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Holiday Shoppers Spend $1.2trn Online

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Salesforce Holiday Shoppers $1.2trn

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A report released by Salesforce has revealed that about $1.2 trillion was used for shopping across the globe during the just-concluded Christmas and New Year holidays.

It was stated that the United States accounted for $282 billion, with data based on an analysis of 1.5 billion shoppers and 1.6 trillion page views across the Salesforce Platform.

The report indicates that the better-than-expected holiday shopping season was powered by surges in mobile and social commerce alongside increased consumer spending after months of saving in the first half of 2024.

However, shoppers have already sent back $122 billion in merchandise, with consumers and retailers leaning into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and agents to enhance holiday shopping experiences through product recommendations and personalised order support, influencing $229 billion – or 19 per cent – of all online orders.

“Retailers had a robust holiday season, but a 28% rise in the rate of returns compared to last year is a cause for some concern,” said Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights at Salesforce. “Retailers who have embraced AI and agents are already seeing the benefits, but these tools will be even more critical in the new year as retailers aim to minimise revenue losses on returns and reengage with shoppers.”

It was gathered that about $229 billion of global online sales were influenced by AI and agents in the form of product recommendations, targeted offers, and conversational customer service support, with 19 per cent of holiday purchases influenced by consumers engaging with AI and agents, a 6 per cent increase from 2023.

In addition, shoppers used AI- and agent-powered chat for customer service 42 per cent more than they did during the 2023 holiday season, and over $122 billion of global purchases have already been returned, up 28 per cent from last year.

It was noted that this increase is partially due to trending consumer behaviours like “try-on hauls” and bracketing (buying an extra size above and below your standard size).

Salesforce projects that retailers will likely see this number grow to $133 billion – presenting an important opportunity for brands to use agents to make the returns process easier and more tailored to specific customer needs.

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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FreshSight Communications Assures Clients Tailored PR Services

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FreshSight Communications

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A new Public Relations (PR) agency, FreshSight Communications, has promised to offer tailored services to its clients, as it joins the highly competitive industry.

According to the co-founder of the company, Mr Justice Mmadubugwu, FreshSight Communications will provide top-notch PR services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses, organisations, and individuals seeking to amplify their brand presence and reputation.

He also expressed confidence in working with media partners to share compelling stories, promote innovative ideas, and spark important discussions that affect society.

“We are excited to introduce FreshSight Communications to the Nigerian market.

“Our goal is to become the leading PR agency for businesses seeking to establish strong relationships with their target audiences and stakeholders,” Mr Mmadubugwu stated.

FreshSight Communications said its services include media relations and crisis communications; brand management and reputation enhancement; digital PR and social media management; event management and planning; content creation and copywriting; and artist/influencers management.

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2025 PR Monitoring & Measurement Outlook: Local and Global Perspectives

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2025 PR Monitoring Outlook

By Philip Odiakose

Welcome to my first LinkedIn Newsletter in 2025, where I share insights as a public relations measurement professional with more than a decade of experience shaping conversations in Nigeria and globally.

As we step into 2025, the world of PR monitoring and measurement is undergoing a significant transformation. This year, we anticipate trends that will reshape how brands, PR agencies, and independent measurement consultancies collaborate, ensuring transparency, unbiased analyses, and actionable insights.

In this newsletter, I will provide a dual perspective: the Nigerian PR monitoring landscape and the global outlook for 2025.

Local PR Monitoring and Measurement Outlook: Nigeria in 2025

  1. Increased Demand for Transparency: Nigerian brands are recognizing the importance of transparency in PR outcomes. There will be heightened demand for agencies to provide detailed, unbiased performance audits.
  2. Adoption of Independent Measurement Consultancies: The era of self-evaluation by PR agencies is waning. In 2025, more Nigerian brands will partner with independent consultancies like P+ Measurement Services to ensure objective insights that foster accountability.
  3. Integration of Technology with Local Expertise: As AI tools and platforms gain traction, Nigerian PR professionals must strike a balance between technology-driven insights and localized expertise to cater to the unique dynamics of our market.
  4. Shift from ROI to ROO (Return on Objectives): In 2025, Nigerian PR practitioners will move beyond traditional ROI (Return on Investment) metrics that focus solely on financial outcomes. Instead, there will be a focus on ROO (Return on Objectives), emphasizing how PR efforts meet broader organizational goals such as brand awareness, reputation enhancement, stakeholder engagement, and social impact. This shift aligns with the evolving Nigerian economic landscape, where businesses prioritize long-term value creation and sustainability over short-term financial gains.
  5. Education as a Driver for Adoption: The need for education on measurement standards will grow. Initiatives like AMEC’s Measurement Month and local workshops like EvaluatePR event by P+ Measurement Services, Spin Sucks led by Gini Dietrich, and Measurement Base Camp by Paine Publishing led by Katie Delahaye Paine will play a pivotal role in driving adoption and bridging the knowledge gap among PR professionals.

Global PR Monitoring and Measurement Outlook: 2025

  1. Increased Collaboration Between PR Agencies and Measurement Experts: Globally, we will see stronger partnerships between PR professionals and measurement consultants to deliver credible, data-backed reports that influence boardroom decisions.
  2. Standardization Through Education: AMEC Measurement and Evaluation (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) and its members will continue leading the charge in educating PR professionals on best practices, ensuring global alignment on measurement standards like the Barcelona Principles, Measurement Maturity Mapper and Measurement Framework.
  3. Rising Demand for Unbiased Audits: Brands across the globe will increasingly seek independent PR measurement audits, avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring that insights are impartial and actionable.
  4. Adoption of Technology and Real-Time Analytics: The rise of real-time monitoring and advanced analytics tools will enable PR professionals to adjust strategies dynamically, making campaigns more impactful.
  5. Focus on ESG and Social Impact Metrics: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics will take center stage in global PR measurement. Organizations will prioritize measuring how their communications align with sustainability and societal goals.

The Way Forward

2025 marks a year of audacious transformation in PR monitoring and measurement, both in Nigeria and globally. At P+ Measurement Services, we are committed to driving this change by partnering with brands, agencies, and global stakeholders to deliver transparent, unbiased, and impactful insights.

The success of PR measurement lies in the collaboration between PR professionals and measurement experts, coupled with continuous education and adherence to global standards. As a founding member of AMEC Member Lab Initiative, I am optimistic about the role we will play in shaping the future of this industry.

Let us redefine PR measurement together, one campaign at a time.

Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of PR monitoring, measurement, and evaluation in Nigeria. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMEC Lab InitiativeNIPR and AMCRON

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Lyca Repositions Business Operations for Sustainable Growth

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lyca group

By Dipo Olowookere

The world’s largest mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Lyca Group, has taken a bold move to reorganise its certain business units and operations.

A statement from the firm explained that the action is to position it for sustainable growth in a competitive and challenging global market through digital capabilities.

This will result in faster delivery of innovative products and services, reduce overlaps, automate processes, and achieve substantial cost savings, which will be reinvested in market expansion and customer-focused initiatives.

It was stated that the proposed transformation forms part of Lyca’s long-term strategy to expand its global business services and support operations into its established service centres as well as new service hubs to be located in territories that have strategic importance while transforming country-specific operations into leaner, sales-focused organisations.

The company continues to focus on the growth of its mobile virtual network operations base and investing in new Mobile Network Operator (MNO) opportunities and markets in Africa, where it currently operates the Lyca MNO in Uganda—and elsewhere.

The organisation plans to announce expansion to new countries as soon as Q1 2025, including the launch of new digital brands in Spain and the USA.

Lyca expressed confidence that this transformation would deliver significant operational efficiencies, boost speed to market, improve customer experience, and ensure it continues to provide exceptional value to its customers worldwide.

“Lyca’s strategic reorganisation is a bold step forward, ensuring we remain a leader in delivering affordable, high-quality telecom solutions to our customers globally.

“This paradigm change not only enhances our efficiency but also strengthens our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing industry, ultimately benefiting our customers, partners, and employees globally,” the Deputy Chairman of Lyca Group, Premananthan Sivasamy, stated.

Lyca says it remains committed to supporting its employees during this transformation, noting that a smaller and more specialised team will remain in London to manage certain limited advisory, compliance, and financial functions that require a UK presence.

It disclosed that other roles will be handled either from our existing service centres or at hubs to be established in order to leverage cost efficiencies and expertise, enabling the business to reinvest resources in innovation and strengthen our business.

Already, it is engaging in a thorough consultation process with employees and will work closely with partners to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption to the high standards of service and collaboration they have come to expect from Lyca.

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