ORANGE DRUGS: Why We Chose A Ghanaian For "Face Of Devon" Luxury Soap

In view of the barage of criticisms coming on the wake of its choice of Ghanaian star actress, Nadia Buari as the Face of its latest luxury soap, Devon, the Management of Orange Drugs Limited, a big player in the Nigerian beauty products industry, has come out to defend itself.
Towards last December, Nadia Buari, the Ghanaian actress was all over in the Devon Luxury Soap calendars. It didn’t dawn on anybody that she is the Face of Devon. People took her for just a mere model for Devon Luxury Soap calendar.

Precisely three weeks ago, Orange Drugs did the ultimate. Nadia Buari was unveiled as the Face of Devon soap to a cross section of Nigerians from a variety of endeavours. Top business chieftains, actors, actresses, musicians, fashion exponents, and media executives were in attendance. Politicians were also there.

Nadia is the latest product endorsement catch. She is the brand ambassador of the newest luxury soap in Nigeria called Devon.

But, the choice of the Ghanaian star actress did not go down well with fans of Nigerian movie stars. Questions were asked: “ What is Orange Drugs up to? Why would Orange Drugs import a Ghanaian actress to promote its soap in Nigeria? Does it mean no Nigerian actress was found worthy enough to be the Face of Devon? "

In a swift reaction, the management of Orange Drugs has come out todefend their choice.Its Marketing Communications Consultant, Mr. Ingram Osigwe, Managing Director, Full Page Communications, recalled that between 2001 and 2003, four big Nollywood stars: Pete Edochie, Samanja, Jide Kosoko and Saint Obi were the brand ambassadors for the company’s Boska analgesic brand. The marketing Communications expert cited another two instances. Lilian Bach was sometime ago the Face of Delta soap for two years, After Lilian Bach, was another big star in Nollywood; Carol Ekanem, she was also once the Face of Delta soap.

The Full Page Communications Chief Executive explained, “Our dream is to build the brand into an international brand. A brand that will not only appeal to Nigerians, but also other African countries. It may interest you to know that we have been in Ghana for over six years. And from Ghana we are moving to other West African countries like Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Sierra Leone and the Gambia.”

And to his critics he said pointedly with no regrets, “Devon is a beauty soap and beauty is synonymous with pretty women, you must surely have a particular model that is naturally endowed with the features of the brand and has the capacity to extend the brand benefits and messages, you want to give to the public. So to us, Nadia was just the square peg in a square hole in what we are looking for.”