Jattu, a sleepy transit town in Auchi, Edo State, was agog recently as the Legend Extra Stout ‘Taste and Tell’ train cruised in for the first time. Indigenes and settlers, men and women thronged O.C Mama’s Place, a popular relaxation spot, to witness what they called a historic event in their community.
“This is the first time we are having this kind of event in this community. You can see everywhere is filled up even up to the road. I am here because of Legend. You can see that both married and unmarried people are all here having fun. I wish we could have this kind of show at least once in a month,” Eugene Momoh, who had been dancing all through the night, said.
Earlier in the day, an inflatable jumbo-sized bottle of Legend Extra Stout, put up in front of the pub, signalled it would be an unusual evening. The event compere, Desmond Talker, set the tone with hilarious jokes, while Lagos-based Platinum Blazers band provided good music to the delight of Legend Extra Stout fans.
The activation did not exclude a cultural display by Pirori Dance group, a local cultural troupe, whose swift and sharp dance steps attracted applause and cheers from the large crowd.
Speaking in separate interviews, some of the residents said it was good thinking on the part of Legend to bring such fun and entertainment right to their doorsteps.
According to an indigene, Jubril Adams, “It has never happened before and we have never seen anything close to this. We are quite happy. For me, it has been long since I went out to unwind, but when I saw that Legend bottle outside and the stage being built within the premises, I knew I must be here. And as you can see, this place is filled up. It has never happened before.”
The memory of the ‘Taste and Tell’ programme, according to some respondents, will linger for a long time as some people linked it to their special day.
For Mirabel Audu, the Legend ‘Taste and Tell’ activation happened on her birthday and there was no better way to celebrate it than to dance with friends at the unique event. She said: “It is special to me because this is happening on my birthday and I am so happy to celebrate it here. You can see I have been dancing all through,” she said.
The event became a melting pot for consumers who participated in the activation. Aliyu Silvanus and Anthony Ogiator, both photographers, reassured of their renewed loyalty to the Legend brand.
At the ‘Taste and Tell’ challenge, Kebiru Shaibu, a 19-year-old footballer with Kokoruku Dragon, a local football club, emerged the big winner of a brand new generator. Idogho Joe won an LED television set and Alphonsus Nkem won a refrigerator. They were all able to correctly identify Legend Extra Stout from unmarked glasses containing other stout brands. The winners expressed appreciation to the Legend brand for rewarding them for their loyalty.