The integrated marketing communications (imc) and marketing industry in Nigeria has expressed readiness to receive the much awaited Stanley Obi’s book titled “The Innovation Trap”. The newest innovation literature would be unveiled on February 23rd, 2025.
Industry practitioners who spoke to The Industry Newspaper about the book said that the expectation of the book is palpable and the book particularly locally written by one of the experts will do the industry a lot of good.
In a post on his LinkedIn handle tagged ‘the countdown begins’, Stanley said, “After years of experience in brand strategy and innovation, I’ve seen brilliant ideas fail and seemingly small ideas take over markets. Why? Because too many brands fall into The Innovation Trap—chasing trends, ignoring consumers, and prioritizing ego over market fit.”
He added, “I’m excited to announce that my book, The Innovation Trap, will launch on February 23, 2025! This book unpacks the avoidable mistakes that have doomed many brands and provides a roadmap for sustainable success. This book is for you if you’ve ever been part of an innovation that didn’t quite land,” he said.
Stanley, who is the Director Grand Oak Prime Strategic Business Unit describes himself as brand growth and marketing strategist, with a robust background in marketing communications and new business development.
According to him, “I lead the Grand Oak Prime Strategic Business Unit, driving strategic growth and operational excellence. Our team has achieved notable success, including the significant relaunch of St. Lauren non-alcoholic wine and a range of canned beverages, which has markedly increased our market share.
Speaking about Stanley’s pedigree in the industry, the marketing director of Nigerian Breweries Plc Emmanuel Oriakhi said “Stanley is a joy to work with, he is a take-charge person who is able to deliver insightful work capable of helping the growth potentials of any brand. He has been very instrumental in setting up the Consumer and Market Intelligence unit within Heineken Nigeria. Stanley also successfully managed the project of setting up a one of its kind “Mission Control Room” for Heineken in Nigeria, where the team was able to listen in on the digital conversations for the Heineken portfolio and competition in Nigeria.”
“With experience spanning ten years in Sales and Marketing, Stanley comes highly recommended and can be considered an authority in brand building,” Oriakhi added.
According to Obi Ike, Managing Director, West & Central Africa at NigerBev, “Stanley is a visionary leader, who showed extraordinary leadership, terrific strategic capability, and an unrivaled capacity for driving innovative marketing programs. He made huge improvements in our brand presence and share. We had a strong portfolio of brands that over-delivered against revenue expectations while successfully balancing creative flair with fact-based strategies to deliver outstanding year-on-year revenue growth.
He brings a deep ability to leverage consumer, culture, and customer insights to identify growth opportunities and drive collaboration within the team and across other departments.
Besides his professional achievements, Ike stated that “Stanley is a born leader who instills a sense of confidence and develops trust in working with others. His mentorship skills, ability to empower other team members, have been instrumental in the continuous talent development within the marketing department and will always be remembered. He is indeed an asset to any organization for his commitment to excellence, strong work ethic, and passion for innovation.”
Speaking on how innovation translates to growth for Grand Oak Limited, Stanley said that “Our focus on innovative sales strategies and market expansion initiatives has culminated in a double-digit growth in sales volume and value. In collaboration with my colleagues, we orchestrated the Lord’s Music Festival, enhancing brand visibility and performance, and led digital marketing strategies that quadrupled digital engagement. These efforts reflect our dedication to connecting with our audience and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the marketing landscape.”
