By Ngozi Onyeakusi— Award winning energy drink brand, Amber, is not only a leading premium energy drink, but also known for empowering SMEs through various financial supporting programmes. This remarkable quality earned and endeared outstanding recognitions to both the brand and its General Manager, Ms. Titilola Adedeji, recently. The iconic energy drink, in the last 1+ years of its brand presence in the Nigerian market, has an unusual way of giving back to the consumers and its host community for their trust and patronage. In all these, Amber has recorded some remarkable giant strides in easing the problems of its consumers, and it is at it again!

This time, Amber is focused on providing sellers a means of infusing the marketplace with its product for efficient distribution and profitability, as it kicked off its quarterly promo known as “Amber Wholesalers Loyalty Scheme. The promo is aimed at gaining more traction, market share and penetration for the brand by rewarding wholesalers’ loyalty in promoting the brand across Lagos State.

The three-day event is a quarterly promo which commenced in July 2021, with the maiden edition that has produced 15 winners among wholesalers within Lagos State. Amber Wholesale Loyalty Scheme is an efficient initiative introduced by the brand to disrupt the distribution chain of the product, geared towards encouraging increased patronage and availability of Amber products across various markets, while embracing and engaging the wholesaler as a middle man between the brand and retailers.

Highlighting the promo, Adegbite Adeniran, the Regional Sales Manager, Amber Energy Drink Ltd., spoke further on what prompted the initiative.

“What prompted the brand into the initiative was the fact that Amber is a new product in the market. We need to be available in the retail outlets, everywhere – and the only means to achieve that is through the wholesalers.

He added: “Engaging both the wholesalers and the sub-distributors will help accelerate our sales, as distributors alone cannot penetrate into the various locations. It is also a way of appreciating them that they mean a lot to us. It is a win-win approach, giving back to them while they help us to reach out with our product.”

Commenting on the flagship edition of promo, Mr. Adegbite revealed that winners smiled home with grand prizes of various gift items. The marketing expert maintained that only winners who met the set criteria were selected.

His words: “It has three categories, which includes Platinum, Gold and Silver. We expect those under the platinum category to do a minimum of 400 cases per month and 1200 cases per quarter to qualify for the gift items. The second category, which is the gold is expected to do a minimum of 200 cases monthly, with 600 cases per quarter to qualify while the third category, silver, is expected to do 80 cases per month with 240 cases per quarter. At the end of the quarter, the wholesalers will be rewarded with the items.”

Noting the classes of gift items, the Regional Sales Manager explained that the platinum category will be presented with Deep Freezer, Generating set, and television set. For the gold, they will be presented with washing machines, microwave ovens, and gas cookers, while the third category, silver, would be going home with Standing fans, Blenders and small size Microwave ovens.”

The Amber sales boss pointed out that winners who are not interested in the gift items would go home with the product value of the wins. The gift items would be replaced with Amber product, as cash prize is not allowed in exchange for the gift items.

Some of the winners, who excitedly shared their testaments, reiterated that they will continue with the promo, describing it as a boost to their sales, while promising to spread the enriching news among family members and friends.

Speaking on behalf of some of the winners, a Gold category winner, Okoh Ndubuisi, whose shop is popularly known as “ND Best”, located at Igando Multipurpose, said his love for the brand grew immediately he heard its advertisement.

“Because of Amber, my sales have increased incredibly; I have a hotel that I usually supply Amber to everyday. It shows people like the product very well.”

Another wholesaler, Alhaja Idowu Karaole, whose business name is Alhaja Kams Store, at Ile-Iwe Egbe is also a Gold category winner, stated that she was very glad about the promo but called for more awareness creation for the brand to attract more customers and sales.

“I am grateful, may God Almighty enrich the company’s pocket. I won Microwave oven.”

Amber Wholesalers Loyalty Scheme, which is specifically targeted at wholesalers, is still ongoing. According to the brand, the promo is already having an impactful touch on the brand’s bottom line. Though it is scheduled to hold for three consecutive days, it has witnessed the emergence of 15 winners which cut across the three named categories, Platinum, Gold and Silver.