Intense Group, a Lagos-based marketing, technology and media company founded by Chief Executive Officer Leye Makanjuola, is setting its sights on broader business opportunities and digital expansion as it marks its 11th anniversary on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Celebrating under the theme “11 Years of Never Backing Down”, the group said it was entering a new phase of growth, with plans to strengthen its digital capabilities, develop new ventures and build solutions around the changing needs of brands and businesses.
Also read: DHQ firmly denies boko haram ceasefire claims
Rather than focusing primarily on its achievements over the past decade, the company said its attention was on the opportunities ahead.
“We won’t be taking too much time to look backward because the future is already with us,” Makanjuola said.
The anniversary comes as the marketing industry continues to adjust to changes in consumer behaviour, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and the growing demand for measurable returns on advertising investments.
For Intense Group, the next stage involves moving beyond conventional agency services towards a wider portfolio of businesses that combine strategy, creativity, technology and commercial growth.
One of the group’s key initiatives is Stardust Creator Network, a platform designed to connect brands with content creators and provide a more organised structure for managing commercial partnerships.
Launched in November 2025, the network was introduced to help brands identify suitable creators, manage campaign delivery and assess results, while giving creators access to brand opportunities, business tools and resources to support their work.
The platform reflects the growing commercial importance of the creator economy, where businesses increasingly work with influencers and independent content producers to reach audiences through more personal and engaging formats.
Stardust’s current offering includes creator-brand matching, campaign management, rate-calculation tools and resources designed to help creators build sustainable businesses.
Kemi Fabusoro, Chief Operating Officer at Intense Group, said the ambition was to develop businesses capable of addressing emerging industry needs and creating new commercial opportunities.
“Our focus is to build businesses that define industries, solve future problems, and create new markets, turning emerging opportunities into scalable ventures that deliver lasting value and position Intense to lead, not follow,” she said.
The group’s growth strategy also places considerable emphasis on Intense Digital, its digital marketing and transformation business.
Its services span digital strategy, performance marketing, content marketing, marketing automation, data activation, search engine optimisation, conversion optimisation and AI-driven solutions.
The company’s website describes its approach as bringing strategy, creative work, performance, data and marketing technology together to help businesses improve growth and commercial outcomes.
Samuel Sokale, Marketing Strategist at Intense Group, said businesses would increasingly need to connect data, technology and creativity to solve practical commercial challenges.
He said the group’s ambition was to keep strengthening its capabilities and help businesses identify opportunities beyond their traditional marketing approaches.
The focus on technology also reflects a wider shift in the marketing sector, where companies are investing in artificial intelligence, automation and data analytics to improve campaign targeting, customer engagement and performance measurement.
Intense Group’s current business portfolio reflects an effort to serve different parts of the marketing and technology ecosystem.
Its publicly listed business units include Intense Digital, Purple Stardust, Intense UK, Palet, Growth Authority and Stardust Creator Network.
Their offerings cover growth marketing, creative communications, marketing technology, data intelligence, business consulting and creator partnerships.
The structure points to a strategy of combining specialist capabilities under one group rather than relying on a single agency model.
In a 2024 interview with BusinessDay, Makanjuola described Intense Group as a portfolio of businesses operating across marketing, technology and media.
He identified Intense Digital as its flagship business and explained how the group’s different companies complement one another.
Businessday NG
That approach is becoming increasingly relevant as brands seek partners capable of handling more than advertising production, including audience research, digital distribution, customer acquisition and performance measurement.
For Intense Group, the challenge will be turning its expanding portfolio into sustainable businesses with clear market positions and measurable value for clients.
As the company enters its 12th year, its stated priorities include expanding its business portfolio, deepening partnerships with brands and investing in the people and technology needed to deliver more sophisticated solutions.
Chief Growth Officer Otibho Okharedia said the group was looking forward to working with brands prepared to compete and succeed in their respective markets.
“As a group, we are looking forward to the next decade of working with brands that are ready to win in their various markets,” he said.
Makanjuola’s description of the company’s outlook also reflects the anniversary theme and the challenges associated with building businesses in a rapidly changing industry.
“Being intense makes you know something about problems. They don’t stay down for long,” he said.
The statement captures the group’s emphasis on resilience, but its next phase will also depend on execution: developing commercially viable products, maintaining strong client relationships and demonstrating that its technology-led ambitions can translate into sustained business growth.
Also read: DHQ firmly denies boko haram ceasefire claims
Eleven years after its establishment, Intense Group is positioning its next chapter around a broader ambition: building beyond traditional agency work and creating businesses designed to respond to the future of marketing and the digital economy.
