On Friday, May 17, 2013, seven young Nigerians left the shores of Nigeria to Dubai, courtesy of Legend Extra Stout, manufactured by Nigerian Breweries Plc. When they touched down in Lagos on Monday, May 20, they had in their possessions several gift items, which they had shopped for, courtesy of the beer brand.
These items consisted of television sets, laptops, home theatres and so on. They had participated in the Legend Unique Shopping Experience, in which they had one minute to shop for items worth N1 million.
The ‘Legends’ that embarked on the Dubai unique shopping experience were Uchechukwu Dennis Chukwu from Ebonyi State, Nwabuoke Ikechukwu Ambrose from Delta State, Oluwabusuyi Kelvin Olubusuyi from Ekiti State and Solomon Okoro Ike from Owerri, Imo state. The others are John Akoji from Abuja, the Federal Capital City, as well as Temitope Ogunyemi and Austin Nwakaife, both from Lagos State.
Temitope Ogunyemi’s ticket was picked at the first raffle draw at the Dems Bar, Egbeda, Lagos. When asked how to describe the Dubai experience, he said: “It was a very interesting, wow experience. It’s been wonderful and awesome; the hospitality and shopping; everything about it was exciting. It’s been a wow experience. All thanks to Legend, the Real Deal.
When asked the extent to which Legend Extra Stout has impacted his life, he said: “Sincerely speaking, if I have to go by that, I will say that Legend has really brought in what I will call technology changes into my life. I didn’t believe I was going to own all these and it’s going to change my life technologically.”
When asked if he shopped for items to resell or for personal use, he said he was going to use the items and not sell any. He, however, targeted high-end smart phones but could not lay his hands on them.
When Nwabuokei Ikechukwu Ambrose, from Delta State was informed that he was a winner, he did not believe. He said: “I thought it was a joke or a scam. But after some days, the Legend people came to Ughelli to visit me. That was when I knew that it was real.”
He described his experience as memorable, saying, “I will never forget it for the rest of my life. I am very grateful to Legend Extra Stout and Nigerian Breweries Plc.”
One of the items, which Ambrose picked that excited him was a laptop. He explained: “Well, my employers shared laptops in the office I work, and deductions were to be made monthly from our salary, but I could not get one because at that time, I was involved in the burial of my mother, so I was not around. So, when I returned, they told me that the laptops had been exhausted and that I had lost the opportunity. But I prayed to God that I would have a laptop. But here I am in Dubai and I have gotten a brand new laptop on a platter of gold. For more than three years I’ve been looking forward to having a laptop. I’ve even been looking forward to getting a BlackBerry phone, but I could not afford it. But now, I’ve gotten these items. I also got a new phone for my wife and for my children. I have two boys and two girls.”
Austin Nwadife hails from Anambra State, but is based in Egbeda Lagos. He emerged via the first raffle draw held in Lagos at De Dems Bar. He was in disbelief when he was told he had won until he boarded the plane to Dubai.
He remarked: “Before I entered the plane, I was not convinced. But it was immediately I entered the plane that I was convinced totally that what Legend is doing is real, that there is nothing fake about it. I feel very happy. I’m very happy.
When asked about what he picked during his 60 seconds of shopping, he stated that gathering goods worth N1 million in a minute is a very difficult challenge. He said: “But what was going on in my mind was that God has signed what I will pick up. Even before I left from Lagos, I called my aunt at Onitsha. My aunt told me that if I pick something worth N10,000 I should come back in peace. My wife said the same thing. But I picked goods worth far more than that. So, I’m very happy”.
For Oluwabusuyi Kelvin Olubusuyi from Ekiti State, the Legend Dubai trip was his most exciting experience ever, noting, “I have never travelled out of Nigeria in my life. I have never even had the experience of travelling on a plane. I’m so happy to be one of the winners that Legend sent here for an opportunity to shopping for N1 million in Dubai. I’m just so glad.”
Uchechukwu Dennis Chukwu from Ebonyi State said Legend Extra Stout has saved his mother expenses she would have incurred on getting him an international passport and buying him a laptop, noting, “Seriously, this is my first international passport, courtesy of Legend Extra Stout. My mother was planning on sending me to Canada and also purchasing a laptop later this year for me. So Legend beat her to it. Legend has just saved her a lot of money. I’m now the proud owner of a very expensive laptop, not just any laptop.”
Dennis Chukwu also noted that the promotion has changed his perception about promotions, adding, “I now believe that most of these consumer promotions are real because this one is real. I am the one saying it; I bargained with nobody, I just played the promo. I was called and before you say Jack Robinson, I am in Dubai. I now believe that most of these promos are actually real. If you win, they will give you what you have won. But I’m giving this credit to Legend Extra Stout from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc. I won’t use this opportunity to speak about other promos. Let me just say that Legend is real and the Real Deal National Consumer Promotion is real.”John Akoji, a diesel supplier in Abuja described the Legend experience as fantastic. He initially thought it was a joke, but he was glad he went for the Dubai Shopping experience.
For Solomon Okoroike, from Owerri, Imo State, the Dubai trip was dramatic. Legend Extra Stout has gone to great lengths to publicize the on-going Real Deal National Consumer Promotion. Solomon, like millions of Nigerians desirous of travelling to Dubai, bought Legend Extra Stout, from a bar, sent the numeric code which he found under the crown cork to 30380.
Solomon Okoroieke from Owerri, Imo state stated that the promotion could not have come at a better time as it has helped him to buy gadgets for his house ahead of his wedding coming up on May 25
On his feelings, he stated: “I’m overwhelmed! I cannot say how happy I am. Like I told many people before, and if you have been following me up, I have said that my traditional wedding is coming up on May 25 and Legend is helping me to ‘settle my home’. I now have a plasma TV, a home theatre, a laptop, phones and a lot of things to go home with. So Legend has just settled me. I am very very happy. I cannot even express my joy.”
But Solomon doubted the promotion at first. After winning, a phone call was put across to him the following day to inform him of his good luck. He was informed that a team would be coming to officially meet with him.
Then a series of incidences which would make him doubt the promo started to occur in succession. Given the antics of kidnappers, fraudsters and people of questionable character, he expressed his fears to a friend who agreed to ‘protect’ him.
The officials that were to meet him on behalf of the Legend brand team were late in meeting him, despite an agreed time. They eventually met at an agreed bar and his friend tagged along just to give him protection. While they were discussing, Solomon’s friend suddenly got up and all entreaties by Solomon to prevail on him to stay till the end of the meeting fell on deaf ears.
Strange as his action seemed, Solomon stayed till the end of the meeting and the people discussed with him on the requirements for his travel trip. The Legend brand team officials told him they had to visit Ughelli, to honour their appointment with Nwabuokei Ikechukwu Ambrose, another winner from Delta State. He prevailed on them to stay at his house as it was getting late to embark on that trip. They insisted on leaving to see Nwabuokei since they had informed him they would be visiting. He offered to give them a ride to ease their transportation burdens, but not before he gave his fiancée the N300, 000 which he had in his possession. Incidentally, the cash was in his car.
His instruction to his wife was to spend the money as he was still unsure of the motive of the people he was giving a ride.
On returning home, he met his friend who left their earlier meeting unceremoniously. His friend was not alone. He went to bring policemen as he still strongly believed that the representatives who met with them had the motive of defrauding them.
With the prodding of his wife, he agreed to come to Lagos for his onward journey to Dubai for the unique shopping experience, but not before he contacted a relative of his that works with the State Security Service (SSS) to put him on alert.
According to Solomon, on arrival at the Lagos airport, the Legend Extra Stout team representative that had been calling him non-stop suddenly became incommunicado. He said when they eventually met, her voice profile did not match her actual appearance. Secondly, he noticed her chatting with a certain young man of average height who was frequently either making or receiving phone calls. He told himself that he would overpower the guy if they got into a duel. (The guy later turned out to be John Akoji, from Abuja, who also won the Legend trip to Dubai).
He mentioned the name of the hotel to his uncle who stealthily visited. He met with other fellow consumers who were winners and it was only when they got to the hotel that his mind started to be at ease. The rest they say is now history.
The Senior Brand Manager, Legend Extra Stout and Life – Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Funso Ayeni, stated that the brand conceived the Dubai unique shopping experience as a consumer reward scheme for the brand’s teeming loyal consumers.
He said: “Legend has consistently achieved higher volume sales and is now the fastest growing stout brand in the Nigerian alcoholic beverage market. Our consumers made it possible, because without their support and patronage, we would not be where we are today. Legend promised to take 25 consumers that emerge from the transparent raffle draws to Dubai to shop for items worth N1 million in value at the biggest shopping mall in Dubai. Right now, seven of them have gone to Dubai and have shopped and they have experienced Dubai. We will still stage two more raffle draws where the remainder of the lucky consumers will emerge in a transparent manner. At this stage, I can only advice consumers to continue consuming Legend Extra Stout for this unique opportunity of shopping for items worth N1 million”
Asides the unique shopping experience, consumers of Legend stand the opportunity of winning fabulous instant gift prizes under the consumer promo. Some of the instant prizes include a 32 inch TV set, 130 litre refrigerators, etc. the Legend National Consumer Promo which commenced on May 1 will end on June 30.
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