Coca-Cola Encourages Youths to be Ambassadors of Kindness
Coca-Cola is encouraging Nigerian youths to make the country a happier place. The world’s most valuable brand, through its new campaign ‘Crazy for Good’, urges youths to become Ambassadors of kindness by entrenching random acts of kindness within their little spaces. Speaking on youths as the focus of the campaign, Olufemi Ashipa, Brand Manager, Colas, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, said: “The future belongs to the youths and it is important that they cultivate a culture of thoughtfulness and kindness in order to create a better world. This campaign inspires and motivates the youths in this direction.”
According to Ashipa, “No act of kindness is too small. The gift of kindness may start as a small gesture and it grows into ripple that over time can become a tidal wave affecting the lives of many”.
Coca-Cola’s ‘Crazy for Good’ campaign which has launched in several other countries emphasizes the far-reaching impact of simple acts of kindness such as helping people cross a street, helping the elderly run errands, paying the bus fare of a stranger, donating your old things to a charity, taking the time to smile at and greet strangers, letting someone go in line in front of you, volunteering your time to teach someone how to read, paying the toll for the car behind you, buying a stranger a chilled bottle of Coke; and the list is endless. ”The demonstration of thoughtfulness towards others uplifts our collective humanity and goes a long way in making the world a happier place to live in” Ashipa said.
Already, there are many youths who have found that being kind to others is not only good for the mind but also gives a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. Kingsley Ubong Imeh, a young teenager, has made it a pattern to runs errands for elderly people in his neighborhood every day after school. He refuses to be paid even though he comes from a poor background and needs the money. When probed on his motivation, he said: “I get an inner peace and calm from helping these elderly ones. I feel accomplished sleeping every night because I have impacted someone’s life.”
Another of such people that are positively affecting humanity is Onyekachi Jumbo, a self-appointed traffic warden who helps direct vehicular movement at Agbonyi Junction in the traffic -prone Surulere in Lagos, as early as 6 am in the morning. He has done this regularly for years. Tobi Ajileye, who lives in the neighborhood attested to the fact that the actions of Onyekachi have greatly helped in easing the traffic situation in the area. “Everybody in this area knows Onyekachi and how he comes to our rescue by helping to direct traffic without expecting anything in return. His actions have been of great help to us in this neighbourhood.”
Commending Coca-Cola’s kindness movement, Dr Oluwole Coker, a lecturer at the Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife said, ”In the African tradition, everyone is their brother’ s keeper. However that spirit of communalism is waning and those most affected are the youths. Coca-Cola has shown itself to be an authentic brand living, breathing and impacting on the environment through this kindness movement which it is leading. I would encourage other brands seeking to build a rich brand identity to emulate Coca-Cola by exploring opportunities to impact their environments.”
The Crazy for Good campaign builds on the legacy of the A Billion reasons to Believe in Africa launched last year, which celebrates Africa and encourages all Africans to take pride in her immeasurable strength despite adversity. In the same vein, the Crazy for Good campaign inspires and celebrates individuals who perform random acts of kindness for others and by so doing help to make the continent a better place.
