Sonia Tomato Paste Is Quietly Winning the YouTube Ad War
If you’ve tried to watch a recipe on YouTube lately without hearing “I’m in love!” screamed in your ear, you’ve already met Sonia Tomato Paste — and the viral invasion of their 15-second pre-roll ad.
The ad is simple, even chaotic.
Actress Linda Ejiofor yells out:
“I’m in love!”
Her mother-in-law spins around in shock.
Her son screams: “What?!”
Even Suleiman (her husband) joins in: “What?!”
And just when it’s about to become a family fight, she lifts a Sonia Tomato Paste sachet like it’s the Holy Grail…
…and starts singing the jingle.
No discounts.
No free apron offer.
Just pure, high-frequency, emotional Nigerian drama — and it’s everywhere.
The Visibility Game
Sonia is not just running ads. They are owning YouTube’s most powerful ad real estate — pre-rolls on mobile.
If you:
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Watch food content,
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Stream gospel music,
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Follow Nollywood channels,
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Or just live in Nigeria with internet,
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Sonia t0mato paste will find you. And shout in your face with tomato.
Sonia’s Strategy? Dominate First, Explain Later
What Sonia is doing isn’t experimental.
It’s intentional saturation.
They’ve locked down:
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Pre-roll spots on cooking and lifestyle channels
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Short, drama-led creatives that cut through noise
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Repetition that builds recall without over-explaining
Let that sink in.
Meanwhile, Startups Are Still “A/B Testing”
Let’s not even lie—some of these tech founders could learn from Sonia.
While D2C skincare brands are tweaking fonts for their TikTok text overlays,
and real estate brands are still writing “Buy 4 Get 1 Free,”
Sonia is pouring ad money into the largest screen time real estate in Nigeria: YouTube mobile.
They’re not chasing “vibes.”
They’re chasing volume, visual memory, and long-term recall.
No Competition in Sight
While most FMCG brands are still betting heavily on TV or billboard, Sonia has quietly shifted focus.
They’re not sharing space with Gino, Tasty Tom, or any rival. In fact, in the YouTube ad trenches right now — Sonia is the only one holding a knife.
READ ALSO: Meta Ads in Nigeria are now a joke
It’s not even a war.
It’s a one-brand masterclass.
What Sonia Got Right
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Cultural Familiarity
Screaming in the kitchen? Sounds like every Sunday at home.
They didn’t try to Westernize it — they leaned all the way in. -
Fast, Funny, Familiar
They understand that Nigerians have short attention and high noise tolerance.
The ad makes its point in 15 seconds, makes you laugh, and makes sure you remember. -
Consistency Beats Variety
Instead of wasting budget testing 7 creatives, Sonia found one — and is scaling it with confidence.
What This Says About the State of Nigerian Digital Media
- FMCG finally understands that attention has moved.TV is still powerful, but YouTube is where meal decisions are influenced.
- Legacy brands are no longer scared of tech platforms.They’re not saying “let’s test this platform.”They’re saying, “place ₦10M now, we dey cook stew.”
- YouTube is the new billboard.And tomato paste just taught fintech what brand dominance really looks like
TL;DR
While you’re boosting posts, Sonia is owning your YouTube queue.
And it’s not because of influencers.
It’s because they understand frequency, emotion, and cultural attention.
In Nigeria’s digital market, it’s no longer the flashiest campaign that wins
It’s the one that shouts loudest and longest with a sachet in hand.
Got a YouTube ad that’s stalking you?
Send it to editor@sorosokebrands.com — and we’ll tell you who paid for it.
