RED | For Africa at 20: Two Decades of Transformative Campaigns

LAGOS, NIGERIA, June 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Celebrating 20 Years of Strategic Influence, Youth Power, and African Storytelling

Founded in 2005 by Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams, RED | For Africa was built on one bold idea: storytelling could move Africa forward.

Over the past two decades, that idea has become a continental force, manifested through Red Media Africa, The Future Project, and StateCraft Incorporated. From revolutionising residential campaigns to amplifying youth voices, igniting policy conversations, and driving brand transformation, RED has not merely kept up with culture — it has shaped it.

As RED | For Africa marks twenty years of impact, here are 20 ways the premier agency has REDefined the culture:

1. Redefining Political Communication

In 2011, StateCraft Inc. orchestrated Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign, ushering in a new era of values-led political messaging while bridging the elite and grassroots through media and mobilisation.

2. Winning Hearts with Sleek Innovation

Amstel Malta’s 30th-anniversary campaign (#SleekIsMore) in 2024 blended nostalgia, celebrity, and youth culture. The campaign earned the 2025 ADVAN Award for Corporate Communication Campaign of the Year.

3. Unseating an Incumbent Through Strategic Perception

In 2015, StateCraft Inc. reimagined Muhammadu Buhari’s public image, executing a campaign that made history by unseating a sitting Nigerian president for the first time in democratic history. This proved the power of perception and strategic storytelling.

4. Positioning Uber as a Lifestyle Movement

From 2016, RED| For Africa led Uber's public relations strategy in Nigeria and Ghana, positioning the brand beyond ride-hailing services as a symbol of innovation, youth identity, and mobility freedom.

5. Transforming Bureaucracy into Public Belief

For PEBEC in 2019, RED | For Africa rendered 140 complex business reforms accessible, relatable, and visible, fundamentally altering how governance is communicated in Nigeria.

6. Making Premium Beer Culture Cool

Heineken’s Credential Campaign, led by RED| For Africa, featured Jidenna on Guardian Life and MTV Base, sparking widespread engagement and winning a 2018 SABRE Award for Best Food & Beverage Campaign.

7. Telling Human Stories Behind Social Policy

The comprehensive campaign for NSIO (N-Power, GEEP, School Feeding) in 2019 brought dignity and identity to millions of Nigerian beneficiaries through individual storytelling.

8. Making Global Tech Local News

RED| For Africa drove the communications for Mark Zuckerberg’s first visit to Nigeria in 2016. The campaign secured the Gold SABRE Award for Public Relations Campaigns and positioned Nigeria as a rising force in global tech narratives.

9. Building Public Trust During a Global Crisis

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic's peak, RED | For Africa utilised community voices, local languages, and influencer-led campaigns for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to combat misinformation and promote public health across Nigeria.

10. Elevating Hygiene to National Priority

RED | For Africa led the charge behind Lifebuoy’s ‘Help a Child Reach 5’ campaign, transforming it from a brand message into a life-saving movement. The agency reached over two million children and played a vital role in reducing child mortality by partnering with NGOs to promote a culture of handwashing.

11. Turning Achievements into Public Trust

With President Macky Sall’s 2018 re-election campaign in Senegal, StateCraft did not just list achievements; it translated them into a national dialogue on shared prosperity.

12. Spreading Joy and Empowering Widows

RED| For Africa brought the Lipton #ReasonsToSmile campaign to life by supporting 1,000 widows with seed funding and care packages, amplifying a movement of kindness and community solidarity across Nigeria.

13. Elevating Women in Governance

The #Eko4Women campaign for Lagos State Government redefined civic engagement by showcasing women as builders, leaders, and visionaries, transforming political messaging through empathy.

14. Turning Sustainability into a Lifestyle

RED| For Africa supported Access Bank’s 2021 Sustainability Awareness Week with a multi-channel campaign that framed sustainability as a personal, social, and national priority, positioning the bank as a leader in corporate responsibility.

15. Repositioning a Pickup Truck with Pop Culture

For the 2022 launch of the Mitsubishi L200, RED| For Africa created a lifestyle experience through test-drive events, influencer content, and curated media, positioning the vehicle as aspirational for a new generation of professionals.

16. Making ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ a National Movement

For Ghana’s 2016 elections, RED | For Africa transformed Nana Akufo-Addo’s message into a movement. “Ghana Beyond Aid” became not just a slogan, but a renewed national ethos rooted in dignity and self-determination.

17. Refreshing Dairy for a Digital Generation

Through campaigns like #NothingLikeMilk, RED| For Africa helped Arla Foods make Dano Milk relevant to younger demographics whilst maintaining digital relevance, winning multiple Brandcom Awards and strengthening Nigeria's nutrition culture.

18. Celebrating 20 Years of African Pop Culture

RED| For Africa partnered with Paramount Africa across its brands — including MTV Base, BET, and Nickelodeon — and led recent milestones like MTV Base Day and CSS13. These campaigns connected with millions across Africa, affirming RED’s cultural relevance in youth entertainment.

19. Humanising Mining Operations

With Segilola Resources, RED | For Africa reframed gold mining as a driver of community development, spotlighting job creation, sustainability, and meaningful local impact in Osun State.

20. Elevating Future Leaders, One Individual at a Time

Through The Future Awards Africa, RED| For Africa has established an institution that celebrates and legitimises young African leaders before global recognition. Since 2005, it has remained the continent's premier standard for youth recognition.

Beyond Milestones: Creating Movements

These twenty examples represent more than campaigns; they are moments where RED | For Africa shifted narratives, influenced outcomes, and transformed perceptions of politics, policy, products, and people.

As RED| For Africa enters its third decade under Chief Executive Officer Ayodeji Razaq's leadership, the mission remains unchanged: to tell the stories that move Africa forward — boldly, authentically, and strategically.

Here is to the next 20 years of REDefining the culture.

Adedeji Adewumi
StateCraft Inc
+234 808 279 0452
email us here