Raheem Akingbolu writes on the need for consumers to avoid joining the bandwagon by believing everything dropped at their door steps without verification
News of fake products flooding the market is not new in Nigeria. From time to time, some scrupulous businessmen come to the market with inferior version of premium brands. So far, products in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector have remained the major victim of such practice, especially when one considers how the fortunes of brands like Close Up and Seaman Schnapps plummeted, following the negative impact of counterfeiting.
However, the market has also witnessed several occasions when some faceless groups would enter the streets with news of fake products when there is none. In some cases, competitions sponsor such campaign to smear the image of rival brands. Unfortunately, consumers do accept the rumours hook, line and sinker without any move to verify whether it is being championed by people with ulterior motive.
Rumour of fake Amstel Malta
In the last few months, the news of fake Amstel Malta has been consistent in the market. Unlike those days when such news can be nipped in the bud before it became public knowledge, social media presence made it travel so fast that at the click of the button, the whole world had it at their palms. For promoters of brands that have seen Amstel as a threat, this became an opportunity to latch on the rumour to further smear the image of the brand.
Of course, Amstel Malta’s team at the Nigerian Breweries promptly responded and explained that the two versions in town were the same Amstel Malta. But the more the team tried to convince the consumers that all is well, the fifth columnist remained determined to make something out of the crisis.
In line with the trend in today’s market, with the hash tag; #stillthesame# Nigerian Breweries went viral to sensitise the public. The company in one of its facebook posts explained that “As per NAFDAC & SON regulates, our pack has changed slightly. But don’t worry; it’s the same premium Amstel Malta You Love”
These worked for few weeks and just as consumers were adjusting to the reality; those behind the campaign came up with another cock and bull story. In what looked like a well orchestrated but poorly executed short drama production, some dramatic personae, believed to be on the payroll of the promoters of the fake Amstel Campaign, hit the street with the video of how a consumer found particles in the one described as fake version of the product. Unexpectedly, a section of the market again believed the drama and started sharing it on social media.
Reactions
A marketing lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr. Farouk Abubakar posited that desperation in competition, as a result of recession might have been responsible for such orchestrated campaign of calumny.
“Brand wars are not alien to this part of the world. Brand promoters are known to fight dirty when their brands are at the receiving ends. Could this be as a result of that?” Abubakar said.
Speaking further, the lecturer who teaches Nigerian Economy at the University, has also called on regulatory authority to look at the operation of social media because of those who will use the 21st Century technology breakthrough in the negative way that would create unnecessary panics.
Corroborating the position of the university don, an industry observer, Mr. Aniete Udoh, said that despite the importance of technology to today’s business, Nigerians need to be careful on what they showcase on social media, especially when it has to do with consumers’ interest and nation’s economy.
“Sadly, social media has become a dumping ground because access to it is unregulated and free. Looking at the recent video used to spread the adverse campaign against Amstel Malta, one would observe that it was a calculated attempt to give a negative image to Amstel Malta, which is known to currently occupies the leadership of its segment in the market,”
SON’s intervention
In what looked like a timely intervention to rest the case, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON),the statutory body that is vested with the responsibility of standardising and regulating the quality of all products in Nigeria, has debunked the claims of a fake Amstel Malta in circulation.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos recently, a Deputy Director at SON, Mr Fred Akingbesote, emphasised that there was no fake Amstel Malta in the market.
Mr Akingbesote confirmed that the NIS logo on Amstel Malta was the highest mark of quality from SON and commended the management of Nigerian Breweries Plc, makers of the Amstel Malta, for its commitment to the highest quality standard.
He stated that Nigerian Breweries is one of the first companies to adopt the new NIS logo which was launched in September 2015.
The Deputy Director, who represented the Director General of the organisation at the media parley, explained to journalists that Nigerian Breweries have met all SON safety and quality requirements and have complied with all requirements of the new National Industrial Standard (NIS) logo.
Akingbesote maintained that the people behind the defamation were just playing on the intelligence of Nigerians.
“We have a website, which contains all information on our standards and quality regulations. Every Nigerian who has doubts about any product certified by SON should crosscheck the facts,” he said.
Also speaking on the occasion, Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Kufre Ekanem, explained that the Amstel Malta was one of the first brands to comply with SON directives.
He added that the brand revised its packaging in line with the guidelines and approval of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and in compliance with the new mandatory NIS quality logo from the SON
“In the normal course of product and packaging renovation, old packaging and the new introduction co-exist in the market until the old one dries out. In view of the 12-month shelf life, we currently have Amstel Malta with both the old and new packaging in some parts of the market,” Mr Ekanem said.
He maintained that Nigerian Breweries is a world class multinational company that has operated in Nigeria for over 70 years and that the quality of its brands has been one of the key success factors of the company across these decades.
“Every pack of Amstel Malta is produced to the highest quality-control standards of Nigerian Breweries,” he noted.
He also said before the company rebranded Amstel Malta in 2016, it got the necessary approvals from the relevant agencies.
Ekanem assured consumers that every pack of Amstel Malta contains the same premium quality malt drink that they have come to love.
He informed that the company has reported the defamation attempt to the police and remains grateful that the police authorities are investigating the case further.
In August 2016, Amstel Malta, the premium, low sugar formulated malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries, launched a new credential campaign WhyAddMore.
Shortly after the campaign, a picture went viral that a fake version of the Amstel Malta was in circulation.
This was because the new packaging wore the new NIS logo while the old packaging had the old NIS logo of SON.
