Lagos Life: When the Product Is So Good, the Internet Does the PR for You
Sometimes, the best PR strategy is simply to build something people can’t stop talking about. Just ask Lagos Life founder, Shalom Rayhamen.
If you’ve spent time on social media over the past week, chances are you’ve heard someone talk about Lagos life. Whether you have seen a screenshot of a character’s virtual bank balance or watched another celebrate getting a job and pay bills in a fictional Lagos while struggling to pay real-life rent. Because even in a virtual world, you can’t escape the hustle and bustle of Lagos life.
Launched on Nigeria’s Independence Day – October 1, Lagos Life is a free, browser-based, digital life simulation game that drops players into a virtual version of the city we all know, love and occasionally need a holiday from. Think “The Sims”, but make it Lagos.
In this virtual world filled with everything Nigerian, players create characters and dictate every part of their character’s life. Characters will work, earn virtual naira, pay rent, hang out with friends, and explore Lagos in its virtual glory. You can begin life as a “Lapo” character (which stands for: Little Access to Privileges and Opportunities), who will need to hustle a little harder, or as a “Nepo” baby, who is blessed with privilege and connections. Does that sound familiar?
It is safe to say that the internet has absolutely eaten it up.
The Woman Behind The Madness
The brains behind Lagos Life is Shalom Rayhamen, a Nigerian software developer based in the UK and founder of the company behind the game, Vatar Inc.
Inspired by her love for The Sims 3 and the excitement surrounding the danfo-driving game Lagos Run, which was created by game developer and software engineer, Opeyemi Adeniran, Rayhamen made the decision to create a game that brought the same spirit to a setting inspired by daily life in Nigeria.
The most surprising part of her journey is not the game itself or the widespread attention it attracted so quickly, but that Shalom created the original version in one night. She began working late on September 30 and started Lagos Life early the next day. It drew over a million players in a matter of days. As Vatar Inc. announced a recent $500,000 investment round at a projected $10 million valuation, with other investors adding in their stake such as Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave and Resilience17, tech innovator, Oo Nwoye, Terra Industries CEO, Nathan Nwachuku and Abdulhamid Hassan, Mono’s CEO.
Not bad for a project that began with a late-night coding session.
The Product Is The PR Strategy
The message for founders is straightforward: PR may magnify a great product, but it cannot make up for a product that no one is interested in.
Disclaimer from #TheWimbarts – we don’t work with Shalom or Vartar Inc, but we do know the power of a great narrative. And what makes Lagos Life such an interesting story for us; outside of our daily tech ecosystem grind, isn’t just the numbers. It’s how the game has sparked conversations.
Nigerians didn’t need to be persuaded that Lagos is a familiar location. The jokes landed without the need for long explanations. Rent, hustle culture, social standing, nightlife, and the daily balancing of trying to have fun without going bankrupt were aspects that were received straight away and received well.
Instead of just being something to watch, the game offers players something enjoyable and engaging to do. Gamers create their own storylines, invite others, compare their virtual fortunes, and discuss their experiences. Every player becomes a potential advocate, and every funny moment becomes another reason to share the game.
That is product-led word of mouth in action. The product creates the experience; the experience creates the conversation; and the conversation brings in more people.
Naturally, virality by itself does not ensure sustained success. The true test will be maintaining player engagement, creating a sustainable business, and expanding the experience. However, Lagos Life has already shown what happens when a product inspires enough individuals to promote it on their own.
A Reminder For Founders
The message for founders is straightforward: PR may magnify a great product, but it cannot make up for a product that no one is interested in.
Give people something useful, entertaining or deeply relatable, and you give them a reason to talk. Make it easy to experience and share, and you give that conversation room to grow. When you achieve these two, you place your product in a good position to grow organically through product-led word of mouth.
Lagos Life did this when it provided Nigerians with more than just another game. It provided people with a familiar environment to play, laugh, create and share.
Sometimes, the smartest campaign isn’t a campaign at all.
Sometimes, it’s eight hours of coding, a brilliant idea and a product that makes the internet say: “Abeg, send me the link!”.
Anjola A. Ayinde, Marketing & New Business Intern
Simeon Tunde, Account Manager
