By Efe Onodjae

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has unveiled its agenda for the third edition of the National Advertising Conference (NAC), set to take place from December 6th to 8th, 2023, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

During a press briefing at L’eola Hotel, Ikeja, Maryland Lagos, held on Monday, October 2nd, organizers announced that this year’s conference would be both informative and beneficial to industry practitioners and the economy.

Speaking on the theme “Marketing Communication As An Enabler Of National Transformation’ the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka said, the theme of the event speaks to the new administration and the transfer of power that we had earlier this year and to form the centre of this, three key issues are picked from the last National Advertising Conference which is ‘determining the size of the industry, ‘the contribution to GDP’ and ‘the multiplier effect

“The multiplier effect means that for every kobo spent in advertising, it is translated into a certain amount in the economy, then we decided that we would start a committee on that assignment that will put together the contribution of this industry to GDP and the multiplier effect to GDP and also the social factors and other contributions that the industry have made.”

The committee will examine the contribution by employment, contribution by value and use a formula to determine how it contributes to the growth of the economy.

“In planning this year, we set out very clearly to not just replicate but to have a conference that is able to deliver on some of the key highlights and narratives of the industry.” He added.

In his welcome address, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, Director-General, ARCON, said “Today’s event is not about just ARCON, it is about the industry. Therefore, we inaugurated two major committees ‘The Brand Nigeria Committee’ led by the President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Steve Babaeko, and ‘The GDP Multiplier Committee’ led by the President of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Femi Adelusi.

“The Brand Nigeria Committee is the initiative of the industry to take a look at Nigeria as a brand and come up with a campaign. As an industry, this is part of our activities for the 2023 National Advertising Conference to build our dear Nigeria and build communication for it.

“The second committee which is the GDP multiplier committee will look into the industry spending, the contribution to GDP, and the effect of the contribution. It is just for us to sit down, interrogate, and discuss every other area that contributes to this profession we call advertising.” He added.

According to him, the committee is the industry’s endeavor to position the brand Nigeria among the committee of nations. “We know that professionals are the best for this task which is why as part of the National Advertising Conference, we will assess all elements of our brand Nigeria and develop a communication strategy.”

Speaking with Pressmen was the President Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Steve Babaeko “The purpose of the Branding Nigeria Committee is to cultivate positive communication that highlights the many positive aspects of Nigeria. It’s worth noting that every country worldwide faces its share of problems and challenges, but the key distinction lies in whether or not they openly discuss those challenges. Nigerians are generally open people, and we often discuss both our positive attributes and our challenges. However, it’s essential for us to consciously emphasize the positive aspects of our country, and that’s precisely what this committee aims to accomplish.

“Typically, government should operate as an ongoing process, but occasionally, new individuals take office, and old practices may fade away. Nevertheless, we are embarking on a fresh start because branding, as you may know, is an ongoing journey rather than a final destination. There’s no ultimate “done branding” bus stop. That’s why you’ll notice that brands with over 150 years of history continue to advertise today. We want to initiate this process anew and actively communicate all the positive aspects of this incredible country.”

Also addressing violators of advert laws, Femi Adelusi, president of MIPAN and chairman of the GDP
“that’s not the intent of this, but I’ll answer it as a sign of respect. The advertising industry is a regulated field, so everything you’re doing is expected to align with the law, specifically the Nigerian Code of Advertising. What we’ve done so far is conduct online monitoring of advertisements from all sources. For those who have violated the law, we’ve compiled their names, and we will be taking them before the Advertising Offences Tribunal, which is set to commence proceedings shortly. Rest assured, the advertising industry will undergo a thorough sanitization, whether in broadcast, print, or social media platforms.

“This time, it’s an industry-led initiative, with all the critical stakeholders and government agencies involved. It’s not solely a government initiative. We will delve into this in detail, devise a strategy, and ensure that the execution is grassroots-oriented, connecting and resonating with everyone. As government representatives, we will escalate this to our supervising minister. I can assure you that, unlike past efforts, this will be a more people-driven, industry-driven project.

“In terms of execution, we need everyone’s involvement. As I’ve always said, we can’t sit in the comfort of our rooms and assume all is well. We may not always agree on principles, but we need to find common ground as much as possible. In terms of collaboration for execution, we will reach out to all media houses, including print and new media, ensuring everyone is on board. This is why it’s an industry-led initiative, with the government and stakeholders actively participating, striving for the best. This presentation will be made during the upcoming advertising event, which will also carry symbolic significance”