exchange at an initial valuation of $3.95 billion.

So when the time came to amp up its communication messages, it needed to stay true to that African point of view. According to internal sources, Tecno’s next marketing ace should not only be fitting, it must also electrify its audience. If Infinix and Syinix Electronics, two other key brands owned by Transsion, have signed pop superstar Davido and Nigerian football forward Ahmed Musa as their respective celebrity ambassadors, then Tecno, which sits atop the value pyramid in the group’s portfolio, must live up to its name.

“The brand has come, seen and conquered. It is time it cements its leadership by breaking new grounds,” says Jeff Tang, marketing manager, Tecno Mobile.

Which is why Wizkid became a natural choice. Fresh from sold out tours, including a huge concert in Toronto, and a prominent feature on Beyoncé’s hit record The Lion King: The Gift, Wizkid — born Ayodeji Balogun — was piping hot in the cultural space. Just like his recently inked endorsement deal with pan-African bank UBA, reportedly valued at $2 million, a partnership with Tecno Mobile was bound to make the news. 

To bring the deal to life, Tecno Mobile turned to its long-term marketing partner, SBI Media, which had previously facilitated the contract between Syinix and Musa. “It took about nine months to make it happen,” says Rotimi Bankole, SBI’s CEO “but with dedication, hard work, and teamwork, we were able to pull it off.” 

Although none of the parties has disclosed the naira value of the celebrity endorsement deal, Tecno Mobile confirms that it is an “end-to-end” arrangement, which confirms industry speculation that the deal may be the largest ever recorded between a famous African and an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Wizkid will not only speak for the new flagship devices — Camon15 and Camon 15 Premier — released on April 2, he will also participate in the promotion of other devices and the Tecno brand itself.  

For the initial marketing campaign featuring Wizkid, SBI Media and Tecno Mobile created an ad that was shot in London by a Hong Kong-based Hollywood director and produced from Tecno’s Shenzhen headquarters. 

The corporation’s state-of-the-art satellite communication technology with which it coordinated the international collaborations on the brand film would also come in handy at the April launch. This is because, in the weeks leading up to the event, social distancing had become an undeniable necessity amid the global fight against the novel coronavirus. 

Of the partnership between Tecno Mobile and Wizkid, Tang says: “Wizkid is an incredible music icon who has taken the world by storm. Tecno is also an incredible brand with a strong credibility. Both brands are the best of both worlds.”

And, of course, Wizkid agrees. “My team and I had a series of meetings where we looked at the history of Tecno and we saw something undeniable,” he said. “We both have risen beyond obstacles and are now global; creating opportunities for others and reminding Nigerians that they are capable of achieving and becoming whatever they desire to be.”

Celebrity endorsement remains a go-to marketing tactic for many companies across the world. Nearly all recognised brands in Nigeria, from Globacom and MTN to Guinness and Coca-Cola have wide-ranging business alliances with music, movie, and social media stars. And for good reason, too.

Research by AdAge reveals that an advertiser can see its stock rise by .25 as soon as news of a celebrity endorsement deal is made public. And just one campaign featuring a famous ambassador, according to Marketwatch, can drive up sales by up to 4%. 

Although a 2015 Nielsen report shows that millennials and Gen Z are more likely to be persuaded by celebrities in advertising, a Taiwanese study concludes that still, consumers tend to remember messages that have been endorsed by a celebrity. It is wisdom such as this that justifies Nike’s annual spend of $475 million on to secure the support of star athletes.

As for the deal between Tecno and Mobile, “See it as the biggest in the industry and it is a partnership that is more valuable beyond the figures,” Bankole says. “It is the synergy and the brand fit that makes it invaluable.”

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