Twenty-five years into this century, and we’re still learning what it means to build something that lasts. 2025 taught us that consistency isn’t the absence of boldness—it’s boldness applied with purpose, again and again.
This year, we didn’t chase trends. We created conditions for meaningful engagement between brands and the communities they serve. We facilitated conversations that mattered. We honored culture while helping shape its commercial future.
Here’s what that looked like in practice:
Q1: Foundations and Conversations
January began with the Martell Tower Experience, an exercise in translating brand values into tangible experiences. Elegance, yes—but more importantly, intentionality.
We also launched “Life Behind Fame” with Jay Paul, a platform designed to move beyond celebrity worship toward genuine understanding. Our conversations with talents like Majeed and Queen Mercy Atang weren’t content for content’s sake—they were an investment in depth over virality.
February brought the Jameson Takeover in Lagos and the launch of Imperial Black, both opportunities to demonstrate that premium positioning requires more than aspiration—it requires meticulous execution at every touchpoint.
March centered on thought leadership and commitment. Our CEO, Abuchi Peter Ugwu, contributed to the Martech 2.0 panel discussion on embracing individuality in an increasingly homogenized market. For Women’s Month, we moved beyond awareness to action, partnering with Chocolate City Music and awarding our ‘Built By Her’ Grant to Thrive Mama Care for their substantive work supporting career women and mothers.
On the entertainment front, Blaqbonez performed at the Jameson City Takeover in Enugu, while the Tiger Beer Uncaged party, Ballantine’s Party, and our profile on Noon Dave reinforced our understanding of how influence actually works in today’s landscape.
Q2: Convergence
April’s highlight was Davido’s exclusive Martell listening party in Lagos—a study in creating access while maintaining exclusivity. We also hosted the Chivas x Arsenal watch party, recognizing that sports fandom and brand affinity aren’t separate audiences; they’re overlapping communities seeking quality experiences.
The AMVCAs featured performances by Young Jonn and Blaqbonez, moments where our artist partnerships translated into cultural visibility.
May’s UEFA Champions League Final watch party powered by Heineken demonstrated our ability to activate key influencers within contexts that feel organic rather than transactional.
In June, our “My Dad, My Hero” challenge for Father’s Day resonated because it acknowledged a demographic often overlooked in marketing conversations.
Q3: Cultural Stewardship
From Shodday’s performance at Blackfoot to our internal Jameson team bonding, to our participation in the Afiaolu Nnewi Festival with Life Lager Beer, the third quarter reinforced our belief that effective marketing requires genuine cultural fluency, not superficial appropriation.
Q4: Reflection and Momentum
October marked two decades of our commitment to African music and its global trajectory—a milestone that speaks to sustained vision rather than opportunism. We launched Tiger Street Football and Heineken Fashion Week, expanding our work across the full spectrum of culture.
November positioned our leadership in critical industry discussions about the future of African entertainment.
The conclusion of Heineken Lagos Fashion Week and our Chivas x Arsenal watch party with MI Abaga demonstrated the value of recurring, well-executed formats.
December closed the year with characteristic energy: the Tiger Uncaged Xperience in Enugu, our “What Do You Think December Owes You?” engagement, and the Jameson 12 Days of Christmas. We finished strong because we stayed disciplined.
In Summation
2025 was a year of deliberate choices. We chose depth over scale when it mattered. We chose cultural authenticity over convenient shortcuts. We chose to build infrastructure for African creativity while respecting its complexity.
The work continues. The standards remain high.
Here’s to 2026—and to the patient, rigorous work of building something meaningful.
—Bean Creative