Iyke Bede
A campaign by Lagos-based public relations firm Blanche Aigle Communications for the Gino World Jollof Festival has been shortlisted for the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and named a finalist at the 2026 SABRE Awards EMEA.
The campaign, developed for Gino in partnership with celebrity chef Hilda Baci, was shortlisted in the Brand Experience & Activation category after emerging among 158 shortlisted entries from 1,551 submissions worldwide. It was also named a finalist in the Diamond Geographic Category for Africa at the SABRE Awards EMEA.
According to the agency, the campaign transformed Nigeria’s signature jollof rice into a global cultural conversation through public relations, experiential marketing, event management, influencer engagement and integrated storytelling. It said the initiative generated more than six billion media impressions worldwide and resulted in two Guinness World Records.
Commenting on the recognition, the Lead Consultant and Founder of Blanche Aigle Communications, Nene Bejide, said:
“Being recognized by both Cannes Lions and the SABRE Awards is a testament to the power of culturally relevant storytelling and integrated communications. The Gino World Jollof Festival demonstrated what is possible when strategy, creativity, execution, and authentic cultural insight come together to create experiences that resonate deeply with audiences.
We are incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful to Gino, Hilda Baci, our partners, and our exceptional team for believing in and bringing this vision to life.”
