You don’t forget a great ad; it lives rent-free in your head. That is how the Old Nigerian Ads are still in my head.
Think “We no go gree o!” from Bagco, “Papilo, I know say one day you go make us proud”, or Saka’s “I don port o!”.
These weren’t just commercials; they were moments.
Today, brands chase trends and short clips for social media, but yesterday’s ads built memories.
And interestingly, that’s the same philosophy driving Japanese advertising today.
The Kind Of Ad We Create Today
In today’s marketing world, brands are obsessed with algorithms, optimizing for reach, engagement, and hashtags.
But what gets lost? Emotion. Story. Permanence.
In the 1980s to early 2000s, Nigerian ads were cultural events, they used music, pidgin, humor, and storytelling to make you feel something.
From Panadol Extra’s “Oga na Master” to Indomie’s “Mama do good o”, every advert had a soul.
They didn’t just describe the product; they described our lives.
What Can We Learn from Japanese Ads
Japanese Ads Still Do What We Used to Do.
Japanese advertising works differently, quietly, emotionally, and memorably.
They call it the “soft sell”, less “buy now,” more “feel this.”
What Makes Japanese Ads Special
- Emotional storytelling: Focused on feeling, not features.
- Cuteness as connection: Mascots and humor make brands relatable.
- Soft-sell approach: Ads create moods, not pressure.
- Cultural cues: They use nostalgia, music, and symbols instead of long copy.
- Seasonal storytelling: Ads follow cultural rhythms, cherry blossoms, festivals, and family time.
- Respectful tone: No shouting, no comparison, just story.
It’s not that different from the old Nigerian approach; we told stories that sang.
Nigeria Once Had That Magic, Too
Our old ads had the same DNA: emotion, culture, and rhythm.
Examples that Prove It:
- Bagco Super Sack: A protest anthem, “We no go gree o!”, became national lingo.
- Panadol Extra: A pidgin comedy skit about pain and power, “Oga na Master.”
- Omo: Families singing “Super Blue Omo, see the brightness!”, joy in cleanliness.
- UBA: “Africa’s Global Bank,” tying banking to pride and progress.
- MTN’s “I Don Port” (2013): The last explosive, culture-shifting ad, Saka dancing from green to yellow.
These ads worked because they weren’t just about the product.
They were about us, our music, our jokes, our families, our dreams.
What Should The Next Generation of Creatives Do
If you’re in marketing today, here’s the truth:
You’re not competing for views, you’re competing for memory.
Algorithms can give you reach, but only emotion gives you resonance.
Old Nigerian ads were built to last decades in people’s minds, not 24 hours on a feed.
That’s what Japanese brands still do today: they make ads that feel like art, not content.
Create Memories, Not Just Moments)
The people who made old Nigerian ads didn’t just create commercials; they created brains.
They studied people, their laughter, and their language.
They knew something we’ve forgotten:
You don’t sell a product. You sell a feeling that stays.
The next time you create an ad, don’t just aim for virality, aim for memory.
Because memory is the true metric of impact.
Tell me, what’s the last Nigerian ad you remember word-for-word?
If you had to bring one back, which would it be?
Let’s talk, maybe it’s time we stopped creating for the algorithm,
and started creating for the heart again.
