Calabar Festival
Back to WorksAbout the project
Revel in the fantasy.
The Calabar Carnival also tagged "Africa's Biggest Street Party", was created in 2004 as part of the vision of making Cross River State, the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and tourists from all over the world. The cultural festival displays African culture and heritage by means of music, dressing, drama and other cultural activities. Held annually from the 1st - 31st of December it has boosted the tourism potentials of Nigeria while the state plays host to millions of spectators within and outside the State as well as boosting the industry for all stakeholders.
Challenges
The Cross River State Government wanted to raise the profile of the festival, position it as Africa’s equivalent of the Rio Carnival and attract tourists from within and outside the state.
They enlisted Platform Branding to do the following:
- Create a brand identity for its annual festival “Calabar Carnival & Festival”
- Position the state as an exciting and unique destination for Tourism Leisure, Business & Investment.
- Increase awareness to the global market.
Solutions
Platform Branding first task was to first create a unique identity for the Festival, and we delivered by designing a distinctive vibrant identity that express not just the spirit of the festival, but expresses the culture and hospitality of the people of Cross River State.
We used digital media and traditional advertising to tell the story of the State and the festival with eye-catching visuals and messaging.
Results
The profile of the festival was raised and attendance increased by 106%, leading to substantial government revenue from tourism. Several states in Nigeria sought to replicate the festival in their states while the Government of Cross River State got new strategic partners and investors from across Nigeria, Africa and Europe.
