Security agencies have begun a cyber hunt for masterminds of a video clip which has gone viral on social networks alleging that an Amstel Malta can drink contains a strange object.
Describing the clip as a calculated attempt to defame the low sugar formulated malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries, the Corporate Affairs Adviser , Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem, weekend, stated that a picture earlier went viral that a fake Amstel Malta was in circulation, shortly after the company launched a new credential campaign #WhyAddMore#.
The picture was apparently because the new packaging wore the new NIS logo while the old packaging had the old NIS logo of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SONs.
The company according to Ekanem, reported the defamation attempt to the security agencies for further investigation, soon after a faceless consumer recorded an alleged contaminated drink and circulated it on social media.
However, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria , SON, which is the statutory body vested with the responsibility of standardising and regulating the quality of all products in Nigeria, has debunked claims by the faceless video producer of the fake Amstel Malta in circulation.
Briefing journalists weekend , on its investigation, SON’s Deputy Director, Mr. Fred Akingbesote, explained that Nigerian Breweries had met the organisation’s safety and quality requirements and had also complied with all requirements of the new National Industrial Standard (NIS) logo.
Maintaining that the people behind the defamation were just playing on the intelligence of Nigerians, Akingbesote said : “We have a web site (www.son.gov.ng) which contains all information on our standards and quality regulations. Every Nigerian who has doubts about any product certified by SON should crosscheck the facts”, he said.
Forensic and marketing analysts as stated earlier by the Corporate Affairs Adviser , Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem observed that same source was responsible for both fabrications.
“Analysts and observers agreed that this might be coming from the enemy’s camp as the recording left many gaps to cast a doubt on the genuineness of the video. For instance, the can was opened before the video recording, thus failing the basic test of validity.
They maintained that a careful look at the video reveals a lot of inconstancies and fallacies such as:
* The can was not transparent for a consumer to see the content before pouring it
* It is technical impossible to have a foreign object in non-reusable container like a can
* The content was poured into a bowl instead of a cup ready for drinking
* The content was not foaming like the normal Amstel Malta
* All the persons in the video were faceless
* The video camera was targeted severally at the Can to flash the logo of the product (perhaps to cause more damage to the premium brand)
* The ‘consumer’ did not tell us how he got to know that there was an object in the can.
* There was no mention of where it was bought or any intention to confront the retailer.
According to the analysts, the attempt remains a despicable and dirty way to ignite a brand war by exploiting the gullibility and stupidity of many social media users.
Marketing experts also maintained that the ‘sword’ may have emanated from interested industry persons who are afraid of the flight of Amstel Malta in Nigeria’s marketing space”, Ekanem stated.
