1. MAR042-6 Business Dissertation
Answer:
Chapter 1: Introduction
The fact that the corporate environment is always changing underscores the significance of
strategy. As a result, regardless of its size or scale, every firm must implement well-thought-
out plans in order to survive and succeed in the market, as well as attempt to optimize for
future by following the current market trend. Strategies have been characterized as a
purposeful set of actions designed to achieve competitive edge while also providing
coherence and direction to an organization's operations. Enhancing the use of technology
and the new recognized digital media is one of the most important strategic changes that
has been involved by the business during the recent times. The research is conducted with
an aim of expressing the efficiency of Airtel Brand in evolving their position in the Nigerian
Market. For this the nexus between video content and the Airtel brand will be discussed.
Nexus is a term that is used to express the relationship between two factors and in this
research, the relationship between video content marketing and it’s used by the company
for their consumer interaction and digital marketing.
Background Of The Study
Businesses are undergoing substantial changes in their processes as well as their business
models as a result of modernization and globalization (Budhwar et al. 2017). They are
introducing innovative items to their clients and making efforts to appeal to them in a
revolutionary manner, both of which are successful. Companies are likewise on a mission to
incorporate innovation into their overall brand strategy. It is possible to innovate through
technical inclusion or strategic collaborations. Airtel Brand has been able to defend its
ground by holding on to its market share during the dynamic and competitive business
environment in Nigeria. This has not been possible without some extraordinary steps by the
Brand to ensure their sustainability in the market and one of the potential reasons behind
the same is incorporation of video content in their brand strategy. According to Airtel, its
ambition is to be more than just a conduit for connection; it wants to be a digital ecosystem
that attracts high-quality clients across sectors and provides them with a fantastic
experience across all contact points. In addition, highly strong network investments, as well
as a dependable and trustworthy brand, have enabled the firm to perform admirably even
2. during difficult times (Bharti Airtel. 2019). The purpose of this research study is to
investigate the relationship and effect that occurs when the world of video content is
integrated with the Airtel brand in Nigeria.
Problem Statement
Airtel Nigeria is a pioneer in the industry of telecommunications in Nigeria. The firm focuses
at growing better for what it does by implementing innovation and improvements inside its
organization (Dhir et al. 2020). In today's world, the video content sector is experiencing a
resurgence in popularity. Not only are businesses employing them to generate commercials
and digital content creators, but they are also a simple means of delivering recreational
amusement to the customers. Video content is one of the most enjoyable and engaging
methods of consuming material and with the rise of platforms like Youtube and Netflix, the
relevance of video content has developed over the last few years. Therefore, in order to
boost its market share, Airtel can add video content into their firm to give a wide range of
entertainment alternatives to the clients. This component in terms of nexus and effect will
be addressed throughout the research.
Rationale Of The Study
Every company aims at expanding its footprints in the Competitive Market When it comes
to airtel in the telecommunication sector, the company is definitely expanding its nature of
digital business to be on the position it is today in the Nigerian market. It has been come
across that to enhance its content strategy, the company is building its relationship with
video content through several tie-ups and maximising their contribution in entertainment
as well. The rationale of this study is to identify the reason of success of Airtel Brand in
Nigeria and the relationship between the video content strategy and Airtel brand which is
the problem statement of the research to evaluate.
Research Aims And Objectives
The main aim of this dissertation is to explore and critically investigate the nexus and the
effect between Video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria.
The Research Objectives Include:
To understand the importance and the popularity of the video content market in Nigeria.
To analyse the reasons for the Airtel brand being a market leader in Nigeria.
To explore the nexus and effect between video content and Airtel brand in Nigeria
Research Question
RQ1: What are the importance and the popularity of the video content market in Nigeria?
RQ2: What are the reasons for the Airtel brand being a market leader in Nigeria?
3. RQ3: What is the nexus and effect between video content and Airtel brand in Nigeria?
Research Hypothesis
H0: There is a strong nexus and effect between video content and the Airtel brand in
Nigeria.
H1: There is no nexus and effect between video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Introduction
Taking into consideration the fact that doing a critical study of the literature has been
shown to assist students in obtaining an even more thorough understanding of a topic
matter, this section will critically examine concepts, theories, and frameworks that have
been employed in research. Since they give a thorough approach to the study subject,
material from journals and articles is one of several available sources of information for
conducting extensive research. Identifying research gaps and designing a solution which
takes into account data collection through specialized literature is crucial, but so is
determining the best data gathering approach.
2.2 Importance and the popularity of the video content market in Nigeria
2.2.1 Video Content Market In Nigeria
The fastest growth rates in E&M revenues over the next five years, according to a report by
PWC Nigeria (2017), would be seen in less-developed regions and countries, where
expenditure on entertainment and media on a per capita basis is normally fairly low.
According to PwC's Global media and entertainment forecast 2017-2021, the entertainment
and media industry is expected to grow at a rapid pace. For 17 media and entertainment
categories across 54 countries, including Nigeria, the report contains PwC's most recent and
most up-to-date forecasts of consumer and marketing spend statistics as well as
accompanying comments. It is a sophisticated online tool that gives in-depth knowledge and
practical insights into the trends that are affecting the engineering and manufacturing
(E&M) sector.
It is predicted that Nigeria would have the fastest-growing market over the next five years,
with a CAGR of 12.1 percent (despite being heavily driven by increasing expenditure on
mobile Internet connection). Japan will have the slowest growth, with a CAGR of 1.7 percent
during that time period. Less developed economies, on the other hand, have far lower per
capita expenditure and faster growth, but from a very low starting point — in many cases,
less than US$50 per year.
4. As mentioned in the research, substantial developments are taking place in the way
entertainment and media firms compete and produce value, with customers' perceptions of
the quality of the encounter they receive becoming the key basis for strategy differentiation
and increased revenues. Because companies need to prosper in a market that is becoming
extremely competitive, crowded, and slow-growing, they are devising strategies and
establishing capabilities that will allow them to engage and monetize their most devoted
and passionate consumers, in order to survive and thrive. This implies that businesses must
combine fascinating content with a broad and deep distribution network, and then integrate
it all to a wonderful user experience, where material can be discovered quickly on a variety
of displays at an affordable price.
Internet Video Revenues Will Overtake Physical Home Video In 2017:
There has been a significant expansion of the Internet video sector in recent years and it
will eclipse the traditional home video industry in 2017. Internet video revenues are
expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6 percent to reach
US$36.7 billion in 2021, whereas the terminally falling DVD and Blu-ray industry will have
shrunk to US$13.9 billion. In recent years, consumer demand has evolved to the more
instant and accessible video-on-demand (VOD) market, with video accessible through a
wide range of connected devices, allowing users to watch when and when they want. The
market for content ownership through transactional VOD services will continue to expand,
but growth will be concentrated on subscriber VOD (SVOD) platforms, with customers
drawn to whole seasons of original material and back catalogues that they can binge watch.
Popularity Of The Video Content Market In Nigerian Market
It is important to note that Africa's market is different. Because to the lack of appropriate
cable, TV, and Internet connection in the continent's interior regions. However, these areas
currently have improved telecommunications coverage. That makes it easier for consumers
to connect to the internet, and it also serves as a stimulant for video-on-demand services.
During these days both the national and foreign markets were looking for possibilities to
expand. One of these markets is the African market. According to the findings, the African
over-the-top (OTT) and video-on-demand markets will rise at a rapid pace.
In conclusion, these are the market data for the African continent. However, there is a
significant demand for video-on-demand programming among young people all over the
world. People like consuming fascinating material at their leisure, anytime and whenever
they choose. Because of this, there is an increased need for more platforms, networks, and
content owners in the market, as seen by the expansion in the number of content producers
in recent years.
5. Access to faster internet is increasing the demand for on-demand entertainment, which is a
positive development. This was not feasible in the past due to a lack of telecom providers
and insufficient internet access, which prevented individuals from being a member of the
global Internet community. Because of increased internet access, you-tube has risen to
become one of the most frequently visited websites in the region, according to the report.
Furthermore, it demonstrates the continent's high desire for video and video-on-demand
programming.
But internet penetration is only one factor; if there are no content producers in the market,
the entertainment and media business would be unable to develop and prosper.
Furthermore, creating unique content and promoting it is a time-consuming and expensive
endeavour. Several VOD providers and telecom firms, we believe, will band together to keep
prices down while releasing high-quality content in order to overcome this obstacle.
Because of this, the mobile internet market is booming and now is an excellent moment for
VOD players to establish themselves and take advantage of the industry's expansion.
Furthermore, Kenya and Nigeria account for more than 60% of all internet users in Africa,
according to the International Telecommunications Union. Video advertising in Nigeria
would rise significantly, adding millions of dollars in revenue by 2021, according to the
report. Furthermore, SVOD income in Nigeria is expected to reach around $700 million by
December 2021 (Airtel, 2021).
Strategic Foresight Of Introducing The Video Content Marketing In The Telecommunication
Sector
According to Heger and Rohrbeck (2011), telecommunication network operators are
challenged with the challenge of reducing costs while simultaneously boosting network
capacity. The implementation of new Internet services, such as streaming video content, has
resulted in a significant rise in network traffic. Thus, it is necessary to make network
consumption and management more adaptable and intelligent as a result of this. An
increase in the consumption of rich media, notably internet videos. Due to the rising
availability of IPTV services, there are more network traffic peaks, particularly during the
early evening hours. This also covers video-on-demand (VoD) services, which are replacing
traditional television broadcasts. On the network level, this indicates a shift away from
broadcasts, which require only a small amount of network bandwidth, to unicasts, which
require unique connections for each individual user to operate. Future media services will
enable for the viewing of any video material at any time and on any device in any location.
As a result, films, for example, will increasingly be broadcast across mobile networks using
unicasts, as will other content. There will be an array of services and delivery models
available to telecommunications network operators that will allow their organizations to
reap the benefits of existing plant and infrastructural investments while also offering a
roadmap to new opportunities for network migration. A unique descrambling key is
generated for each content stream, and this key is generated when the material is readied
for broadcast. This key must be supplied to the viewer's device in order for it to be able to
6. decrypt the material properly. There are a few options here. One option is to simply send
this key to the viewer's gadget. However, this key might be received by any other gadget
linked to this communication line. As a substitute, the descrambling keys are encrypted
before being transferred to a viewing device for display.
In 2006, more than 100 million videos were downloaded each day from sites like
youtube.com thanks to a vast variety of user-generated material. At the very least for some
sorts of material, it is clear that viewers are quite pleased to watch video on standard PC
monitors. Content from the Internet may be accessed at any time of day or night, allowing
viewers to choose exactly whatever they want to see. Many of the video clips that are
accessible for viewing or download are brief, lasting little more than five minutes or less in
length. While longer-duration files are accessible, the quantity of such files is typically
restricted, especially when factoring the expense of server and communication bandwidth
required to send these streams over the Online platform.
The Reasons Of Popularity Of Airtel Brand As A Market Leader In Nigeria
The research undertaken by Nwagbogu and Daniel (2020) evaluated the marketing strategy
and success factors of Airtel Telecommunication in Nigeria. In recent years, the Nigerian
Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) has implemented methods to increase the quality
of its services, hence maintaining its competitive position in the market. The study's goals
were to investigate the link between Airtel Telecommunication Company's service quality
and strategic analyses, as well as the relationship among strategic analyses and strategy
execution and the quality of telecommunications services which results in success and
survival of the company in specific market. The survey research design was used in this
study. The design made it possible for the researchers to gather relevant data through the
use of a questionnaire survey for the purpose of analysis, which was necessary in order to
meet the study objectives. A positive significant association between strategic analysis and
service delivery was discovered in the Nigerian telecommunications industry, as well as a
significant positive relationship between strategic execution and service quality in the
Nigeria telecommunications sector.
When it comes to studying the popularity of Airtel brand in Nigeria, the popularity and
success factor of the company in Africa. According to research conducted by MBATI (2015),
Airtel Africa is the most significant supplier of telecommunication and mobile money
services, having a presence in 14 countries, especially in East Africa, Central and West
Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. Airtel Africa's subscribers have access to a
comprehensive set of integrated telecommunications products, including mobile phone and
internet services, as well as mobile money services, both locally and internationally. Airtel
Africa strives to keep its customers happy by streamlining the customer process. This
business line provides cellular voice services, including pre- and post-paid plans as well as
international roaming, in addition to traditional landline telephone service. Africa This
segment of Airtel's cellular data business line consists of data communications services for
7. mobile users. These include 2G, 3G, and increasingly 4G data services, as well as additional
value-added services. The Airtel Money business line consists of a mobile commerce service
that is available to consumers' mobile devices 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Customers can use this service to send and receive money, make utility bill payments, pay
for products or services, deposit and withdraw cash through a connected bank account and
make card-less ATM withdrawals from partnered ATMs, and access microloans enabled by
the Group and available through its mobile network in cooperation with third-party loan
providers, which are supported by the Group and available throughout its mobile network.
According to OpenSignal's Mobile Network Experience Report, Airtel offers the best video
experience, with the best video experience being Airtel. OpenSignal is an impartial mobile
analytics business that specializes in measuring the user's experience on mobile networks.
The company also stated in April 2020 that Airtel has exhibited the most superior video and
audio app experiences, as well as the fastest download speeds and lowest latency
experiences. As more consumers signed up for its mobile and broadband services and as
activity in the firm's largest market, Nigeria, the telecommunications company Airtel Africa
Plc reported revenue and profit increase for the full year ended December 31, on
Wednesday. Despite the fact that the Africa-focused firm went public with its London listing
last year, it has benefited from consistent demand in developing economies, while some of
its European colleagues have banded together to overcome the problems of crowded
markets.
Airtel Nigeria Marketing And Advertising Strategy
When it comes to digital marketing strategy, Airtel is one of the major telecom behemoths
that stands out for its distinctive and engaging approach. With its long history of success in
a sector that faces several hurdles such as restricted spectrum availability and a tariff war,
the firm has established itself as a leader, with marketing being among the primary reasons
for its expansion and success. As part of its transformational ambitions, Airtel is launching
new products and services which have the potential to have a positive influence on society
and contribute to the growth. Airtel has always placed a strong emphasis on social media
marketing, as seen by its well-known campaigns that garnered widespread notice. Airtel
wins over consumers and draws a diverse spectrum of individuals from all walks of life with
its marketing campaigns and promotions. It also has foreign economic interests in Africa,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Channel Islands, among other places.
Concept Of Nexus
Nexus is a term that is used to establish or show a relationship between two factors. A
nexus is a link or sequence of connections within a given situation or system. Generally
speaking, the term "nexus" may be described as the point of connection or cooperation
between two or more objects (Boccagni 2015). The nexus serves as the focal point or the
focal point of a network, allowing many items to collaborate with one another. The result of
8. a nexus is a unique product or a fresh beginning that is intended to revolutionize the old
processes, products, or functions that have been in existence. According to various experts,
the most effective way to understand the influence of nexus is via the lens of leadership.
Use Of Video-Content Strategy By Airtel In Nigerian Market
According to a recent news story published by The Economic Times (2021), Airtel has been
focused on utilizing video platforms to raise their revenues, and for this purpose, a new
campaign called 'Airtel IQ Video' has been developed, which is considered to be a fantastic
concept by the organization's technical and information technology department, which is
predicted to be successful. Airtel IQ Video, which takes use of Airtel's cloud and cutting-edge
video technologies, enables businesses to develop video streaming solutions for small and
large screens with minimum infrastructure investment and technology, according to a
statement from the firm. "Airtel IQ Video" is an end-to-end solution that offers both ease
and cost savings, with capabilities including app creation, video hosting, curation and
administration, as well as search and discovery, analytic and monetization models. India
and its nearby regions, as well as South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, are among the
markets targeted by the service.
In the video streaming industry, Airtel IQ Video offers an easy platform that allows anybody
to easily start and develop a video streaming business. This would enable organizations to
concentrate on content while Airtel IQ Video serves as the backbone of the end-to-end
technology, ensuring that customers have a positive viewing experience. With the launch of
Airtel IQ Video, the business anticipates that more content ventures and conventional
content providers will come online and engage directly with customers via digital channels.
Using Airtel IQ, a cloud-based omnichannel communications platform, businesses can
improve connection with consumers by communicating with them in a timely and safe
manner. Airtel IQ reduces the need for various communication venues for different
channels by using a single platform for all of them. Small pieces of code allow organizations
to integrate communication services like voice, text messaging, interactive voice response
(IVR), video into their apps and digital assets on both desktop and mobile devices, all
through one unified platform (Business Today, 2021).
The nexus may be demonstrated by the company's consistent usage of video content
marketing strategy in the Nigerian market, as well as the positive influence that the plan has
had on the targeted audience as a result of the approach. Towards this goal, according to a
Marketing Edge (2020) article, a sixty-second television ad has been generating new
talkability among the clan of social media commenters and enthusiastic industry observers
who are unable to remain silent when faced with the lovely and poetic rendition of the
creative endeavour.
The heart of this entire scenario is a perfect metaphor for the telecommunications business,
which is infamous for its distrust and lack of confidence in its customers. In the Nigerian
9. telecommunications industry, trust is always a problem between the providers and the
customers they are trying to serve. Jumbo deals on data and tariffs are regularly marketed
by telecom companies in order to entice and persuade new customers, but the reality is that
many of these offers never materialize in the real world for consumers, despite the fact that
they are advertised on television. It has always been a feature of the sector to have this type
of unwholesome social interaction, which feeds the feelings of distrust and mistrust that
exist between the telecommunication brand and its users.
However, in the instance of Airtel, the brand is encouraging the throngs of customers who
have signed up for its "Smart Talk pricing" that they should relax and accept the fact that
what the network claims to be giving is exactly what they will receive. And that is that, with
"Smart Talk," a subscriber would be able to make calls at a fixed fee of 11 naira per second
across all networks, with no deception! This was illustrated by the brand through the
wonderful episode that took place at the repair workshop.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
Introduction
A study's methodology is the process of selecting and applying the best procedures for the
study in order to obtain trustworthy and accurate results. There must be a discussion in this
third chapter concerning the selection of methods and the exclusion of others for this
study's purpose. The researchers sought to detail the procedures that were followed during
the data gathering process. It was necessary to identify an appropriate research design in
order for the planning of the research to be methodical and effective. This, in turn, ensured
that the appropriate data collecting and data analysis procedures for this study were
implemented. The major purpose of this study is to choose certain methods those will help
the study to address the concern of this research and analyses regarding the strategy of
Airtel organisation for the success in Nigerian Market and the use of Video Content for the
same.
Research Philosophy
There are several different types of research philosophies that may be used in the research,
including realism, positivism, and interpretivism (Alase, 2017). All philosophical school
have a variety of various kinds of structures and methods of performing the research.
Additionally, it contributes to the development of public knowledge about the research
topic. For starters, there is the Positivism research philosophy, which describes the logical
flow of research in a critical way (Park, Konge and Artino 2020). The characteristics of both
types of research philosophies are combined in the realism research philosophy. As a result,
this dissertation will make use of the Positivism research philosophy in order to ensure that
the dissertation has a logical flow. Through this the researcher will analysed the observed
data and prove one hypothesis through analysing the aims and objectives of the research
will be give the desirable outcome. The qualitative objective will be useful in determining
10. the validity and reliability of the findings from the quantitative objective.
Research Design
According to Dannels (2018), the study design facilitates the employment of a range of
approaches for gathering data for analysis. To ensure that the research question is well
addressed, it incorporates a number of methodical components. Three types of research
designs are appropriate for the study: descriptive, analytical and exploratory. To gather and
describe parts of research questions, descriptive research design is useful (Nagai et al.,
2017). It is also possible for researchers to gain a deeper understanding of their subject
matter by using an exploratory research strategy. The use of explanatory research design,
on the other hand, helps to resolve the problem of research where earlier studies are
lacking. It was determined that exploratory and explanatory research designs were not
appropriate for this study's purpose because descriptive methods are more accurate in
describing and addressing specific components of the research questions and objectives.
Furthermore, the researcher was able to undertake desk-based research because of
previous relevant studies, avoiding the need for explanatory research (Rahi, 2017). An
effective research design is a blueprint for the collecting of data. The research design,
according to Saunders et al (2009) is the arranging of circumstances for data collection and
analysis in a manner that seeks to balance relevance to the study objective with efficiency in
method. With the data from the research, theories on how to achieve desired goals can be
supported by an analytical research design (Rankin 2017). As a result, the analytical
research design will be utilized to critically and logically evaluate the study findings in order
to obtain specific information on the nexus and the effect of Video Content and the Airtel
Brand in the Nigerian Market.
Data Collection
It is possible to acquire information or data from a variety of sources thanks to the methods
of data collecting. It expressly supports the study findings and helps them to be presented in
a meaningful way. Primary and secondary ways of information gathering are the two most
fundamental and important forms of information gathering. When it comes to the collection
of data, the most important thing to remember is to get as much fresh and current
information as possible from the respondents (Cyr, 2016). Primary sources can be gathered
using a variety of methods, including surveys, interviews, questionnaires, experiments,
focus groups, and other methods of gathering information. When it comes to obtaining
information from participants, these strategies are dependable. The secondary approach, on
the other hand, aids in the collection of current studies and prior study for the purpose of
examining the notions of the research issue (Rahi, 2017). This strategy collects material
from a variety of sources, including books, journals, articles, and a variety of other sources.
In this study, the researcher intends to undertake secondary research in order to achieve
his or her objectives. In addition, as compared to the main data collecting approach,
secondary data gathering is not any more complicated or expensive to conduct. During the
11. study process, the researcher used a secondary data gathering approach to aid in the
acquisition of information. The use of secondary methods enabled researchers to access
relevant databases such as Google Scholars and publications on the issue (Corti, 2018). If
you are looking for relevant papers or journals, there are a few keywords you may use to
narrow down your search. Studies on the "video content market," the "Airtel Success
Strategy," the "relationship and usage of video content by Airtel," and other topics are
included in this package. Finally, these techniques will assist the study in collecting effective
information that is relevant to the research topic and that addresses the nexus and effect
between video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria.
Data Analysis
The dissertation will be written using qualitative data analysis. Qualitative or descriptive
data that necessitates in-depth investigation will be included here (Johnston 2017). The
study design and data collecting technique, as well as the research strategy, play a major
role in the data analysis approach. You may use a wide variety of approaches to analyze all
of the data that was gathered in the research. Analysing data via statistical approaches,
qualitative methods, descriptive methods, textual methods, content methods, predictive
methods, diagnostic methods, and many more are all part of this study (Azungah, 2018). As
a result of this study's research design and other methodologies, the researcher picked
content analysis as the method of choice for this study since this approach aids in
discovering systematic data via a group of texts that can be spoken or written (Selvi, 2019).
As an example, books, periodicals, speeches, and interviews may all be utilized to gather
data in content analysis research (Kyngäs, 2020). According to Paré and Kitziou (2017),
doing a literature review is an integral part of academic research. A literature review can be
carried out in two ways: as a summary of relevant literature or as an in-depth examination
of relevant material, depending on the situation. After establishing research questions, the
researcher screened for convergence and divergence and assessed the quality of the
material before extracting data and analysing it. As a result, the researcher's reputation and
honesty are directly impacted by the quality of their literature review.
Ethical Considerations
As a component of morality, ethical principles address ethical issues that develop as a result
of human interaction amongst one another. The information used in this study was obtained
lawfully from Google Scholar. Other than complying with COVID regulations, this meant
that the researcher was unable to use primary data, such as first-person interviews or
surveys, to obtain a direct response from the source to address the study's difficulties. In
addition, the researcher completed and submitted ethics documentation, which was
authorized by the institution. However, despite the fact that Covid-19 had a substantial
impact on the research, the ongoing nature of the epidemic made it difficult to perform an
interview or a questionnaire. As a result, the researcher decided to conduct this
examination purely through secondary sources, with just cite references to the relevant
12. literature and sources. As a consequence of this investigation, no ethical issues have arisen
or are having an influence on anybody or anything as a result of the findings of this study.
According to the British Educational Study Association (2018), researchers should keep
ethical norms in mind when conducting their research. People who have responsibilities to
the community include participants, clients, publications, and the community itself. When
the approval of the original target individual was not secured for secondary study, there
were ethical concerns raised. When data is well explained, it is possible to eliminate any
errors or biases that may exist in the data.
Limitations Of The Study
Because this study did not employ a primary research, there are no significant restrictions
in terms of relevance, cost, or time associated in this investigation. However, this does not
rule out the possibility that the secondary data gathering approach had constraints and
problems to overcome during the process of compiling information. This study employed a
desk-based approach to identify and target various publications that were relevant to the
research subject (Presti, 2021). Finding so many articles connected to the issue and
determining whether or not each individual item was relevant to the research was
extremely time-consuming and difficult to do. As a result of this, the researcher was
required to conduct screening in order to select correct articles while eliminating irrelevant
and old ones. The most significant limitation that the researcher has encountered in this
study is that the topic chosen is very specific and rare, and no prior search research has
been conducted on the subject, making it difficult to involve and search for literature to
conclude the study. Additionally, because the study is based on secondary research
methods, no practical or real information from the targeted market has been obtained by
the researcher.
Conclusion
The researcher carefully selected appropriate procedures for this study, while avoiding
certain unsuitable methods and approaches, based on the description of methodology
provided above. The descriptive research design, the inductive technique, the secondary
data gathering method, the content analysis method, and the desk-based study are all
discussed in detail in the literature review discussion. These approaches, procedures, and
instruments have been chosen by the researcher in order to address the study problem,
which is the relationship and effect of video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria.
Findings And Discussion Analysis
Considering the above discussion based on the opinions of different authors and researches
regarding the Use of Video-Content Strategy by Airtel in Nigerian Market in relation to
highlight its impact on the brand image, it has been analysed that Anyone can start and
grow a video streaming company using Airtel IQ Video's simple-to-use platform (Sani,
13. 2020). Airtel IQ Video can anchor the final technology, ensuring that users have a superb
watching experience. Airtel IQ Video will open the door for new content start-ups and
conventional content firms to go digital and interact with customers directly on the digital
platform," To better communicate with their consumers, businesses may use Airtel IQ, a
cloud-based omni-channel communications tool. Communication platforms for various
channels may be eliminated with Airtel IQ. Companies may easily integrate voice, SMS, IVR,
and video services into their apps and digital assets throughout mobile and desktop with
only a little amount of code.
OTT platforms and broadcasters told the Airtel team that growing their companies is
difficult because of the complexities of their operations, the high cost of running them, and
the absence of wider availability, according to Nair. An official release states that Airtel IQ
Video enables companies to construct video streaming solutions for big and small displays
with minimum infrastructure and technological expenditure (Dhir et.al., 2020). App
creation, hosting of content, curation, and lifecycle management are just a few of the
functions that it offers, in addition to analytical tools and monetization strategies
(advertising, subscriptions, transactions). "Our sales targets are really lofty. We're a new
start-up, and we're aiming to get a $100 million deal before expanding to a $1 billion
opportunity," Nair added. The majority of Airtel IQ Video's customers will come from India,
with the balance coming from other markets. Customers from outside the United States may
be found in South Asia, the SAARC region, the Middle East, and Africa.
Some excitement and sensation have been generated among the target demographic for
Airtel's new TV advertisement in Nigeria's competitive telecom sector. As a result of the 60-
second TV commercial's stunning and poetic portrayal of the creative endeavour, social
media pundits and industry observers are unable to remain quiet in response (Dhir, 2020).
An avant-garde creative agency in Nigeria, Noah's Ark generated the advertisement, "Free
Your Mind," which featured the expose model, Igboro. Airtel's Spokesperson for some time
now, in a catchy pidgin language that resonated with Nigerian audiences. Creatively and
emotionally, the ad illustrates the age-old scepticism and mutual hatred between an
ordinary Nigerian driver and his mechanics in the rain. Due to a history of defrauding
consumers, mechanics in Nigeria are viewed with mistrust because of their main
responsibility of doing repairs on automobiles towed to their shop for service. When Igboro,
the restless automobile owner, was watching Gabriel Afolayan, the collectively attired
figure, work on his vehicle, this persona came over more vividly (Yusuff and Odubanjo,
2020).
The underlying theme of this whole storey is a striking parallel for the scepticism and
distrust that characterise the telecom business. Customers and service providers in Nigeria
are often at odds over confidence in the telecommunications industry. It's very uncommon
to find that even if certain telecommunications companies promote "jumbo" bargains on the
systems and across all media channels in an attempt to dupe and beguile customers, these
data and tariff deals are seldom provided to customers in a way that makes sense to them.
14. There has always been a bad blood between telecom and their customers because of this
unsavoury social interaction. Since a result, Airtel's "Smart Talk pricing" offering is pushing
its teeming customers to free their minds, as whatever the network promises it is delivering
is what they would really get (OWULO, 2021). With "Smart Talk," subscribers would pay a
set charge of 11 naira per second for all their calls, no matter which network they use.
These points were made clear by the company's charming storey set in a repair shop.
According to the artistic director at Noah's Ark, Mr. Abolaji Alausa, this creative campaign
was born out of Airtel's genuine desire to assure its teeming subscriptions that individuals
do not have to work out any fear over their offerings because the company is ever faithful,
sincere, and sympathetic with its consumers. Because of this lack of trust, many customers
are suspicious of what they see in the media when it comes to promotional deals, and they
may end up paying a lot more than they bargained for, according to him. Airtel's
manager said, stands apart from the competition because it delivers on its promises,
therefore customers should "Free their Thoughts through Airtel Smart Talk." More than
2,000 comments have been left on various social media sites since the inventive ad went
viral (Ugochukwu and Nwolu, 2021).
Adewunmi, a digital marketing manager, commented on the ad on his LinkedIn page: "I
worked closely with Noah's Ark and I can say their conceptualization has always been top-
notch. It was a pleasure working with them." Whether it's a film or a graphic art for outdoor
or print, they consistently deliver. "Seth Igwe, a television journalist, said in her own
statement that "she enjoys the storey." If Igboro had the Smart speak plan, he wouldn't have
to go in such areas in such unpleasant circumstances. It's fantastic! I'm in love with it. "It
was the soundtrack that did it," she said (Ladipo et.al., 2021). Like Oluwadamilola Adams,
an engineering graduate and brand communication enthusiast, Oluwadamilola Adams
stated the commercial had a "lovely song and film quality," as well as "the little gap before
the talk over came in."
Adams went on to say, "Though they grasped the notion of trust and free our mind, he could
not link it to clever conversation tariff searching for additional answers." Adams continued.
Adams, who claimed to have prior pre- and post-production expertise, observed that "it
looks the rains weren't consistent and natural." Adams It would ultimately go into flight, he
claimed, giving credit to Noah's Ark.
As an internet reputation manager, Chinomso Dimgba, has said, "I cannot help but chuckle."
Congratulations to all of you! Lola Okusanmi, a novelist who has a gift for writing stories,
feels the same way. She said, "It's amazing!!!" "It's both humorous and clever." Ads like
"Meet the in-laws" and "Airtel 4G" seem to have inspired the current commercial. It is clear
that mobile broadband is a phenomenon that enhances life and keeps everyone linked
regardless of age, class, ethnicity or gender. The "Data is Life" campaign, which the company
executed in 2016, had a significant influence on the brand. Recent Airtel creative
advertisements have all gained widespread recognition and respect. Additionally, they've
15. been acknowledged for their capacity to elicit strong emotional responses in audiences and
have a wide audience appeal via their success in many creative competitions, a distinction
that is far from simple to achieve (ADETAYO, 2020).
Hypothesis Analysis
H0: There is a strong nexus and effect between video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria
In order to proof the above-mentioned hypothesis statement, it has been depicted that
Nigeria's Econet Wireless relaunched five times in eight years to become today's Airtel
Nigeria, the country's largest cell phone service provider (Karthik. 2021). According to this
study, repeated rebranding has a negative influence on customer loyalty and Nigerian
attitudes about branding in telecommunications. As a consequence of Airtel's repeated
rebranding’s, a study was conducted to see how subscribers felt about the company. Cluster
sampling was used to distribute questionnaires (Inyang, 2018). The final findings (cross
tabulations) were tested for validity using Pearson Chi-Square at a 0.05 and higher value.
It's clear from this study that repeated rebranding doesn't have much of an impact on
consumer attitudes regarding telecoms brands, and that either Nigerians aren't concerned
about telecommunication branding or the businesses who undertake it aren't doing a good
job of it. Students at a higher education institution are the sole section of the worldwide
satellite mobile (gsm) market that this research focuses on. Student opinions may not be
reflective of the whole Lagos gsm market worldwide. It is also restricted to Nigeria's
burgeoning telecommunications industry. When it comes to repeated rebranding and its
influence on client loyalty, there really is no literature to be found anywhere else (Bhagwan,
2018).
The Advertisers Association of Nigeria has named Airtel Nigeria's Smart Recharge campaign
of the year. Airtel Niger is presently Niger's first 4G service provider. Niger's economy is
likely to benefit greatly from the 4G Launch, which is intended to boost the country's
development in an equal and inclusive manner. A crucial milestone in the country's
digitalization progress has been taken with the debut of Airtel's 4G service.
In terms of Airtel and its rivals' social media presence, Jio dominates in terms of Instagram
followers. Airtel's presence on social media has increased, and it now has 500 million
Facebook fans. @Airtel Presence makes it a priority to respond to every airtel-related tweet,
even those with a following of 2.5 million people. It is true that the corporation must
improve its level of employee participation (Oladeji, 2018). Their Facebook activity is seen
in the graph above. Airtel's YouTube channel has over 400 videos and almost 20 million
views, but it behind Jio in terms of subscribers, with 887k to 2.63 million. Take a closer look
at Airtel's own online marketing and advertising approach, for example, shall we?
Since its logo change in 2010 and Rs.300 crore marketing blitz, it has taken on a more
youthful, vibrant and cosmopolitan image. As a result, India's telecom sector has entrusted
16. it with the responsibility of becoming its torchbearer. In comparison to its rivals, Airtel's
October cell Phone subscriber growth was far higher, at over 3.67 million. When it comes to
making a beneficial influence on society and helping the development process, Airtel has
been leading the way. It's clear that Airtel has always put a lot of effort into its social media
advertising, as seen by some of its most popular campaigns (Ndudi and Kifordu, 2021). The
red colour signifies that Airtel's social media accounts are distinctive because of their strong
content and swift responses to their rivals' acts.
As a retaliation for Jio's statement that customers will be charged Interconnect Usage
Charges (IUC) when calling non-Jio customers, this action was taken. Using its well-known
ad, "Sab Kuch Try Karo, Phir Sahi Chuno," the company encourages individuals to test out
many different telecommunications providers before making a final decision. It was never
explicitly stated that Airtel should be used. However, it made a point of garnering the
confidence of its citizens by asking them to give it a go before making a decision. Through
the #NetworkOfCare promotion for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2019, it also sought to
develop an intimate relationship with its consumers.
Reports released by Open Signal recently stated that in the covid-19 lockdown Airtel had
the best possible experience. There was a total of 100 points, and Airtel scored 55.6 out of
them. Companies with higher scores have less problems with connection. In terms of video
quality, the corporation was ahead of the competition.
Airtel is no exception to the rule that when an organisation increases in size, it must cope
with difficulties. On top of that, it has been making headlines for supporting social concerns,
such the recent floods in Kerala. With a year-on-year increase in profit margin, Airtel has
remained strong and robust throughout this difficult time. This data-driven world demands
that our insights and issue recognition occur at the proper moment in order to identify
accurate alternatives for similar challenges. It is the mission of the IIDE to develop company
solutions to problems.
This agreement is a great opportunity for Airtel to extend and enhance our TV platform so
that it can continue to deliver on its purpose of generating pleasure and excitement for our
valued customers," said Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria's Chief Commercial Officer (Simon,
2021). Once again, Airtel TV's relationship with Times Network shows that we won't rest on
our laurels as we try to make it Nigeria's one-stop shop for culture, athletics and news."
Airtel TV, the fastest-growing OTT network in Africa, offers registered customers
unrestricted access to a vast collection of content, featuring music videos, live TV, sports,
and news. Airtel performed research in many African markets and found that young people
are heavily affected by their peers. TNS performed a study on the variables that influence
the decisions youngsters between the ages of 13 and 30 make about their futures.
Whether via the use of marketing communications or by word-of-mouth (13.1 percent).
17. When it comes to a brand's equity, its name is everything. In the end, the brand name
becomes the centre of all the positive connotations. However, frequent re-brandings might
lead to some uncertainty about the company's identity. For a long time, customers will
continue to refer to a brand by its prior names.
Nigerians were much more concerned with practical problems such as brand recognition,
network dependability, service pricing and maintaining relationships according to the data.
These factors have been identified as excellent antecedent for customer loyalty in growing
market. Networks have remained similar in terms of their logos and colours throughout the
years but they were not automatically linked to the brands (Alugbuo and Eze, 2021). For
Nigerians, it doesn't seem that these skills are as vital as being able to communicate. Is it
possible that Nigerians just want to communicate and don't care who offers it? It may also
be due to the fact that gsm lines are the sole phone option accessible to most individuals.
Results from this study show that in Nigeria, an emerging market where gsm lines are the
only source of telephony for the vast majority of the population, subscribers know about the
occurrence of multiple rebranding but do not care because the network provides them with
necessary telecommunication services and maintains good customer service. As a result,
gsm networks don't genuinely represent anything different in the perceptions of
subscribers, save from their names.
Therefore, from the above initiatives and the findings we have discussed regarding the
strong relationship and effect between video content and the Airtel brand in Nigeria, it has
been proved that they are having a strong relationship with the marketing content, as With
Facebook, people who are still trying to reach a specific level of self-esteem have an
abundance of opportunities to confirm their best attributes. Individuals with lower levels of
self-esteem are likely to use the site more frequently, as they seek to affirm themselves by
viewing the content they have selected and the site's reminders of their established social
media network and preceding positive interactions, both of which help them feel better
about themselves. Because of this, those with a more moderate sense of self-worth may
benefit from time spent on Facebook, where they can see other people's positive self-
presentation (Simon, 2021). This group is more likely than others to use Facebook on a
regular basis, as one would predict given their lower levels of personal.
This might be due to Generational years or Millennials being a challenging target for
marketing. With their constant exposure to digital and social media, the Millennial
generation in particular is well-versed in the most recent trends in advertising. A brand's
traditional usage of CB-endorsers may not be effective in getting them to adopt a positive
view of the product.
As a consequence, telecommunications businesses should invest less on product promotion
and more on constructing high-quality networks with inexpensive call tariffs. Marketing
and product development should be either abandoned or restricted if they are to continue
18. in their current form. And brand development activities should be aimed at establishing the
network as a distinct entity in the eyes of its customers.
In this research, it was shown that CB endorsements, which are widely used by Nigerian
telecommunications companies' marketing departments and marketers, did not provide the
intended outcomes, despite their high cost and widespread use (Alugbuo and Eze, 2020).
Management is urged to use the results of this study as a springboard to fund initiatives that
directly benefit Millennials, such scholarships, skill-building opportunities, and other forms
of CSR.
This has led to a rise in the use of celebrities to promote brands among Nigerian businesses,
particularly in the telecommunications industry (Ladipo et.al., 2021). However, it has been
shown that certain items, even when backed by celebrities, have failed to catch the attention
of consumers. The massive sums of money companies spend on advertising have certain
agendas in mind. This is due to the fact that firms are always trying to outdo each other in
order to win over consumers.
Besides, the huge market invests by the company in the IQ Video content strategy which is
Approximately a $100 million for the selected nations which also includes Africa and the
major states of the place, shows that the company is taking a stance and turning towards
investing in video content strategy and marketing to reach out to their target audience as
the expectancy to get them is higher through this method in the near future.
Conclusion
According to the discussion of the results, it can be concluded that there is a strong nexus
and effect between video content and Airtel Brand in Nigeria which can be shown by the
marketing strategy and new venture ideas of the organisation and how the company is
sustaining in the Nigerian market even after being a home company of India. In the current
situation, it is very challenging for the telecommunication organisations to connect to their
audience and maintaining them on their choice to use the company. Using video content to
reach out to the target audience is a new way of promoting and telling people what the
company has to offer. In other words, it can also be said that it is a new way to increase
engagement of people with the help of digital world and social media channels. Looking at
the current position and the brand engagement of Airtel in Nigeria, it can be inferred that
the brand has a strong positioning in the telecommunication market.
Over the years, Video content marketing has become the leader of content strategy in the
marketing globe and it is the most desirable way to get an idea of what the audience expects
from the brand in future. Although airtel has been very active in advertising its products
and services through television commercials and so far, has been the most favourite brand
of consumers across the nation. The study attempted to establish the tactics followed by
Airtel Africa in boosting its efficiency as well as to examine the link between these strategies
19. and the company performance. Following the findings in regard to the specified objectives,
the research determined that video content had resulted in a rise in the company's profile,
as indicated by an increase in subscribers, an improvement in data revenues, customer
increase market share, revenue diversification, enhanced quality of service, and an increase
in operating margins, as evidenced by an increase in revenue that was a positive offset to
the cost. It also had a positive impact on position of Airtel in the Nigerian market.
However, notwithstanding the progress made to far, there is still a considerable proportion
of the Nigerian population who does not have access to mobile services. In rural and, in
some cases, physically inaccessible places, a considerable part of the population is still
without access to the internet. Further hurdles to the expansion of the organization's
strategies include a lack of electrical infrastructure and a low density of roads in these
regions, which can make it more difficult to expand the strategies already in place. The
economic argument for Airtel Nigeria expanding its network in these locations is sometimes
challenging to make.
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