By Princewil  Ekwujuru
For the 2010 Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF), the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) was emphatic on creativity, originality as a means to attaining recognition at international awards.

The Association agreed that the Nigerian advertising creative industry is yet to be accorded international statues in competitive awards, but noted that Nigeria’s advertising landscape is not lagging behind and this informed the reason for recognising indigenous creative works.

AAAN in the country believe that gradually it will hit the gold mine in the advertising industry as it plans to start with Nigeria advertisers, move to the West African sub-region and Africa, then the world, with this gradual step, the Association believes it will go places.

The achieve of  international recognition, AAAN said, prompted the institution of the LAIF awards.
The Association had argued that creativity is the soul of the advertising business for the award, without which brands will not be well positioned. AAAN stated, “it is therefore expected that the creative award will fill the critical gap in the dearth of creative rating and rewards for the advertising profession.”

Funmi Onabolu, President AAAN during the unveiling said the award is skewed to bring out the creative ingenuity of agencies and also to gear them towards giving better services to their clients.

The President of the association had intimated that entries for the award had commenced and will end August 13,2010 as the award holds October 16, 2010.

Speaking, Bunmi Oke, Chairman, LAIF organising Committee said tha selection process will be done by a group of local and international juries.