In today’s ever-evolving and highly competitive marketing environment, brands are seeking more ways of interacting and engaging consumers in innovative ways to gain attention and share of mind.

Consumer Scores International, a young and innovative media and advertising entrepreneurial organization has done just that with its latest innovation, LIQUIDSPARK. In this chat, the CEO of Consumer Scores International, Akachi Ngwu, speaks on this innovation that is poised to disrupt the through-the-line advertising sector of the marketing communications ecosystem in Nigeria.

ADNEWS: What is the innovation that Consumer Scores International is introducing?

Akachi: It is the blank cardboard papers that dry cleaners insert in each drycleaned folded garment for their clients. Those blank cardboard papers are now turned into advertising materials to enable advertisers to directly talk to their target audience. It is coming into the market with the brand name “LiquidSpark”

We are talking about using cardboard papers that drycleaners insert in ironed folded garments delivered to clients to make this a medium or a means for advertisers to communicate directly to their target audience.

Because the dry-cleaning business is typically woven around upper- and middle-class consumers, our innovation is tailored for advertisers that have such consumer categories as their target audience. These are the two key areas we are looking at. If an advertiser is looking at those markets, we can assure you that we will help you to push your brand to the market, and to the right audience. Apart from pushing it to the right audience, we are also giving you direct contact, and direct communication with your target audience. Because the audience will fill these papers, they will use it in their homes whatever way they want to use it. The essence is actually to get the products of the clients to the market.

ADNEWS: In other words, are you using dry cleaners and dry cleaning as a medium to carry the advertising message?

Akachi: Yes. It is more of a platform business. Online business is a platform business. This is also a platform business but it is physical. What is the platform? The platform is the dry-cleaning companies. They are the ones carrying the message for the advertisers. They carry the message for the advertisers and it generates revenue for the drycleaning company. They offer us their platform; we provide the materials and generate revenue for them.

ADNEWS: Who are the owners of this innovation?

Akachi: The innovation was conceived by Consumer Scores International Limited after a series of market insights. Consumer Scores is a media and advertising entrepreneurial organization with an interest in out-of-home advertising, sponsorships, small business consulting, and market and marketing research collaborations. We identified a gap in the advertising market and sought to fill the gap (need), the need is designed to generate subliminal effects for the advertised brand to reach its target audience. In essence, “LiquidSpark”, is coming into the advertising market to provide advertisers with a compelling medium devoid of cluttering.

ADNEWS: Can you explain the features of the innovation?

Akachi: Usually, when dropping off your garments for dry cleaning, the expectation is to have your garments returned on the agreed delivery date. When they return it, particularly men’s dresses and casual shirts, it is normally folded with a blank cardboard paper inserted inside the folded garment to prevent it from rumpling. So, we are transforming those blank cardboard papers into an advertising medium. The card is double sided and some of the suggestions we are giving to clients(advertisers) are that the two sides do not need to have two brands on them; you can use one side for the brand and the other side for a game, a puzzle or whatever you want to do with it. The essence is to have engagement with the audience. The engagement might even be with the direct user of the product; it can be with indirect users such as members of the household or those who come in contact with the card while visiting or are there for any other reason. It is also important to point out that for seasoning brands (Maggi, Terra cube, Royco, Knorr, Onga, etc.) interested in engaging with “LiquidSpark”, one side could be used to advertise the brand while using the other side to provide different recipes for making delicious meals.

Secondly, we have also included a QR Code in the cardboard paper. The essence of the QR Code is for retargeting. Once the target audience scans the QR Code, it takes them to the advertiser’s online platform – Instagram page, X page, Facebook, website, or LinkedIn and whatever you want the QR Code to do for you. The QR code also enables the advertiser to get the contact information of the target audience for follow-up.

With the inclusion of the QR code, “LiquidSpark” is a technology-compliant novelty enabling advertisers to connect, engage, and WOW their target market. We see this feature as a critical success factor because of the important role of technology in advertising campaign offerings. “LiquidSpark” sits at the intersection of technology and traditional advertising campaigns.

ADNEWS: What led to the innovation?

Akachi: The innovation is based on our experience in trying to provide clients (advertisers) with something they can have and say yes, we are satisfied with this and have a good expectation on return on investment of advertising spend. We have looked at traditional and online media and observed the presence of cluttering, which is unhealthy for the advertised brands, and came up with a solution that will WOW both the advertised brand and the target audience. So, the conception of “LiquidSpark” will provide advertisers with value on their advertising spend as well as meeting other advertising set objectives.

ADNEWS: Does LiquidSpark have any legal protection?

Akachi: Thank you for this critical question. Let me first of all state that right from the conception of this advertising innovation we were very mindful of the role of legal protection to safeguard the innovation.

So, we engaged one of the best intellectual property rights legal minds in our country, Nosa Uwadiae, to facilitate copyright protection from the Nigeria Copyright Commission. This has been successfully obtained from the NCC. Also, we are topping it up with a trademark protection for the brand name.

The essence is to ensure that legally our innovation is protected to give us commercial leverage as we launch the brand into the market.

So, we have covered all legal protection requirements.

ADNEWS: Who is your likely target market for this product?

Akachi: As I mentioned earlier, dry cleaning is mainly driven by the upper class and the middle class. We are looking at those brands that also have our kind of target audience. Now FMCG’s are within that range; the fintech companies are within that range; real estate providers are also within that range; financial institutions are also within that range, and automobile brands. It all depends on the objective the advertiser is set to achieve at any particular campaign period. Because each campaign period has its objectives and goals. If at any campaign season, your audience is middle class, you’re likely to push your campaign through “LiquidSpark” to them. The same applies if it is for the upper class you’re likely to push your campaign to the upper class through “LiquidSpark”.

Particularly, real estate developers will find “LiquidSpark” very useful in reaching out to buyers of their undeveloped and developed properties. Even the fintech like OPAY, Interswitch (Verve), Mastercard, Visa, Paystack, Fluterwave, and the rest of them.

ADNEWS: From what you are saying, it seems the product targets a localized market. Are you going to target the production of the product to localized markets?

Akachi: At this stage, we are still concentrating our efforts on this part of the market. But as we grow, we also have to look at franchising, especially for places outside Lagos. But where franchising is not possible, we can work in those markets directly. We have plans in the medium to long term to go national but our expansion will depend on the type of clients and the number of clients that we have.

ADNEWS: What are the value propositions of LIQUIDSPARK?

Akachi: With LIQUIDSPARK, brands would derive multiple added values. For instance, the QR Code gives customers access to brands’ online platforms where customers would know more about the advertised brand and be exposed to other communication messages from such brands.

LIQUIDSPARK generates a high level of engagement as the puzzles and special interest messages are attention and interest grabbing as well as providing information and educating customers on subjects in the puzzle.

Another value that LIQUIDSPARK brings is a personal touch in an era that is shifting fast from mass marketing to one-to-one marketing in a way that breeds interpersonal relationships between brands and consumers.

As a form of through-the-line communication, it cuts across clutter as it reaches the target market in the comfort of their homes and can be taken along and the puzzles solved anywhere at leisure.

LIQUIDSPARK specifically targets the market that matters, adopting the Rifle Strategy, and eliminating wastage and clutter. There is a popular statement in advertising attributed to John Wanamaker who said “Half of my advertising is wasted; the problem is I don’t know which half”. With LIQUISPARK, no half is wasted. All are measurable and data is available to determine the return thereby eliminating wastage and debunking the popular statement by John Wannamaker’s investment

ADNEWS: Do you have dry cleaning companies that are already on board?

Akachi: I would say we have been on this since 2021. We have been able to get copyright protection from the Nigerian Copyright Commission. We have gotten in touch with some top dry cleaners in Lagos but I will not mention their names for now. Fortunately, we have been able to secure Sedabuk Drycleaning and Laundry Services operating from Omole Phase 1 in Lagos with outlets and collection centers in several areas in Lagos Mainland. They saw the need after our presentation and we have signed a Memorandum of understanding. So, we have gotten one dry cleaning company and we have gotten a platform to move on to the next stage.

ADNEWS: With all fledging innovations, there are usually challenges so what are the imminent challenges that you are facing in trying to get this product off the ground and into the market?

Akachi: Printing is quite difficult; most times printers don’t understand the role they play in making the brand professional enough before the audience. So, we were finding it difficult to get a professional printer for this but fortunately, we have found a very professional printer. What we have is top-notch quality production that is limited and beautiful to behold.

So, I would say we have been able to settle the printing side of it. We also have the issue of onboarding drycleaners. However, we are not relenting as we keep pushing to make sure we get top dry cleaners in Lagos. Another challenge is that of the market embracing our innovation. The innovation is finding it difficult to enter the market as the market is also finding it difficult to accept the innovation. We are not giving up. We are looking at innovators and early adopters and have made presentations to some key clients. We are very expectant with the outcome of our presentations to the advertisers.

ADNEWS: What advice do you have for your prospective clients about the innovation?

Akachi: We know that innovations are quite difficult to adopt but once adopted it becomes something the client will continue to use. The advice for early adopters is that we are offering you services that assure you of your return on investment (ROI) on your advertising spend. Discerning advertisers are invited on board; rest assured that your advertising spend is guaranteed. You can know where you are spending. You can know what your reach is and where they are located.

ADNEWS: Why is the brand name “LiquidSpark”?

Akachi: The color schemes of black and white in our logo connote our appreciation of the impact and importance of creating a subliminal effect in advertising services offered. The black color scheme in brand management connotes elegance, prestige, opulence, and respect, while the white color scheme embodies transparency, accountability, and integrity. The color elements of the brand name resonate with our target market and it is testimony to our quality service delivery.

Secondly, it is expected that when your garments are delivered from the dry cleaners, they come out sparkling having passed through the process of water engineering and enhancement. Therefore, “LiquidSpark” captures the whole essence of our brand commitment to offering advertisers an innovative advertising medium devoid of cluttering.

ADNEWS: Who is Akachi Ngwu?

Akachi: Mr. Akachi Ngwu is the founder and CEO of Consumer Scores International Limited. He has had a fairly wide experience in the marketing communications industry. He is a published author and marketing thought leadership enthusiast.

A registered practitioner in advertising (rpa), he has worked in out-of-home; he has also worked in broadcasting; TV, and radio before setting up his own company. He understands the nitty-gritty of the business and what it takes to navigate and provide clients with what they need.