StarTimes GO claims BJAN award for innovation –

First Pan-African e-Shopping Channel, StarTimes GO, has won the BJAN marketing award as pay-TV most innovative and creative brand extension in 2020.

The award was presented at Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria’s 8th brands and marketing conference in Lagos on November 27.

BJAN is an association of brand writers and critics in the country.

BJAN Chairman, Princewill Ekwujuru, said StarTimes GO was painstakingly picked by BJAN Award Committee after much assessment on how impactful StarTimes has been to the country, especially during the lockdown periods.

Commenting on the award, Lazarus Ibeabuchi, PR Manager, StarTimes Nigeria, said: “The award bears testimony that StarTimes is not just a digital-TV, we are now an enabler of digital-lifestyle.”

Lazarus said StarTimes GO makes life easier in the new normal.

According to him: “The year 2020 has not been the easiest and has popularised many terms we never knew existed.

“One of such terms is the COVID-19, a term many people feel would be better called ‘COVID-20’ since it became popular in the year 2020 and practically disrupted the first half of the year.

“An offspring of the COVID-19 was ‘COVIDnomics’, the concept of an economy which would now be tied around directives such as physical distancing, cashless payments and the rest.

“Since people, both in Nigeria and other countries, were expected to avoid crowded places including markets, it became necessary to provide an alternative e-shopping platform which could be just as interactive as the normal marketplace but without the usual crowd.

“One can also not ignore the health benefits of keeping people away from crowded places.

“At various stages of easing the lockdown, various state governments still limited the number of market days weekly.

“Also, the stress of having to go through nerve-wracking traffic in some busy cities reduce precious times for other pursuits.

“As COVIDnomics lingers on, it compounded households’ woes of the rising cost of living. And as economic hardship persists, purchasing power deteriorates while many are thrown into despair.

“At this critical point, the StarTimes GO channel was launched to offer a unique shopping experience where customers get entertained while shopping easy and affordable in one breath.

“StarTimes GO helps customers to save money while helping businesses to make money.

“Its primary aim is to maximise benefits for all and improve the welfare of society.”

Lazarus added that the slogan: “Better Life, Let’s Go,” is not just a slogan but encapsulates the idea that StarTimes GO is out to help people live better lives even as they adjust to new ways of living and enjoy non-contact top shopping experience through integrated services that combine TV, social media and phone-call.

He added: “Items sold on the e-shopping service include smart equipment such as home appliances, kitchen utensils, phones, rechargeable fans and lights, and other basic living necessities.

“One reason some people still shy away from regular e-commerce platforms is because they fear that items will not be fair due to third party arrangements which shoot up final price to the end-user.

“To ensure that customers get the best prices possible, products are not sourced from third-party agents but from factories in different countries where they underwent comparison and testing to get the highest quality.

“Some other products are sourced from local brands, providing those traders with a wider market beyond their physical location.”