2020 was a crazy year! Fortunately, It didn’t rub us of our creativity. 😊

In the video compilation below are some of the most creative ads from Nigeria in 2020; some might even make the best-of-all-time list! They grabbed attention, appealed to emotions, and placed some brands in a special room in our hearts and heads.

Want to know why they made the top 5 list? Keep reading below!

Number 5: Make it Happen by Keystone Bank

The ad was an instant hit because it played on an all too familiar insight about African parents, but with a fresh and interesting twist made possible by technology. Someone finally figured a smart and respectful way to handle that annoying character of our African parents. Lol.

I love it! The idea is that Keystone Bank provides customers with smart ideas for them to enjoy a stress-free life. The production is top-notch, and the cast nailed their roles, especially Junior.
It’s a dope ad, isn’t it? You are not alone if you think so. Check out the reactions to the video on my Instagram page.

Number 4: Find Your First (Mechanic Ad) by Globacom

My initial reaction to this ad was “finally, a fresh direction from Globacom Limited”. It was one of the first dope ads they produced in 2020 (Yeah, they did a lot, Lol.)
You can’t deny that the production quality is good. Also, I liked the lady’s effortless delivery. She was a perfect fit for the role, but the guy? Not so much. That notwithstanding, the ad was an instant hit because apart from the fact that this was a fresh approach to selling data, the story is very relatable too.
The ‘don’t leave me’ part wasn’t lost on us too. Lol. Great way to tap into the Nigeria pop culture trend. Also, did anyone notice the name the lady used to save the mechanic’s number? That’s a brilliant detail. She named him as ‘thief thief mechanic’, which shows that she already knew his antics and only called him because she wanted to borrow his tools. Lol. Good one!
“Find your first” or do what you’ve never done before is an excellent approach to selling mega data plans because that’s what’s happening. With the internet, people are learning and trying new things every day. It is an excellent choice for a campaign theme, and Glo’s creative agencies had a good time playing with it. Yes, this is just one of the many ads with this theme, but when I put a couple of them together and asked the audience to choose their favorite, this Mechanic version came tops! See the poll here.

Number 3: Turn It Up by MTN Nigeria

This ad released in January was a great way to begin the year! #TurnItUp is a beautiful production in and out. Everything was on point; the cast, the delivery, the mood (one area that is hard for Nigerian production companies to achieve), the editing, and every other aspect of the video. But what made it so endearing wasn’t just the production quality but the emotional story.
It was of a dad and his young son, who could no longer do what he loves to provide for his family. People outgrew him, they were no longer interested in the man’s shows, but MTN, with the help of technology, is constantly helping people like this man and his son to achieve great things, even in areas we never believed technology could improve.
The ad got a lot of positive reviews on my page as well. Check them out.

Number 2: Sunday Nite Laugh Ad by Basketmouth

This ad is a creative masterpiece of 2020. Simple, engaging, and fun, without trying too hard. Basketmouth totally nailed it with his voice-over, and I loved that even though the comedy show was the reason for the ad, he gave the show’s sponsor prominence by making their logo the first detail to appear.
I am not alone in this. See what others think about the ad.

Number 1 – 444 by Airtel Nigeria

Let me known that in 2020, Airtel captured the hearts and minds of Nigerians with a song! This ad is, by far the best jingle and one of the biggest songs from Nigeria in 2020. It was literarily on everyone’s lips!
Achieving so much with little or no budget is one of the determining factors of creativity. The creativity with which the song was crafted and delivered was enough to outdo other big-budget ads with just a lyrics video.
I believe Globacom tried to beat it with its version of a song. Most people thought the Airtel jingle was sung by a popular Nigerian artiste, TeniTheEntertainer, when it was delivered by Molade, another artiste that sounded a lot like her.

So Globacom was probably hoping to beat its shine by releasing her music ad delivered by the talented singer, Teni. Unfortunately, as my poll revealed (see it here), even with the celebrity advantage, Glo’s version didn’t even come close! Airtel’s 444 was way too big.

There you go! The Top 5 of the most creative ads from Nigeria, 2020. Which one is your favourite?