In 2023, Jameson wanted to strengthen its cultural relevance among young adults in Nigeria and Ghana. The brand was already visible within youth culture and the Alté scene — a creative movement shaping fashion, music, and nightlife — but its role was not fully understood. Questions remained around how Jameson compared to competitors, how young people valued and consumed it, and how the brand could engage authentically without diluting its premium positioning.

I led and executed the full research and strategy process. This involved immersive ethnographic work in Lagos, Abuja, and Accra, where I explored how young people connect with alcohol, culture, and each other. I recruited and interviewed a broad set of experts — from academics and editors to content creators, DJs, and event organisers — to capture multiple perspectives on youth culture. Alongside this, I filmed visual immersions with consumers to bring their worlds and rituals to life for the client. From these diverse inputs, I synthesised behavioural insights, brand perceptions, and price/value dynamics into pen portraits and frameworks that made the consumer reality tangible and actionable. I also facilitated workshops with Jameson’s teams, helping them translate insights into strategy.

The outcome was a set of deep cultural insights into how the Alté movement had evolved from a fringe subculture to a mainstream influence, shaping identity, expression, and belonging among young people. The research revealed how Jameson Original and Black Barrel played different roles in social life, and how moments of consumption spanned everything from nightlife and festivals to home gatherings and creative spaces. The final strategy playbooks equipped Jameson with a clear understanding of how to show up more authentically in West Africa — not just as a sponsor of culture, but as a genuine participant in it. These outputs continue to inform the brand’s marketing, partnerships, and activations, strengthening its resonance with what one respondent called “the cool kids” while maintaining its premium appeal.