P&G Brings Africa’s Next Top Model on Screen

In a couple of months from now, Africa gets its Next Top Model courtesy of Procter & Gamble Nigeria, makers of Always brand of sanitary pads  and Africa’s own supermodel and winner of the first M-Net Face of Africa contest, Oluchi Onweagba.

The massive talent hunt reality TV project tagged, Africa’s Next Top Model (ANTM) hit the airwaves and have been exciting audiences across African since the airing of the first episode on DStv’s AfricaMagic channe; on Sunday, November 11, 2013.

Africa's Next Top Model is a painstaking, continent-wide search for the supermodel hopeful who will represent the face of Africa in world modelling stage. Supermodel hopefuls from all over the continent  are dilligently scouted for, brought together to compete in the strive to prove they have what it takes to make in the cutthroat world of modeling!
Prior to the breaking of the project on airwaves, Africa's Next Top Model conducted a continent wide search to find 12 top contenders who are currently locked in battle of their lives for the coveted modeling contract and have the dream of a lifetime come true.
Over the next couple of weeks, the 12 lucky contestants will be trained by some of the top-modeling experts in the world...experts who will teach them about fashion, runway skills, physical fitness and publicity. And the entire time the contestants will be living under one roof in a house that is equipped with cameras and microphones to record their every move, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

According to a statement from the producers of the show, “In addition, the contestants will be evaluated on a regular basis by an elite panel of judges lead by Oluchi Orlandi. These judges will be experts from the industry and will narrow down the competition week-to-week until two finalists go head-to-head. And in the end, one lucky winner will be chosen...the winner who will become the first ever Africa's Next Top Model!
“This will be the largest scope that the Top Model franchise has ever hit! We are looking all over the entire continent to find the most beautiful girl with raw talent, originality, creativity, passion and humor,” the statement said.

The 12 contestants in ANTM’s Academy include: Aamito (Uganda), Cheandre (South Africa), Joyce (Nigeria), Marwa (Tunisia), Michaela (Angola), Michelle (South Africa), Omowunmi (Nigeria), Opeyemi (Nigeria), Rhulani (South Africa), Roselyn (Ghana), Safira (Mozambique) and Steffi (Kenya).

ANTM Academy has three principal judges. They are:Josie Borain. Unarguably South Africa’s first Supermodel with an impressive fifteen year modeling career working with the worlds biggest icons in the fashion industry such as Bruce Weber, Ralph Lauren, Steven Meisel, Calvin Klein, Irving Penn and Richard Avedon to name just a few; Oluchi Orlandi (nee Onweagba), an African Fashion Icon and winner of M-Net’s Face of Africa in 1998; Remi Adetiba, a New York City based photographer and creative director and a voice in the New York advertising industry.

Addressing journalists during the media launch of ANTM, &G’s Brand Operations Associate Director, Ehinmen Enekabor said P&G is a proud sponsor of Africa’s Next Top Model, adding that the company has always been at the forefront of innovation and of celebrating women.

“The ANTM show ties closely with these focal points for P&G, as we continue to provide African consumers with revolutionary brands driven by superior innovation and product performance”, he said noting “On our part, as a company – P&G continues to provide African consumers with revolutionary brands developed to deliver superior innovation and product performance. We see the ANTM show as an innovative platform for showcasing our leading brands that impact on beauty, confidence and personal hygiene.”

He explained for P&G, innovation is not limited to invention alone. “It’s the conversion of a new idea into consumer delight. We celebrate fresh ideas and innovation, and this is one thing that the ANTM show is bringing to Africa,” he said.

Enekabor explained further that P&G brands is supporting the ANTM show on the bill of its household name brands including Always, Oral B, Safeguard and Ariel. According to him these are brands that advance health, confidence and personal hygiene – all important individual components of overall beauty.

“The company, he added “is constantly reviewing the market for opportunities. P&G has 50 leadership brands that are among the world's best known household names. In Nigeria today, we have 10 leading brands in the country. We recognise that there is a lot of opportunity to grow our business in Nigeria by serving more consumers.

“As we continue being in touch with our consumers, delighting them and understanding how we can better satisfy their needs, the insights we get would continue to inform our strategic choices to introduce new products and new innovations in our existing products.