Out-of-court deal returns Samsung banner on KICC

Samsung advert on KICC which was brought down. Photo/JEFF ANGOTE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Samsung has struck an out-of-court settlement with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) that will see the return of the tech giant’s advertising billboard at the neck of the government-owned iconic building
• The glass display, which will be wrapped around the 26th floor of the 28-storey building, will feature adverts on Kenya @ 50 celebrations and a banner bearing the Samsung logo in a one-year deal worth Sh41 million
• The Samsung ad was pulled down from the building 11 days ago following a public uproar, with some people saying that it was a dishonour for the State building to adorn private sector promotions

By Mugambi Mutegi

Samsung has struck an out-of-court settlement with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) that will see the return of the tech giant’s advertising billboard at the neck of the government-owned iconic building.

The glass display, which will be wrapped around the 26th floor of the 28-storey building, will feature adverts on Kenya @ 50 celebrations and a banner bearing the Samsung logo in a one-year deal worth Sh41 million.

The Samsung ad was pulled down from the building 11 days ago following a public uproar, with some people saying that it was a dishonour for the State building to adorn private sector promotions.

This prompted Alliance Media, which had been contracted by KICC to undertake the project, to move to court alleging stoppage of the billboards was in breach of a 2012 contract that allowed it to run the adverts for three years.

“All pending issues that arose from the contract and its execution have been sorted out of court and all parties to the deal are now clear on what they have to do,” said Robert Ngeru, the chief operating officer of Samsung Electronics East Africa at a press conference attended by the sports minister Hassan Wario and KICC acting managing director Fred Simiyu.

“The screen will have a predominant advertisement running but at the bottom, it will have a ‘Powered by Samsung’ signage since we own the technology,” added Mr Ngeru.

Following the truce, the screen, which has over the past month redefined Nairobi’s skyline, will highlight images themed around the “Kenya @ 50” commemoration — a feat to recognise half a century of the nation’s Independence.

The social media has been abuzz with debate over the Samsung ad, with most people calling for it to be brought down.

KICC buckled under public pressure and decided to bring down the giant billboard after people protested it was defacing the forty-year-old iconic building.

The conference centre’s management also argued that the screen failed to rotate as planned, prompting them to call time on the deal.

The billboard will remain in place until December 12, 2014, according to the memorandum of understanding signed between Samsung and ‘Kenya @ 50’ secretariat on Monday.

It will also be used to market conferences taking place at KICC as well as promote companies sponsoring them.

“I do not think this (the KICC billboard) will last but it will have to come down at some point,” said Mr Wario.

“Any interventions on historical sites should not be permanent, should be controlled and done within a framework of proper consultations.”

Samsung was non-committal on whether it would seek a contract extension beyond December 2014 even as KICC said it will be open to other private sector players.

“We are not limiting the usage of the space to our main sponsors Samsung since other players are welcome to come on board,” said Mr Simiyu.