Olivier Laouchez and Head, Sam Onyemelukwe launch International music brand TRACE Urban TV for Anglophone West Africa

“Nigeria is the place to be!” Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, Olivier Laouchez and Head, Sam Onyemelukwe launch International music brand TRACE Urban TV for Anglophone West Africa.

Nigeria makes another leap in global entertainment reckoning with the official media launch of the global TRACE brand in the country today. TRACE Urban, the network’s #1 international urban music channel has officially set up its offices in Nigeria to reach Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa, with a mission to drive the industry with hit music videos,unique content, digital platforms and events. True to the African born network’s roots it is looking to bring content to, as well as create great content  in Nigeria. TRACE was started in Africa with a global outlook and is the only multi cultural, global platform owned and operated by people of African origin. The concept is to bring Africa to the world and the world to Africa.

“Nigeria is the place to be!” said Olivier Laouchez. “We are inspired by the vibrant music scene, the electrifying artists, great music videos and the passionate creative spirit. Nigerian artists are the hub of the continent’s growing music entertainment industry and our expansion into Anglophone West Africa grew from our desire to be a part of the excitement and to promote African music globally”.

This move is set to transform the fixture in the Western African entertainment industry, with a focus on Nigeria and Ghana.  With all of these developments the network is purposefully not going to transform TRACE Urban into a “Nigerian” channel. TRACE is a global media brand and not just a TV channel but an experience offering digital platforms, radio, events and concerts all of which are eventually destined for the region.
TRACE Urban is now officially open to the Nigerian market – already welcoming local sponsors and partners, including Project Fame West Africa Season 4 and Hennessy Artistry 2011. Managed for advertising, branded content and events and sponsorship sales in Nigeria by Entertainment Management Company (EMC), Mr. Laouchez said, “We are very proud to have selected EMC as the representative for TRACE in the region to commercialise the channel and integrate with artists, viewers and other
stakeholders.”

“We are very excited to be on the ground,” said Sam Onyemelukwe, who is Head of TRACE Urban Anglophone West Africa and M.D. of EMC and was previously Business Development Manager for MTV Base. “With this move, we build on the origins and mission of TRACE and we are set to increase the playlist with home-grown music videos and offer more opportunities for artists, advertisers and viewers, but that’s just the beginning. As a Nigerian, I’m proud that we recognize the huge strides our music and
entertainment industry has made and the incredible cross over potential of our artists and TRACE Urban is a major supporter of our talent.”
TRACE Urban is acknowledged as the most watched in public places all over Africa – and it is already the number one music TV channel in South Africa with commanding ratings of 44% market share in prime time and the coolest TV channel and coolest Music TV channel in the influential Generation Next awards for 3 years running. The channel is available on the “access” DSTV bouquet available to the largest number of viewers and consistently ranks in the top 10 channels on DSTV with 37% of viewers in primetime*. Selected TRACE Urban content is now spread to local terrestrial channels, Galaxy TV and NTA to reach a wider audience with prospects to spread to more Free TV channels across Africa.

ABOUT TRACE

Launched in 2003, TRACE is a brand and an international media group that
provides contemporary music and sports entertainment content to a large
and predominantly young audience.

Its core business is original content and pay-tv channels, available in
nine languages, distributed in over 150 countries through 28 satellites
and 200 carriage agreements. These include:

TRACE Urban (HD and SD): A music channel dedicated to urban music and
culture.
TRACE Tropical (SD): A music channel dedicated to tropical music and culture.
TRACE Sports (HD): An up close, factual and lifestyle entertainment
channel dedicated to sports celebrities
TRACE Africa (HD and SD): A music channel dedicated to the best African
music (to be launched in October 2011).

ABOUT EMC

EMC is a total media, branding and advertising solutions provider focused
on the Anglophone African market. EMC brings together brands, content,
media platforms, artists and record labels, and provide a complete suite
of services from brand marketing concept development to broadcast and
event production. Media and Advertising is a cornerstone business for EMC,
with TRACE Urban as a key media platform, but also offering 1Music (TV),
FAB Magazine (Periodical and Weekly Print). Plans are to add Radio,
Out-of-Home and Digital Media in order to provide a one stop shop for
every type of brand communication campaign.

The Managing Partner of Red Media Group, Chude Jideonwo, was a Speaker at the 2011 Leadership and Entrepreneurship Summit for Junior Chamber International Nigeria, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife chapter. The summit held on September 23.

The other two speakers included brand strategist ‘Jide Adeyemi and pioneering entrepreneur Tara Fela Durotoye of House of Tara International.

Jideonwo spoke on the topic Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Economy.

It was time for yet another recognition as Managing Partner of Red Media Group, Chude Jideonwo, received an Award for Outstanding Achievement from his alma mater.

The award was given by the National Association of Student Ex-Mays (NASEM) – an organisation connected to his secondary school, Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State, founded by the last icon, Tai Solarin – and which he attented between 1995 and 2000.

The award was presented at the organisation’s 2011 National Convention, which held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

Jideonwo, who was also the Keynote Speaker for the convention, was one of only three awards recipients.

Managing Partner of Red Media Group, Chude Jideonwo will be speaking to young people at the RISE Youth Forum in Uturu Abia State. The annual forum holds this year at the Lion Hall, Uturu Caves Hotels in Abia State on Saturday 10 September with the theme ‘Super Young Stars made in Nigeria.’

Taking the floor as the first speaker he will be speaking alongside other young innovative Nigerian leaders – Audu Maikori, chief executive officer of Chocolate City; Jerry Uchechukwu Eze, founder of Springs of Life International and Folayemi Anifowoshe, Manager Community Relations and Development of LNG Nigeria Limited.

RISE is an award winning organisation that holds the National Youth Forum annually to equip the youth with intellectual skills and entrepreneurial abilities. Earlier this year, on an official visit to Africa, RISE founder Toyosi Akerele was commended by American first lady, Michelle Obama for organising the largest Youth Conference in Nigeria.

Ms. Akerele’s work had been brought to Mrs. Obama’s attention following participation at the US Government’s International Visitor’s Leadership Programme, for which she had been nominated as an alumnus of The Future Awards.

Managing Partner of the Red Media Group, Chude Jideonwo will on the 2nd of September moderate the Youth-Marketer Converge Business Forum. The event holds at the upscale  Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The topic for this session is “Effective Youth Marketing- Thinking In, Out and Around the Box” and the maiden edition of this interactive forum will “explore some traditional, contemporary and avant-garde ways of marketing to a broad spectrum of youth, with a view to keeping them loyal to a brand over time.” The Speaker at this forum is Akpo Daniyan, Head of Brands and Communication at Etisalat Nigeria.

Known across the continent as a Youth Marketing and Youth Culture expert, with a 7-year trackrecord of managing and founding successful youth brands and platforms, Mr. Jideonwo will be moderating the  session with 30 senior executives/professionals in Telecoms, ICT, Marketing, Banking, Media, Food and Beverage, Government, Advertising, Research, Sports, NGO’s etc across a broad spectrum of industries.

The strategy team at Red Media, a media content and communication company based in Lagos, has announced the formal launch of the firm.

Red Media enters the market as a leading media company with a prominent development subsidiary called The Future Project.

“Metamorphosing from our previous incarnation as RedSTRAT Communications, we are launching ourselves as RedMedia, a new company with a sharpened vision,” said a statement from the company. “Red Media stands at the cusp of a new direction for the communication business, as much across the world as in Nigeria, for at least reasons:

“First, we are headlining a new model that combines a strong marketing communication business with media content ownership. Furthermore, in a new media space defined by ubiquitous new/digital media platforms, we are one of a very small community of firms that has a depth of practical experience with both Traditional and New media and understand how brands should integrate both spaces – so we are able to give experience-based advice on where best to spend monies to achieve targeted results.”

Structured into two main businesses, its content arm is headlined by the premium Y! brands (Y! TV, Y! Radio, Y! In ‘D News and Y! Magazine), YNaija.com as well as The Future Nigeria Awards, reputed to be Nigeria’s biggest youth event; while its communication arm offers full-service communication solutions with a focus on Public Relations, New Media, Demographic Marketing (and a reputation as a pioneer in Youth Marketing), Editorial Consultancy and Perception Management.

“Our advantage includes an integrated marketing communication mix that gives our clients access to premium content and platforms, a wide network of national and international partners and goodwill ,thanks to our network ,as well as a knowledge-based approach to brand building.” said Adebola Williams, who is a Partner at the firm.

The company’s heritage over the past six years covers communication services for clients across a wide spectrum including Government, Oil & Gas, Financial Services, Technology, Development, Social Services, Entertainment, Fashion & Style, Education, and Personalities. Clients have included corporates and their brands such as Nigeria LNG Limited, PZ Cussons, Oando Limited, Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Nigeria Leadership Initiative, Nigerian Breweries, British Council, House of Tara, Veda Technology and Alder Consulting, with a strong entertainment PR business that manages communication for international recording artiste Asa, entertainment brand Storm 360 amongst others.

The company is led by Chude Jideonwo, a journalist and communication expert with 10 years experience including work at the Nigeria LNG limited, Virgin Nigeria, Bank PHB’s The Apprentice Africa, amongst others. Recently reputed for securing an exclusive print interview with President Goodluck Jonathan – his first since assuming office – he is a winner of the Nigeria Media Merit Award and is part of the editorial board of NEXT Newspapers.

Other directors include Mfon Ekpo (Strategy); Cheta Nwanze (Technology) and Debie Magnut (External Relations).

The firm will be presented formally at a media and VIP event in Lagos in September. More information is onwww.rednigeria.com and via [email protected].

RED can also be found on facebook.com/RedNigeria, twitter.com/RedNigeria and youtube.com/RedNigeria.

By Chude Jideonwo

I started my career as a print journalist with TEMPO magazine, some eight odd years ago. TEMPO and its sister publication TheNEWS had just emerged from a classic ‘roforofo’ under Abacha and was trying to find its feet. There was no more lunatic general trying to snuff the life out of the media as well as citizens, the dynamics of investigative journalism were changing in a way no one could have anticipated considering the suddenness of ‘Khalifa’s’ death. It was double jeopardy for a magazine with two such stables.

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