Mastering Marketing the Nbari Way: My Evolution

I always told people I was a marketer and communicator when asked the "So, what do you do?" question. But in reality I was far from that... the marketer part, I was a communicator, sure, but did I know how to integrate that into marketing that actually works? Not entirely. I always liked the idea of marketing so much I majored in marketing and advertising back in school, but even after 4 years of vigorous studying, I couldn't confidently say I was indeed a marketer. 

This became a concern that lingered at the back of my mind until, on a random Thursday, a friend of mine sent me a flier and a link and advised me to join. I did my little research to know what the program was about, and I found it was a marketing program. Sign me up! I went ahead to register and luckily was able to get money to pay for the program, and that's how the real marketing journey began. 

Understanding the Art… 

The first class was amazing. Seun, our tutor, had this calm, soft-spoken way of teaching that just drew you in. As time went by, I got even more interested and engaged. It was almost like every class opened my eyes a little more. 4 weeks in, and I was already learning things I spent four years in school trying to understand.

One class that stood out for me was when Seun talked about the “Share a Coke” campaign. That session alone changed how I saw brand strategy. From there, we learned about brand identity, metrics, understanding the target audience, budgeting, core messaging, and communication. Another moment I really enjoyed was learning advertising strategies with Omodolapo. Honestly, every class felt so fresh and insightful. 

Then just like that, it was project week. It was a good opportunity to put everything I’d learned into practice. I decided to create a marketing campaign focused on building brand awareness for a Nigerian fresh grocery delivery company called Stayples.

…The Art of Becoming 

I remember thinking, “Their UI and UX are great, deliveries are fast, prices are fair, and their goods are genuinely fresh. So why haven’t they blown up yet?” The answer? Poor marketing. It was a problem that needed fixing, and with my project in view, it made the perfect case study. 

After some research and brainstorming, I came up with the “Fresh Made Simple” campaign.

And for the first time, I didn’t just say I was a marketer. I finally began to feel like one. 

The process of putting the campaign together was both fun and enlightening. From preparing the SWOT analysis, researching the target audience, working on the budget, to planning the ads, everything came together so beautifully. While designing the presentation slides, I also took the chance to show off a bit of my graphic design skills (lol). I incorporated fresh, vibrant elements that really brought the slides to life. After several rounds of brainstorming and putting on my creative hat, the Fresh Made Simple campaign was finally ready, and I was actually proud of how it turned out.

It was presentation day, and I was part of the virtual presentation group. When the session started, I’ll admit I was nervous. I mean, who wouldn’t be? But as I watched others present and listened to the feedback from Tunde Ogunkunle and the rest of the panel, I began to relax. It felt less like a test and more like what it truly was, a learning process for all of us. 

When it was finally my turn to present, I took a deep breath and went for it. The panel expressed genuine interest in my work, and I even got a mini tutoring session on budget allocation from Tunde himself, the chief priest. It was both enlightening and practical, and I remember thinking how much sense it all made. 

And so, the evolution continues… 

Through the Nbari program, contributing at work and managing strategies became so much easier. With the knowledge I gained from my classes, I was able not just to develop ideas but also to confidently execute them without second-guessing myself. The impact was clear: a 60% increase in brand awareness and more precise audience targeting. The results were already showing, and I had only just begun. 

After eight weeks of an exciting, fun, and deeply insightful experience, Nbari turned out to be a true stepping stone to the next level of my marketing journey. I’m especially grateful to Seun for her incredible teaching style and for always being available, even outside of class. She’d always say, almost after every session, “If you have questions, reach out to me, send a message on WhatsApp, or even my email.” (lol) That kind of openness made all the difference.

I am genuinely thankful to everyone who played a part in making me a proud Nbari citizen.