Key Visibility lessons from Hilda Baci

By Kehinde Ajose

Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, is currently making headlines breaking the Guinness World Record for the “longest cooking marathon by an individual” after hitting the 87 hours 50 minutes mark. Hilda has undoubtedly become an inspiration to young Nigerians on the virtue of dedication, resilience and passion.

The words of Adebola Williams, a Nigerian media entrepreneur when he said: “The currency of this generation is talent. The generations before us were more about certification and professionalism. Our generation is more about talent, innovation and creation. We want to encourage people to start early and fail forward”.

Now let’s jump right in.

1. Differentiation

Hilda Baci’s record-breaking feat has helped her to distinguish herself from other chefs. This can be applied to business, you must constantly distinguish your offerings from others. When your brand becomes too generic, it robs you of the gift of standing out. Now when anyone wants to describe Hilda, we are sure to add her recent record breaking feat. One thing that makes a personal brand outdated is when you’re using too general of a term to describe who you are and what your services are.

2. Blow your trumpet

Hilda wasn’t just keen on breaking a record, she knew she needed to amplify her attempt by leveraging social media, influencers and celebrities. A press conference was even held before she embarked on the “longest cooking marathon” project. Attention is the currency of marketing. To get people’s attention,  Hilda had to partner  with brands that helped her in doing just that. Olorisupergal has been reporting the event right from when she started.A business that fails to attract eyeballs risks losing their customers they will be left behind swiftly.

3. Persistence

Persistence plays an important role when it comes to the attainment of any goal. Hilda Baci’s achievement required perseverance, dedication, and hard work. Similarly your marketing efforts requires time to yield efforts. When it comes to visibility dynamics, frequent exposure is critical. Frequent exposure is usually needed before potential customers even begin to notice an advertisement, let alone consider taking any kind of decision.

4. The track record factor

Hilda has a track record. In 2021, the beautiful  chef won the maiden edition of the Jollof Face-off Competition in 2021, pocketing a grand prize of $5000.Prior to this moment, she has also extended her skills to television, starting with the cooking segment, In My Kitchen, on Rave TV’s breakfast show, Morning Rave.

 She was also the host of Dine on A Budget, on Pop Central TV. Having a track record helps to boost one’s expertise credibility. With a track record, trust and confidence is instilled in potential clients.

5. Celebrity endorsement

Ever since Hilda Baci started her four-day ‘cook-a-thon’ she has gotten loads of support from celebrities and politicians. On Sunday, Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, drummed his support for chef Hilda Baci by joining her Instagram live video. Also, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, paid a surprise visit to the venue of the cook-a-thon to celebrate and commend the talented chef.

Celebs like Tiwa Savage, Spyro, Banky-W, Charles Okpocha, Teni, Segun Johnson, Omowunmi Dada and others have also showed up at the venue.

When a celebrity endorses a product or brand, it significantly enhances its visibility. The celebrity’s existing fan base and followers are more likely to pay attention to the endorsed brand, leading to increased awareness and exposure.