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A major challenge
that the marketing communication industry faces is that of
professionalism. Advertising, Public Relations, Experiential Marketing,
and others are integral components of this industry. It is a thorny
issue that the industry should deal with.

The industry is
threatened with the existence of several so called ‘professionals’ with
little or nothing to offer to enhance growth in the industry. It has
reached the stage whereby anyone with good working knowledge of Corel
Draw is automatically an authority in branding. The case is even more
complicated when they attend any workshop or seminar on branding, as
they immediately become ‘brand consultants’.

Though the
regulatory bodies in the industry have woken up to the reality of the
enormous threat such people pose, this is not enough as drastic
measures should be taken to ensure strict adherence to the rules.

It is disheartening
to note that the industry is not yet regulated like other professional
bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
(ICAN). There is no way an accountant will practise without being
certified by ICAN or any other professional accounting body. The same
cannot be said of the marketing communications industry. It is now an
all comers affair.

For instance,
advertising faces serious challenges the most. This is due to the
influx of brand mechanics and very soon, we shall have brand
carpenters. The ‘brand experts’ are determined more than before to give
advertising agencies a good fight. To the best of their knowledge and
ability, they have what it takes to make a brand succeed than
advertising agencies.

Separating the wheat from the chaff

There is the urgent
need to separate the wheat from the chaff. I know some advertising
professionals who have honed their skills by studying more about
branding. A good reference point here is Joko Okupe, a renowned
professional who spent years in South Africa gaining more in-depth
knowledge about branding.

My grouse here is
with people who have no pedigree and suddenly became brand experts
overnight. These are the same set of people taking undue advantage of
the industry.

I believe in the
innate potentials of Lolu Akinwunmi as the chairman of APCON. Mr.
Akinwunmi’s appointment at a time like this should bring sanity to the
profession.

For several years,
owners of advertising agencies have only been after their pecuniary
interests. This is indeed a time that the leaders should look back and
take a closer look at the kind of legacy they are bequeathing to the
industry. It has become imperative to harness strengths and potentials
and chart a new way forward for the industry. The leaders should eat
the humble pie and learn from what Kenny Badmus, the brain behind
Orange Academy, has done.

This is a young man
who put his talents into good use by developing a new generation of
creative professionals for the industry. Orange Academy stands tall
above all the established agencies, as none had such vision to uplift
the industry and leave a lasting legacy. The Academy has become a
breeding ground for a distinct set of young minds who in the nearest
future will take the industry by storm.

Some advertising
agencies are globally affiliated but beyond the technical benefits of
such affiliations, what have been the tangible contributions of such
affiliated agencies to the development of the profession in Nigeria? We
have such respected names as FCB, Ogilvy, Leo Burnette, etc. But what
are our own agencies doing to retain their names, decades after
establishments?

A senior colleague
met me in a banking hall the other day and was shocked that leading
agencies are the major defaulters in paying professional dues to AAAN.
Is this not a cause for concern? Why would all sorts of people not
spring up and lay claim to the industry when the leaders are not living
up to desired expectations?

This is indeed a
clarion call to all and sundry to do the right thing at the right time.
It is only then that the menace of unbaked and unripe people will stop
masquerading as professionals.

New Year wishes

I sincerely
appreciate all readers of this column for their support, critique, and
contributions in the last one year. I wish all the best this new year
and may all your dreams come true.

Ayopo, a
Communication Strategist and Public Relations Specialist is the CEO of
Shortlist Limited email-shortlistedprspecialists@gmail.com