BHM Celebrates Nigerian Advertising Icon Steve Babaeko At 50

BlackHouse Media (BHM), has congratulated the founder and CEO of X3M Group, Steve Babaeko, on the occasion of his 50th birthday on Tuesday 1 June. 

A world-renowned expert on creative advertising and marketing communications, Babaeko’s unorthodox approach to his life’s work has endeared him to many and made him an inspiration for a generation of creatives and communicators.

Following the completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Babaeko began his advertising career at Mc&A Saatchi & Saatchi in 1995, where he spent five years honing his craft before moving to Prima Garnet Ogilvy where he spent another five years. After seven years at 141 Worldwide – where he worked as creative director and established himself as one of the best creative minds in the industry – he left to set up X3M Ideas in 2012.

His illustrious advertising career culminated in his election as the President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) in 2020. Before his inevitable transition to that position, he held equally respectable roles, some of which include acting as Chairman of the board of Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) and member of the board of International Advertising Association (I.A.A), Nigeria. Outside of advertising, he also served as the Chairman, Public Relations Committee of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce. 

For more than 23 years, Steve has helped create some of the most iconic marketing works on the continent and is currently the only Nigerian named in Adweek’s elite list of 13 Global Creative leaders in 2019. For three years running, he has served on the Grand Jury of the New York Advertising Festival and was a keynote speaker at the 2018 International Advertising Association conference. 

Babaeko’s business acumen and work ethic have also seen him found and spearhead the development of X3M Ideas to become one of the most profitable companies in Nigeria’s marketing industry, recording a profit margin of 973% in 2015 – just three years after its establishment in August 2012. The creative powerhouse has seen incredible growth in recent years with the establishment of fully functioning offices outside of Nigeria, including South Central African offices in Lusaka, Zambia, and in Accra, Ghana.

Congratulating Babaeko on the landmark occasion, founder and CEO, BHM Group, Ayeni Adekunle said, ‘’We are delighted to celebrate this great milestone with Steve. He’s a role model, an inspiration and an exemplary leader for many. And I am in awe of the tremendous value he has channelled into the world through his steadfast leadership at X3M Ideas, where he has pushed the boundaries of creative expression and put Nigeria on the map as a formidable hub of talent and creative solutions. We wish him continued success and a memorable celebration.’’

Driven by creativity, Steve is already making his mark in the film industry, executive-producing the critically acclaimed Netflix documentary Awon Boyz produced by Zero Degrees – a film production studio also founded by the creative entrepreneur.