The global economy is slowly starting to recover and the Nigerian economy is amongst them. With more people now in work and people earning again the question has arisen – should one save or invest for the future?

Studies have shown that the Nigerian economy although recovering, still has an unstable Naira value. The current high inflation rate is not contributing to the recovery or the stability of the nation’s economy.

So the question remains, should one invest their money or save it?

Financial experts will tell you to build a good portfolio of investments rather than leaving money in a savings account. It is wise to remember that investment, with its high returns, has the potential of enhancing ones earning capacity than savings does. Industry experts support the notion of it being good for one to save, but it is also good for the person to learn to invest a good portion of the savings in a long-term plan, capable of yielding returns.

Savings Vs Investing – the risks
The fact is that saving money in a savings account is a low risk approach although the yield may be lower. With investments the overall yield can be a lot more but the risk involved is greater. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and circumstance. In an ideal scenario one would be able to put some money into savings whilst also making good intelligent investments.

Investment options available in Nigeria
•    Buy land or property
•    Buy shares and stocks
•    Bonds and debenture

Whether you are saving, investing or doing both, always remember to periodically check your choices to ensure that they are suitable for your current investment goals.

courtesy www.axamansard.com

Boards of directors, top-level executives and brand managers, take heed: If you don’t yet have a PR counselor in a position of power within your organization, you’re playing Russian roulette with your brand’s reputation.

PR can no longer be relegated to traditional media relations. It has
never been just that. Now more than ever before, organizations are realizing that successful consumer experience depends on deploying PR to create, manage and refresh their ever-present online brands.

Here are three reasons why:

1. More than any other discipline, PR knows how to “content” effectively.

As Shift Communications’ Christopher Penn recently noted, “Content marketing is the darling … and continues to be the dominant form of marketing.” While few would argue this, it really means marketing has taken a giant leap toward defining itself as a subset of public relations. Let’s take a look at Joe Pulizzi’s own definition of “content marketing.”

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

The PR world should thank Joe, because in a few short years he has done what our profession has struggled for decades to do: Define a sizable chunk of what PR is about. Substitute the words “strategic marketing” with “public relations” in Joe’s definition and you’ve more accurately defined authentic content marketing.

Nobody does content better than a PR professional. PR has always been about testing the audience waters (researching, listening) before expertly crafting and packaging stories designed to inform, persuade and solicit reaction. It’s two-way. It’s conversational. It’s meeting audiences where they are. Most of all, it’s overdue recognition that no one likes to be “sold,” that consumers can see through thinly veiled sales pitches, and that real value is created when brands form genuine, authentic relationships with all the audiences vital to their success. That’s because, unlike marketing and advertising, PR has always been sensitive to the fact that true communication takes place only when parties have a genuine interest in each other.

So, when executed properly, content marketing puts the PR profession in its rightful place at the top of the brand management food chain.

2. PR knows best how to navigate the crowded, evolving world of online influence.

Traditional media relations in the “earned” space, the place where most organizations still conveniently pigeonhole public relations, is no longer enough to effectively manage your brand. Consumers are now responsible for the content they expose themselves to, both relevant and irrelevant, more than ever before in mankind’s history. It’s now been five years since Google’s Eric Schmidt observed, “Every two days we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.” Jeff HYPERLINK “http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/04/08/33-social-media-facts-and-statistics-you-should-know-in-2015/”Bullas points out there are now more than three billion active Internet users. Those are stunning facts about how easy it has become to generate content today.

But what about content quality?  Quality is defined by the eye of the ever-powerful consumer, one that now can pick and choose from a fragmented media world which information sources to follow and set as personal feeds, and in which conversations to participate. Again, enter the importance of the PR discipline.

Since the Internet doesn’t sleep, brands must now continually maintain updated, relevant information value through their owned platforms, and engage as equal, interested participants in shared ones.

With decades of experience under its belt in traditional media, the PR profession is best equipped to help brands navigate the evolving digital world of consumer influence. The channels are different, yet the rules of effective engagement are the same: seeking to understand other viewpoints, providing relevant observations on conversational topics, and building trust through authentic participation in those conversations, all to earn a reputation of genuine value. Our firm offers social media guidance to make this a reality.

Only through a PR approach, one that understands effective communication is a two-way street, can brands elevate their standing as a trusted source of information with the consumers’ best experience at heart.

3. No other discipline simultaneously promotes and protects brands and reputations.

PR is an authentic, relationship-based discipline. It’s why my favorite definition of PR—doing the right thing, then making sure the right people know about it at the right time—makes sense. Warren Buffett’s famous quote about reputation, “20 years to build, 5 minutes to ruin,” should be updated from 5 minutes to 5 seconds in the age of Twitter and social platforms. With more than 500 million Tweets per day, not a nanosecond passes without a public comment on a subject, many of which influence brand perceptions.

Is your organization using PR effectively? The PR discipline is the organization’s conscience and compass to ensure it is doing the right things, and when it is not, making the immediate, transparent course corrections to protect the brand’s character for the long haul.

PR can no longer be pigeonholed as the traditional media relations department. It’s the discipline that knows best how to content, how to navigate a new media world, and how to protect the most precious asset any organization has – its reputation. Yes, when it comes to brand management, PR is everything.

Bryan Haviland is president at FrazierHeiby Public Relations.

AXA Mansard Insurance plc has emerged winner in the category for the Award for Promptness in Claims Settlement in the insurance industry at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) 2015 Commerce and Industry Awards which held on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

The selection criteria were transparency and insurance best-practices, following the feedback that the professional body received from insurance industry monitoring and regulatory bodies.

Commenting on the award, Mr. Henry Akwara, Divisional Director of Claims & Risk Management said: “this is remarkable and can be attributed to the culture and values that define AXA Mansard. The AXA Mansard culture reflects in all that we do. We hold very dear our culture of excellence and we are driven by an unequalled passion to always exceed our customers’ expectations. These and many more are the reasons we are head and shoulders above competition.’’.

Furthermore, he said “Our claim settlement process has a unique turnaround time and is devoid of any form of delay, after the validity must have been ascertained by our claim processing team”.

He further admitted that the award and other similar recognition the company has been receiving are seen as testimonials to its outstanding performance and they further challenge the organization not to rest on its oars but to continue to strive for excellence.

• Mansard Insurance Plc.  announced the upgrade of its brand to AXA Mansard Insurance Plc. The brand upgrade is coming with access to an improved portfolio of products and services for all its customers across all service segments i.e. Protection, Health, Pensions as well as Savings & Investments. The company also launched its newly redesigned and upgraded website – axamansard.com

“This brand upgrade further demonstrates AXA’s commitment to the largest African economy in particular and to Africa in general as this is consistent with our Ambition AXA. Leveraging on AXA’s global network of 59 countries on 5 continents, AXA Mansard now offers its customers services and products based on the global expertise of AXA complemented by Mansard’s significant and proven local competence. This combination is expected to provide cutting-edge solutions to our chosen market segments in Nigeria’s financial services industry”, said Denis Duverne, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AXA Group.

L-R : Dapo Akisanya, CEO, AXA Mansard Pensions Limited; Victor Osibodu, Chairman, AXA Mansard; Tosin Runsewe, Executive Director, AXA Mansard; Tope Adeniyi, CEO, AXA Mansard Health Limited; and Deji Tunde-Anjous – CEO, AXA Mansard Investments Limited, at the unveiling of the new AXA Mansard pylon and introduction of new products and the Pensions business in Lagos recently.

“Seven months ago in December 2014, we joined the AXA Group as a full member thereby bringing our customers into the world of AXA.  AXA is the No. 1 Insurance brand in the world and a global leader in Insurance and Asset Management. Mansard Insurance over the years with the kind patronage and partnership of our customers and other stakeholders, has grown rapidly, helping to shape Nigeria’s Financial Services Industry largely within the insurance sector.

 The synergy between these great entities, AXA and Mansard, will offer our company infinite access to global resources, capacity development and broader product offering, both commercial and personal lines. These factors will transcend into delivery of better service and improved products tailored to suit the needs of all our customers. AXA Mansard is thus positioned to offer the best in Property, Life & Health Protection, Pension Management as well as Savings and Investments”, said Tosin Runsewe, Chief Client Officer of AXA Mansard Insurance plc.

L-R: Mr. Cyril Ekechi, Deputy Director / Tax Controller, FIRS; Mr. Henry Akwara, Divisional Director, Claims & Risk Management, Mansard Insurance Plc; and Mr. Foluso Phillips, Executive Chairman, Phillips Consulting Group at the Web Jurist Awards 2014 in Lagos where Mansard emerged the Overall Winner in the Insurance Category.

Mansard Insurance plc has emerged the over-all winner in the 2014 Web Jurist Awards, organized by renowned consulting firm, Phillips Consulting Limited. The well attended event came up on June 17, 2014 at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Mansard won the awards for ‘Best in Website Technical Aspects’, ‘Best in Website Content’, and ‘Overall Winner’ in the Insurance Category. According to Mr. Henry Akwara, Director, Claims & Risk Management Division of Mansard, ‘’These awards have further underscored the fact that industry watchers are appreciative of the efforts we are deploying at Mansard, especially in this digital age to deliver superior service experience to our customers’’.

The Web Jurist Awards which commenced in May 2001 have over the past 12 years, contributed tremendously to raising the awareness of organizations to the functionality, effectiveness and efficiency of their websites. The six domains of analysis include aesthetics, technical aspects, site content, web transaction processing, customer experience and performance.

Mansard Insurance website is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate, it is fully automated such that customers can get quotes, make purchase, chat or request to be called back on phone, lodge insurance claims, track claims processing, check statement of investment/savings policies all in real-time.

Notes to the Editor:

Mansard Insurance plc, was incorporated in 1989 as a private limited liability company and is registered as a composite company with the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria (NAICOM). The Company offers life and non-life insurance products and services to individuals and institutions across Nigeria whilst also offering Investment Management and Health Maintenance solutions through its two subsidiaries, Mansard Investments Limited and Mansard Health Limited respectively. The company also recently received NAICOM’s approval for Micro Insurance Operations.

The company was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in November 2009 and has Market Capitalization in excess of N24 billion remaining the biggest insurance company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.