Why AMEN Awards Organizers Appoints U S P as Brand
Consultancy
It is battle to finish as plans are in top gears to
unveil the date, venue of AMEN awards 2008. Tijani
Adegbola and Olamide Moshood write on the coming event
in which the organizers just appoint U S P as the
brand consultant.
Expectation on AMEN 2008
Many awards have been held in showbiz industry since
January of this year. Experts in the industry
acknowledge some but kick against some due to less
credibility. By and large, the organizers of these
awards’ objective are to promote entertainment in the
country. Thank God, major players in this sector are
smiling at the moment as a result of changes awards
organizers have brought into the game. Therefore, AMEN
Awards 2008, one of the persistence awards which has
been in the existence since 1998 in order to reward
Nigerian musicians is planning big for 2008 edition.
In expectation, Prince Adeyemi Aseperi, coordinator of
the highly celebrated and annual awards ceremony noted
that the awards this year is full of numerous
excitements as the event clocks 10. “Well, for this
year edition, people usually say they are taking
things to the next level, but in 2008 it is beyond
next level. Come to think of it, AMEN is 10. In fact,
we repackaging. One of the re-branding process, we
have appointed a brand consultancy firm to take a look
at the logo, trophy, and give us a good brand
preposition that will take their world beyond the next
level”, he disclosed.
Monetary Reward
The best artiste of the year under KORA will earn 1
Million dollars. Converting that to Nigerian currency,
it is a huge amount of money if Nigerian artiste
eventually wins the award. So, everybody is looking at
AMEN direction, and thinking that Nigerian artistes
should have started earning money, attaching to the
awards. Artistes are expecting something mouth
watering from the organizers this time, one popular
artiste who has won the event in the past said. In
reacting to this, the coordinator of AMEN described
that established artistes should not be expecting
money from AMEN. “Established artistes in Nigeria do
not have challenge with money. I do not even think we
should be talking about money as far as AMEN is
concerned. I believe the problem they are facing is
sustainability of image. So, one of the things AMEN
awards will be doing is that artiste of the year will
not be abandoned. But for the next one year after the
awards U S P, our brand consultancy will as well take
image of that artiste to the level beyond the
expectation. Encomium, the owner of AMEN awards, being
the publishing house will also give one year solid
visibility to that artist. If he has a show, encomium
will be there to cover it live and report it in
positive way. The image of that artiste will also be
handled by a Public Relations Agency for a year. In
term of monetarily value, there is going to be a lot.
There will be corporate visitation to corporate
bodies. You know what that means; we will be looking
for endorsement and brand preposition for the artiste.
I do not think that an artiste wins an award then cash
reward is attached to it.  What is important is the
trophy not the cash. I think there should a balance.
We shall do that. What AMEN is going to do for such
artiste is going to be well over million dollars as a
result of the values attached”.
Yardstick to Select Artistes
When awards organizers release nomination names, those
in the picture run helter scatter in making it
possible to win the award. But majority of them do not
have access to know measures the organizers or judges
use in selecting winner. However, it becomes argument
in the public. Followers of Hip-Hop World Awards would
quickly remember the controversy story on Paul and
Peter Okoye, known as P Square, challenging the
organizers of 2008 edition of the event on why they do
not win any award. P Square however noted that the
award did not base on credibility. Declaring to press
men that they deserve award but fail to tell the world
what the yardsticks are before choosing winners. As
far as AMEN is concerned it has been declared that the
selection of the winners will base on production,
popularity of the song and others. “One is the
production of that job. We as well look at the
acceptability of that job. We also look at the
audience. I mean popularity of the song and artist.
But by and large, the production quality goes a long
way. When you have song of the year is different from
an artist being a total package. Song of the year is
based on popularity. You do not just become an artist
of the year. You must have won producer of the year,
song of the year, artiste of the year and what have
you”, Prince said.      
AMEN with Brand Association
Awards in Nigeria are going branding. U B A reckons
with AMMA. First Bank associates with KORA. AMEN is
yet to see reputable brand. This becomes a big
challenge to the organizers that is they beckon on U
SP, a brand consultancy firm to re-brand the trophy,
logo and other communication materials that sustain a
brand. Hear Prince: “People use to say that life
begins at 40th. Perhaps, AMEN life is starting at 10th
edition. This is the award that is still most
consistences. No award in Nigeria has done 10th
edition. This is one factor. The second one is, the
awards are for musicians not celebrities. The awards
are not for politicians. It is basically for Nigerian
musicians. This is what we call authentic Nigerian
award. It is only award that has over 60 categories.
That is to say that if you are a musician you are
qualified to be nominated in a category.
Approximately, for 2008, we should be looking at 62 to
63 awards that will be given out. However, on brand
association, we will not want to give too publicity to
the brands which have agreed to identify with us at
this early stage”.
Profitable Event
Objective of awards ceremony varies according to an
event manager working with an events management agency
and who has been organizing awards since revealed that
awards might be organize for money sake. Some might be
for corporate social responsibility. Others might be
for community development and so on. For AMEN, Aseperi
added that the awards are not for money making. “The
award is non-profit making event. I think we need to
have that at the back of our minds. Nevertheless, we
allow corporate organizations that are interested in
associating with the music industry by way of buying
table, branded tables for corporate organizations. We
will be looking at major sponsors. Part sponsors would
have three categories: Gold, Platinum and Silver
categories for sponsorship”, he noted.
AMEN Date
As plans are top gear, the organizers have not
unfolded the date. This might a little beat risky
because of brands that might want to support the
event. Prince as he is popularly called proffers
answers “The month or date is not meant to be cast for
the public for now. I would not like to disclose the
date or venue until the board agrees. One thing I
assure the public is that, the event will take place
on the Island. It might be the last quarter of the
year. It will not affect our marketing strategies”.
Working Experience with AMEN
Being at the helm of affairs at AMEN, indicates that
he is very experience. According to Prince Adeyemi
Aseperi, his experience on how to organize awards
actually started with FAME Awards in those days before
crossing to AMEN. “It has been wonderful and more
rewarding than any other thing. I am an event person.
So, AMEN for me is just another event. The experience
did not start with AMEN awards. It transits from FAME
awards. So, I have been part of AMEN awards since the
beginning. I was the President of AMEN awards from
1998-2000”, he concluded.