Public Relations and Integrated Communications Consulting firm, Chain Reactions Nigeria, has rebranded and repositioned to become a digital-first platform and 24/7 solution house for governments and brands desirous of winning in Africa’s reputation economy.

The repositioning, which involves a name change from Chain Reactions Nigeria to Chain Reactions Africa, was announced at a colourful 15th-anniversary celebration attended by eminent players in corporate Nigeria and the public sector on Wednesday, March 30, at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

Speaking at the event tagged ‘Ara Unstripped’, the Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, explained the consultancy’s transition from offering services to making digital platforms available for businesses and the government.

Opayemi, who traced the firm’s history and how the vision was birthed 36 years ago, said the occasion was a watershed in the continuous march of Chain Reactions to growth and impact in Nigeria and Africa.

The Chief Strategist added that it was a turning point for the firm as a business, the commencement of its new 10-year vision, and Chain Reactions was ready to disrupt the industry.

“It is a transition from services to platforms. Today, we are becoming a digital-first Public Relations and Integrated Communications Consultancy.

“This explains why we are officially becoming a 24/7 solution house for governments and brands who wish to win in the reputation economy of Africa,” Opayemi said.

The MD/CS, who described the company’s 15-year-history as a story of vision-propelled resilience, said its repositioning goes beyond name change to a change in focus.

He explained that “It involves not just a change of name but a change in focus. It involves setting a new vision and a mission for ourselves.

It entails unifying our expertise and competencies and using them as a competitive advantage to help businesses and governments. This entails helping government and brands understand the extant and emerging cultures and trends.

“Our new role is to help public and private sector clients develop communications strategies that feed on the plate of culture and trends. Cultures and trends have the power to transform human behaviour.

If a public policy would fail, it may fail because of entrenched cultures and trends a government has failed to notice. Cultures and trends largely influence purchase decisions. We all often hear this statement, ‘don’t buy it. It is no longer in vogue.’ That is a death sentence passed on a brand.

“It was because the Brand Owners never paid attention to the changing culture and trends in the market. Our solutions will now traverse problem identification, cultural solution, and experience design as a company. Be it Voter Behaviour, Driving Against Traffic, or Consumer Behaviour, they are all driven by cultures and trends.”

Chain Reactions Africa also unveiled its new logo, the innovative digital platforms ‘Ara’ and the ‘Prophet’, and the Goodnews Nigeria website Opayemi described as “a digital news platform dedicated to reporting everything good and positive about Nigeria. It will become a one-stop-shop for leisure and business tourists seeking information about our great nation.”

Explaining the new brand logo featuring African drums, colours orange and ochre, intricate designs and the infinity symbol, Chain Reactions Africa’s Creative Director, Briton, Colin Morris, said, “they represent the heartbeat of Nigeria and Africa.

These colours mirror the optimism of every Nigerian. They also reflect the colours of the Sahara. The Sahara, of course, is not in Nigeria but Africa and is the reason the logo is not just Nigeria but Africa, the big picture. The intricate designs are also an African thing, not just Nigeria.

“Chain Reactions is no longer just local; it will get bigger. The infinity symbol tells our story; it’s never-ending. It reflects the opportunities of a new blend of communications merging, beyond the traditional, beyond what we have always assumed.

As a consultancy, the plan is for Chain Reactions to leave a footprint in every part of Africa. Africa is where we will win. Our redesigned logo shows that we are both Nigerian and African; we are progressive and resilient. We are drivers of change in our industry and new industries. Like the infinity symbol, we intend to keep evolving.”

While ‘Ara’, a chatbot, is CRA’s virtual assistant available 24/7, the ‘Prophet’ is a tech-powered hub that helps businesses and brands understand issues, trends and cultural nuances in hindsight.

It provides clarity on current trends with insight and offers foresight without human interaction. CRA’s External Consultant, Frankline Ozekhome, unveiled the ‘Prophet’ while sharing excerpts from a comprehensive Trends Report the firm commissioned to help clients and key players in the market.

The 15th-anniversary celebration featured the maiden Innovation and Tech Trends Summit (ITTS). PR & Comms Manager at OMNIBIZ, Elizabeth Adebanjo, Chief Business Officer, Cellulant, Sike Bamisebi, Group Chief Operating Officer, Palton Morgan, Nidal Turjman and film producer and actress Hauwa Alahhbura discussed ‘Enablers for living and winning in a disrupted world’ at the session moderated by youth analyst, Femi Daniel.