BBNaija is popular for its heavy dose of escapism. Everyday, Nigerians are faced with multidimensional challenges, puts a strain on the mind. As society has long discovered, we humans tend to forget about our own problems by involving ourselves in other people’s problems. Reality TV shows like BBNaija offers this crucial escape by commodifying and unfolding the overdramatic lives of others. Watching these people’s struggles makes us believe that our own problems aren’t as severe, or we can connect with their challenges and vicariously live through them. BBNaija provides this escape for Nigerians to relax and engage with housemates.
The Big Brother Naija reality show has received wide condemnations and criticisms and many are even calling for its total scrap. Many parents have forbidden their children from watching the show ‘as long as you are in my house.’ And sexual immorality remains the major reason why people ask the federal government to remove the shock from television screens.
We take a look at the reasons BBNaija became very important and successful, apart from taking youths off the street.
FIVE REASONS BBNAIJA IS A SUCCESSFUL REALITY TV SHOW
1. MARKETING.
Marketing helps. Branding is everything. Propaganda is profitable. Packaging is nice. Big Brother Naija is nothing but marketing, branding, propaganda, and packaging. A reality show is supposed to be nothing but reality, virtual reality as it happens, but let no one deceive you, everything that happens during the days of BBNaija are packaged, marketed, carefully branded and manipulated.
2. ORIGINALITY
It remains the “realest” and richest reality show on television. Unlike other reality shows where contestants rehearse how to live their lives, the Big Brother Naija show is one where Housemates come as they are and live in the open. There are many cameras to capture every moment and every housemate, so there is no place to hide for anyone.
3. MEDIA VALUE
The media value of sponsoring BBNaija according to experts surveyed is in billions of Naira, somewhere around N10 billion. The eyeballs, conversations and general awareness generated by the show makes it a viable option for brands looking to get the word out about their business. This much is seen in the robust mentions enjoyed by previous sponsors of the show.
The top-of-mind-awareness, share of mind and share of voice BBNaija offers partners makes it a top choice for many smart brands. Little wonder, the show always never fails to attract top Nigerian brands as sponsors every season. Online retailer, Payporte was the headline sponsor in 2017 and 2018, while gambling giants, Bet9ja hijacked 2019. Other recurrent sponsors include Minnie mie Chin Chin, Nokia, Heritage Bank, Pepsi, Legend Extra Stout among others.
4. TEAM WORK
In the house, the housemates team up to form alliances which they hope will prolong their stay in the house. They form alliances to work together on a particular task and fight for their survival in the house irrespective of their age and status.
The show is meant to be an ensemble of bright Nigerian minds putting their skill sets to work in line with teamwork ethic, ability to work under pressure and the application of creativity in the actualization of assigned tasks.
5.YOUTH AUDIENCE
At the heart of BBNaija’s influence is a nucleus of a young demographic. Young people are valuable consumers because they influence the purchasing decisions of their friends and family. In addition to being consumers themselves, teens can affect where their family vacation destinations, choice of car, and the clothes that their friends wear. A brand or product automatically gains an image of “being cool,” if it is popular with young people.
For a reality TV show that’s not a regular talent hunt, it is easy to question the value BBNaija has for young people. For a majority of the viewers of the show, the value is obvious as 84% agree the show holds great benefits for the youth by providing opportunities for success. They believe the show provides young people with an opportunity to discover themselves, interact with others, and showcase their talent to the world. In addition, there seems to be a consensus among respondents that the show provides a great platform for contestants to succeed in their individual pursuits as evidenced by the great strides are making after they left the Big Brother house.
Young people are important to numerous markets, from fashion, mobile, and technology to alcohol, snack foods and entertainment. Without young people, a significant number of businesses won’t exist. This audience spends money, and they inspire others to do so. BBNaija offers brands a confirmed route to their hearts.
