BBNaija Is Not a Marketing Strategy—Unless You Do It Like This

Every year, it happens:

A new season of Big Brother Naija drops.
Your CMO gets excited. Your agency panics.
And suddenly, your product “must enter the house.”

One problem though:

BBNaija is not a marketing plan. It’s a channel. And if you enter without a real strategy, you’ll leave with just screenshots and regrets.

Let’s break it down

Why Brands Rush BBNaija

First, let’s give credit where it’s due.
BBNaija has:

• Insane eyeballs (millions daily)

• A ready-made audience (18–35, emotional, loyal, and loud)

• Memes, trends, influencer bait all in one

So yes, visibility is guaranteed.

But visibility ≠ impact.
And here’s where Nigerian brands get it wrong…

Where Most Brands Fumble

1. They Do It for the Clout—Not the Fit

You’re selling paint.
But you sponsor Saturday Night Party.
Nobody paints during detty December, sir.

Some brands have no audience-brand-match with BBNaija. But the fear of missing out pushes them to force relevance. The result? Noise without ROI.

2. Ambassadors That Don’t Make Sense

Once a housemate steps out:

• Banks want them

• Noodles want them

• Fintechs want them

• Even sanitary pad brands want the same person

But let’s ask: Does this person actually fit your brand’s values, target, or product usage? Or are you just paying for vibes and engagement?

3. No Post-Show Plan

You splashed ₦100M on sponsorship.
Then silence.

No funnel.
No product story.
No follow-up campaign.

Just “we were part of the show.” Okay, and?

Now, Here’s How to Do It Right

Let’s show love to brands who’ve done it the correct way.

1. Integrate, Don’t Just Sponsor – Like Flutterwave

Flutterwave didn’t just place ads.
They created in-show activations with money transfers, QR scanning games, and themed tasks.
Audience interacted with the product in real time.

Lesson: If your product can’t enter the story, it shouldn’t enter the house.

2. Own a Moment – Like Boomplay

Boomplay came in hot during a party night with curated playlists and real-time streaming push.
They didn’t just sponsor; they owned music moments.

Find your lane. Then dominate that lane with content, emotion, and visibility.

3. Use The House to Tell a Story – Like Oppo

Oppo used the house as a content mine. They gave housemates phones, got UGC, launched new products, and had a BBNaija-specific social push.

They didn’t just “support”—they extracted value at every touchpoint.

Lesson: BBNaija is a stage. You better perform.

4. Match the Personality – Like Lipton x Liquorose

Lipton picked Liquorose post-show and didn’t just throw her into ads.
They created calming tea moments, peaceful storytelling, and wellness content that matched her vibe.

Lesson: Ambassador = brand match, not trend match.

But Also… Know When Not to Bother

If your brand:

• Can’t afford the visibility and the storytelling

• Doesn’t target youth or trend-hugging audiences

• Can’t do more than “just be seen”…

Please.
Sit this one out.

There’s no shame in not doing BBNaija.
There’s shame in doing it badly and trending for the wrong reasons.

TL;DR?

BBNaija will give you attention—but if you don’t have a plan, it will also waste your budget.

The SoroSoke Brand Tip:

BBNaija should be part of your ecosystem, not your entire campaign strategy.
If you can’t integrate, activate, or narrate—don’t participate.