Brands/Products
Building Your Corporate Image Through Public Relations
By Sunday Ikwuagwu
Every organisation exists with a corporate identity unique to itself and distinguishing it from others, regardless of how similar they may be. It transcends visual elements which may include logo, colours, fonts, pay offs and other graphics associated with the company.
Creating a holistic corporate identity presupposes taking into account all aspects which define the organization’s purpose and everything it stands for. This includes the Vision, Mission, Core Values, Corporate Culture and Governance and Business Goals of the company.
Proactively building a corporate identity will ensure an organization’s consistency and coherence when engaging its internal and external stakeholders, elicit renewed confidence and trust and distinguish it from competitors.
While corporate identity is how an organisation wants to be perceived by the public, corporate image is the actual public perception of the company, and managing that perception is very crucial. The ultimate aim of a company is the exact alignment of corporate identity with corporate image, so that the public views the company exactly as the company wants to be seen.
The overall business success of a company will depend on its corporate image which attracts attention and sustains consumer loyalty. Every organisation, no matter how large or small, ultimately depends on its image and reputation for survival and success.
In today’s evolving and competitive market, a positive corporate image is a company’s greatest asset and should be considered a strategic priority that must be achieved. A favourable corporate image will help an organisation gain a competitive advantage and a fair share of the market.
Deploying an effective Public Relations strategy in achieving a favourable organizational image requires skilful and adept planning which incorporates situation analysis, defining target and publics, defining objectives, media selection, budgeting, implementation, control and monitoring and evaluation.
In developing a strategy to successfully build and enhance your corporate image, you must analyse trends. Investigate the current situation of the organisation from the public standpoint. This is also called Perception Audit. By doing this, you detect the current perception ratio of the negatives versus the positives and neutralize the negatives before it turns into a conflagration that could do serious damage to your business.
American business magnate and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
Identifying your key target audiences is very crucial in building a favourable image. Your target audiences will consist of a mix of external and internal groups, including customers, clients, partners, employees, government, investors, media and industry professionals.
It’s important to be very specific when defining your audiences. You need clarity about the groups you are targeting to craft an effective strategy that will speak directly to their unique concerns.
Enhancing your company’s image basically involves communicating your successes to the widest possible audience. You excerpt testimonials, awards, and other accolades in your communication materials, in the media, on your website, social media handles, and physical (and virtual) spaces around your business environment.
When your various publics come in contact with this information, it will make a positive brand impression that is likely to cause them to have a positive perception about your company and tell people they know through their networks. By this, you can leverage your earned corporate image to increase your business profitability and make positive impressions on existing and potential customers, prospects, future employees, vendors, and all your constituents.
Developing clear and concise messages that stimulate the public’s interest in your company is vital. Your messages must be stakeholder focused. A feedback mechanism is also very necessary to elicit responses from various stakeholders and make adjustments arising from negative public outcry that could threaten the business.
Cultivating a healthy relationship with the media and implementing an effective media relations strategy will help mitigate negative consequences when your company falls into a crisis situation. A robust media relationship offers higher credibility and helps in building corporate presence and reinforce brand image using the media.
It is important to get involved in Corporate Social Investment. Engaging in CSI is a good way to build a favourable corporate image and renew public confidence in your company. It projects the company’s reputation and creates the picture of a responsible business, which can in turn, lead to competitive advantage.
The advantages accruable from CSI include positive business reputation, positive media attention, easier access to finance, government recognition, increased sales and customer loyalty, ease of doing business, greater ability to attract talent and retain staff, and organisational growth.
Corporate Sponsorship is another smart way to increase your company’s brand visibility, awareness and ultimately your company’s corporate image. Sponsorship gives your company the opportunity to boost the perceived image of your business, gain media exposure and build your brand authority.
The more your company’s brand name is associated with positive experiences or emotions through sponsorships, the stronger your corporate image will be.
Improving your company’s corporate culture in also very necessary. The internal stakeholders form an integral part of the business, and are the immediate face of the organization. It is important to align them with the business goals, values, vision and mission of your company through an effective internal communications structure. The public disposition of an employee creates a certain image of the organization in the minds of the public.
Incorporating image as part of corporate strategy and investing in reputation management requires a diligent, strategic approach. The tactic needs to be consistent, targeted and factual in support of an organization’s long-term business plans. It has been proven that investing in a quality image provides an ongoing return that organizations can measure in many ways.
Once you take steps to build and protect your corporate image, you can benefit greatly by implementing measures to leverage the positives. Most important of all, a good corporate image will provide a solid foundation on which you can build a successful business.
Always remember that how the public perceives your brand is vital to the success of your business. For that reason, investing in conscious efforts to improve your public image is one of the most effective ways to grow your business and become successful in your industry.
Sunday Ikwuagwu is the Principal Consultant at Walmond Communications Limited. He can be reached on 08181407842, 08070857968, su************@*******************ns.com or www.walmondcommunications.com.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have commended Rite Foods Limited for its commitment to safe, high-quality manufacturing and its consumer-centric approach that continues to strengthen consumer confidence in Nigeria’s food and beverage sector.
The commendation came during a recent stakeholder forum commemorating World Consumer Rights Day, themed Safe Product, Confident Consumers, organised by the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) and hosted by Rite Foods Limited at the company’s state-of-the-art factory in Ososa, Ogun State, on Friday.
The forum brought together key stakeholders, including regulators, consumer advocates, and journalists, to discuss the importance of product safety, responsible manufacturing, and consumer awareness in building a more accountable marketplace.
World Consumer Rights Day, observed annually on March 15, provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting consumers and strengthening trust in products and services.
In his welcome address, Mr Femi Ajileye, General Manager, Operations at Rite Foods Limited, welcomed members of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria and introduced them to the company’s goal of delivering world-class food and beverage products produced with global best practices.
“At Rite Foods, our philosophy is simply to consistently deliver safe, high-quality products that consumers can trust. Our investment in advanced technology, automated processes, and rigorous quality assurance reflects our dedicated commitment to excellence and consumer satisfaction.”
He added that the company remains committed to transparency and stakeholder engagement as part of its broader responsibility to consumers.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Olubunmi Dorcas Otti, Zonal Coordinator, South-West Zone of the FCCPC, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman, Mr Tunji Bello, said Rite Foods had demonstrated a strong commitment to consumer protection through transparent operations and adherence to high production standards.
She noted that opening its manufacturing facility to regulators, journalists, and stakeholders further reflects the company’s confidence in its processes.
“Rite Foods has taken a commendable step in reinforcing consumer confidence through quality products and transparent operations. Protecting consumers is a shared responsibility, and engagements like this strengthen collaboration between regulators, industry players, and the media,” she said.
She also highlighted the important role of the media in bridging the gap between producers, regulators, and the public through accurate reporting and public education on consumer rights.
Also speaking, Mrs Tinuola Akinnubi, Deputy Director, Food Regulatory Directorate and Focal Point for Alcohol at NAFDAC, representing the Director General of the agency, Mrs Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasised that consumer rights remain a critical pillar of regulatory governance.
According to her, these rights include the right to safety, information, choice, redress, and to be heard. “A protected consumer is a confident consumer. And confident consumers strengthen markets, which ultimately contribute to building strong nations,” she said.
Mrs Akinnubi added that strengthening Nigeria’s consumer protection ecosystem requires enhanced surveillance, improved post-market monitoring, greater stakeholder engagement, the use of technology for traceability, and sustained consumer awareness initiatives.
Giving the keynote address, Mrs Sola Salako, President and Founder of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), praised Rite Foods for hosting the forum and highlighted the role of technology in strengthening consumer protection.
She spoke on Using AI to Improve Consumer Confidence, and introduced the CAFON Consumer Companion (3C) App, designed to help Nigerian consumers better understand and enforce their rights by guiding dispute resolution, complaint drafting, and identifying possible legal violations.
Mrs Salako also noted that the media can leverage the platform to verify consumer claims, investigate unfair practices, and promote accountability.
She commended Rite Foods for opening its operations to stakeholders, noting that a company willing to bring regulators, journalists, and consumer advocates into its factory demonstrates strong confidence in its processes and the quality of its products.
Speaking on behalf of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, Mr Dan Obi, Chairman of the association, commended Rite Foods for opening its production facility to journalists and regulators, describing the move as a demonstration of accountability and confidence in its manufacturing standards.
“The level of professionalism, hygiene, and automation observed during the factory tour reinforces confidence in the quality of products coming from Rite Foods. This kind of openness strengthens public trust and promotes responsible industry practices,” he stated.
Rite Foods’ portfolio includes 13 variants of Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, Bigi Premium Table Water, the award-winning Sosa Fruit Drink, Fearless Energy Drink, and Bigi Flex, Rite, and Bigi Beef Sausages.
The company recently received the Outstanding FMCG Corporate Brand of the Year at the Edge Awards, alongside multiple honours at the Sustainability, Innovation and Social Impact (SISA) Awards and the SERAS Awards.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The prevailing rise in input costs and economic conditions have forced leading brewery companies in Nigeria, including International Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, and Nigerian Breweries Plc, to raise the prices of their products.
Guinness Nigeria, in a notice sent to business partners, announced a plan to increase prices on selected SKUs across categories from Thursday, March 26, 2026.
The company noted that the price increase was necessitated by the prevailing economic conditions, which have significantly impacted its cost of doing business. It noted that fully funded orders raised in its system before Thursday, March 26, 2026, will be shipped at existing prices.
In the same vein, Nigerian Breweries, in a notification sent to its valued partners, said it would implement a price increase on select SKUs, effective Friday, March 20, 2026, but promised to honour current prices for all fully funded and confirmed orders placed in its system before the day of the increment to minimise disruptions.
The company commended the partners for their continued support and efforts to deliver on the 2026 business objectives, noting that their partnership is highly valued and remains integral to its shared success.
Similarly, International Breweries said its price adjustment would be applied to selected SKUs across its portfolio, effective Saturday, March 21, 2026.
The price increase, according to the District Manager, International Breweries, West, Mr Samuel Ngene, was driven by the prevailing global conflict and subsequent rising input costs.
Like the others, Mr Ngene assured customers that the company would honour current pricing for existing orders that are fully funded in the system before March 21, 2026, urging business partners to review their current orders and plan purchases accordingly to optimise operations during this period.
He expressed profound appreciation to all the business partners, noting that the company remains committed to working closely with them in providing the necessary support to drive continued growth in your territory.
March is globally recognised as Women’s Month, a time to celebrate strength, resilience, and impact. From International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, the spotlight is on women and the many roles they embody.
This March, GOtv steps into the stories of women not just as characters, but as forces that shape families, legacies, and entire worlds. Because on GOtv, these stories are more than entertainment, they are reflections of real women.
From Mothers of the Bride, where Mia Sisi carries the weight of family pride and will go to any length to protect their name, to Wura, who would go to any length to protect the family.
At the heart of Wura is also Iyabo, fierce, loyal, and unwavering. A mother whose strength is not just in her love, but in her readiness to fight for what is hers. She represents a kind of womanhood that is bold, protective, and deeply rooted in resilience.
Then there’s Daughter of Water, a story of identity, mystery, and purpose… where a woman’s journey flows as deeply as her power.
The Split brings another dimension, ambition, complexity, and the balancing act women navigate in love, career, and self.
And on Heartbeat, we see women show up in everyday strength, in love, in loss, in quiet courage that keeps life moving forward.
Across every screen, one thing is clear: there is no single way to be a woman.
She can be soft and strong, protective and powerful and calm… yet ready to rise again when life demands it.
This is what GOtv celebrates, women in their fullness. The fighters, the nurturers, the leaders, the survivors. The ones who hold families together, challenge the odds, and redefine what strength looks like every single day.
And this March, their stories take centre stage.
To upgrade, subscribe, or reconnect, download the MyGOtv App or dial *288#. For c
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