Brand Visibility Issue 1

Promoting Excellence in Visibility Communication

Vol. 001 Issue No. 001, OCTOBER - DECEMBER, 2014

N1000

US$7.50

OAAN Rewards Creativity

Adopt Innovations

Dangote Cement Takes Branding to the Next Level Tips on Effective Branding

Biodun Sobanjo Donates Building to UNILAG Brands and Social media platforms

Promasidor Boss

Outdoor Advertising In Nigeria

Signage Agencies

Truncate Growth ... Hampper Brand Communication

BRAND VISIBILITY News 43

CONTENTS Interview

Biodun Shobanjo Donates Building To

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Chief Babu Akinbobola, Chairman, Media Link Limited

Mass Comm.

Department, UNILAG

He reveals the secret behind the Media Link's success and offers informed opinion on how to halt the dwindling fortunes of the Outdoor Industry

At Jaiz Bank, We Serve The Needs Of People Of All Religions

7 24

Apcon To Be Without

Interview

A Chair For Now

25

Dangote Cement Brands Depots, 34-35 Customer Warehouses, Sales Offices & Regional Offices

Events

He speaks on how he is changing the face of outdoor Advertising practice in Oyo State to meet world standards and the Agency's fight against indiscriminate erection of billboards.

9 OAAN Rewards Creativity 48 Dozie Mbanefo Buries Mum, OAAN Floods Nnewi 49 ...and the Oparaekes gave out their daughter in holy matrimony 78

Lanre Fasehun Installed 48th President of Ikeja Rotary Club

Story 40 DWINDLING FORTUNE IN THE OUT-OF-HOME INDUSTRY.

Prince Yinka Adepoju,

Director General of Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA).

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Mr. Emmanuel Ajufo,

General Secretary of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), and MD/CEO of Opportunity To See Limited

He spoke with Brand Visibility on a number of industry related issues, including what he considered most pressing: the dwindling fortunes in the industry and the formation of West African Outdoor Advertising Association.

Odun Fadoju, 55 Managing Director, DP Partnership FCB, He x-rays issues relevant to the marketing communications industry in Nigeria.

Industry 68 OAAN Strategises For The Future

Technology Special Report 38

NIGERIAN BREWRIES PLC: Winning With Nigeria

37

David Zhu Country Marketing Manager Liatronics’s Limited

Liatronics Invades Nigeria with LED Indoor and Outdoor Platforms

3 Brand Visibility

EDITORIAL

Y

The Eagle Has Landed!

ear in, year out, corporate organizations across the world invest a whole lot of resources to create and promote the personality they desire for their brands, in a bid to enhance what is popularly termed brand personality.

Today, creation, promotion and sustenance of brand personality have assumed prime positions in marketing communications. As such, it is necessary that they are taken seriously, in terms of crafting the message, which must be meticulous, and execution, which must be professional. To achieve this, there are right steps to take, just as there are pitfalls to avoid.

Brand Visibility has come as a medium through which useful contributions will be made in the effort to achieve effective brand visibility communication. Our intention is to adequately inform and educate brand owners and promoters on the most profitably efficient way to promote their brands. This we shall do by keeping them up to date with new and effective brand communication strategies, while also highlighting the pitfalls to avoid.

Our primary focus is the Nigerian environment. We shall nonetheless share the experience in other lands, especially the more buoyant economies, with our readers.

We also offer to constantly present educative features on aspects of brand communication. The aim is to bridge the gap between town and

gown; between the lecture room and marketing/brand communications departments, with a view to exposing both students and practitioners to the practical aspects of brand communication and management. To achieve this, each edition shall feature well researched features in areas relevant to the promotion of brand education.

We shall be thoroughly analytical and critical as the need arises, while remaining focused on our primary objective of contributing to brand promotion through effective communication strategies.

To help in the assignment that we have set for ourselves, we shall rely on the guidance, assistance and contributions of seasoned and wellgrounded professionals – men and women who have devoted much of their lives to the creation, promotion and management of brands. Some of the brands are leaders in their respective categories, and are major contributors to the growth of the nation's economy.

Above all, we shall constantly be guided by the tenets of informative and educative journalism, such that our readers will find us a useful ally in their quest for relevant, up-to-date information in all areas that pertain to brand promotion and management.

Of course, your contributions will be highly valued, and your feedback deeply appreciated. We shall rely on them to guide our steps in our conviction that we are both working to achieve a common goal: improved visibility for the brands!

5 Brand Visibility

this Edition

This Edition

I

n this maiden edition of Brand Visibility, we present some of the issues that are germane to effective brand visibility communication, especially as they affect the exercise, whether negatively and positively. For instance, there is the issue of the signage and advertisement regulatory agencies. Since the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) was created, similar agencies have mushroomed across the country. Virtually each of the states in the South West, SouthSouth and South East now has a replica of LASAA. Nothing wrong, except that some states have copied the Lagos example word for word and error for error! Interestingly, this appears to be the only issue on which the political parties seem to agree: the need for a signage agency to shore up their internally generated revenue (IGR). But, in what other areas have they added value to the practice of outdoor advertising in Nigeria?

Brand Visibility also had chats with a number of practitioners: Chief Babu Akinbobola-Chairman Media Link and member, OAAN Board of Trustees; Yinka Adepoju, DG Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA); Emman Ajufo, MD/CEO Opportunity To See and General Secretary, OAAN; Yinka Okesiji, formerly of Optimum Exposures and now CEO, Allied Outdoor, and a host of others whose views are really important in the industry. And then Odun Fadoju, MD/CEO DP Partnership thinks Outdoor Operators got what they deserve from government agencies. We also share his views in this edition.

It is no longer news that the fortunes of the outdoor sub sector are fast dwindling. Signage agencies are seen as the main culprits, because they allegedly suck outdoor agencies dry. But what are the operators doing? We present a report of the efforts of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, (OAAN), in stemming the ravaging and rampaging tide. The association held its 29th annual general meeting in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, and came off proud owners of a landed property, courtesy of Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the state governor. You won't find the details elsewhere.

You probably were not at the 8th OAAN Poster Awards event that held recently at the Eko Hotels. And if you were there ,you already know that Nigerian Breweries, makers of the “Chairman of all beer drinks:” Heineken and other top leading brands went home with the Grand Poster Award that night. But you most probably were having a nice time, and so, you must have missed certain other fine details. Not to worry, the juicy details are served in this edition. And we know you won't find them the way we have served here anywhere else.

And in line with our commitment to brand communication education, we present details of a paper presented on: Brand Management Exposition. Readers will find it quiet illuminating.

We have a whole lot more: on how to keep you well informed, such that your brands will get more visible not only in the market place but also in the opinion of your audience.

Happy reading!

Sola Akinsiku, frpa Publisher/CEO Brand Visibility

6 Brand Visibility

The Team Publisher/Chief Editorial Officer ’Sola Akinsiku, frpa; mnipr Editorial Consultant Haniel Ukpaukure Editorial Advisers: Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye Dr. Dayo Daramola Dr. Joe-Bel Molokwu, frpa Contributors: Dr. Abigail Ogwuezzy Dr. Odion Oscar Odibo Dr. Kunle Adeyemi Chief Akin Babafemi (Ph.D) Mr Bankole Ebisenuju Alhaji Bola Agboola Engr. Dayo Akinola Reporter/Researcher; Ibrahim Olalekan Correspondents: Adebayo Tosin Blessing Toyin Ebisemiju Akinsiku Motunrayo Designed By: Maxima Designs & Prints 80, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Graphic Artists: Awolumate Joshua Aigbe Edo Otasowie Marketing Consultants: Isaac Phritnol Professional Services Published By: Visibility Dynamics Publising Limited 80, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Banking

AT JAIZ BANK, WE SERVE THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE OF ALL RELIGIONS - IDRIS SALIHU For well over 20 years, he has been in the Corporate Communications terrain-variously at FSB Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, and at a point was on the Vision 20:20:20 team. Now he is the Head, Corporate Communications, Jaiz Bank Limited. Idris Salihu is, by all standards a gentleman. He is equally intellectually sound, and a thorough bred Corporate Communications expert.

Not too long ago, there was a chance meeting with Brands Visibility and the magazine took full advantage of the opportunity. Below, we serve excerpts from the chat.

You no doubt will find it interesting and illuminating to know that Jaiz Bank caters for the needs of people of all religion

Brand Visibility: Comment on the business philosophy of Jaiz Bank.

Idris: The business philosophy of Jaiz Bank Plc, is “To deliver world class sharia compliant financial services to our clientele irrespective of class, creed, race or religious belief and to contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of humanity.�

Brand Visibility: There is this notion in certain quarters that the Bank is an Islamic Bank, and so the practices and processes may not be favorable to the business interests of Christians and the people of other faith. What do you say to this?

Idris: Jaiz Bank is established based on Islamic principles of fairness, transparency and ethical standards which prescribe for trust and justice in dealing with all class of people irrespective of their religion, tribe or race. The bank is open to everyone and customers cut across different religion.

As a matter of fact, our first ever financing as a Bank was to a Christian. Besides him there are other several Christians that we have provided financing for. It is important to stress here that Jaiz is not an exclusive club. It is a business and a bank that is open to all irrespective of race or religion. It is therefore erroneous to say that Jaiz Bank is for Muslims alone. Our employees are made up of both Christians and Muslims alike.

Brand Visibility: We know that for now the Bank's operations are largely and predominantly concentrated in the Northern part of the country. Is it a Northern (or a Northerners') Bank?

Idris: The Bank's presence is currently predominantly in the North East, North West and Abuja (FCT) because our operating license as at now is a Regional Operating License which allows us to open branches and to operate in the areas

7

Brand Visibility

bANKING mentioned above. However, we have applied for a National License from the Central Bank of Nigeria and we are optimistic we would get it very soon to enable us spread across the country.

Brand Visibility: So, how does the Bank plan to nationalize its operations?

Idris: As stated above, as soon as we receive our National operating License from the CBN, we will go national or as you put, nationalize our operations.

Brand Visibility: In what ways is the Bank different from any other Bank in Nigeria, both in terms of outlook and product offerings?

Idris: Jaiz Bank as a Non-Interest Financial Institution operates under the Islamic principle of not giving or receiving interests. For instance, under the interest-based system, deposits are taken as loan from customers to the bank and a fixed return is guaranteed to depositors regardless of the performance of the institution. Under the Islamic Non-Interest, the Bank receives deposits from depositors and invest same on behalf of the depositors.

The profit earned therefrom is shared between the depositors and the bank, otherwise called the fund's manager..

Conventional banks give loans at a fixed rate without any risk on their part. However, under the NonInterest model, the bank shares both the risk and rewards. Profits or losses are jointly shared based on a pre-agreed ratio and to the level of capital contributed by both parties.

Brand Visibility: In what specific ways can Jaiz Bank be of significant help to businesses, especially the SMEs?

8 Brand Visibility

Idris: If I may take you back to our business model, an integral part of our business philosophy, is to contribute positively to socioeconomic upliftment of the society through meaningful investment in capacity building. We have since our inception remained true to our ideology and have partnered with a lot of businesses in this regard. We have a dedicated SME desk and potential entrepreneurs can contact us for more details.

Brand Visibility: Is it true that the Bank does not charge interests on loans? And if yes, how does it plan to break even, and even make profit?

Idris: We make money through three basic means. One is through buying and selling or what we call Murabaha (Cost-Plus Mark-UP).

You see non-interest banks are the only ones who are authorized to engage in trading. Here a customer can approach us with a need to acquire an asset. We will in turn look for that asset that he/she requires, purchase it on his behalf and we put our little mark-up (profit) and sell to him/her. If the terms are acceptable to both parties then we enter into a sale contract whereby the customer is given the benefit to conveniently pay on agreed installments.

Secondly, is through Leasing or what we call Ijara. Here customers (Individuals or Corporate bodies) approach us based on the need to acquire equipment say a generator for their businesses. Consequently, we will acquire the generator and give to you on lease basis, but you will be paying us rental for the use of the generator also based on agreed terms and conditions. Note that under the lease agreement the leased item is not your property; it is

the bank’s property. However, you are given an option to purchase the asset on the expiration of the lease period.

The third way we make money is through partnership or what we call Musharaka (partnership through profit and loss sharing). So one can safely say that we make money through three main financing outlets; Ijara (lease), Musharaka (partnership), and Murabaha which simply means buying and selling at a profit.

Brand Visibility: What are the major strengths of Jaiz Bank, and how will such mark it out from the crowd of banks operating in the country at the moment?

Idris: Our strength lies in our unique model of banking which emphasizes fairness, justice, t r a n s p a r e n c y, h i g h e t h i c a l standards and above all socialeconomic welfare of the society at large where profit is not the ultimate objective, but it is guaranteed and will come only as a logical sequence of the value that we deliver to our customers.

Brand Visibility: And finally, how, and where do you see Jaiz Bank in another 10 years?

Idris: First, we want to be a national bank with presence in all the State Capitals of the Federation. Then we will expand our footprints beyond the shores of Nigeria by expanding to Sub-Saharan Africa. Then we will be seen and respected by most of these other banks. They would respect us for our unique model, quality service, specialized products, high ethics and for our professionalism. Simple! BV

EVENTS

OAAN Rewards

Creative

- Chijide

Excellence

In fulfilment of its commitment to promoting and rewarding creativity in the out-of-home advertising subsector of the Nigerian economy, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) has held its 8th Poster Award ceremony in Lagos. The event, which was witnessed by leading practitioners and operators in the advertising industry in the country, held at Eko Hotels and Suites on Thursday, May 15, 2014. It was a - Chijide field questions from a reporter colourful event.

The awards were in nine different categories: Dairy/Food/Beverages; Non-Alcoholic drinks; Electrical/Electronics; Public Service; Telecoms/ICT; Household; Financial Services, and the Grand Poster Award.

The categorisation, according to Bankole Ademulegun, Chairman of the Planning Committee, and OAAN's immediate past president, was intended to cover all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. It was however primarily focused on those sub-sectors that are generally active in engaging the out-ofhome platforms to connect with their intended audiences.

Speaking to welcome guests at the event, Mr. Charles Chijide, president of the association, said the ceremony was held to reward creative excellence in outdoor advertising. He said the - CEOs of some OAAN Member-Companies

9 Brand Visibility

EVENTS

event was also aimed at encouraging and promoting the creative thinking ability of those who create the advertisements that are exposed on the various platforms of the out-of-home subsector of the advertising industry.

“It is our way of appreciating the cerebral work that has gone into creating the messages through which our clients have connected with their various targets using our platforms”, Chijide said.

He also added “A lot has been said and written about the fact that our media platforms increase exposure and that they are the most flexible when compared to other media groups; and that they are highly efficient as they help to reach higher number of viewers repeatedly, making them the most cost effective media. They have the lowest cost per thousand.” He said: “While the messages on other media are fleeting and pass away very quickly, messages on the outdoor platforms are dazzling and more permanent. All of this has been scientifically proven to be authentic, and we believe that it is only proper that the creators of the messages should be rewarded, at least to commend, encourage and promote their creative ingenuity. It is our way of helping to promote creativity in the larger advertising industry in the country” In his speech at the event, Senator Enyinanya Ababribe, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, commended the leadership of OAAN for its foresight and for creating a platform for the promotion of the advertising industry in Nigeria. He said that efforts were being made to protect the interest of industry players in the country. “…our media platforms increase exposure and they are the most flexible when compared to other media groups; they are highly efficient as they help to reach higher number of viewers repeatedly, making them the most cost effective media. They have the lowest cost per thousand... While the messages on other media are fleeting and pass away very quickly, messages on the outdoor platforms are dazzling and more permanent” The rule and law the Federal Government has is to ensure foreigners in Nigeria are allowed to practice,” Abaribe said. “But the issue is, while that is allowed, the Federal Government will not allow for impoverishment of Nigerians. We are doing our best to protect the industries that are already built.”

He spoke on the yoke of multiple taxation currently strangulating operators, especially in the out-ofhome sub-sector, noting that it was not an insurmountable task. He said it would require federal legislators to design a legal framework that would address it.

10 Brand Visibility

Left: Geoge Noah(MD LASAA) with Lolu Akinwunmi Chairman, APCON

Left: Mac Philips: General Secretary FEPE with Garba Belo Kanarofi, Registrar/CEO, APCON

The rule and law the federal government has is to ensure foreigners in Nigeria are allowed to practice... But the issue, is while that is allowed, the federal government will not allow for impoverishment of Nigerians.

The OAAN outing received the endorsement of the international community of outdoor advertising operators, as Mac Philips, general secretary of the global association, FEPE, was also there to represent the association's president at the event.

In his speech, the FEPE president commended OAAN's efforts to position Africa, especially the West African sub-region, as the outdoor advertising hub. He assured OAAN of the support of the international association in its fight against multiple taxation and other frustrating regulations.

Winners at the memorable event were Loya Milk, in the Diary Food & Beverages category; Star Beer in the Alcoholic Drink category and LG SmartTV in the Electrical/Electronic category. For the Household products, the award went to Mouka Foam, while Fanta won in the Non-Alcoholic category. Swift 4G Lite was the winner in the Telecoms/ICT category. In the Financial Services category, the winner was Fidelity Bank's Fidelity One Card.

EVENTS

-Left to right; Bayo Adio, Charles Chijide(OAAN President) Dozie Mbanefo and Kole Ademulegun

The Grand Poster Award also went to Star Beer, while the Special Award was won by Rota Panel, one of the leading international suppliers to the Nigerian outdoor advertising market. The marketing director of the Netherland-based firm, was personally in attendance to receive the Award.

At the colourful event were Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, immediate past chairman of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON); Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, registrar of APCON’s Registrat/CEO and Mr. Ade Akinde, chairman, APCON's Advertising Standards Panel.

Others were Chief Odunmoluwa -Kole Ademulegun fielding questions from a brand journalist from Channels Television Fadoju, MD/CEO, DP Partnership FCB; Mr. George Noah, MD/CEO Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) and Honourable Aliu Oluwadare, immediate past chairman, Ondo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, as well as dignitaries representing the sub-sectors of the advertising industry in Nigeria.

Chijide announced that the next edition of the annual event had been scheduled for May 15, 2015.B&V A winner Receiving an Award from Lolu Akinwumi

12 Brands Visibility

INTERVIEW

Brands Are Successful because of Advertising -Babu Akinbobola

Brand Visibility recently met with Chief Babu Akinbobola, Chairman, Media Link Limited at his Ilupeju Office, Lagos; and despite his busy schedule, he had a chat with the duo of Sola Akinsiku, and Lekan Ibrahim. In the excerpts below, he reveals the secret behind the Media Link's success and offers informed opinion on how to halt the dwindling fortunes of the Outdoor Industry Who is Chief Babu Akinbobola ?

My name is Folusho Akinrolabu Akinbobola. I was born in Idanre. I am an Ondo State man. The Babu in my name, by which all and sundry now know me, is a corruption of Akinrolabu, my first name. How I came about the name Babu. This is an abbreviation of the name Akinrolabu. It was the coinage by one of my teachers in the primary school then. He found it more convenient to call me Babu, as a way to distinguish my own Akin from the numerous Akins that were in my class then. And, so it has stuck. Even my parents, relatives, colleagues – all call me Babu.

Thirty years ago, I joined Media Link as managing director. I joined Mr Bankole Ademulegun to start Media Link as the founding managing director. About 10 years ago, I became the chairman. I'm married to Funmilola Akinbobola and I have grown up children.

Professional career.

I came into advertising in 1974 when I joined the then Ogilvy Benson. I was in the media department. I was there until 1976 when Ondo State was created from the then Western State; and having established its own radio station, the state had need to engage professionals into the various departments.

So I joined Ondo Radio as the Lagos Office Manager and Head of Advertising Traffic. As the Head of

Chief Babu Akinbobola Lagos Office, my main duties were to get advertising businesses from the advertising agencies.

Unfortunately, I didn't quite find the new environment as challenging as I was used to. While I was contemplating on my next move, I was invited by Grant Advertising to join them by the then media group head (We had worked together in the media department at Ogilvy). I remember I had my interview with Mr Biodun Shobanjo and they employed me immediately. That was

my new beginning in advertising.

I joined Grant Advertising in 1977, and rose through the ranks of media executive; media manager; media group head; then media director, and became a member of the executive council. I left at the end of August 1984 to join Mr Ademulegun, who had started Media Link a couple of months earlier Outdoor Advertising still big business; with more challenges Outdoor advertising is still big

13 Brands Visibility

INTERVIEW business; but now with serious companies obtain loans from the challenges. The major problem banks at very high interest rates, to On the signage and advertisement outdoor advertising has now is that bring in new generation billboards. regulatory agencies politicians are focusing on it as a Then the state governments come, Ordinarily, I would have been one of source of huge internally generated making unreasonable demands so the people that should welcome the revenue (IGR), and that is creating you have nothing left for further activities of the signage and some serious problems for outdoor growth and to compensate your advertisement regulatory agencies. advertising. In fact, it is becoming workers. That is the danger outdoor At the initial stage, when we were bigger business but unfortunately advertising is facing right now, told by former Governor Ahmed the owners of the business are no because of the huge demand by state Bola Tinubu's regime that they were longer feeling the gain; they are not governments. going to start such an agency, we really getting adequate returns for were in total support because at that their investments and efforts, as It is so bad that our clients are now time, outdoor advertising was poorly expected. running away from using the managed and had badly affected the Today, governments across the medium that used to be the cheapest environment. country and at all levels concentrate medium. This is because the once much of their IGR drive on the cheapest medium has now become At a point, former Governor Raji outdoor advertising industry.

Rasaki of Lagos ordered The painful thing is that they the demolition of are going about it in a way billboards in Lagos in that is destroying outdoor January 1991. Then, we advertising practice.The had a horrible situation in rates (permit fees) being terms of uncontrolled demanded are unjustifiable installation of billboards and are very outrageous. all over Lagos. For A situation where a state example, between Palm government is demanding Grove Bus Stop and for about 40 per cent of the Maryland (in Lagos), we revenue of outdoor had a total of 771 advertising can only be Chief Babu Akinbobola Photo: BV billboards. That was how inimical to the growth of the horrible it was. So we business. Practitioners in the out-of- the most expensive medium, knew something had to come up to home industry now compete because the agencies of government cleanse the environment of favourably with their counterparts, have, by their action, increased the undesirable billboards. in terms of professionalism, rates beyond reasonable limits. Most expertise and innovativeness, of the users of the outdoor medium So when Asiwaju Tinubu came up anywhere in the world – in Europe, have now left. Only a few sectors of with the idea, we wanted it. What we Asia and everywhere. But the sad t h e e c o n o m y l i k e didn't know was that apart from t h i n g i s t h a t t h e N i g e r i a n telecommunications and breweries planning the environment to practitioner has got to contend with are there and even those ones have accommodate billboards in such a m o r e c h a l l e n g e s t h a n h i s reduced their budgets on outdoor way as to remove cluttering and the counterparts anywhere in the world! advertising. Other sectors are going visual blight that we had then, the There are no billboards that you for other media like internet and other aspect which they saw in the have anywhere in the world that you social media. Having said all that, whole exercise was that it was also don't have here. The problem we however, I say it is still big business; going to be a veritable source of high have is that the cost of doing but now with bigger challenges. The revenue generation. If I can illustrate business here is enormous, and major challenge is that it is now seen their being unreasonable with their government has not made the as an expensive medium because of rates, I will use the Unipole billboard environment conducive as a result of the stifling taxation by the various as an example. excessive taxation. Outdoor agencies of governments.

14 Brand Visibility

INTERVIEW Prior to the enactment of this law, the local governments charged less than N200, 000 per annum regardless of the number of faces. The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), right from the onset, took the rate to three million naira per face!

So, for the three-sided billboard for which you were paying a total of N200,000 as ground rent, the Lagos State Government, through LASAA, is now demanding nine million naira. That is outrageous and should be seen as such by any reasonable person. Now, the greed for more money by the signage agencies is the major problem of the industry.

The law that enacted LASAA was a fantastic law. It was intended to make the environment to be more beautiful; and to make billboards more environment-friendly. We love the control that the LASAA law has brought into the practice. But the revenue generation aspect is a serious problem.

As should be expected, outdoor companies had to add the additional rates by LASAA into their existing rates, and I think the average rate we were charging then was about N4 million per face. So suddenly, clients were being asked to jack up their budget from N4 million to N7 million per face. And as a way of resisting the outrageous increase, a great number of advertisers who were on outdoor simply walked away. There was no way most of them could do with the charges. And I'm quite sure that was not the intention of government for coming up with the signage law. The intention could not have been to kill the business. They just wanted to derive more revenue out of it. But they have gone beyond reasonable

limits.

What the signage agencies are charging is about 40 per cent of our income and that is getting too much, and so unreasonable. Government should encourage companies to grow. This is the only way the economy of the state and that of the nation can grow.

What needs to be done?

I will still go back to say there is nothing wrong with the signage laws that I have seen. In the LASAA law as an example, again, you find out that in their wisdom, they made provision for a governing board which is to have the various local governments and the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) represented. By design, the board was intended to sit as an appellate body on issues of complaints brought against the agency by any aggrieved practitioner.

Yes, there was a board, but this board initially met for one or two years and it stopped. For the past seven years, no meeting of the board has been convened. If the board has been functioning, maybe we would have been able to resolve all the problems we now have.

Advice for improvement in brand promotion and communication: I will say that in the '70s, as far as I can recall, we did a fantastic job up till early 80s. In those days Nigerians handled everything in-house and here at home. They were doing their film productions here at home except for a few multinational campaigns. They weren't jumping from

nation to nation all in the name of shooting commercials.

Today, people go to Kenya and the United Kingdom for film productions. I'm appalled that hardly can you produce any commercial in Nigeria without going to South Africa or wherever. What happened?

I remember that in those days, too, advertisers and their agencies had relationships with international agencies. When we were in Grant Advertising, we had the Resident Consultants. Could it be because they do not have that anymore that they have to go and meet them?

But I do know that brands are as successful as they are today because of advertising.

The marketing communications industry then, and now: I think it was better then. I have been wondering what happened. Could it be because most of the agencies had resident professional consultants here then? I just told you that they produced their commercials in Nigeria and that they did so much without going anywhere. These days, they hardly can do anything without going to South Africa. But in the 60's, 70's, they did them in-house and they did beautiful jobs. I still don't know why. But having said all that, I must also admit that certain changes even in marketing

Chief Babu Akinbobola

16 Brand Visibility

Photo: BV

INTERVIEW communications analysis may have led to this. But then, most of those trips for commercial production may not be necessary, after all as these things can still be done locally, and the results would still be as outstanding, if not more.

APCON's performance so far: I would say that in total, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), has done well.

Ye s , t h e r e a r e r o o m s f o r improvement. I think where APCON might have deviated a little bit is the fact that we have tied ourselves too much to the apron strings of the Federal Government, and this is obviously affecting us very badly.

Impact of globalization?

Yes, Nigeria is a part of the global village and by now Nigeria should be creating for the rest of Africa. So, my own concern is that we are going to a level where Nigeria should be a hub where these things should be created and sent to similar “villages” around the world. But that is not happening. Now we go to South Africa and other such “global villages” when we could get all the resources and facilities for excellent jobs here.

Why can't Nigeria be the hub? We have very intelligent people here.

Talking about this global village, I believe creatives are made for similar markets. Markets across Chief Babu Akinbobola Photo: BV the world are similar in all ramifications. If you are creating for what can be understood in The signage and advertisement Nigeria, similar things will be used. agencies shouldn't have any control.

And you can then use such a But then the organ that government commercial in markets like Ghana, has given total authority to control Sierra-Leone, Liberia, and some the practice of advertising could not other parts of Africa. My question is, do everything they should do. The 'why are they not produced in states, through their signage and advertisement agencies, are Nigeria? ‘ beginning to take onto themselves certain powers that they do not have, But what I have observed is that affiliation seems to be in total and which they should not even control of everything. Every day you have. see accounts moving from one media buying agency to another one, just as even creatives move from one agency to another.

The signage agencies should only be in the business of allocating sites and collecting revenue on whatever they

have allocated, not to be in the practice of advertising. Thus, the ground rent which they should collect should be the same as the tenement rate for buildings. It should be calculated based on the total size of land used for the billboard, and nothing more.

Talking about APCON, I think the Council has done very well, but it could do better. For example, I noticed that the Council has started generating revenue. I think the next goal will be for the Council to seek autonomy from government.

It is not only APCON that got a charter form government. We have Architects Council, ICAN (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria); NIPR (Nigerian Institute of Public Relations), among others.

APCON would do better if it breaks itself from the apron strings of government. We should stop collecting subvention from government, and instead, tax members and let members run the affairs of APCON. The Council is lucky to have highly experienced practitioners that we have not even used.

There are so many of them, and if we are able to break away from this strong link with government, I'm sure this people can be called upon.

They will come in with ideas that will assist APCON to grow. We have people like Mr Biodun Shobanjo, Sir Steve Omojafor, Senator Akin Odunsi, and Mr Ayo Owoborode.

They all played a significant and commendable role towards the establishment of APCON. None of these pillars of the industry has been made Chairman of the Council. I think we should look towards using these people to give us more ideas

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INTERVIEW

and allow APCON to grow. But for them to be able to do it, we need to run APCON like other professionals are running theirs – free from the encumbrances of being tied to the skirt of government.

Appointment of the next APCON Council Chairman: I've talked on this lightly when I spoke about APCON getting subventions from the government.

We don't need subventions from government. If you take subventions from the government, government would want to dictate some things but I believe this is a mistake from the government.

When the late Mr. May Nzeribe was chairman, government announced a board comprising just politicians.

He went to Abuja and met with the minister and it was reversed. I'm sure the issue of the purported appointment of a non-practitioner as Council Chairman was a genuine mistake on the part of Mr President, and I'm sure if taken up with him, he will reverse it quickly. But to avoid a re-occurrence, APCON should do what other professional bodies are doing. Practitioners in advertising should learn to stand on their feet, and not be dependent on government.

The government has been wonderful in giving us a charter. We should now run our own affairs without running back to meet the government with a bowl in our hands. If we do that, then we should expect this type of interference once in a while. But I do not think such an appointment will hold. It cannot hold because there is no way politicians will come around to control professionals. It will also be

a gross violation of the law that set up APCON.

Tough times for outdoor practice: I think the major problem outdoor advertising has is the signage agencies. The signage agencies should have been a welcome development, because outdoor advertising is now more environment-friendly and the practice in Nigeria now competes favourably with the rest of the world.

The truth is, the signage agencies have contributed to this development but, unfortunately, they are also concentrating on how to generate huge revenue to the government. As a result, the permit fees are now so unreasonable. And since this has to be borne by the clients, this is driving them away from the outdoor media platforms. Clients now believe if they put their money elsewhere, say on other less expensive media, they could get much more benefit because the main advantage of outdoor in the past was because it was cheap. But now it is changing from being the cheapest to being the most expensive. That is not good for the medium; that is causing a major loss.

The call for a national signage law: The constitution makes it very clear that the local government is the only organ that should control and derive revenue from outdoor advertising.

It's clearly stated in our constitution.

But like they say, politicians are very smart people. They set up agencies and said they want this body (signage agency) to collect revenue on behalf of the local governments; and we all know what has been happening.

If there is a way of being more specific in the amendment of the constitution, to make it clear that state governments should not interfere, I would like it because if you want to set up an agency that will be national, that may not work.

People are saying that we should be more of federal than a unitary system. Some of the problems we have in Nigeria is that the federal government is trying to control the states and control everything. If we are truly a federating country, we How APCON and OAAN can should not be asking for a national bring about change: law for everything. But if we could I think this is more of a task for strengthen the local government or OOAN to resolve, than it is for authority, especially over outdoor advertising practice, I will go for that, because that would be faster and more meaningful than what we are seeing now.

What we are seeing now is really very wrong. The v a r i o u s s t a t e governments see outdoor as another source of revenue generation, and it is ridiculous. Having a national law may not really solve the problem. Chief Babu Akinbobola Photo: BV

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INTERVIEW APCON. OAAN needs to be bold enough to shout. It needs to meet with media agencies and other stakeholders. Just to let the public know about the problem on hand.

It is OAAN that should take the first step. There has to be that determination and commitment on the part of OAAN as a group to do something about it.

The APCON Code of Practice: I think the code that APCON i n t r o d u c e d u n d e r M r. L o l u Akinwunmi, as Chairman, came a little bit late. It came towards the end of the tenure of the initiator as chairman. The code is fantastic. We needed it, but he brought it too close to the end of his tenure and right now there is no Council Chairman to pilot the implementation of the code.

One of the conditions of the code is that you should be a registered practitioner; and that your company should also be registered. I think he modified the definition of a practitioner. An individual and company practicing advertising should be registered. I love it because it is another way of getting the practice on a more sure footing, much more than it is for getting more funds for APCON. If we are going to gain our independence from government, we need to be able to stabilize and to have enough funds.

By the new arrangement, every company in this industry should be a registered practitioner. So, Media Link, for instance, should not practice illegally. The company should also be licenced to practice and then pay the prescribed annual license fees which is very good.

And another thing is the way it is done. For you to be licenced, there are conditions. You have to be a Nigerian company; and there is a clear definition of what a Nigerian

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company means. If you come in from a foreign country and you want to practice here, you can't own more than 25 per cent. That enables Nigerians to be part of your company. It is good. No company from Nigeria for instance can go to any other country, say, South Africa to practice, without meeting the requirements. So why is it so easy for them to come here with their briefcases and start practicing?

Thus, the code is very good. But unfortunately, Lolu brought it too close to the end of his tenure. He was courageous to have done what he did. If we can effect it, it is going to help us.

The Media Link Success Story: I was the media director at Grant Advertising, and Mr Ademulegun was also there. It happened at a time when many people were leaving, I think, it was in 1979.

Mr Biodun Shobanjo had left to form Insight Communications.

Shortly after he left, everybody was l e a v i n g a n d o n e d a y, M r Ademulegun came into my office and he told me we could come together to form a company. He was thinking of us forming Media Advertising Gift, and I said it was a great idea, more so he was the first person to come to me and I appreciate it. But I suggested that instead of doing Advertising Gift alone, we should also consider outdoor advertising which had caught my fancy by then.

So we agreed and I think we were both careful, because we had heard stories of people coming together only to split within some couple of months. But we wanted to get it right, so we then decided to discuss further on the kind of business we

were going to have: one that would stand the test of time, on all fronts.

Kole (Mr Ademulegun) was my best friend. I don't know how to make friends easily, because I easily get hurt. I don't know how to keep some things, but within a week of his joining Grant Advertising, we became friends, to the extent that when some weeks later, I was to get married, Kole did most of the arrangement for me. He recommended a hall, the band that was to play, the cake maker, the programme maker. All the ones he recommended I accepted. So I wasn't surprised. That was how we became very good friends, and that was in January 1980. He came in at the end of 1979 and I got married February 9, 1980. So I was not surprised when he came to me in 1983 because that bond had been there.

We decided to set up the company but from day one, we decided to make it 50/50 share holding.

But we didn't have money, even though we had an idea. We went to several banks. We wrote a feasibility study and a number of banks that didn't believe in us, threw us out. We even went as far as meeting the director of a bank and he listened carefully, after which he said our proposal was nice but wanted to know what we were going to give in return for the money (a form of collateral). We wanted N200,000.

We said we had nothing. He said “just leave my office.”

So we went to another bank and the manager listened to what we had to say and he said “Sorry, you have nothing to give me in return, no collateral”. He told us the bank couldn't help us. So we left. Later that day or the following day, we got a phone call from Kole's uncle, informing us that somebody was so

INTERVIEW impressed about our proposal, presentation and determination and had paid N10,000 into our account.

That was it!

The Breakthrough: The then Lagos State governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, announced he was going to set up ferry services.

So I ran there and met the general manager. I told him to give us exclusive advertising right. He agreed and we paid, I think it was N3,500 then. This we took from the N10,000 we had in account.

The next thing was how to install the billboards. Kole and I went to meet Mr Shoaga, and told him we liked his billboard design and that we wanted to copy it.

After we had installed it, Lintas bought and paid and within a period of two months, we had collected about N46,000. We paid back the N10,000 and rented a duplex in Ilupeju, and furnished it. We spent all the money. We bought furniture, made the place real beautiful and then we announced Media Link to the Nigerian advertising market.

So Media Link was born, and today, by the grace and mercy of God, we have done 30 years. Now, we should be looking at pulling back for a new generation and we are very fortunate that today we have two of our children here. We have Ladi Akinbobola as marketing manager a n d Wo n u A b o d e r i n ( n e e Ademulegun) as business development manager. Wonu and Ladi are doing very well. And I am so confident that they will do greater than we have been privileged to do.

Ladi and Wonu are better educated, much more exposed and they are young. I am sure they will take the Media Link dream to higher heights

by His grace.

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At Media Link, Partnership is Working: In our case, we have divine intervention. But I think there are ingredients you have to look out for, and if they are in place, partnership in business will work.

One is sincerity of purpose. Some people set out to “use�, (take undue advantage of) the other. Two, each partner Photo: BV must come to the table Chief Babu Akinbobola with something the Another thing that has helped us is, other person doesn't have. we didn't allow our wives to interfere Like I discovered that where my partner is strong is where I'm weak in the business. We are friends and where I'm strong is where he is outside the office and our wives are weak. You find that the company will friends. But when it comes to Media benefit in such an association and the Link business, there are only two other thing is, you must trust your partners not four partners. But then, partner. At least let him fail first. A lot it is by God's grace. of people do not trust people. They don't even want to give him a chance.

If God is blessing your union, He may also bless you in return and you must share the same goal for the company.

For instance, if I have an idea, I discuss it with Kole, because he has the killer punch and he will execute the idea immediately. Left alone, I will just be thinking of the idea but Kole has the killer punch, he will take the decision, and run with the idea with the swiftness that it requires.

There are many ways I have also contributed to the partnership too.

If you are able to get the right partner, chances are that you most probably will succeed. It is better to have 10 per cent of a successful company than to have 100 per cent of a company that is not doing well.

Succession plan: Initially, our plan was not to involve our children. Our plan was to run a company that at any point in time, when Mr Ademulegun and I have to disengage, the company will still continue. When things were even hard, we did not sack people. But the unfortunate thing we have discovered overtime is that anytime we decided to promote somebody to a very high level and get him involved in management, they always resign. But now, and by Divine arrangement we have our children Wonu and Ladi, who have willingly joined us.

They are catching up very fast and I have no doubt that they will take over from us and do better than we have been able to do.

OAAN has come a long way: I think the objectives for which the

INTERVIEW research. There are so many things association was set up are being met, the background. because it was set up to protect the In the past, some things were put in we could research about. interest of members, and also to place to ensure this was done. We project outdoor advertising as a created things like Poster Award. We The advertising industry in the viable advertising medium in did research, and we introduced next 10 years: quarterly luncheon so that things I believe in terms of quality, it will Nigeria. affecting the members and the continue to increase. We will get The only problem is that the level to which it has met these various industry would be discussed every more professionals and I hope that objectives varies from president to three months, such that we didn't we will have the kind of leadership president. For some presidents, they have to wait until the OAAN annual that will save us from losing the kind focus on some aspects effectively. general meeting (AGM) to sort out of money we are losing now.

For others, they have shifted to other issues that could be resolved before I see that something is happening that was not there before. aspects, and we had a few that were the AGM. Governments do their own outdoor Some of these structures that were able to cut across evenly.

In view of the fact that we are getting put in place in the past are no more advertising these days, even reports that outdoor advertising is there. Even the Poster Award is done campaigns including presidential falling in terms of revenue in maybe once in four years now. It campaigns. Can you imagine?

Quacks, including comparison with other government officials who media groups, what we now handle most of these would have expected is campaigns know next to that OAAN would be nothing. Most of them are not focusing seriously on registered practitioners. So research, if only to they are quacks. They are prove that outdoor practicing illegally. But I do advertising is very hope that in the next 10 years, effective. That is not we would have succeeded in there at the moment and e n s uring that even it is really unfortunate. government would respect its The last research we own law that stipulates did, I championed it. I clearly that you have to be a was president from registered practitioner to 1994 to 1998. But we've handle government also had some advertising. presidents that were handicapped by crises - Chief Babu Akinbobola Photo: BV Advice for advertising they met on ground. We practitioners: had presidents that spent almost used to be, and it really should be, an My advice is to encourage them to their four years managing all forms annual thing. believe that advertising is a beautiful of crises. In spite of all this, the By the Grace of God, when I created existence of OAAN has helped to it in 1997, I had done two years and glamorous profession, and that maintain the integrity of outdoor already; the idea crossed my mind the best way to keep it so is for us to be professional. We should not be advertising practice in this country. and I discussed with the late Walter too much in a haste to win an If we didn't have OAAN, imagine Egbueze, and he gave me some what could have happened. The fact papers. I wrote a paper on Poster account, to the extent that we that OAAN is there has been a Award, took it to my council and it jettison professionalism and blessing for us. But I would want to was approved. We did the first one embrace unethical practices. see us taking care of the welfare of that year, and the second one in my The new generation of practitioners should relax and do their profession members, and at the same time, last year in office as president. projecting the medium; making sure We need to do more of such things. quite professionally. They should that the medium is not relegated to We need to carry out extensive not be too much in a hurry. B&V

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News

APCON TO BE WITHOUT A CHAIR FOR NOW

I

t does not appear that the issue of a successor to Lolu Akinwunmi as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria would be resolved any moment now. This is largely for the reason that the Federal Government is yet to appoint a popular candidate.

The tenure of Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi th the 5 Chairman of Council expired on September 27, 2013. However, he still attends industry related functions and reluctantly performs the role of the Council Chairman, as no acceptable substantive chairman has been appointed by government to take over from him.

The law that established APCON vests the power to appoint the council chairman in the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, upon the recommendation of the minister of information. The chairman could be appointed from among the relevant sub-sectors of the advertising industry bin Nigeria, notably: AAAN (the Association of Advertising Agencies in Nigeria); OAAN (the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria; BON (the Broadcasting Organisations of N i g e r i a ) , a n d N PA N ( t h e Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria). One major 24 Brand Visibility

criterion that the successful applicant must possess is the fellowship of the advertising practice in Nigeria.

There are currently up to 100 fellows (FRPA) of the practice. Out of this number, only five (including Akinwunmi) have been appointed chairmen. Others include Mr. Sylvester Ifeayinchukwu Moemeke, the pioneer Council Chairman and Chief Olu Falomo, who took over from him.

Falomo handed over to Mr. Christopher Awusa Doghudje who passed the baton to the late May Nzeribe. Akinwunmi took over from Nzeribe. The question on the lips of all practitioners in Nigeria today is: Who takes over from Lolu Akinwunmi?

Information available to Brand Visibility has it that six names were forwarded to the former minister of information, and the supervising minister of APCON, Mr. Labaran Maku, from which the government is expected to pick one, as chairman.

It was revealed however that the most seemingly eligible of the applicants did not convincingly meet the laid down criteria. While the relevant sub-sectors from which a chairman could emerge are now seriously searching for their best hands to push forward.

Akinwunmi, who wishes more than anything else to go back to the waiting arms of his colleagues at Prima Garnet, still has the task of having to answer “Mr. Chairman Sir” at all APCON functions.

One serious worry, however, is that the statutory functions of APCON may be put on hold as it takes a Council, presided over by a Chairman, for it to properly function.

Another worry, a more serious one, is the recent attempt in certain government quarters to give the job to a politician who has never had anything to do with the industry.

Some concerned industry watchers believe this was another demonstration of politicking, when there are so many “loyalists to be settled with political appointments”. And, the trouble is, in their concern, should this error stand the industry would be the worst for it.

But a school of thought argues that there are more than 90 eligible Fellows of the industry to choose from, and that, as such, the Honourable Minister, working through the various relevant sectors should not have any problem finding and recommending a suitable practitioner for the job to the President and Commander-inChief. In any case, the industry may not have to wait for too long!

Brand Visibility hopes so, too. BV

INTERVIEW Brand Visibility: We congratulate you on your return as the Director General of the Oyo State Signage & Advertisement Agency. What would you say was the secret?

Adepoju: God is my secret, as far as I'm concerned. God has been faithful and good to me over the years. So, if you see me achieving or making any remarkable achievement in life, I will ascribe it to God. God has been so good to me. Sometimes if you want to give it to any human, you can say hard work, integrity and prayer. Yes, as humans we have paid our dues as far as the advertising industry is concerned in this country. We have done a bit of it; we have been around for a while. Let me just say it is God. For me to be away for a while and for me to return, it is God. God made it possible.

Brand Visibility: We will like you to take us through the history of the Oyo State Signage & Advertisement Agency

Prince Yinka Adepoju, frpa Director General Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA).

In this interview with Ibrahim Olalekan, he speaks on how he is changing the face of Outdoor Advertising Practice in Oyo State to meet world standards and the Agency's fight against indiscriminate erection of billboards. He insists:

“We are not ready to joke with the emerging beauty; we are not ready to sacrifice it and we are not going to compromise it for anything.”

Adepoju: I think I can trace it back to 2011. I was privileged to be among the team of the 30 wise men that was put together when the incumbent governor, His Excellency, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, was elected into office. It was a transition committee put in place to midwife the take-off of the new administration. Senator Abiola Ajimobi, had set up a transition committee of 30 men, and I was privileged to be one of them. Our mandate was to look at the records and make recommendations to the governor-elect then on how to move.

And all of this we did in about one and half months – about 45 days. We came together as transition committee members and in the course of that, we presented a proposal that as part of moving Oyo State forward, there will be need for the state to create an

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INTERVIEW Outdoor advertisement regulatory agency, and that proposal was looked into and a bill was sent to the House of Assembly, because without an enactment of the law, it might be difficult as had been experienced in other places. So, a bill was sent to the House for close to seven or eight months. The bill was properly looked into and eventually the House of Assembly, having been convinced that it was good for the state, and one of the things that could help move the state forward, the bill was passed into law, and that made it possible for the agency to be created. Today, we have what is called the Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), created by law in 2012.

Of course, having created the agency, the agency needed someone to pilot it and I think Governor Ajimobi, in his wisdom, thought it appropriate to appoint Yinka Adepoju to be the pioneer Director General. That was how it came into being and that was how I became the first Director General of the Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA). We are two years old. I was appointed April 2012, and I resumed work May 2012. So the agency is two years old now. You can see that the agency is pretty young, but we thank God for the achievement so far. God has been good to us.

might also interest you to know that I was on the other side then. I was one of the plaintiffs then, because I led the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), in the first fight against OSOAMAG in Oyo State. I was the General Secretary of the Association then. I had a president, but the two of us were always in the witness box for 18 months. We were coming all the way from Lagos, but all we said then was that the OSOAMAG of that time was not properly constituted.

And again, the helmsman then was arbitrary in nature. All of the advances OAAN made to make him see reason with us to do things in a way that people would not be badly affected, he rebuffed all. And so, OAAN didn't have a choice then than to go to court and the court settled it.

On the point of law, OSOAMAG was not legally constituted and that is the difference. You can see the difference yourself. I just told you that a bill went to the Oyo State House of Assembly and for seven to eight months, the lawmakers scrutinized the bill. They either removed or added and at the end of

the day the bill became a law which we now know as the OYSAA Law 2012. So you can see that for OYSAA, we have a solid and legal foundation. OYSAA was created on a solid rock. OYSAA was properly created as against OSOAMAG. They are two different institutions.

And thank God for the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who knew his onions and who made sure that everything he dealt his hands in is properly done.

Brand Visibility: There is this claim that the control of outdoor advertising and collection of revenue therefrom should reside with the local government. Now, a number of states have also passed laws that have legally constituted signage agencies in their respective states. Do we now say that the law of the state is superior to the provision of the Nigerian constitution? Or has the constitution also allowed that states should make laws that may supersede the provisions of the constitution?

Brand Visibility : Before the creation of OYSAA, a court ruling had pronounced the then OSOAMAG as illegal. How would you explain the creation of OYSAA against the backdrop of this ruling?

Adepoju: The OSOAMAG of that time had no legal backing and it

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An example of how it used to be in Oyo State before OYSAA

INTERVIEW Adepoju: Yes you are right by saying the constitution makes provision that advertising control and revenue should be in the purview of local government. But don't also forget that we run a three tier system – local, state and federal – and that the state is superior to the local government. So, local governments are under the state.

And in a situation where the state feels, depending on who is in charge or who is in control, that if we do it this way, it will benefit both the local government and the citizens, the state has a right to call the local governments and come into an agreement which is exactly what has happened here and the state is not doing it unilaterally. The state did it by bringing the local government chairmen in their capacity as heads of t h e i r l o c a l governments, brought them together and advanced reasons why it should be done the way it is now. The state Yinka Adepoju did not stop at that. It went to the House of Assembly, which determines what should happen in the state and by so doing, for Oyo State, as well as other states that are into this, they secured the confidence of their local government chairmen.

I still remember vividly that I led the OAAN team to Ogun State some years back to pursue this same course and surprisingly, the local government chairmen in one voice, represented by the state ALGON Chairman, said that, “It is what our governor wants. We have seen that

the governor meant well and we have released whatever power we had to the governor.” So I could have as well said that even here in Oyo State, the local governments were not left out of it. They were brought into it and they saw the vision and the mission of the governor as something that would benefit the greater majority of the people of the state, as well as visitors to the state.

And they succumbed. And by so doing, the state is now benefiting;

the local government councils are also benefitting. So, there is no crisis about that. It was mutually agreed and that is how we are moving on.

There is no crisis, no opposition to the OYSAA project. The way we have done it, both the state and the local government councils, and the people of the state are beneficiaries.

In terms of landscape, everybody is enjoying what we have now, because it is better managed, well controlled and well regulated because the people we have that are managing it are professionals.

Brand Visibility: Practitioners in outdoor advertising are groaning as a result of fees being charged by the signage agencies. How do you think this can be addressed?

Adepoju: Well, I think we need to be very explicit when we talk about fees being charged by the signage agencies. What and what are we looking at? Are we looking at fees being charged now to what it used to be? If we are looking at fees being charged now and fees charged in the days when the controlling power was with the local government, they are not at par, because a lot of things have gone into it now. But when you look at what the different signage agencies are charging, as far as I know here in Oyo State, our fees are quite affordable and they are also quite good. Whatever rate we are charging in Oyo State, they are very affordable and reasonable. We still give room for negotiation; listening to OAAN and meeting ourselves at a mid-point and that has been a lot of encouragement, especially on the side of our stakeholders. We are not rigid. We listen and when we listen we take decisions together; decisions that will move both the industry and the State forward.

Brand Visibility : In a recent publication by MediaReach OMD, one of the leading Media Independents in Nigeria, the cause of the dwindling fortunes and relevance of OOH media are directly traceable to the activities of the signage agencies. How do you react to this?

Adepoju: That experience will soon be over and I must tell you that we are advancing by the day. So, even at the signage agencies, we are not just sitting down. We have also observed

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INTERVIEW the decline in patronage on the side of our stakeholders. Take, for example in my state now, there are billboards that are vacant, a good number of them, and we know that something must be responsible. It is either the budget of outdoor is getting reduced by the day or something. We are also concerned.

We are not just interested in taking money from our practitioners or stakeholders; we are also concerned that their business must continue to move forward and grow. So we have also looked at it from that point of view and we are asking questions about what could be responsible.

And in view of this, we are trying to come together as signage agencies, maybe perhaps form a body, a group or an association whereby we can look at some of these challenges, and by so doing we may be able to speak with one voice. So, soon and very soon, you may find out that rates being charged by signage agencies may not be too different from one another. Although the issue of how busy, how important roads are, you cannot rule that out. If you look at the OYSAA rates, you will find that they are not the same as what you have in Lagos, because we have our factors in place and we look at all of these. So I won't say because Lagos is charging X amount then I must charge the same in Oyo. Even though I know Oyo is not a second class rated state, not even with what we are doing in terms of urban renewal programmes. Oyo is fast developing, infrastructures are changing; roads are being constructed, the peace we enjoy in Oyo is fantastic and everybody is moving to Oyo now because things have really changed. Things are r e a l l y g e t t i n g b e t t e r. T h a t notwithstanding, we are so careful

a n d v e r y accommodating that we still want practitioners to come and develop our state for us by st bringing 21 century outdoor structures, so that we also can be at par with the developed world and I tell you, it's happening.

In the last two years, we have changed the face of Oyo State. Two years ago, there was no single electronic board.

Today, we have about eight standing and we are expecting more to come in the next couple of months, because we have assigned and allocated sites to those who will develop such sites. The way we do it here is that we have a level playing ground. If you come and you tell us where you are able to identify by yourself, fine, we look at it and if it goes with our guidelines we give to you. All you need do is to pay the required fees. And, if also you say where can I put this thing? We have mapped out some locations that we will give out because we are more interested in our landscape. We want our landscape to be beautified.

However, with all of this in plan and in the making, outdoor practitioners will soon begin to enjoy or begin to see that rates are reduced. Then for Oyo State, I tell you that it is not as if the revenue is not important to us, but we are more particular about the environment. We want a saner, safer, more beautiful and an attractive environment, because we know that when the environment is good, the money will come.

Some years back, some advertisers didn't want to come to Oyo State because of the way billboards were arranged. They were badly arranged, clustered all over. But today, it is like I must be in Ibadan, I must have my presence in Oyo State. In as much as we are interested in generating revenue, we like to beautify and improve our environment first; make sure that the environment looks good. And so far, so good.

There have been commendations here and there, but we are not yet there. There are rooms for improvement. Roads are being constructed, they are being dualized. Roundabouts are being created, existing ones are being refurbished on daily basis and you find out that infrastructures are being improved upon on daily basis.

Everywhere is opening up so that is more important to us than the revenue. But for all of these, I will say that the rates that are being charged in Oyo State are reasonable, appropriate and affordable.

Brand Visibility : You have a reputation for being a leading light in the industry prior to your appointment. In what ways do you plan to make your assignment bear positively on the outdoor advertising industry?

Adepoju: By the grace of God, with the cooperation of the practitioners, I can say it without mincing words

29 Brand Visibility

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW that the period of two years that I have spent on this seat has been beneficial to both the state and the practitioners. The practitioners are coming in good number. They have supported Oyo State in developing the state by bringing all the sophisticated, all the ultra-modern 21st century innovative billboards.

They have come with them and we have also supported them by making sure we have a place for them. I want to say that we want to continue this kind of relationship. The relationship is very good, very cordial and of course don't expect that we will not have one or two instances where we have to look at each other in the eyes and all of that.

If you have your billboards in the state enjoying exposure or visibility all over the place, then the onus is also on you to pay for such service.

And if you have reasons to put up billboards on our highways, the onus is also on you to ensure the boards are well maintained. We have some boards around that are not tagged, and when they are not tagged, there is no way you can trace them to the owners.

We must be able to identify these boards with their owners so that they can have their bills and settle such bills. So I must say that because we have been in the profession for this number of years, we know what we should give back to the practitioners and we know what they should also give back to the state. And because we understand all of this, we expect we will be able to coexist without any serious issue.

But let me appeal to the practitioners that they should meet up with their obligations to the state, because when they don't do this, we may not have any alternative than to also clampdown or use the big stick. We don't like using it, but when the stakeholders are not doing what they

30 Brand BrandsVisibility & Visibility

are supposed to do, we will not have any choice than to do that.

Having said that, we put the experience that we have acquired over the years to bear, and it will help to move both the industry and the state forward.

Brand Visibility: What do you think of the proposed Association of Signage & Advertisement Regulatory Agencies being spearheaded by LASAA? Don't you think such would be taking the signage agencies off the course of their primary purpose?

Adepoju: No. Some of us who are there are professionals and we will not deviate or derail, so to say. Some of the things the association is likely to be looking at, are issues that concern the practitioners majorly.

We have noticed the decline and by the grace of God, it will be one of the things to be addressed. And how do we address such issues? By the time we begin to meet and come together, we are also going to look at the challenges our practitioners are facing, and then there will be a way out. We will be able to push some of these, especially in the area of rates.

If it is a problem of rate, what stops us from saying because of this, you have this rate discounted and all of that. So by the time we come together, every member will be able to bring his or her own experience to the table. And when we bring such experience to the table, we marry them together and we find a way of solving these challenges.

So, I see the association of regulatory agencies to have a positive effect. It is going to have a positive effect on the industry and the business we do. The merits are going to be more than the demerits.

In fact, I see it having a lot of benefits and merits. You will all

stand to gain from it and don't forget there will be interactions. It is not going to be a master-servant relationship. We are going to look at it as business partners; partners in progress. With that, we have meetings together, we would relate t o g e t h e r, s h a r e e x p e r i e n c e , common interest and challenges together. And we will be able to meet ourselves midway. So that is what I see that is going to happen.

So nobody should worry; nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. I'm assuring you that the interest of all stakeholders will be adequately taken care of.

Brand Visibility: The environment in Oyo State is getting better and gradually, the state capital is wearing the look of a megacity. The credit goes to the administration of His Excellency, Abiola Ajimobi.

But how do you intend to prevent illegal operators in outdoor advertising from indiscriminate erection of billboards, which eventually would badly affect the emerging beauty of the city?

Adepoju: We are not ready to joke with the emerging beauty. We are not ready to sacrifice it and we are not going to compromise it for anything. It is costing this government a lot to put the environment right, to put it in good shape, to beautify and allow the aesthetics to come up. It is costing the government huge sums in terms of money, manpower, and all of that.

So, no government would do all of that and at the same time allow indiscriminate erection of billboards to scatter whatever arrangement we have made. So, I can assure you that with this administration in power, and by the Grace of God, this administration will continue to be in power.

INTERVIEW

Whatever we have done, we must be able to also consolidate. It has taken us time to put all of these things together, and we will not for any reason allow derogation to come into it.

At this point all I need to plead for is cooperation on the part of practitioners. You can be sure that we will not allow quacks to come and deface or abuse the beauty that God has given us the vision to create. For God to have allowed us get to this level, we would also jealously ensure that we guard it and not allow any infiltration or anybody to just come and debase whatever we have put together. And what that tells you is that OYSAA is going to be on its toes to ensure that billboards and signage are well regulated in Oyo State. So regulations will come into it. It is going to be well regulated and well controlled and well managed. So, for no reason whatsoever, we will not allow the standard to fall.

Rather, we should be looking forward.

Brand Visibility: How do you see the future of outdoor advertising practice in Nigeria?

Adepoju: Very bright. And why did I say so? Number one, you discover that more people are coming into this regulatory thing. We must face the reality, facts must be told. The more regulatory agencies we have in this country, the better for the industry. But there is a caveat, and that caveat is, as the regulatory agencies are being established, those who are responsible for the establishment must ensure that they are putting the right people to manage them. It should be a case of a round peg in a round hole. You are

establishing an agency, don't look at it from the point of view of revenue.

Look at it from the point of view of management of billboards and signage in the state. That is, look at it from the point of view of regulation.

That takes me to the next statement, that is, put the people who have the know-how, somebody who has the experience, the techniques, what it takes to head the agency. In a couple of months, he would transform and change the face of whatever outdoor looks like in that state.

Take the case of Oyo State, for example. Without being immodest, in less than six months, we have changed the face of outdoor in Oyo State. And like I said, we are still not there yet; it is a continuous exercise.

Whatever we have done so far, we have received commendation even from our colleagues. It doesn't come easy for professionals or people to say you guys have done well.

What we are clamouring for, here in Oyo State, is that we need the cooperation of the practitioners, the stakeholders so to say. We are not only concerned with the third party.

We have first party signage all over the place and they are also part of what will make the city look good. If they are not well managed and well positioned, they will also devalue the outdoor life of the state.We intend to manage them well and if this is happening all over Nigeria, then the industry will be better for it.

Brand Visibility: As a veteran in the practice, a fellow of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, and a former first vice president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), you are a source from which current and future practitioners should draw knowledge and

wisdom. In what areas would you advise that the practice of advertising be improved upon?

Adepoju: Very simple: people should keep to standards. People should operate on guidelines, whether in the outdoor or in the general advertising. What we are saying is that people should put professionalism into it because it is the only way. Then the regulatory body, which is the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), and of course the sectoral groups. They must all be alert and alive to their responsibilities. APCON must ensure that advertising is practised according to the rules; the rules of the game must be put into it. Then, all the sectoral bodies too must ensure that they apply the rules. We must be able to curb our members and where they fail in their obligations, we must sanction them.

These are ways through which advertising can be moved forward in this country.

We must discourage a situation whereby quackery is put into this business. Quacks must not be allowed. Whatever it is going to take, APCON as the parent body and the sectoral associations must ensure that in their different groups, only registered practitioners are allowed to practise and operate.

And for me and our colleagues, all I need to say is that money is good and important, but we should not allow money to rule us; we should be in control of money. And if we can put all of that into place, then this issue of undercutting here and there, short-changing, trying to play smart, will not come in.

So, to my colleagues in the advertising industry, either in OAAN or in BON, ADVAN or

31 Brand Visibility

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INTERVIEW

Emerging aesthetically fulfilling city of Ibadan

AAAN, I am saying that they should play by the rules and they should bring discipline into whatever they are doing, because it is indiscipline of the highest order when people begin to short-change and sometimes they will even run down their colleagues and fellow agencies, just because you want to take a job from a client. No, it does not work that way. So, let us apply the rules and let us operate as professionals.

Brand Visibility: Please let us have your profile. We know but a little about you. Now tell us about Prince Yinka Adepoju!

Adepoju: Yinka Adepoju is an advertising practitioner. I came into the industry in the year 1986, having just finished my Youth Service then.

I read Mass Communication. I'm a Mass Communicator by profession.

I have my stint in broadcasting, I have done a bit in print, but today, by the Grace of God, I am in advertising and I've been in advertising since 1988.

In 1986, I was in the broadcast

medium. I worked briefly at NTA Akure, and I also worked briefly at NTA 7, Tejuosho, after which I moved to Vanguard newspaper, where I have the print experience and then all of a sudden, I left for advertising in 1988.

I worked with an advertising agency called St. Georges Publicity Limited of those days. From there, I moved to Media Link limited. That was where I caught my teeth as an outdoor advertising practitioner. I went in there as senior client service executive. I became the commercial manager and rose to become the first general manager in 1992. I resigned my appointment in 1994, and established my own company called Royal Communications Limited. I was the MD/CEO of Royal Communications Limited until 2010 when I stepped aside to do other things.

In 2011, I was here in Oyo State to put in my own contribution as a member of the transition committee, and by 2012, I was appointed pioneer director general of the newly created Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency

(OYSAA). I started it by the Grace of God. So, along the line, of all of these years, I played my role very well in my own professional body. I became the first vice president of OAAN, which I vacated in 2011.

Even at the apex body level which is the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), I have served on so many committees.

I served in the Tribunal and Privileges Committee; ASP (the Advertising Standards Panel), I served under the late Sesan Ogunro.

I was a representative of OAAN on APCON Council. I have made my own modest contribution to the development of advertising in Nigeria, and to the Glory of God, I will still continue to. So, I thank God for everything. I have paid my dues, and I have played my roles. I am not tired yet. In any role, whichever way they still want me to, I am willing and I am ready to make further contributions to the success and the forward movement of the advertising industry in general.

Brand Visibility: Finally, how

33 Brand Visibility

INTERVIEW

news

Dangote Cement Brands Depots, would you want posterity to remember you, especially in your sojourn in the industry in which you have spent the greater part of your life?

Adepoju: The good thing about life is you want to be remembered for whatever little or modest contribution you have made. For example, I have over 30 certificates which I can present to you of doing or serving in one committee or attending one programme, seminar or workshop. There are also awards in recognition and in commendation of what I have been privileged to do. Last year, I got two awards. I received the Best Out Of Home Media Regulator of the Year Award in Nigeria 2013, and the Platinum A c h i e v e m e n t Aw a r d o f Excellence, presented to OYSAA, organized by International Brand.

We have a catalogue of this in terms of awards, plaques, medals and all of that.

I want to be remembered for coming here, playing my role, participating well, making my little contribution to the development of the advertising industry and the growth of Oyo State.

And like I said, we are not tired yet, so we still have a long way to go. We are still in the mainstream of it so whatever God gives us the enablement to do, we will still do.

Human beings too love to be remembered. I like to be remembered for all of those things. BV

34 Brand Visibility

D

angote Cement P l c . , Nigeria's leading c e m e n t manufacturers with growing presence on the African continent, has embarked on a nationwide branding exercise that is a i m e d a t consolidating its No. 1 position in the c o u n t r y ' s e c o n o m y. T h e company is currently installing a uniquely-designed directional signage in all its depots across the country. The exercise is coming in the wake of the company's engagement of billboards in major cities including Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Kano to announce the birth of its extra strength

42.5 grade brand, appropriately named Big Boss.

This exercise is seen by industry watchers as an effort by Dangote Cement to properly position the brand as the clear market leader in line with its current market expansion activities. And with the introduction of its 42.5 grade of cement to meet international standards, the company is now

NEWS BRIFE Customer Warehouses, Sales Offices & Regional Offices clearly ahead of its local peers. And so, to cope with the high demand for its product across the country, the company is currently adding to the existing depots and regional salesOffices in the country. Sales offices are also being established across the country, to make it easier for existing and prospective customers to get the product. The Depots, Regional Offices as well as the Sales offices now wear the Dangote unique blue colour, and also adorn its logo (the watchful eagle with its firm hold on the Crescent).

Many of the company's depots across the country currently wear the new look. The branding exercise has also been extended to distributors' warehouses, to make for easy access for customers. This is making branding purposeful and result oriented.

But much more importantly, Dangote Cement is painting the country blue. As a result, the brand's image is soaring higher, like the eagle the brand has on its logo. BV 35 Brand Visibility

technology

Liatronics's LED Births in Nigeria ... eTotem Coming Soon

P

ractitioners in the out-of-home industry are redefining their m o d e o f v i s u a l d i s p l a y, especially now that there is an influx of LED boards in the major cities. Many of these LED boards which can be seen along major highways not only beautify the environment, but they also add to the glamour the products projected on them enjoy.

It is simply obvious that the era of the archaic outdoor advertising platforms is gradually coming to an end, as digital and electronic platforms are now the vogue in industry. Indeed, the landscape is changing, and more and more advertisers are switching to LED platforms. operators in the outdoor industry.

Though some are yet to key into the new trend of technological innovation, yet many have taken advantage of this to win more clients to their side and enjoy patronage from buyers.

Expectedly, manufacturers of LED are also making inroads into the Nigerian market. One of such manufacturers is the China-based Liantronics. The company is targeting the Nigerian outdoor market both with the outdoor LED and its indoor electronic display platform named eTotem.

The Liatronics’ eTotem is a super-sized LED digital signage, and it is a combination of hi-tech and artistic creation which also combines information transmission, artistic expression and time connotation all rolled into one highly innovative and captivating platform. eTotem is designed to be durable and to enjoy high grade protection from vandalisation.

The eTotem board is designed to access for WiFi/3G wireless and wired network. It is embedded with a video monitor and ammeter and a 4.1 sound

inbuilt centralized cluster network and remote control system to monitor and

David Zhu

manage the status of the LED screen. Its hot backup system and double backup power supply are of the required international standards and help define electronic communication in digital terms.

The eTotem boards, suitable for indoor display, can be perfectly placed at airports, subway stations, train stations, large shopping malls, star grade hotels, book stores, pavilions, conference centres, cinemas, banks, offices, etc. Its system components include LED display, that is, eTotem, and control system with contro computer, LED display controller, distributor and the control system software.

When displayed, the front face features include LED module x 40 pcs, tempered glass and metallic painted base, which is located at the bottom of the board. Fan and access panel are the two main features designed for the back face of eTotem LED board.

David Zhu, Liantronics’ Marketing Manager was recently in Nigeria, and visited a couple of leading outdoor firms, including KOK Visibility Edge and also spoke with Brand Visibility. He said that users of the eTotem board can test each part without connecting with LED

control system. He also said that it supports pixel level brightness/colour calibration. The eTotem board according to David is designed to allow users enjoy the Nova LCT-Mars control system, used to configure and control LED display through PC in graphics user interface.

Analysing its power distribution system, David is confident that practitioners using the eTotem board will find it more advanced in terms of its air switch, leakage protection switch, fuses, and AC contactors.

The system he insisted has protection from overvoltage, overcurrent, under voltage, short circuit, open circuit and leakage. The main switches in the power distribution cabinet he said, are made of the Schneider devices to meet consumers demand and all other accessories, while the wire has CCC certification.

David is so sure that the latest

e Totem Platform

technological devices in the Liantronics e To t e m b o a r d m e e t r e q u i r e d international standards, and that users, most especially practitioners in the outof-home industry, will find it cost effective and highly profitable. BV

37 Brand Visibility

Special Report

NIGERIAN BREWRIES PLC:

N

WINNING WITH NIGERIA

38 Brand Visibility

igerian Breweries Plc, the pioneer and largest brewing company in Nigeria, was incorporated in 1946.

The company recorded a landmark when the first bottle of Star lager beer rolled off the bottling lines of its Lagos Brewery in June, 1949.

The company has undergone several optimization processes and as at today boasts of one of the most modern breweries in the country.

The company now has other breweries across the nation. They include Aba Brewery, established in 1957; Kaduna Brewery, in 1963 and Ibadan Brewery, in 1982. In 1993, the company acquired its fifth brewery in Enugu. In October, 2003, a sixth brewery, sited at Ameke Ngwo in Enugu State, was commissioned and christened Ama Brewery. The latter is, today, one of the biggest and most modern breweries in Africa. Operations in the old Enugu Brewery were however discontinued in 2004, while the company acquired a malting plant in Aba in 2008.

In October 2011, Nigerian Breweries acquired majority equity interests in Sona Systems Associates Business Management Limited (Sona Systems) and Life Breweries Limited from Heineken N.V. This followed Heineken's acquisition of controlling interests in five breweries in Nigeria from Sona Group in January, 2011. Sona Systems' two breweries in Ota and Kaduna, and Life Breweries in Onitsha have now become part of Nigerian Breweries Plc, together

Special Report

with these three brands: Goldberg Lager, Malta Gold and Life Continental Lager.

Brand portfolio Nigerian Breweries Plc. has a rich portfolio of high quality brands. Star Lager Beer, the first in its portfolio and the flagship, was launched in 1949. This was followed by Gulder Lager Beer in 1970. Maltina, the nourishing malt drink, was introduced in 1976, followed by Legend Extra Stout in 1992. Amstel Malta was launched in 1994, while Heineken, the international premium Lager Beer, was relaunched into the Nigerian market in 1998.

Maltina Sip-it, packaged in Tetrapaks, was launched in 2005, while Fayrouz was launched in 2006. In 2007, the company introduced Star, Heineken and Amstel Malta in cans. In 2013, the company sold a total of 30 stock keeping units (SKU's), including Gulder can, Legend can, Heineken Magnum, Maltina can & PET, Fayrouz cans, Fayrouz PET, Climax energy drink, as well as Goldberg Lager, Malta Gold and Life Continental Lager, which became part of the family in October 2011. Two brand extensions – Star Lite and Fayrouz Exotic – were introduced in the first quarter of 2014.

Ancillary industries As a brewing concern, the company encourages and sustains many ancillary

businesses locally. Several of t h e s e o rg a n i z a t i o n s a n d individuals depend largely on the company for their means of livelihood. These include manufacturers of bottles, cans, PET resins, crown corks, labels, cartons, plastic crates and such service providers as hotels/clubs, distributors, transporters, event managers, advertising, PR and marketing communications agencies, etc.

Corporate social responsibility Nigerian Breweries is a socially responsible corporate organization with good track record of corporate social initiatives in identified and strategic areas.

Over the years, Nigerian Breweries has been very active in supporting the country's development aspirations in line with our commitment of “Winning with Nigeria”.

We have continued to identify and respond to major challenges confronting our nation through our corporate social investments, especially in the areas of education, the environment, talent development and sports, amongst others.

The company in 1994 established The Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund with a take-off grant of N100 million to take a more active part in the funding of educational and research activities in Nigeria.

This is in addition to its secondary and university education scholarship programmes for children of its employees. The company is also involved in the development of leadership, musical and movie talents, through various programmes.

Our socio-economic impact Nigerian Breweries has a significant presence in Nigeria with seven breweries, two malting plants and distribution centres strategically located across the country.

Some of the impacts of the company's operations on the Nigerian economy are as follows: I n 2 0 11 , t h e c o m p a n y ' s operations represented 12 per cent of Nigerian manufacturing in terms of value added. In that same year, Nigerian Breweries generated N245 billion revenue and N345 billion consumption of its products.

Nigerian Breweries operations have a value added impact of N243 billion on Nigeria's economy, which represents 0.65 per cent of Nigeria's GDP. In 2011, N87 billion was paid directly and indirectly as taxes, which represented 4.02 per cent of Nigeria's non-oil tax revenue.

Nigerian Breweries has a high value direct work force of 3,200 employees, and the company's operations support indirectly 586,000 jobs, which represents 0.64 per cent of the total labour force, of which 54,000 are within the Sorghum value chain.

39 Brand Visibility

cover story

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING IN NIGERIA: HOW ADVERTISEMENT AND SIGNAGE REGULATORY AGENCIES TRUNCATE GROWTH

I

t is no longer news that operators in the out-of-home industry in Nigeria now grapple with dwindling revenue, consequent upon the activities of Advertisement and Signage Regulatory Agencies across the country. Today, the subsector has come under the life-threatening yoke of the various agencies dubiously code-named as outdoor advertising regulatory agencies.

The harrowing journey commenced with the establishment of the Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency (LASAA) in 2006, via the instrument of a Lagos State Law. Primary among its functions, the LASAA law requires that the agency should ensure that the environment is beautiful and that the installation of billboards be controlled to prevent the chaotic situation that outdoor contraptions had been before then. However, good as government's intentions were, the reality today is that the signage agencies have become the task masters for operators in the industry.

Prior to the establishment of signage agencies across the country, cities were littered with all sizes and shapes of billboards that were more of environmental nuisance.

Badly positioned banners and posters made various cities look ugly and, in some cases, had caused fatal road accidents.

The intervention of the state governments through the establishment of the various regulatory agencies like LASAA, OGSAA, OYSAA, OSSAA, KWASAA, and others like them, was therefore initially welcomed by all stakeholders. As in the case of Lagos, there was sanity. The intervention thereafter truly contributed to the aesthetics and beautification of the states.

In the course of time, however, it became apparent that what is of paramount importance to the signage agencies is more of pecuniary consideration than the environment. It is now obvious that they are assessed by their principals (the governors) for what they contribute to the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the states. For most of them, revenue generation is now more important than the environment. Virtually all the agencies are under targets of hundreds of millions, (in some, like Lagos, billions) by the respective state governments that now see outdoor advertisements as veritable means of boosting their IGR. Not too long ago, Grorge Noah, the managing director of LASAA, was named the Lagos State Man of the Year. It is not clear if the award was popularly on account of his achievements on the environment. But in a television interview sometime after his investiture, he touted his agency as the one that generated the highest income into the coffers of the state in 2013. The LASAA example has become a model for other states.

And so today, we have advertisement and signage agencies in almost all the states. It is worthy of note that this is about the only institution that cuts across the political divide in Nigeria. Even though it was first launched in an APC controlled state, states being controlled by other parties have also set up similar agencies.

Constitutionally, the regulation of outdoor advertising is under the purview of local governments. But in an effort to justify the creation of these otherwise illegal agencies, local governments have been in a manner of speaking, armtwisted, and presented as lacking in technical and manpower by the various state governments.

Thus, by some political manipulations, states have forced local governments into

40 Brand Visibility

signing memoranda of understanding with them, allowing the signage and advertisement agencies to handle the job on their behalf.

Realising that this is not enough to give the agencies the needed legal status, state Houses of Assembly have been made to pass laws that have legalized the otherwise unconstitutional action.

Industry watchers, however, believe that state governments may not be in a hurry to call these regulatory agencies to order on the issue of illegality, for as long as the agencies continue to bring in huge revenues for them.

It is worthy to add here that heads of the various regulatory agencies are political appointees, and no effort has ever been made to e n s u re t h e y h av e a ny professional certification that qualifies them to occupy such position Mr. Yinka Adepoju, director general of Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), a thorough bred professional and one time vice president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), is the only exception here.

Little wonder, therefore, that the best the various signage agencies can do has been to concentrate on how to

cover story increase the IGR they deliver, not minding the effect of their activities on the industry. The experience today is such that can be safely likened to a situation where butchers are made to carry out surgical operations. This is more so, because most of those who preside over the agencies have never operated any serious business. Thus, they do not really know more than to concentrate on revenue generation, even if that would mean that the industry they regulate is stifled to death.

The regime of pioneer managing director of LASAA, Mr. Makanjuola Alabi, was reputed to have embarked on massive destruction of billboards worth several billions of naira, with impunity.

Many companies that could not meet the demands of LASAA then were forced out of business. Even those who remained in business did so for the reason that they had hoped the insanity would abate with time.

Businesses suffered and hundreds of thousands of the employees of the affected outdoor companies lost their jobs and means of livelihood, all because the government had suddenly discovered a new source of i n c re a s e i n I G R i n o u td o o r advertising.

The onslaught on outdoor advertising did not start with LASAA, the forerunner of signage agencies.

And it is not true that there has never been organized resistance against such onslaught by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN).

It is on record that OAAN successfully challenged the Oyo State government over its attempt to regulate and control outdoor advertising in the state through an agency then popularly called OSOAMAG(Oyo State Outdoor

Advertising Monitory and Advisory Group). That was many years before the establishment of LASAA. In a suit filed by the association in the Oyo State High Court, presided over by Honourable Justice M.O Bolaji-Yusuf, the court decided as follows: 1. That the control and regulation of outdoor advertising by the government of Oyo State through the agency of Oyo State Outdoor Advertising Monitoring and Advisory Group (OSOAMAG) or any other agent, consultants or whatsoever was illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and ultra vires the power of the Oyo State Government.

2. That the activities of OSOAMAG, in so far as it involved the control and regulations of outdoor advertising in the state and collection of levies, taxes or any form of revenue there from on behalf of the government of Oyo State, was illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

3. That the removal and destruction of billboards erected by the plaintiffs, by the 1st and 2nd Defendants, purporting to act on behalf of the government of Oyo State, was illegal, unlawful and a violation of the legal and constitutional rights of the plaintiffs to their property; 4. That the control of land on federal highways is legally vested in the Federal Government and its relevant officials, and no agency of Oyo State government had the legal authority to control the use by the plaintiffs of any part of the federal highway in Oyo state.

It is not known if the Government of Oyo State ever appealed the judgement But what appears more baffling is that state agencies across the country have not been challenged by OAAN, the relevant subsector of the economy that is most badly hit by the illegal and largely unconstitutional activities of these agencies.

However, in the opinion of Mr. Yinka Adepoju, OYSAA helmsman, there is a world of difference between OSOAMAG and the new signage agencies, in the sense that the latter are backed by law, and therefore cannot be compared to OSOAMAG, which had no legal backing. Adepoju said it was on the basis of its illegality and arbitrariness that OAAN went to court to challenge OSOAMAG. And now, with the planned formation of an outdoor advertising regulatory association being spearheaded by LASAA, a disaster may be looming, and operators in that subsector may be in for tougher times ahead.

In a press statement widely circulated and published in major newspapers, LASAA helmsman, Mr. George Noah, said, “The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency is spear-heading the formation of an association, to protect the interests of outdoor advertising regulatory agencies.� He also said a number of states were already buying into the project. But, the objective is suspect. Perhaps LASAA and the other agencies are not aware that outdoor advertising practice in Nigeria is gradually going into extinction due to their activities. In a recent publication by Mediafacts, it was established that in 2012 alone, the billings of out-of-home operators went down by about N12 billion, owing to the economically unfriendly disposition of these agencies.

It is simply unclear therefore, what interest of the signage agencies are threatened and by whom. Perhaps the agencies are seeking autonomy from the state governments that set them up.

41 Brand Visibility

cover story Or could it be that their IGR interest has been so badly affected that they now want a platform to help them prevail on advertisers to increase their outdoor budgets? OAAN cannot be a threat; at least not from the attitude of the association to readily accept whatever is hauled at the members and their practice by agencies whose leadership are at best novices in the practice of outdoor advertising. And what is more, from all indications, the association is not complaining, at least not loudly enough to register any form of displeasures.

In some states there are also consultants whose primary business is to drive as it were, help the signage agencies in the drive for IGR. With some of them, it has become so ridiculous that outdoor companies are asked to make payments into some private accounts belonging to such consultants. It is now a free for all!

There is also the African Outdoor Conference and Exhibition put together by LASAA. While it is tempting to applaud the agency for this, some industry oparators say it should take caution not to further strangulate the outdoor advertising in Nigeria.

J. C. Decaux, whose helmsman delivered a speech at the conference, is said to have a very deep pocket, and is ever willing to use this to sniff life out of local operators. The company is said to have tried it in some other leading West African countries, but was vehemently resisted both by the operators and the government. It did not succeed there, but since that attempt was unsuccessful, Nigeria may simply be the next target.

The worry in certain quarters is that Nigeria may be an easier prey, given the very high level of official

42 Brand Visibility

impunity and reckless executive corruption in the land. The conviction is that should the company be determined to come, some officials may not blink an eyelid to sell off the entire nation, so long as it gives them enormous wealth and other opportunities, including being on the board of directors and other such pecuniary considerations.

Today, the popular fear in some quarters is that J. C. Decaux is set to take over the out-of-home industry in Nigeria, if allowed and given approval to practice in the country. “ The purported promotion of creative excellence which is the theme of the conference and on which the chieftain of J.C.D is billed to make a presentation, should not be a ploy to cede out outdoor advertising practice to an investor with a deep purse”, a Nigerian practitioner had advised shortly before the conference. He warned that if such happened, it would “be calamitous for the Nigerian economy, as hundreds of people employed by the local operators would have to be out of jobs and employments, thereby worsening the already very bad economic situation in the land.”

In other words, the industry seems to suspect every move of the signage agencies. The thinking that is very popular is that it is the internally generated revenue target that is really driving every move of the signage agencies, especially LASAA. Mr. Emmanuel Ajufo, Managing Director of Opportunity To See, who is also the General Secretary of OAAN, in expressing his own opinion, pointed out that state regulatory agencies have contributed to industry failure, to the extent that practitioners spend between 33 per cent and 40 per cent of their revenue on paying tax (otherwise known as permit fees), a

development he describes as counterproductive. He believes the high rates of the agencies are not in any way justifiable.

He said as a result of the high rates, small-scale advertisers have been forced out of the market, and that even the available big spenders are already complaining of strangulating rates which may also force them out of the out-of-home media platform.

This has to be checked, otherwise the platforms may soon be empty, and operators forced out of business.

This, Ajufo warned, is a destructive disaster waiting to happen.

In the opinion of Mr. Yinka Okesiji, a seasoned practitioner, formerly of Optimum Exposures and Promo World, the real problem is that “majority of the signage agencies are run by non-professionals.” The only exception, according to him, is the Oyo State Signage & Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), which is being run by a first-class outdoor person.

He decried the practice whereby regulatory agencies fix rates arbitrarily from the tax point of view, which is not even justified. He noted that the regulatory agencies fix rates as directed by their state governments, and not based on the percentage of the rates charged by operators, or on the percentage of their income. This he said was not right “They can fix a rate today, especially in Lagos, by the time you are sending your estimated costs, based on those rates, to your client, say in another one or two months, the rates have increased, thereby making planning very difficult,” he lamented. “It is a major issue and until we get out of this, the industry will not grow. It is not like that everywhere, it is not like that, for instance, in the United States, the United Kingdom and even the United Arab Emirates.” BV

NEWS

Biodun Shobanjo Donates Building To Mass Comm. Department, UNILAG

-LEKAN IBRAHIM

T

h e Departme nt of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, now wears a new look w i t h t h e completion and commissioning of a two-storey building donated

by Mr. Biodun S h o b a n j o , Mr Biodun Shobanjo, frpa Chairman of Troyka Holdings, one of the leading lights in the Marketing Communications industry in Nigeria.

The department was known to be in shortage of lecture rooms. It was usually a difficulty for both students and their lecturers to attend to their lectures and other academic activities as a result.

It was a common experience for studenst and lecturers to wait in the sun for hours pending the availability of rooms for their lectures. But that now belongs in the history books as a result of the building recently donated by one of the leading icons of professional advertising practice in Nigeria, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, a fellow (frpa) of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON. The newly commissioned building has more than enough classrooms to accommodate more than five lectures at the same time. There are also offices for the lecturers.

Appropriately named THE BIODUN SHOBANJO MULTIMEDIA CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE this contribution will enable the Department meet in physical terms the Centre of Excellence in Media Training Side view of the building

status awarded to it

by UNESCO. In a chat with Dr. O l u b u n m i Ajibade, a lecturer at the department, he told Brand Visibility that the former structure t h a t w a s demolished to give way to the new building could not cater for the department's need and so the call for new classrooms became inevitable. “There are so many programmes-foundation programme, degree programme, full-time and part-time programmes, and post-graduate programmes.

43 Brand Visibility

News

Mr Shobanjo at the presentation of the building

wonderful gift to the Department.

Brand Visibility however observed that the building was yet to be put to use as it was yet to be equipped with the relevant furniture items and the required instructional materials to aid learning. Also, the air conditioning system, and A close up on the inscription internet facilities were yet not expand because we did not have space within our environment. The spaceconstraint was enormous, and so the project was timely, a saving grace” Dr. Ajibade said.

Ajibade disclosed that the construction started in 2012, and the project was completed and commissioned in 2014, adding that there was no delay whatsoever in the execution.

Rather, the project was executed as scheduled and the design, just appropriate for the present day need of a university department. And Ajibade's view is that Mr. Shobanjo should be commended for this Another view of the building We were suffering acute space shortage. Apparently, it was not good enough and we could

44 Brand Visibility

to be in place.

Alofun Oluwatayo, a Master's Degree student of the Department expressed his hope to see the building put to use soon. His words: “it's quite a monumental architecture but I can only hope that it will be put to active use and not left like a mere museum for tourists.”

That perhaps sums up the expectations of lecturers and students alike. But intending users of the building may not have to wait for long, as, we learnt, the relevant authorities of the University Council was already considering to approve funds for the purchase of all the necessary items to make it possible to put to effective use The Biodun Shobanjo MultiMedia Centre of Excellence, BSMCE! BV

Investigation

How Brands Can Connect through Social Media Platforms

B

rand building has for so long been a global trend and has now become a major strategy adopted for penetrating, reclaiming, or dominating a market, as it is an effective way to connect with the target consumers. And lately, at the turn of this decade, the engagement of the social media platforms has become the darling of brand communicators.

Over time, corporate organizations have deployed other communication platforms to build their brands, giving them the desired personality in order to attract and sustain consumers: both present, prospective and future.

And now the advent of social media

46 Brand Visibility

has added a most formidable platform to connect and engage millions of individuals, especially the youths and the young at heart, that are regularly on Facebook, Badoo, Twitter and the rest of them.These are now helping marketers and their consultants to showcase their brands and promote a bond with the target. “…the advent of social media has added a most formidable platform to connect and engage the millions of individuals, especially the youths and the young at heart, that are regularly on Facebook, Badoo, Twitter and the rest of them.”

With over 55, 000, 000 internet users in Nigeria, corporate

organizations should have enough reasons to also deploy the social media platforms to engage with youths, with the commercial messages of their brands, to the end that their overall marketing communications objectives are achieved.

These days a number of Facebook“Like” pages and sponsored Twitter “Handles” appear on the individual's timeline and she has a choice to “Like” the page or to discard it. By “Liking”a page, “feeds” get to the individual's “Timeline” and latest updates from the organization deploying such a platform pops up at regular intervals. And the individual cannot miss these updates which most times are

Investigation

commercial messages about a brand or a group of them.

Further, organizations can also take advantage of the social media platforms to build a strong bond with their intended target by engaging “online commentators”.

These are individuals with hundreds and thousands of “followers”, and the discerning marketer is also “following” such individuals to connect and engage other “followers” with commercial messages subtly passed on about their brands.

The social media specialists “tweet” the brands and products to their followers and with a number of “retweets” from other followers and friends, the message spreads across the social media platform, exposing all followers (now a captive audience) to the message, and it may become one of the ‘trending topics’’ if it garners more retweets. And in course of all of this, the commercial message becomes “viral”, becomes so popular with the intended audiences. The brand's image ultimately gets a boost as intended.

However, while social media may be seen as an effective platform to reach out to millions of youths, there is the critical question of whether the message truly appeals to the potential consumers. The effectiveness of a social media campaign therefore is vital in determining the quality of messages and resources to be invested in it.

Opening a social media account is not a difficult thing, but the “Likes” and “Follow” it is likely to get few hours after the account has

been activated, is what will determine how internet users will connect with the brand.

‘While social media may be seen as an effective platform to reach out to millions of youths, there is the critical question of whether the message truly appeals to the potential consumers’’.

In Nigeria for instance, when a celebrity opens a social media account, such personality is set to get over a thousand “Followers” and “Likes” within an hour.

Meanwhile, brands tend to angle for such instantaneous popularity, and most times, have to pay to appear as sponsored page on internet user's timeline. If a brand an can't get a likely hit of a thousand “followers” hours after the opening of a social media account, what then is the possibility of the brand getting the intended engagement and connectivity with the internet users who are on the social media platform?

No doubt, most marketers desire that their brands enjoy improved bonding with the teeming internet users. Most have introduced inducements by way of offering gifts and free tickets to watch important events or even through recharge cards. When these are up, increase in followership usually occurs, the number of “Likes” expectedly comes up quite significantly, and the product becomes the subject of discussion, perhaps for as long as the inducement strategy is deployed.

It may even become one of the ‘trending topics’’.

However, the question to ask is, with the promos and presentation of gifts that happen on the social

media platform, do the winners remain connected with the brand?

Will they not switch loyalty at a better offer or to something more promising?

While we must appreciate the advent of social media and the positive impact it has had when deployed for brand promotion purposes, brand managers must take cognisance of the need to effectively and strategically use this platform to truly connect with the reality. Brand engagement on social media should produce expected result like we have for the out-of-home advertising media platforms. Brands should put into use such innovative and marketing communications strategies that promote engagement and interaction with the social media audience, in order that their efforts may guarantee accomplishment of the set social media communication objectives, having the desired impact, and which will help in advancing their frontiers and gaining more loyalists and adherents to the side of their brands.

It is also important that while engaging other social media users, messages must be made to really appeal to online customers. Legal traps should also be avoided and, since many are on social media for different reasons, brand messages must be precise and catchy, so as to have a more long-lasting effect on the audience's memory. Taking this into use will not only help in getting customers, but will also boost patronage and improve the bottom line. BV

47 Brand Visibility

event Dozie Mbanefo Buries Mum, OAAN Floods Nnewi

T

he remains of the late Lady Mbanefo, was laid to rest recently at the Mbanefo Compound, Otolo Nnewi, Anambra State. It was an event that took to Nnewi virtually everyone that had anything to do with advertising in Nigeria. Top on the list of advertising sectorial groups at the event were the members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN. Perhaps, it was one event that has, in recent times witnessed the largest gathering of members of the Association. Members led by the Association's President, C h a r l e s C h i j i d e , t h e Vi c e President, Alhaji Danladi Yaro and the General Secretary, Emmanuel Ajufo were all at the event.

Most of them arrived Owerri two days before the event and stayed to be part of the thanksgiving service on Sunday, before leaving for their different destination.

It couldn't have been otherwise anyway as one of the children, Engineer (Sir) Dozie Mbanefo, Managing Director New Crystal communication, is the Publicity Secretary of the Association.

48 Brand Visibility

Event

...and the Oparaekes gave out their daughter in holy matrimony

49 Brand Visibility

Interview

OUTDOOR PERMIT FEES OUTRAGEOUS; NEGATIVELY AFFECTING BRANDS - AJUFO Mr. Emmanuel Ajufo is the General Secretary of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), and MD/CEO of O p p o r t u n i t y - To - S e e Limited, an Ikeja-based Outdoor Advertising firm. He speaks on a n u m b e r o f i n d u st r y related issues, including what he considers most pressing: the dwindling fortunes in the industry and the formation of West African Outdoor Advertising Association, and other relevant issues.

Brand Visibility: It is evident that the fortunes of outdoor advertising media operators are dwindling in recent times. What do you think are the reasons?

Ajufo: For me, we lost our share, but I'm not in a position to tell you that this is the value we lost, except we do proper calculation. You would recall that in 2012, some major spenders in our business did not engage our platforms to expose their advertisements until the end of the second quarter. And when they did, some of them only did three-month campaigns. That itself affected our

50 Brand Visibility

business very seriously.

Secondly, our medium suddenly became too costly for advertisers and so advertisers are looking at other ways of getting their products known to the consumers. The third one is the issue of insecurity in the northern part of the country. A lot of people are no longer advertising up north for obvious reasons. Again, you will notice that the advertising spend is a product of what people buy; a function of the profitability of the business.

Brand Visibility: The loss in 2012, for whatever reasons, was

monumental, and the 2013 figures are not yet out. Do you hope that the performance in 2014 will be any better?

Ajufo: Definitely, we hope that things will improve. But on our part, we must also do the needful for those things to improve. The issue of rates in the industry is a major issue.

Before now, our business used to be seen as the cheapest medium. Today, it is now the costliest medium, and people are running away. What we need to do is to find out why we are that costly.

We have been told that the rates in

Interview Lagos are the costliest in the world. A research exercise is being conducted (to ascertain the veracity of that claim), and until the result of that research comes out, we can only guess.

But one thing is sure, a situation where you spend between 33 per cent and 40 per cent of your revenue on paying tax is obviously not right, and so the signage agencies are contributing to our failure as it were.

But until we have the result of that research exercise, we can only say these are our issues. And once advertisers have an opportunity to go elsewhere onto another media platform) and are successful in the experiment, it becomes difficult to come back, and so we also as practitioners in the system must engage the advertisers and partner with them properly in this fight to reduce the rates.

Brand Visibility: In specific terms, what should the industry do to get out of this situation?

Ajufo: We should partner with the advertisers. We should engage the regulatory agencies, and we should also come out with the result of our research that we can use to justify whatever we are talking about.

Brand Visibility: Let's talk generally on issues that affect the industry, especially the APCON Code of Advertising Practice?

Ajufo: We embrace the new code, because we feel that it will help our business. What the new code is saying is that APCON will now directly regulate our practice, either through the association (OAAN) or by having a direct regulatory relationship with the operator. In

standing alone (operating without belonging to any association), there are some stringent conditions that APCON has made known to us.

Which means that by the time you stand alone, you would have met a lot of stringent conditions; and once you can do that, there is really no problem. Otherwise, you are ready to go through an association. And if you decide to choose this path, it means that you also need to abide by the rules of the association. To that extent, we embrace the code. What we now plead for is that APCON should ensure that the code is enforced, because, today, APCON is also licensing companies. Before now it was only licensing practitioners. We now have two types of licenses for those who belong to the relevant sectoral groups of which OAAN is one. And you are also free to be a stand-alone, to choose to operate without being in any association because, of course, the constitution of Nigeria allows for the freedom of association. So this should help our business if we are ready to enforce it.

Brand Visibility: The coming of signage agencies has no doubt translated to some huge problems

for operators in the outdoor advertising sub-sector. What steps do you think should be taken to address such problems?

Ajufo: The major problem is that the permit fees they charge are too high and outrageous. I have not seen anywhere in the world where our business is seen as a major IGR (internally generated revenue) contributor to any government at whatever level. But that is what we are having in Nigeria today. What we need to do is to talk to them (signage agencies) and engage them. We need to talk to them about the need to soft pedal on the issue of IGR. What I know of government is that government should create an enabling environment for business to thrive, hoping that if business thrives, all those unemployed people will be taken. It is not by killing the business. What we need to do is to engage the government and tell them why they need to be a little bit softer on us.

Brand Visibility: What do you think of the proposed Association of Regulatory Agencies being spearheaded by LASAA? Ajufo: For me, there is freedom of association. The only issue will be the reason for such an association. The same way we have our reason for the association of outdoor advertising practitioners, they too can have their own association. In so far as they have good intentions, the f r e e d o m o f

51 Brand Visibility

Interview association is a constitutional right.

Advertising Associations?

Brand Visibility: In your opinion, what are the effects of the activities of signage agencies on individual brands?

Ajufo:We believe that FEPE is for all associations of outdoor advertising in the world and that charity must begin from home. That is why we said we should bring our brothers in the West African subregion together to have an association where we can compare notes. By the time we come together, we will all harness and then begin to help those who are weak and leverage on those who are strong. We expect that when we get running properly, we will in partnership with ECOWAS, help the smaller countries to bring about a world class kind of delivery to the various countries so that every part of West Africa that you go to, you will see a kind of uniformity in standards. We also want to handle this issue of government and taxes, and hope that with our various experience, we can help one another. That is the essence of the association. And OAAN's president, Mr. Charles Chijide, is the president of the Association and yours sincerely is the general secretary.

Ajufo: My opinion is that the rates (permit fees) that they are charging are making it difficult for most advertisers to give their brands the required exposure through outdoor advertising platforms. In the last 10 years they have gradually, so to speak, killed small advertisers, because not all the advertisers can afford the high charges that the rates of the signage agencies have caused.

Most of our platforms are no longer affordable for small scale advertisers. Today, what they have succeeded in doing is that they have only allowed the big spenders to advertise and even then the so called big spenders are complaining. So, all the people who would have made the business environment to be more vibrant have been frustrated by the unreasonably high rates. Also, the practitioners themselves, a lot of them, have been chased out of Lagos, because if you cannot pay the high rates you have to relocate. And this is very sad indeed.

Brand Visibility: What in your opinion are the best ways to change the face of outdoor practice and check the excessive taxes and strangulating regulations?

Ajufo: We will continue to engage the people in government, especially those people whose activities are having direct negative impact on our business and practice. We will talk to them; we will dialogue with them.

B r a n d Vi s i b i l i t y : W h a t i s Federation of West Africa Outdoor

52 Brand Visibility

Brand Visibility: In a nutshell, what is the philosophy of this association, and what are the primary objectives?

Ajufo: I believe the philosophy will grow with time. And as for the primary objectives, I have just stated them. But let me summarise this way. It is for improved and uniform standards and conditions of practice in the West African sub-region.

Brand Visibility: How popular would you say the association is, with the Nigerian audience and in the participating countries?

Ajufo: We just returned from Cote D'voire and with the level of government presence at the meeting there, it seems to us that we are on the right track, because we have a lot of government support from Cote D'voire. We have also been to Ghana and we have a lot of government support there, too. So, from the little we have seen, I think it is an association everybody wants to come up and I think we are even late in starting it.

Brand Visibility: What does it portend for Nigeria in terms of benefit and challenges and responsibilities?

Ajufo: We are in a planning stage.

What we have done now is that we have put in place some officers. We have interacted with all the countries in West Africa and we have had a few meetings in Ghana and Cote D'voire.

We are also going to have in Togo.

We have also adopted a constitution.

So, we are still at the early stage. The next stage we are going to now is for people to now talk about their challenges and then we set up the various committees that are supposed to handle the various challenges. The success of Togo will be the adoption of the constitution.

We will then have laws that are going to guide us in our relationship.

Brands Visibility: How is the Association funded?

Ajufo: It is going to be funded by the countries that are being represented.

For instance, OAAN is representing Nigeria, so the various associations in each country will also fund, by the time we agree on what we are going to be charging. Then it will be shared among the countries. Presently, the secretariat is in Nigeria. BV

Shopping

Gradually but Steadily: Online Shopping Takes Root in Nigeria -Olawunmi Hotonu

O

nline shopping is gradually but steadily becoming a fashionable trend in the country, and the multi billion naira industry is now opening job opportunities for thousands of Nigerian youths. On the front row of this new business are Jumia, Konga, DealDey, and OLX. While these ones are expanding their frontiers and are in some kind of neck-breaking competition to outsmart one another especially Jumia, which is said to be the leading online shopping concern in Nigeria, Brand Visibility has it on good authority that some others are warming up to join the fray.

Online shopping found its way into the Nigerian market a few years back. And with the large number of youths who have access to internet via their mobile phones and other platforms, and whose flare for online shopping and transaction is on the increase, the operators may just be in for a huge haul, as long as they are also committed to prompt and excellent delivery of services.

The social importance of online shopping cannot be over emphasised. It has opened the flood-gate of business opportunities for entrepreneurs to meet and trade their stocks. Not only that, the advent of online shopping has allowed young Nigerians to promote their brands, explore business opportunities, and

expand frontiers. For a number of skilled young Nigerians who for instance are into shoe making, art and other skills, but who have difficulty promoting their products and skills via the traditional media due to the high cost of advertising, the launch of online shopping has now provided a formidable platform for them to connect with the teeming online audience that will find their products relevant to their needs.

Another interesting aspect of online shopping is that rather than go through the conventional way of physically visiting shopping malls or the local neighbourhood markets to source for goods or services, these can now be found online.

With the likes of VConnect and some other organizations whose primary engagement is the

provision of addresses and contacts of service providers to the people online, all that a prospective buyer needs to do is type the location of choice and the type of services she wants, and several options will pop up.

Online shopping has also enabled people to dispose of used wares, goods and products on online.

Here, both used and new products are displayed on the site for interested buyers to contact the seller. The site only provides the platform for buyers and sellers to meet at no cost and doesn't interfere in the transaction.

While the advantages of online shopping abound, some otherwise prospects are yet to trust them for quality service, especially in the areas of prompt delivery and quality assurance. This fear may 53 Brand Visibility

Shoping Continue from page – 53

not be unfounded, as there have been cases where promised deadlines were not met, products tampered with and services not provided as agreed, or as expected. While some see this as the risk that comes with business, some agree that it is basically an act of incompetence.

While it is obvious that most online organizations try very hard to meet demands, especially in the seasons of celebration, when orders expectedly are high, meeting deadlines may be a little challenging. But then, the client is not interested in efforts. She wants service, and she wants it promptly delivered.

This leads to the question of the steps being taken by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), founded to protect consumers from dissatisfied services, to ensure that organizations found wanting, especially in the online shopping sector are sanctioned. The experience now is that organizations are trying to outsmart one another in the business, and in the process, it is not unlikely that the customer may be taken for granted, deceived and their rights trampled upon. It is important therefore that the CPC should anticipate and be proactive.

While there are yet to be reports of high profile fraud cases and other criminal activities in the industry, the CPC and all other relevant organizations should act fast to maintain full sanity by checking from time to time activities of the online organizations and ensuring they conform to the required standard practice and norm. BV

54 Brand Visibility

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Interview GOVERNMENT ERRORNEOUSLY THINKS THERE’S MASSIVE MONEY IN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING -FADOJU well. You don't have to be unnecessarily loud. If you know your onions, and you know how to manage your agency, you will discover that the industry can be highly fulfilling and rewarding. But you must be hard working.

Brand Visibility: Tell us the DP Partnership story.

Odun Fadoju, Managing Director, DP Partnership FCB, recently spoke with Brand Visibility's Ibrahim Olalekan. Expectedly, he x-rayed issues relevant to the marketing communications industry in Nigeria. His views are as captured below: Brand Visibility: Please let us meet you.

Fadoju: My name is Chief Odunmoluwa Fadoju. I am the Managing Director/Chief Executive of DP Partnership FCB. I have been in the industry for almost 30 years now. I have worked with various advertising agencies. And this is my last halt. I am a co-founder of this agency. It was founded about 11 years ago.

Brand Visibility: You certainly have been around in the marketing communications industry for so long. How, in your opinion has the industry fared and what future does it have?

Fadoju: If there is no future, I won't be what I am today. I have been in the industry for close to 30 years. If I have not seen that there is a bright future ahead I won't still be here.

Tomorrow is still very good; it is going to be better than what it is today My today is better than yesterday and I believe my tomorrow will be better than my today. When we started advertising, it wasn't as big as what we now have; the technology, exposure, training opportunities were not there as we have them cheaply today and I believe that come tomorrow, it is going to be better than we currently have. So, I think the future will be very good.

The industry is very lucrative for those who manage their details very

Fadoju: We started about 11 years ago. But before then, I was the managing director of Sunrise DBM & B, and I worked there for about eight years. I left that place to set up my team with the other owners of this place as the pioneer General Manager. I later became the Executive Director/CEO. When we started 11 years ago it was very hard and tough. Today, you probably will think this is how we started, and that it has always been this ok. No. We did not start this way at all. We started from ground zero. We did not have any account or client. But when you know that this is your vision, you don't have any alternative. You either die or you survive; you either sink or you float.

When we started, some clients whom I had worked for in my previous agency, and who so much believed in me gave us opportunities, especially clients like P&G, Union Bank and about three others. For the first three years, that really stabilized us until after about five years later that we started pitching for accounts. We then won Swift Network and Honeywell, among others. Since then, the story has been different.

Then fortunately, about three years ago, we had what could be described

55 Brand Visibility

Interview as an earthquake, a major breakthrough, a positive change and turnaround. We had a big leap; we got affiliated with FCB, which is the second largest advertising group globally. And for us to get affiliated then, it was a big leap and that has been of good help and has also transformed us from being a small agency to becoming a big player in the industry. We are not yet a very big player, but we are no longer the small agency of yesterday you used to know.

Brand Visibility: Now that you are in an affiliation relationship with one of the leading international advertising global groups, how would you describe the experience and how would you advise Nigerian agencies seeking international affiliations?

Fadoju: The experience is wonderful, but the key issue is that before seeking international relationships, you need to have developed yourself locally. Never depend on international affiliation for all of your needs. If you do that, you are on your own; anything can happen tomorrow. If we had depended on that from day one, we would not be where we are today. We first of all developed our systems and processes locally. We got almost six different accounts on which we were doing very well. The relationship with FCB has only further stabilized us and has given us opportunities to get better and to soar higher. The issue is, you don't go and set up an advertising agency because you are thinking of affiliation, but because you are a professional, and you really have the passion to give it whatever it takes to meet the challenges. In the process of time, you get to the level where you are truly ready for international

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governorship election is coming and the presidential election, too. A lot of other stuffs are coming. So, for those who know how to play the game, there won't be lull at all. There won't be any dull moment of inactivity.

relationships. That is how it should be. You don't have to seek international affiliation before you can be successful. There are so many agencies practising now who do not have international affiliations and they are doing very well. “…before seeking international relationships, you need to have developed yourself locally. Never depend on international affiliation for all of your needs. If you do that, you are on your own; anything can happen tomorrow.”

Brand Visibility: It seems there is a lull in advertising activities. What would you identify as the reason for this?

Fadoju: That is relative. I would not say there is a lull because if you have clients that you know they cannot do without advertising, it won't be a lull for you. If you are really practising advertising and you have the accounts, it shouldn't be. It might be a case of reduced spends, or a cut down in budgets, but you still do your professional job. I can assure you in another two or three months' time, it won't be a lull. There will be political advertising. The politicians want to contest elections. The local government election is coming. The

Brand Visibility: The fortunes of outdoor advertising media owners seem to be dwindling. For instance, in the year 2012, outdoor advertising lost over N12 billion, compared to the performance in 2011. What do you think accounted for the loss?

Fadoju: First of all, when we talk about outdoor, there is inconsistency in government policy. How can you wake up one day and you start to demolish outdoor boards? You should have given them at least a grace period of six months or one year notice. You have thrown a lot of people into unemployment and business collapse. So there are inconsistencies in government policies. There has to be an enabling environment for the outdoor media owners to practice. But suddenly you just wake up and declare the practitioners are not doing it very well. No. You should give a period like “in the next one or two years, this is how I want outdoor advertising to be practised.” So there is inconsistency in government policy.

Secondly, governments, especially at the state level, erroneously think there is massive money in outdoor.

So they want to have a taste of the money. This is self delusion. It is as a result of uncontrollable greed on the part of government officials and politicians who want to have their hand in every business they wrongly believe will give them a lot money.

Then there is a third reason. The outdoor practitioners also have themselves to blame. In the main,

Interview they have not practiced professionally. You see outdoor billboards at any available space on every corner of a street.

In a particular spot, you can have about five billboards in the same location jostling for the same campaigns. This does not augur well.

And that gives room for government to intervene in order to bring in sanity, and, in the process, to also exploit the operators. If they had s t a n d a r d i z e d themselves and their practice; if they had put within their association and practices acceptable standards, exploitative and stifling government's intervention most probably would not have happened.

Brand Visibility: What do you think operators in the outdoor sector of the advertising industry should do to get out of the present challenge?

Fadoju: What the outdoor subsector is currently going through may one day happen to the creative agencies.

It can happen to the agencies someday. One has to be futuristic.

You have to plan. Anything can happen in business. A good businessman always puts contingency and logistics (plans) in place. You might think a business will continue to flourish, and then suddenly it collapses. What did you put in place to prevent or to absorb the shock? So it is left for owners or practitioners to put in place shock absorbers. You need to spread your tentacles of business. Some people have been in outdoor for over 30 years and they still remain the same.

There have not been serious disposition towards innovations.

There are other things you can do in outdoor. Why can't you go to mobile, cinema and other means of outdoor advertising? Advertising is also a business, apart fro m bei n g a professional job. So, to get out of the present quagmire, practitioners in outdoor advertising should think outside of the box. They have to be innovative, and business-minded about their practice.

Brand Visibility: In your opinion, in what ways should the AAAN help reverse the downward trend of patronage in the entire industry?

Fadoju: AAAN is an association of voluntary agencies. The association is not a creation of a law as we have for APCON (Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria).

And for that reason, the AAAN cannot enforce any intervention using the instrumentality of any law, although it can help to make sure its mem b ers don't che a t OAAN members and that bills are settled as and when due. AAAN can also help

to stabilize the industry. But APCON, by law, is the one with power to regulate and make policies that can significantly help not only OAAN, but the entire industry. It is APCON that has the legal power to sanitize and to help. And in my own opinion, part of what APCON should do to bring about the desired sanity is the new proclamation of advertising practice. I am referring to the new Code of Advertising Practice. The law now requires every company to be registered by APCON. To be able to practise advertising in whatever form in Nigeria, you have to get the APCON licence. That will also help. Now, you cannot just wake up someday and put up a billboard somewhere, and claim to be practising outdoor advertising.

That has now become illegal. So, it is APCON that can, and should help to stabilise the industry. And this it can do by faithfully implementing the new code of advertising practice.

AAAN or OAAN alone cannot do much. “APCON, by law, is the one with power to regulate and make policies that can significantly help not only OAAN, but the entire industry.

It is APCON that has the legal power to sanitize and to help.

And in my own opinion, part of what APCON should do to bring about the desired sanity is the new proclamation of advertising practice.�

Brand Visibility: DP Partnership no doubt is doing very well at a time that most other creative agencies are groaning. Please let us into the secret.

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Interview Fadoju: Well, I don't know about secrets. But let me share some thoughts that I think are necessary for business success with you. First, you must know the ABC of the profession in which you operate. You also need to prudently manage your funds very well. Number two has to do with the avowed passion to do excellent jobs at all times. That is what will bring your clients back to you and you can only do that when you know this job very well. It is not enough that you just work in an agency for three years, and the next thing is you are going to establish your own agency. I have spent close to 30 years. It is by God's grace; it is not by my power.

But now I can confidently say I know what it takes. Then, there is the question of the quality of your people. Advertising is all about people. I have to manage people very well. I have to appreciate them, because I know without them I cannot do much. So for me to survive, I also need to treat them very well.

Brand Visibility: Still on the problems of outdoor advertising practice in Nigeria, how do you assess the relevance of the signage agencies that seem to have increased the burden of OOH practitioners; and what suggestions w o u l d y o u p r o ff e r f o r t h e resolution?

Fadoju: The outdoor practitioners have a lot of the blame, because they gave room for the signage agencies to come into existence in the first place. There were sharp practices.

Most operators were not doing the job professionally. If they had standardized themselves in-house, the signage agencies may not have likely had a chance to come into existence. Like I said earlier on, there

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was so much chaos at that time, I mean before the signage agencies came. Then, at every corner on every street, you could see up to 30 billboards of various contraptions scattered everywhere. The billboards had become, to be mild, environmental pollution to the society. But today, there appears to be some sanity. So the practitioners invited the signage agencies. The same way, if advertising agencies behave like that, government will just wake up one day and give us a similar law. But because within the AAAN, we are able to manage and put ourselves together fairly well, such may not be our lot for a long time to come. “…there was so much chaos at that time, I mean, before the signage agencies came. Then, on every corner in every street, you could see up to 30 billboards of various contraptions scattered everywhere. The billboards had become, to be mild, environmental pollution to the society.”

Brand Visibility: What do you think of the proposed Association of Regulatory Agencies spearheaded by LASAA? Fadoju: Don't forget this is politics.

All these states (championing the establishment of such an association in the South West) are members of a particular political party. In my opinion, there is politics in the conception. They started with Lagos, they saw that they are making profit from it; they saw that they can sanitize the industry and environment so we can't stop it. They are government and they are politicians. We may not be able to stop them from coming together. But that is not to say there is any sense in

forming any such association.

Brand Visibility: Please talk generally on issues that affect the industry, especially the Code of Advertising ractice?

Fadoju: Well, the Code of Advertising Practice has been formulated, but I have not seen APCON fighting. I have not seen APCON taking one or two outdoor agencies; taking radio/television stations, taking government official or illegal practitioners to court. I only hope we are not just barking.

APCON needs to put a little bit of force and also set examples like a leader, one with power and authority.

But for now, I've not seen anything to indicate that APCON will live up to expectations. “…APCON needs to put a little bit of force and also set example like a leader, one with power and authority. But for now, I've not seen anything to indicate that APCON will live up to expectations.”

Band Visibility: And your nuggets for individuals who are desirous of making a career in advertising?

Fadoju: If you want to be in advertising, you must learn patience, hard work and prayer. The (Biodun) Shobanjo you see today, if he tells you his own story, you will be amazed. Shobanjo did not become what he is today without patience, hard work and prayer. If you want to be a success in this industry, you need to have patience and learn the trade very well. In everything, especially in advertising, you must know about client service, brand management, creative art, copy, media planning and research. All of that will come together to make you an accomplished practitioner, and a successful CEO. BV

Brands

I

BRAND MANAGEMENT: AN EXPOSITION By: Chief Odun Fadoju

n every advertising discussion and activities, efforts are always geared towards achieving a simple but tedious task of brand building and brand management.

In the words of Philip Kotler, “the art of marketing and marketing communication is largely brand building. If not a brand, it will be viewed as a commodity” So, what is a brand and what is management? A brand evolves from a product/commodity or intangible products. When nurtured and enhanced consistently through innovation and aggressive marketing communications activities, such as advertising, activations, event marketing, promotions, corporate socialresponsibility, attractive and unique packaging, niche type face, font, colour scheme, icons and a host of other variables with the sole aim of creating a distinctive name and uniqueness among the customers, it will have its own distinct personality; and this will set it way, way apart from competition. It will help the product to grow into becoming a brand, with a distinctive and unique personality.

When a product reaches this level of acceptance, passionate loyalty and fanaticism, it then transforms

from being a mere product and becomes a brand. A brand therefore is the total sensory experience a customer has as a result of having come in contact with a company/product/service. A brand is an experience that's embedded in the mind of every person who has ever come into contact with a company's service or product. The brand then becomes an institution within its category, with a distinctive and unique personality, c h a r a c t e r, f o r m a n d i t i s “unrivalled” on the promise of service it provides to the customer.

Therefore, it is safe to say that “a brand is a non-generic product designed to set a product apart from competition”. This is why a customer will, for instance, go the extra mile to buy Guinness Extra Stout, the same reason is why customers of soft drink keep on referring to every other soft drink as Coca-Cola. At that level, a successful brand simply becomes the generic name or description for all products in its category.

The act of managing such a brand is called Brand Management. Brand Management is part of communication functions in marketing that includes analysis and planning on how a brand is appropriately and effectively positioned in the market place; how 59 Brand Visibility

Brands

to develop the unique marketing communication strategy for the brand and the best way to maintain the desired reputation that has been s k i l f u l l y, c a r e f u l l y a n d professionally crafted for the brand.

A brand manager within the advertising agency or from the client's perspective relates to the person who is skilled in the art of managing, understanding the product/service offerings, the image and character of the brand, the consumer, the market place and operating environment, as well as understanding the totality of competing brands within the category. This art requires a thorough and deep knowledge of marketing, marketing communications and human psychology, and an all round knowledge of all the relevant aspects of the economy.

Developing a new product and brand extension One of the major challenges in marketing planning is how to painstakingly develop a new

product, name the product and nurture it to a level that it becomes a brand. By brand extension, or product extension, it implies a new version of the existing product/brand within the same category. This may just be: § by adding new flavours § reformation for enhanced performance, or new usage § by changing the size or other features of the product § coming up with a completely new package format § and any other activity that seeks to extend the value of the product.

Product extension is usually a strategy deployed to leverage on the success of the “mother” product. That is, using the already successful product name as a platform to create, maintain and sustain an advantage in another product category.

With intensive competition in the market place, one truism is that any company that does not develop a new product or engage in product extension risks so much. Such companies may find their products falling victims of changing consumer needs, tastes occasioned by new technologies, changing product life cycles and increased domestic and foreign competition. This is why in every 12 months or so, consumers are bombarded with new versions of mobile phones, new models designs of existing products like cars and electronic gadgets.

The process: The new product development process starts with the search for ideas and the need for such ideas by the consumers. These ideas often come out of: § Inspiration § Perspiration § Techniques The management of a company defines the need for the new 61 Brand Visibility

Brands

product/product extension, which varies from the need for increasing cash flow for the company, market share domination, imitating the market leader so as to have a share of the market etc. The idea for the new product or the line extension may come from one or a combination of the following: ยง Company's scientists (research and development) ยง Customers ยง Competition ยง Sales representatives ยง Independent researchers Going forward, the new product development process can be filled in two ways: acquisition or new product development in its entirety.

The acquisition route can take three forms: ยง Corporate acquisition programmes involving the search for a smaller company that has attractive product lines, as it is the case with Nigerian Breweries acquisition of Consolidated Breweries, the manufacturers of 33 Lager Beer. This acquisition is virtually making Nigerian Breweries the dominant beer manufacturers in Nigeria. ยง Patent acquisition programme in which the company buys the right to produce a new product from their patent holders. P&G's patent acquisition of manufactures of Oral B Toothpaste, Oral B Toothbrush in the United States is a good example here. ยง License acquisition programme for manufacturing various products.

New Product Development as a strategy: New product development as a strategy for growth can come in about five categories: (i) New to the world product: These are products that create an entirely new market (ii) New product line: This allows a company to enter an established market for the first time. (iii) Addition to existing product lines: This is a new product that supplements a company's established product lines. We may refer to this as product existence. (iv) Repositioning existing product: This is usually the strategy targeted at a new market or market segment for an existing product. (v) Cost reduction: Here is a new product that is able to provide similar performance at lower cost Generally, a new product development process will involve the following eight stages (1) Idea generation (2) Idea screening (3) Concept development and testing (4) Marketing strategy development (5) Business analysis (6) Product development (7) Market testing 62 Brand Visibility

(8) Commercialization

Product naming In naming a new product, there is no hard and fast rule, but there are basic principles to adopt. Among these principles are: ยง The name must be simple and easily pronounceable.

The name should not be jaw-breaking. ยง The need to bear in mind the consumers, their life style, use of words, psychographics of the consumers and other elements that will make the market accept the name of the new product. ยง New product name should not distant itself from the product promise/service itself. The new product name may do well to suggest to the consumer what the product is all about. This creates room for product/name association that will enable the consumer to remember and recall the productโ s name so easily.

Taking the three essentials listed above into consideration, the new product name could be derived from such situations as: o Naming the new product after the inventor. e.g Ford, Mercedes Benz, Toyota. o Naming the new product after a notable figure or personality within the society or the company. o Naming the new product after alphabets, animals, birds or nature.

However, whatever the name given to a product or product extension,

brands we need to briefly note that this is not a guarantee that the product will succeed. Then, why do new products fail? We may consider the following. (i) High level executives pushing a favourite idea through in spite of negative marketing research findings. (ii) Idea is quite good, but the market size is over-estimated. (iii) Product not designed as well as it should be, to effectively fill the gap identified. (iv) Lack of adequate marketing communications support. (v) Over-pricing of the new product. (vi) Competitors fighting back harder than anticipated. (vii) Fragmented market competition leading to increasingly fragmented markets, as companies may aim new product at a smaller market segment rather than the mass market. This means low sales and profit for each product. (viii)Social and government constraints. New products need to satisfy public criteria, consumer safety, ecological compatibility and government requirements and regulations. (ix) Capital shortage. The need to raise funds needed to research new innovation may also be a factor to the success of new product emergence in the market.

Brand positioning and customer-based branding In the process of brand building, it is pertinent to note as a prerequisite that for the exercise of brand equity building to be successful, there is the absolute need for customer-based brand equity and brand positioning. By customer-based brand equity, I mean that the customers must be the focus of all activities of the brand. These activities engender loyalty and sustain patronage of the brand. Effective customer focus activities include the following: (i) Corporate social responsibilities that have direct impact on the life and environment of the target audience. (ii) Sponsorship of programmes/sports/events that the target audience can identify with, that will bring expected benefit to the target audience and the brand. (iii) Events that will bring the brand and customer much closer, like market storms, sales promotion to reward customers, activation etc. (iv) Brand/customer relationship management like Dealer's Forum for brand/customer's feedback mechanism, deployment and management of social media, e.g, facebook, twitter, instagram, etc.

However, before the brand can effectively achieve the goal of a friendly customer-based brand, the first step is to put in place a proper positioning platform for it. Brand positioning is the image a brand has in the customer's mind, especially in relation to

competing brands. Brand positioning is the decision brand owners make to create, sustain and maintain a certain product concept in the customer's mind. The brand owner determines after due consideration, the mindsets of his target audience, taking due cognisance of such issues like, whether the brand should be for a mass market or a segmented market; where in the market to operate; product benefits; environmental issues; and competition to determine how he wants to position the brand in the minds of the target audience. Whatever way the brand owner positions the brand, the positioning cannot exist or survive in isolation of the support of a good marketing communication strategy, professionally and skilfully executed. In theory and in practice, to see a brand or position a brand in a particular manner, brand owners must create a unique NICHE in the mind of consumers for the brand and differentiate the brand within the category. The brand owners therefore have to take such decisions as: § I want to position this car as rugged – Mercedes Benz § I want to position this car as sleek but not premium – Honda § I want it to be the car for everybody – Toyota § It has to be seen as milk for everyone – Cowbell § This ball food must be seen as good as pounded yam – Honeywell § This drink needs to be seen as a drink for real men – Guinness Extra Stout § I want this canned fish to be premium – Titus Sardines § This drink is for elders and prayers – Schnapps § This car must be seen as a mark of success – Rolls Royce or Buggati Essentially, therefore, it is the decision of the brand owners, influenced by a number of factors (product research, market research, marketing research, etc.), that determines to a great extent the direction the brand goes. BV 63 Brand Visibility

public pelations

PR & Corporate Governance In The Insurance Industry ’Sola Akinsiku, frpa; mnipr

T

he primary objective of every commercial enterprise is to satisfy the needs of its defined target, and at a profit. But the relationship between corporate entities and their targets goes beyond merely identifying and satisfying needs profitably. It includes creating and sustaining an atmosphere that will enhance mutual understanding through effective communication.

All organizations, both profit as well as non-profit, desire to understand their targets, and to be understood by them in return. This is crucial as mutual understanding smoothens the relationship between an enterprise and the individuals and groups it cannot but relate with, as it goes about fulfilling the objectives of its existence. This goes to stress that a business concern, even if it sets out to be a money-making venture, does not exist only for profit. And this most certainly explains why businesses are concerned with how to continue to be relevant in the estimation of all the people and groups of people with which they relate.

How to do this effectively and efficiently is primarily the focus of public relations – one of the engagements of man through which mutually rewarding relationships are purposely and deliberately planned, maintained and sustained.

What is public relations?

One popular definition of Public Relations or simply PR is the one by

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the Institute of Public Relations in Britain (IPR) it says PR is: “The deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics” This definition emphasizes the need for public relations programmes to be deliberate, well-thought-out and carefully sustained. In other words, it is not a one-off thing. It is a continuous exercise aimed at achieving and sustaining a goal over a period of time, which may not have a terminal date.

It is also important to hear the opinion of Bertrand R. Canfield. He says of public relations that it is “a social philosophy of management expressed in policies and practices which are communicated to the public to secure its understanding and goodwill.”

That is, the PR programmes of an enterprise will involve the way it relates to its publics through its policies and practices – with a view to being better understood, and making it win a measure of goodwill.

Contributing to the topic “Building a Public Relations Definition” Dr. Rex Harlow, a social scientist and public relations practitioner, proffered the following: “Public Relations is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation

between an organization and its publics; involves the management of problems or issues; helps management to keep informed on and be responsive to public opinions; defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the public interest; helps management keep abreast of and effectively use change, serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and sound ethical communication techniques as its principal tools”.

From Dr. Rex Harlow's postulation, therefore, will emerge the following, which may be described as the characteristics of public relations: i. It is a management function that seeks to establish and maintain mutually rewarding relationship b e t w e e n t h e organization and her publics ii. It studies and evaluates public attitudes and opinions iii. It provides an early warning signal – about an impending crisis. iv. It uses certain tools – research and communication techniques. It is obvious therefore that, for every business concern, public relations is useful for

View point corporate image-making. It makes it possible for the enterprise to enjoy the understanding, support, cooperation, rapport, goodwill and good opinion of its relevant publics, which will include employees, competitors, shareholders, regulatory agencies, the immediate community, etc.

Corporate strategy and public relations Every business concern has its own “private interest” which is established in terms of the “public good” and which has to be effectively communicated because the success of the enterprise depends on how well the organizational goal is communicated. Communicated, an enterprise's objective is a question of the entity's “strategy”!

The question: “what is strategy?” now arises, as the following two definitions will suffice here: In the view of David R. Hampton , “it is a unified comprehensive and integrated plan that relates the strategic advantages of the firm to the challenges of the environment in such a way as to ensure that the basic objectives of the enterprise are achieved” The legendary Philip Kotler says it is “the managerial process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization's goals and capabilities and its changing marketing environment. It relies on developing a clear company mission, supporting objectives and goals, a sound business portfolio and coordinated functional strategies”.

But for a company to be able to realize its objectives, it has to rely on such key publics as: · Customers/Patrons · Financial Institutions · Suppliers of its goods/services · Government/Regulatory bodies · The relevant local and international communities · Shareholders and stakeholders · Labour organizations and employee unions · Media organizations and practitioners · Other equally important publics.

It is therefore important for an organization to put in place a strategy that will bring about the attainment of its goal; but such an enterprise has to consider the following factors: · The economic factors · Legal/political factors · Technological factors · Social/cultural factors · The competition · International development, etc.

These are environments within which an enterprise operates and which have implications for its operations.

So, where does public relations come in? As proffered by the IPR ... “To establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics.” Public relations has the task of helping to position an

organization within the framework of all the factors critical to its survival in order to receive the highest degree of understanding, assistance and contributions from the relevant publics, including those listed above.

Some basic principles of corporate strategy communication are: i. Communicating a vision ii. Articulating corporate strategy iii. Establishing a corporate identity iv. Sharing core values v. C o n s e r v i n g a n d enhancing/promoting corporate values vi. Anticipating and managing crisis All these will help not only to activate corporate objectives; they will also help to consolidate the gain of effective corporate/strategy planning.

Corporate strategy management also includes a system of evaluation, for the success of any strategy depends to a very large extent on what plans are in place to minimize the possibility of future gains.

Adegboyega Ogunsanya proposes three broad parameters for evaluating a strategy: I Conformity: This is assessment of a strategy to see whether it conforms with t h e o b j e c t i v e s , environmental assumptions and the desired internal conditions. ii.

Suitability: This is the need to determine the suitability or otherwise of the strategy i n t h e c o n tex t o f t h e company's resources, capabilities, focus and time frame. iii.

Possibility: There is need to

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View point determine whether the strategy is possible, and to be able to ascertain that it will elicit support from all publics.

The insurance industry in this context: Insurance is one of the sub sectors of the service industry of any economy. Like all operators in the service industry, insurance products are not tangible. Its only products are the policies. And until not too long ago, not many people liked to willingly do business with any operator in the insurance subsector. except where it became mandatory for statutory Reasons.

Operators in the industry had earned for it the notoriety for not being faithful to the letters and terms of business with policy holders.

Insurance companies were noted for “doing business in small prints”, with the intention of “cheating out on policy holders” whenever it comes to claims settlement.

It is heartwarming to note however, that within the past 10 years, some operators have tried to bring innovation in the areas of communication and reputation management into the industry. The result?

Improved reputation.

The question now is, what roles for public relations in the desire to sustain the current positive perception in the insurance industry?

The Canadian Public Relations Society defines public relations as the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies

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and procedures of an individual or organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. In other words, it is that part of the management task concerned with the management of important relationships and influencing the behaviour of groups which are parties to those relationships. More directly stated ,PR helps in the management, sustenance and continuity of positive public perception.

Whether in the petroleum industry or the banking sector or in insurance, the purpose of public relations is one and the same: to help an organization effectively interact and communicate with the key publics and sustains mutually rewarding relationships, on a continuous basis.

PR in Insurance The environments and publics of the insurance industry are basically similar to those of other operators in the service industry. The key issues to consider however include: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi.

Staff motivation/employee communication Being socially responsible Thinking globally and acting (surviving) locally Fighting falsehood with credible dialogue Developing a sustainable house style Crisis plan.

Staff motivation and employee communication Employees constitute the bulk of the internal publics of any enterprise and as such, they should be adequately motivated. This helps to retain high quality staff that will make possible the attainment of corporate goals over a long period of time. There is therefore need for a broad-based and responsive manpower development agenda, put in place by management, and such should take into consideration: i. the organization's corporate objectives ii. the main tasks to accomplish the objectives iii. matching ability of staff with the identified tasks iv. the industry level of remuneration and motivation v. effective employee communication The list is indeed inexhaustive, as it will always include all steps that a company should take in order to promote good employee relations.

For our purpose in this presentation, we shall single out Employee Communication for further discussion, as it is one strategy of public relations which an enterprise can use to promote a sense of belonging among staff. Some of the tools of effective employee communication are: i.

House journals/newsletters ii.

Anniversaries (personal/corporate) iii.

Special awards iv.

Special days and weeks v.

Staff meetings

View point

Social responsibility: To be socially responsible, requires for an organization to engage in activities that will have positive impacts on the society where it operates.

Thus, a socially responsible operator in the insurance industry has to “react to the total environment (the entire society) and not merely to markets”. In other words, an insurance company should identify with the aspirations of the community. For, as noted by Steiner et al in Management Policy and Strategy: “… it is in the enlightened self-interest of corporations to promote the public welfare in a positive way … indeed, the corporate interest, broadly defined, can support involvement in helping to solve virtually every small problem because, people who have a good environment, education and opportunity, make better employees, customers and neighbours for companies than those who are poor, ignorant and oppressed”.

That absolutely sums both the essence and benefits of being socially responsible, for a discerning corporate entity. For one operating in the insurance Industry, being socially responsible can manifest in being involved in as many of the activities as are listed below: i.

Community development projects ii.

Community related social-cultural projects iii.

Environmental (sanitation) issues iv.

Sponsorship of popular events- games and sporting activities in which the people participate and which make them happy. v.

Donations to charity homes vi.

National events - Independence Day; Workers' Day; Children's Day, No Tobacco Day, etc. vii.

Scholarships/awards for indigent indigenes of the community. viii.

Investments in empowerment programmes ix.

Public enlightenment programmes on the benefit of healthy programmes. x.

Public enlightenment programmes on the benefits of insurance.

Investing in these areas will further promote a company's corporate image, enhance the amount of goodwill it enjoys and consolidate its foundation for future business.

Thinking globally The world is now a global village, and it is shrinking further by the day, and now communication technology has collapsed it into one small global reading table. ! There doesn't seem to be any hiding place for any one anymore and, so, the insurance company that will continue to be profitable in the next decade must put in place a strategy that makes it possible to draw from the experience in other lands, in order to survive locally. That is saying in clear terms that there is need for a clear understanding of global issues which ultimately will negatively or positively affect the local operator in the insurance industry.

For an insurance company to profitably deploy tools of Public Relations to achieve corporate objectives, therefore, it would be required that the following steps are taken: I.

Analyzing trends in the global insurance industry in terms of identifying what implications they have, or which they are likely to have on the local sector ii. Understudying industry leaders in the global insurance market with a view to adopting their strategies for improved local operation. iii. Investing in information technology and in the automation of operations – to make for i m p ro v e d e f f i c i e n c y a n d h i g h t e n e d effectiveness, as these are a given in the international market.

In the words of Ogunsanya: “Operating locally with international orientation and in the medium term, active involvement in effective international marketing are important requirements for survival and steady growth in the next decade and beyond”.

...to be continued

67 Brand Visibility

INDUSTRY

OAAN STRATEGISES FOR THE FUTURE …Goes to Uyo for Executive Retreat

I

t is often said that he who fails to plan has inadvertently signed on to a life of failure. This was no doubt the motivation for the leadership of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), for holding an Executive Retreat for the Chief Executive Officers of its member companies.

It was attended by more than 40(forty) member companies from across the country. It was a two day affair which held on Thursday and Friday 21st and 22nd November, 2013 at the prestigious Le Meridian Hotel, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital.

Sources close to the OAAN leadership disclosed that the wellattended retreat was propelled by

showing. Thus it decided to put the especially in terms of relevance in retreat together. the market place.

The whole idea was to provide a Expectedly, Ayo Oluwatosin's platform for participants to try and paper which no doubt was pointidentify ways that would lead them blank in revealing the true picture out of the quagmire. of the way the practice and the To put participants in the right practitioners were perceived by the frame of mind, a paper was buyers, became the platform for p r e s e n t e d b y P a s t o r Ay o intense scrutiny by participants at Oluwatosin, the pioneer General the retreat. It was subjected to Manager of Starcom Media and thorough discussions by each of the currently the Group Managing three syndicate groups set up for Director of the Rosabel Group. that purpose.

Aptly, titled “The OOH Playbook: Each group later presented their Let's Rework”, the paper examined positions based on the aspects of the Out-of-Home industry both the paper and on certain prevailing locally and on the foreign scene, realities in the industry which they juxtaposing the two climes in the also considered germane, to getting areas of service and delivery, innov ativen e s s and so on. In Oluwa tosin's submi ssion, operat ors in t h e Outdo o r R - L Charles Chijide, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for R-L Charles Chijide, OAAN President; Maureen Umanah and Emma Ajufo Adver Information, and Sir Emaka Okezie, MD Grapro tising sub-sector in Nigeria should out of the dwindling fortune of the jolt the industry had upon seek new ways of doing their owners and operators of the learning from Mediafacts a business if they ever hoped to stem outdoor media platform, especially research based publication by the current tide of events especially those who belong to the OAAN Media Reach OMD Nigeria, one of in terms of relevance in the market fold. the leading media specialist place.

Whether the industry gets better or companies in the country, that not in years to come, will in terms of relevance in 2012, significantly be influenced the outdoor media subsector by what OAAN does with had lost quite significantly. In the issues listed in the monetary terms, the communiqué. Suffice to say publication had put the drop in however that the Retreat the billings by outdoor media succeeded at laying the much owners to close to N12 bn needed foundation for (twelve billion naira). That operators in the subsector to represented a drop of 40% of take more than a passing the sector’s performance in interest in the emerging 2011. The leadership of the d evelopments in the Association was therefore industry.

In specific terms, worried and decided to get to operators should invest more Ayo Oluwayosin delivering his paper the root of the very poor in the areas

68 Brand Visibility

INDUSTRY one of the leading nations of the World. the usual approach of the colonial visited were in Ikot Abasi (Iko’rabasi!) police, the women were to be subdued where the OAAN CEOs were shown a by the force. In the ensuring struggle, thoroughly dilapidated structure which thirty of the unarmed women were the Tour Guide said was reportedly killed; but not before one of Lord Lugard's Office them had valiantly wrestled with one ( a n d w h e r e h e of the white policemen, disarmed him purportedly pronounced and then broke his gun! The brutally the amalgamation of the murdered women were given a mass Northern and Southern burial-and the OAAN Team visited the Protectorates of Nigeria site of their mass grave. in 1914)-one hundred oppressive taxes imposed by the years ago. The visitors colonial administration of the were shown the radio overlords at that time. The women had gadgets purportedly gathered and were protesting against used by Lord Lugard to the exploitative tax policy. But as it make that proclamation was the usual approach of the colonial that has now grown into police, the women were to be subdued Members in front of the house where Lugard “Lived’’ one of the leading by the force. In the ensuring struggle, thirty of the unarmed women were that has made it imperative for nations nations of the World. to open their markets to foreign It was so hard to believe that such a reportedly killed; but not before one of participants. The buyers and users of monument that is part of the History of them had valiantly wrestled with one the local outdoor media platforms now, our nation could be in more than ever before, insist that such a very sorry state! standards that apply in other climes The OAAN Team also visited the building should also apply here.

Thus, it is simply imperative that where Lord Lugard Outdoor Advertising operators should was said to have lived. wake up and be more alive to the Other places visited d e m a n d s o f t h e i n d u s t r y - p u t were, the cenotaph differently, the demands of the buyers. built in memory of For now, and forever it does seem, the certain brave and days of guess work are gone and gone courageous women for good. Operators should truly who were said to have operate as professionals, investing in dared the colonial innovations in human capital officers on the issue of taxes on women. The development, and in data acquisition. s tory goes thus: By the mass grave of the murdered women The OAAN Executive Retreat was not just papers and communiqué; it also w o m e n , m o s t l y offered participants the much needed traders, were up in arms against the of the white policemen, disarmed him opportunity to be away from the neck- oppressive taxes imposed by the and then broke his gun! The brutally murdered women were given a mass breaking demands of burial-and the OAAN Team visited the the industry and to site of their mass grave. have some time for So also did the Team visit the Bridge of some other socially No Return. This location, no doubt is a and intellectually very sad memorial to the insanity and enriching activities. inhumanity of slavery. The Team was The exercise actually shown the dungeon where slaves were started on Thursday kept preparatory to their being ferried with an excursion to away into a life of slavery and some historical servitude. The bridge was so locations in Akwa appropriately named as most of those Ibom State. Such who crossed it over, never returned. places of National To most participants on the highly h i s t o r i c a l memorable pre-Retreat “excursion,” it significance was an educative trip that had also tectorates of Nigeria Members at “bridge of no return” added to knowledge gained. It was also in 1914)-one hundred years ago. The visitors were colonial administration of the a moment of deep excitement as the shown the radio gadgets purportedly overlords at that time. The women had Tour Guide kept the Team alive with used by Lord Lugard to make that gathered and were protesting against his rib cracking jokes... on bananas and proclamation that has now grown into the exploitative tax policy. But as it was such things! of innovation and relevant information (data).

This has become all the more expedient in the face of globalization

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news

Adopt Innovations

Promasidor Boss Calls on OAAN Members

Kachi Onubogu

M

r. Onyekachi Onubogu, commercial director of Promasidor Nigeria Plc., has emphasised the need for practitioners in the out-of-home media sector to adopt innovations and to be more creative in the deployment of their platforms, as this was the only way they could continue to stay relevant to the marketing communications needs of advertisers.

Onubogu gave this advice while th addressing the 29 Annual General Meeting of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), which held recently in Owerri, Imo State. He said innovation had become the soul of out-of-home communication, and that only those operators that were clever enough to key into the new trend could hope to continue to do business profitably, adding that those who lagged might be forced out of business in the next couple of years. “The out-of-home media industry should be the most creative, dynamic and financially rewarding advertising segment in Nigeria,” he said, adding that practitioners in the industry stood a very bright chance to be the biggest beneficiaries, if only they would 70 Brand Visibility

take the issue of innovation more seriously.

He commended the investments in the digital revolution, saying it had enhanced the opportunity to effectively connect with and engage the viewing public with marketing communications messages.

Onubogu said further that creating and sustaining opportunities to help marketers engage in effective and efficient visual communication had become imperative, for the reason that most customers spend more of their time in traffic or at the airports. He advised out-of-home media practitioners to create the necessary and relevant platforms that would effectively engage the attention of the intended audience, while commuting or at the airport waiting for their flights. Such new trends, he said, would enhance the aesthetics of the environment and make clients proud of their out-ofhome media investments.

“ Out-of-home media practitioners should create the necessary and relevant platforms that will effectively engage the attention of the intended audience while commuting or at the airport waiting for their flights. Such new trends, he said, would enhance the aesthetics of the environment and make clients proud of their Outo f - h o m e m e d i a investments. “

Onubogu however advised that practitioners willing to adapt innovations must be ready to bear the cost of the shift that is coming to the out-of-home media segment in the country.

“It is coming in three ways. First, the plethora of options is increasing,” he said. “We have more intriguing and beautiful sites all over the country. Companies will start demanding a different payment model for sites they occupy. No longer will they be willing to pay for long term leases, but will demand short-term activity-based costing model for OoH acquisitions.” He also advised practitioners to go back to the drawing board to renegotiate with regulatory bodies on how fee for sites would be paid.

Onubogu further counselled that practitioners should influence the city's look positively, and through that, create wealth for themselves.

In this view OAAN had a formidable role to play in seeing that everyone in the industry adheres strictly to the codes guiding the practice, in relation to the environment. He also called on the various regulatory bodies set up by state governments to ensure that cities are not littered with billboards in their drive for internally generated revenue.

He examined the present state of regulations in the industry and declared that what would be witnessed in years to come would be a more of a regulated industry, funded by more value demanding users in a more competitive environment, which would also come with a huge growth potential.

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OAAN holds 29 AGM in Owerri Gets landed property from Gov. Okorocha

Rendering the national anthem

P

resident of the Outdoor Advertising Association of N i g e r i a ( O A A N ) , M r.

Charles Chijide has advised members against running down the association, as this might hinder progress of the institution. The president gave the advice at the opening of the 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association held from July 3 to 5, 2014, in Owerri, Imo State.

Chijide advised members that rather than vilify or speak negatively about the association and its leadership, they should speak well about the uniqueness of their offerings as a business. He advised against all acts of indiscipline borne out of selfishness and greed on the part of some members.

Giving an account of his stewardship, he announced that the OAAN House, currently under construction, would soon be ready and that the association would partner the world body of outdoor advertising association, FEPE, to

conduct research on all relevant areas to show up to date trends and the r e a l value of outdoor advertisi ng media platform s to businesses.

Also on the international engagements of OAAN, Chijide informed members that the West African Outdoor Association was waxing stronger.

Educating members on the need to expand their business frontiers, Chijide advised them to invest more in current innovations that would be relevant to the viewing trends of the Nigerian audience. He also stressed the need for members to be conversant with the changing demands of media buyers, and adapt their existing billboards to meet the requirements of current trends. He counselled members to use their sites whenever not engaged to sell out-of-home offerings, as such industrial communication engagements would go a long way in helping to reposition the sub sector. He also advised members against being fraudulent in their claims.

In order that members would continue to deliver quality services at all times, thereby enjoying uninterrupted loyalty and

patronage, Chijide advised them to regularly update their clients on the values they add to their marketing communications efforts, as this would pave way for more opportunities in future.

The association also used the platform to raise serious concerns on issues affecting the fortunes of members, especially in the area of permit fees, and called for tax holiday from governments at all levels, to provide room for investments for members that have been under the unbearable burden of multiple taxations.

Members felt that governments should appreciate the industry for its contribution to the economic growth of the country and the value it has added to the aesthetics of the cities.

Dr. T. O. E. Ekechi, Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, praised the leadership of OAAN for choosing Owerri for the AGM and expressed optimism that the association would take advantage of the gesture of the Governor by citing its regional headquarters in the city. He stated that the best way to move OAAN forward was to engage an Executive Secretary (or Registrar/CEO) to run its affairs.

High Chief Jas Kolawole Oyekan, Chairman of OAAN's Board of Trustees (BOT), who was present at the meeting, could not hide his excitement at the impressive turnout of chief executives of member companies. He praised the leadership of the association and urged it to be part of the

71 Brand Visibility

News

struggle to move both the association and the outdoor advertising business forward.

The meeting was later addressed by two leading practitioners drawn from other sectors of the advertising industry in Nigeria. They were Mr. Emeka Okeke, Managing Director/CEO Media Fuse, and Mr. Onyekachi Onubogu, Commercial Director, Promasidor -Governor Okorocha with Chijide Nigeria PLC. In his presentation, Okeke they should also invest constantly emphasised the fact that the Out- in consumer behaviour research. of-Home industry was the only This, he said, was the only way to one that had survived the internet making the business profitable. storm and the oldest platform of On government's excessive effective communication with the regulation of the industry, people. He however called on Onyekachi said the only way to members of the association to seek manage the problem was through ways to make their platforms more self-regulation by members, to be engaging, and relevant to the championed and enforced by the viewing needs of consumers of industry, using the bigger umbrella outdoor advertising messages. of the Advertising Practitioners Such, he said, would help them Council of Nigeria (APCON). quite significantly to create more He described the cost of doing business in Nigeria as very high, wealth from their engagements. asserting further that the country Onubogu's presentation centred more on strategies for more was the most expensive market in profitable client engagements. He Africa. He therefore advised advised outdoor operators not to members to not only present build their business on the basis of themselves as offering services to personal friendship with the the clients, but to also be interested clients, as such might not be in seeing themselves as partners sustainable in the long run. He who are genuinely interested in advised that the industry should be their clients' business survival and driven by creativity and business profitability in the long run. He quality service. In the same vein, said this was the only way to win members, he advised, should the hearts of clients. adapt new technology and Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, diversify into relevant areas that Registrar/CEO of APCON, was would enhance creativity and represented by one of the Council's p r o m o t e i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h Directors, Mr. Joe-Eugene consumers at lower cost. He said Onuoha. He praised OAAN for 72 Brand Visibility

being highly proactive and visible on the Council and as one of the most prominent partners of APCON. He said OAAN members h a d commendably enhanced the aesthetics of the environment, and t h a t t h e association had been very effective. He however called on members to strive for greater professionalism and stricter adherence to industry ethical standards.

Earlier, the President and some members, including High Chief Oyekan, had taken time out to pay a courtesy call on the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha. The OAAN President had used the opportunity of the visit to appreciate the government and people of the State for making one of its leading members, Dr. T. O. E Ekechi a commissioner.

The association also used the opportunity to induct the governor as one of its patros.

Governor Rochas Okorocha welcomed OAAN and commended it for the choice of Owerri to host the meeting. He encouraged members to increase the level of their business in the state. He also announced the gift of a landed property to the association and requested that the parcel of land be used for the association's regional headquarters in the South East.

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OOH BUSINESS RUNNING COST PROHIBITIVE -Yinka Okesiji strategic alliances. We should go into collaboration with people of like minds, and take a common pitch with one or two practitioners. That way, we will be able to begin to get out of some of our problems.

Brand Visibility: What is your opinion on signage agencies and their strangulating policies?

Yinka Okesiji

Brand Visibility: what in your views are the issues that have had the most negative impact on the practice in Nigeria.

Okesiji: The issues affecting Outdoor Advertising practice in Nigeria are many and they include location, lack of infrastructural support, and the epileptic nature of electricity.

Most of the LED billboards run on generators. But the honest question to ask is, how many hours will the generators run to make it profitable for the owner?

So at what cost is the business running? Can we also talk about the bottom line in the face of the highly prohibitive costs, including government permit fees being squeezed by the signage agencies? There is also

the frustrating and stifling regulation, multiplicity of taxes and fees at the state and the local government levels. And there is the communal social problem of miscreants and area boys. The challenges are monumental and hydra-headed.

Brand Visibility: Then how do we get out of the quagmire?

Okesiji: We need to be more creative and innovative about the problems. We need to adopt more cost-effective approach in developing and deploying the OOH media platforms. We should begin to form alliances so that where you are inefficient, another outdoor company might fit in. It now depends on those who are behind the alliances. We should form partnerships and

Okesiji: The real problem is that majority of the signage agencies are run by individuals who are not professionals. Apart from Mr. Yinka Adepoju, the Director General of Oyo State Signage & Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), who is a thorough-bred outdoor person, and a fellow of the advertising practice in Nigeria, I don't think any other signage agency helmsman is qualified to be given such an appointment, as they do not know how the outdoor business is run. What we have now is a set of people whose only understanding is how much revenue to generate for government. So, they look at the practice from the tax point of view. Most of these things (rates) are not realistic and they are not justifiable. They are not based on any verifiable yardsticks. Rates are arbitrarily fixed and are usually at the whims and caprices of the man in charge. They make planning difficult. It is a major issue and until we get out of it this, the industry will not grow. BV

73 Brand Visibility

branding tips

Tips for Branding Your Company By: Leslie Mckerns of Mckerns Development

25 Effective Ways to increase Your Name Recognition

A

s the saying goes, perception is everything.

The whole essence of branding is simply to appropriately and effectively influence the perception of the intended (relevant) audience in the market place. Without any doubt, it is important to create the most positive image for every product or service, to the end that the marketing effort command the right perception, thereby helping in meeting the intended sales objectives.

In this edition, we borrow some useful tips on how to increase your name recognition, as integral part of effective branding effort, from Leslie Mckerns of Mckerns Development. We have also added some views, before presenting them for your consumption, not only to help your understanding, but to also make it easy to adopt in the overall best interest of your brands. The tips are indeed pointers to follow to keep your brand in the hearts of your 74 Brand Visibility

identified targets and to constantly generate the right perception for it. Here we go: 1 . H i re a b r a n d i n g company: To bring your image and message under a brand, it is important to develop all collateral and image materials (web, stationery, logo, tagline, mission statement, cards, postcards, brochures, elevator pitch newsletters, letters, project sheets, resumes, bios, firm description etc.) to coincide with the brand and your message. It goes without saying therefore that you need the services of highly skilled professionals to help create, nurture and sustain the growth of your brand. Nothing should be left to chances, and nothing should be done haphazardly.

2. Develop a Mission Statement: Your mission statement should show your reason for the value you provide to your customers.

Your mission statement is like your guiding philosophy. It is, in sum, a statement of what gap you have identified and how you are going to provide the required solution. It is important to remember at all times that every brand has a set of values to add to the identified target. As such, how the brand intends to achieve it must be clearly encompassed in the mission statement. More importantly, it must be the guiding principle, so as to give the brand the uniqueness needed in the market place.

3. Develop a memorable tagline: This should express who you are and what you do. Your tagline is what distinguishes your product/brand from others that purport to offer similar solutions. It must therefore be carefully and professionally crafted in order for it to be unique and distinctive.

4. Make a Matrix: This is a list of all those you'd like to reach in the next year and the potential influencers on those people. Develop a timeline and calendar of outreach. Branding also requires planning. You must identify those whose patronage and goodwill

branding tips

will be relevant to the success of your brand, and put in place a workable plan of reaching, courting, attracting and sustaining and retaining them. Your message and branding positioning must effectively target such groups.

distinct and distinguished as a veritable source of useful information in your industry.

5. Regularly, write and issue press releases to the media: This activity keeps you and your brand in the hearts of your most relevant audience. One very effective way to gain the most maximum publicity reward is for the brand to be the sponsor of a regular column on issues that are germane to the life of your audience.

12. Create and issue an online or direct mail newsletter: This helps you to reach a wider audience geographically. It also gives you an edge over competitors in the reckoning of the audience.

6. Regularly write and post press releases to your website: As for (5) above, this helps you to effectively connect with your critical on-line audience. Such write ups should be on relevant and topical issues that will get a hold on the readers, and, more importantly, which would make them look forward to your next release.

7. Regularly write and post press releases directly on the Internet. As for (5) and (6) above, the internet is also a veritable platform for you, (your brand's number one ambassador) to engage your audience on issues relevant both to them and which will ultimately, positively impact on your brand's image.

8. Regularly write articles and do all three of the above: Yes. You must take into account that you do not always have a second chance to make the first impression. So, those platforms must be professionally deployed to enhance the visibility of your company and brand in the market place.

9. Regularly write and pitch feature story ideas to the media: Ensure that your contributions are on issues of the moment, be they national or international. Care must however be taken to ensure such do not end up pitching your company against the powers that be, especially the government. Otherwise, it could be counterproductive.

10. Diversify all marketing, PR, and media: To reach the markets where your clients are to be found (as opposed to marketing within your own service industry), you should deploy all communication opportunities and avenues to keep up the image of both your company and your brands alive in the minds of the relevant audiences.

11. Participate (attend, speak, host, present, and show) in at least two national and local industry conferences: Overtime, these avenues throw you and your company up as a sure source of intellectual and intelligent contributions in your relevant field.

And the positive effect of this is that, in no time, you become

13. Get known for niche expertise or specific industry knowledge (speak, write, present, teach): Seek all avenues to “show off� the stuff you are made of in terms of the amount and quality of relevant intellectual information that you have acquired. The challenge here is that this demands that you are constantly seeking and acquiring such relevant information on all aspects of your industry. It also demands that you constantly update your knowledge to be ahead of your competitors intellectually. Remember, what was in vogue 20 years ago is now obsolete; and what is in vogue today was mostly unknown and perhaps unimaginable 20 years ago. And it goes without saying that what is in vogue today, will most certainly be in the dustbin of time in another 20 years.

So, you need to constantly update your knowledge in order to keep pace with current developments and 75 Brand Visibility

branding tips discoveries in and around your industry.

14. Participate in professional internship programmes: This platform should be employed regularly to enable you share views and rub minds with professional colleagues on relevant issues. It should be a platform through which you must deliberately plan to gain new knowledge, as well as to make useful contributions to the growth of the industry in which you operate, even to the benefit of your competitors, but not in any way to the disadvantage of your brand.

15. Participate and sponsor local charitable efforts: Get a place for your brand name in the programme of every charitable cause and conspicuously get your brand mentioned in the press and the media blitz surrounding every charity event, especially within the locality relevant to your marketing activities. This way, you not only contribute to the growth of your brand, you also through this effort contribute to the growth and development of the immediate community where you operate, for it is one way to give back to the society at large. No doubt, this is one sure way. But, more importantly, you and your brand get additional points as being socially responsible and relevant to the growth of the community, and it is one effective way to write your name on the sand of time.

In no time, with constant and continuous participation in such worthy causes, your brand becomes “a native” of that locality.

16. Get to know the potential learning partners in your new geographic area: Let them know your people, your areas of expertise and potential for cross referrals. This will be mutually rewarding and your group stands to benefit tremendously, if properly and professionally managed. To the extent that you are willing to help the others in your locality to grow intellectually, you too will grow in like manner. For, others will trust and rely on you, and will ultimately be willing to share information and knowledge with you.

17. Develop collateral material with a regional bent: Think on what projects, services, people or elements might be important to this new market and capture this regional tone in all collateral material. This strategy helps you to identify with the people in your new environment; and it has the potency to project you as a caring organization that can be trusted. You become a highly valued organization, and you are treated as a reliable and dependable corporate citizen of the locality.

18. Develop tip sheets as to how your company or brand is different from your competitors: Do not hesitate to show why this makes a difference to learning partners and to your end users, that is, your potential and existing clients. Include these differentiating tips as the basis for all your branding statements.

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This helps to give all the relevant information about your company at a glance.

It also provides the reader an opportunity to see the uniqueness in your operations, services and products, especially your disposition to humanity issues. They are instantly able to decipher issues that separate you from the others.

19. Develop a calendar of local and regional events: This is one way to make your company visible in the areas most related to your brand and your potential clients' interest.

Such will increase and enhance your visibility among the locales. It helps in strengthening the bonding between the people and your company; and your company becomes named in their hearts as an ally, a “blood brother”, and one that shares in the aspirations of the people, and that also identifies with them socially and culturally.

20. Post your calendar of appearances and participation on your website: This helps to project your company's participation beyond the immediate locality. Even to people in other markets where you operate, you are seen as a “grassroots indigene” of your local markets.

21. Plan a media release

branding tips

before and after each event: If you are proud enough to identify with the community, you should not be ashamed to talk about the events even loudly. This should however be done professionally.

It should be meticulously planned and creatively executed, so as to get the most from it.

22. Hire an industry professional to conduct a survey on your behalf: From time to time, you need to know “how others see” you in the market place. You should also regularly post the results on your website. Publicise the results that are most important to your industry. The importance of self-assessment cannot be overemphasised. Even when the findings are not favourable, it is an opportunity for you to seek ways to do better. But, hopefully, when the results show that you have an edge over competition in any area, by all means, go to town with the news. It is good news and if you don't do it, no one will do it for you. But again, it must be professionally crafted and creatively posted.

23. Update your website to be informational based: This makes it easy for search engines to find you, and your clients can access indepth material demonstrating your expertise. Your website must be active and provide opportunity for engagements with your audiences, notably your current clients; just as it is a veritable strategy to entice others who are not currently doing business with you. Thus, you must ensure that whatever is posted is factual, verifiable and truthful, and must be absolutely relevant and rich.

24. Add international website contents a minimum of four times per month: This will help to broaden your “catchment area”. It is a potent and highly effective way to take your popularity beyond your immediate locality. This becomes all the more important if there is a consideration that you are branching into the international market in future.

25. Establish your brand by regularly updating the financial value or potential value associated with your brand quality results achieved: Add these results to your brand value.

Communicate through all methods, the value of your brand to those associated with it and whose positive perception your brand needs to continue to be profitable. At the end of the day, most clients are interested in financially solid companies. There is also a psychological angle to it. It gives the clients a sense of security, trusting that financial buoyancy is also a guarantee for quality service or product.

Final Notes: Taking steps to effectively and professionally brand your company is one very important key to influencing a memorable perception in the minds of your chosen audience. It is not only the name recognition of your firm, but also the perceived value of both your organization and the products that will be positively affected. If you could professionally capture these 25 essential branding elements, chances are very bright that you would begin to cement a positive brand image for your firm and product or service. And, much more importantly, you are most certainly on your way to effectively dominating the sub-sector of the national economy in which you operate. BV

77 Brand Visibility

Event Lanre Fasehun Installed 48th President of Ikeja Rotary Club

T

he pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Universal McCann, Rotarian Lanre Fasehun, was recently installed President of Rotary Club of Ikeja, at a colourful event which took place at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel & Towers.

Rotarian Fasehun's induction, e x p e c t e d l y, a t t r a c t e d l e a d i n g practitioners in Advertising, who were there to felicitate with one of their own, who was being colourfully decorated to be at the drivers' seat for the 2014/2015 Rotary Year of the Ikeja Club.

Among those present were Mr Steve Laoye, Vice Chairman of Stb-McCann Lagos; Mr Kole Ademulegun, MD/CEO Media Link Limited, Hon. Tunde Adedoyin, MD/CEO Media Views Ltd; Ladi Sole, MD/CEO Unik Sites and Sola Akinsiku, MD/CEO KOK Visibility Edge and Publisher, Brand Visibility.

The Fasehun dynasty of Ondo Kingdom was ably represented by a host of members of the family prominently led

by Dr. Frederick Fasehun, founder of the Oodua People's Congress (OPC), and National Chairman of the revived Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN).

Also present at the memorable occasion was Pastor Femi Adeshina, SAN. Rotary Club of Ikeja was founded in August 1982. It is the second club to be established in Lagos, and the sixth in the country.

Rotarian Fasehun took over from Rotarian Adejuwon Akinfolurin who decorated his successor with a charge to build upon the accomplishment of the immediate past administration.

The Ikeja Club has been led by some of the leading lights in all spheres of life in Nigeria. They include Prince Julius Adeluyi (of Juli Pharmacy); Chief Ade Ojo (of Elizade Motors), Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, Chairman Lafarge Africa, and Oba Adedapo Tejuosho. BV

-Fasehun being Installed

-Fasehun with some members of the Club

-Fasehun being Congratulated

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consumer outlets

Retail Stores In Nigeria: Who Is Taking The Lead

?

I

n years gone by, big names in the retail business in Nigeria were Kingsway Stores, Challerams, Kewalrams and UTC Stores. They were the places to go for shopping, especially by the well-to-do members of the society. Then came the economic down turn, coupled with mismanagement on the part of the owners or managers. And, one after the other, the big names fell by the way side.

With the current turnaround in the Nigerian economy, which is evident in the fact that it is now the largest in Africa and 26th in the world, retail business in the country is experiencing a boom once again. The establishment and spread of new names in the sector is proof. The list of the current leading players includes such big names as Shoprite, Just Rite, SPAR, PEP and Gamestore. And there are few others

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that now dot the major cities, signalling a favourable investment climate in that sector.

Shoprite, the South African brand, is the undisputed leader, with outlets strategically located in choice areas in major cities like Abuja, Ilorin, Lagos, Enugu, Kano and Ibadan.

The brand's number one position is currently being threatened by SPAR, also a major competitor. The latter has lately been spending heavily on media campaigns to appeal to shoppers, hinging its offering on low prices. The company also leverages on its partnership with manufacturers and marketers of computers and household products like HP Computer, Chi, Peak Milk and other consumer goods to woo shoppers. SPAR also offers shoppers opportunity to walk into any of its stores and buy at highly discounted prices that may not be offered by any of its competitors.

In addition, for every product bought, the shop offers a gift voucher to the shopper. For example, shoppers that buy any of the available HP laptops in any of its retail outlets are instantly given a N3, 000 shopping voucher. Not only that, the retail store also gives same amount of shopping voucher to shoppers who flash a given mobile number advertised in some newspaper.

If Shoprite has an answer to SPAR, there is also the PEP challenge that is equally formidable, for PEP is also coming up stronger. It has chosen to compete by facing and meeting the desires and demands of all ages, from infants to adults, for quality and

affordable clothes and clothing materials.

The ability to offer a range of quality products while maintaining the lowest prices seems to have paved the way for shoppers to identify with PEP, as most people who could have opted for the bend down select alternatives in places like Aswani and Gatan Kowa markets in Lagos, now have a more dignifying mall in PEP. Omobolanle Adetayo, a mother of two who patronizes PEP, told Brand & Visibility that the store affords her the opportunity to buy quality baby wears at very cheap prices.

“Their product is cheap; they have good baby wears,” she says. “What seems surprising is the fact that PEP products are not common, yet they sell at cheaper prices.” She said she would continue to patronize the store, rather than visit other malls where similar products are sold.

Adetayo's position seems to be reflective of those of other shoppers who have found solace in the store. A visit to the PEP store on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos, confirms her position.

Shopping at these stores no doubt has given their customers some sense of pride, confidence and perceived comfort. These are sure ingredients of building a brand's image as well as enhancing and boosting the customers' confidence, continued patronage and unhindered loyalty. They ultimately often result in a lifelong of repeat patronage; just as they are also very formidable pillars of referrals.

Among those that will gain from the

CONSUMER OUTLETS

presence of the retail stores in the country are local manufacturers and suppliers in the country. Some of the stores like Shoprite buy in bulk from local suppliers in order that customers may also buy at cheaper prices, while they still enjoy a world class shopping experience.

“Shopping at these stores no doubt has given their customers some sense of pride, confidence and perceived comfort. These are sure ingredients of building a brand's image as well as enhancing and boosting the customers' confidence, continued patronage and unhindered loyalty. They ultimately often result in a lifelong of repeat patronage; just as they are also very formidable pillars of referrals.”

The cheering news about Shoprite,

undoubtedly the one with the leadership cap of the pack of retail shops in Nigeria, is that it has also joined the league of organisations that are deeply committed to social responsibility engagements. For instance, Shoprite is known for its “Change A Life” campaign established to enrich the lives of many underprivileged children and youths in Nigeria. The campaign started in December 2010, and has assisted various orphanages and foundations such as the Red Cross in Nigeria and the SOS Children's Village.

It is recommended that other leading retail stores should strive to emulate this by embarking on some corporate social responsibility programmes that will be beneficial to the society, especially the immediate communities where they have their outlets, and the nation as a whole.

Expansion of the retail stores will also add to, and boost job creation opportunities across the country.

Perhaps this is one major reason most states are encouraging promoters of

retail shops to consider having outlets in their major towns. In some cases, governments at the state level are partners with the shop owners.

However, as laudable as this development may be, it is important that the relevant agencies of government take steps that will guarantee that workers, especially Nigerians, are not unduly exploited and that no employer takes undue advantage of them.

Having gained customer loyalty and confidence and with increase in revenue, it is expected that these stores also contribute to the development of their host communities.

“Expansion of the retail stores will also add to, and boost job creation opportunities across the country. Perhaps this is one major reason most states are encouraging promoters of retail shops to consider having outlets in their major towns. In some cases, government at the state level are partners with the shop owners.”

Shoprite and SPAR, and indeed all other retail stores, practically offer the same product range including food and grocery, wines and spirits, butchery and bakery, fruits and vegetable, electronics, IT products, mobile phones, furniture, fashion and lifestyle products. However, each of them seems to have identified a niche, one that separates it from the others, whether in terms of pricing, delivery strategy, or concentration of product offerings.

Truth is, the race is on, one more time, for retail stores in Nigeria. The focus is, however, not necessarily which of them eventually becomes the market leader, but how their efforts will ultimately affect both the Nigerian society and the nation's economy. BV

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Investigation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC IN ADVERTISEMENTS -OLUWATOSIN ADEBAYO

Advertising has evolved from the time when it was just a helpful suggestion to something you might need or want, like a pen for instance, to the giant industry that it has now become.

But over the span of several centuries basic human needs were met, industry niches filled up with multiple companies each competing for a few seconds of your time to meet every conceivable need you have or the acclaimed needs of consumers by producers. Today, there are hundreds, and counting, adverts crying for the viewers' attention. They all clamour for one to buy this, try this, taste this, change to this, and test this. But who wins this battle? Which adverts gain the upper hand? Is it usually the most captivating? What influences or impact do advertisements have on the audience, in relation to what actions are consequently taken?

This seems to be the major task of creators of advertisements. They are thrown to constantly toy with strategies they feel convinced would bring about the desired connectivity between the product or brand and the audience. Perhaps the most prominent of these strategies is the infusion of entertainment, music most especially, into advertisement. Music in its own

rights is easily retained and remembered. When effectively combined with the commercial messages, music helps such messages to fulfill one of its objectives of holding the attention of the listener or viewer. Further, music helps an advertisement to be more appealing to the viewer by simply making it more memorable. And this helps to increase the volume of attention the product or brand is able to get.

Music does not need to manifest any special affinity with a product, services or business in order to play an effective and useful function. Music serves as a bridge of connectivity between the audience and product or brand being advertised. No doubt what really goes for music is that it tends to linger in the listeners' mind for longer than an ordinary speech.

The success story of many products or services can be traced to the captivating effect of the accompanying music which has transferred its own attributes to the story line and to the product and in the process creating the desired coherence and effectively making such connections that are not easily achieved in words or in pictures.

In a nutshell, music interprets an advert. Thus, the objective of the song

platform for such a commercial has been accomplished with honours.

Culling examples from some recent ads of MTN involving Yoruba actor, Afeez Oyetoro popularly called Saka; he is an identified figure in the entertainment industry and he also depicted the theme of the advert which made it easy to pass the message. Also the infusion of dance and music no doubt gave the advert its retentive power in the minds of its consumers.

Children, and adults will not forget the Honey-Well Noodles commercial: Honeywell, noodles, bam bam la la.. bam bam la la‌ The entertainment effect was almost so effective that most times both children and adults sing along. It’s target being children, it was rhythmical and simple enough that even a 2 year old remembers it easily and all they need do is sing the chorus to pass the message along.

The use of music in Advertisements has tremendously helped memorability of the concept just as it has also helped the message recall.

The question however is whether music also helps brand loyalty, and, ultimately purchase. And that’s a subject for someday soon.

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BOOK REVIEW Title: Kill Or Get Killed: The Marketing Killer Instinct Author: Kolawole Oyeyemi Publishers: TP House (2014) Reviewer: Ebisemiju Toyin

Kill or Get Killed: The Marketing Killer Instinct is the sum of Kolawole Oyeyemi's 23years hard fact experience documentation of the Market as a war zone where battles are “fought, won and lost” not for a place in the market, but for “increase”in its size that the winner could grab and add to his current share. Here meekness is not a virtue. It can only provide a spot in the market, but does not guarantee ones stay. Prisoners do not even exist in this war because there is no budget for them, hence, being caught by competition is not an option, and elimination is the game. The book is filled with insights on three basic knowledge areas that must be available for a marketing battle. These are; knowing who you are fighting, knowing what you are fighting for and having an immense knowledge of the battle field.

The book is packaged as a philosophical and practical roadmap for greenhorns in the marketing field, outlining the type of mindset and know-hows that wins the heart of market. It also doubles as a subtle challenge to traditional beliefs which will no doubt leave his contemporaries and veterans nodding in agreement.

Laced with interesting African marketing battle case studies such as; Sabmiller's first entry and quick exit in Kenya, the Milk War between Promasidor’s Cowbell and WAMCO’s Peak Milk, the Stout War between Nigerian Breweries and Guinness, Etisalat vs MTN, the entrance of Globacom into the Nigerian telecommunication industry, the failure by Cadbury to be the first to introduce Poundo Yam to Nigerians among others. The writer leaves deep

insight on the flanks that are vulnerable, how they can be reinforced and strategies for launching attacks.

Tactically, the consumer is presented to be the Market. She/he is the prize that must be won – A dynamo whose ever changing confusing preferences must be understood with on the spot strategic adaptation. The life of any brand is to be nurtured and protected by greasing the emotions, beliefs, behaviour and culture of the consumer, Any attempt at change should be timely according to the conscious/unconscious changes experienced by the consumer. A brand that thinks its size will intimidate the consumer, Oyeyemi insists, is as good as dead.

He admonished that the creation of advertising campaigns especially for radio and television should not just entertain but attract spend – the brand manger is also a business manager. It should not be developed from the

biased view of the brand manager or marketing director, but from a researched viewpoint of the consumer.

More importantly, execution should be as good as strategy.

Writing on strategies for taking-on competition, Kolawole stressed the need to always be a challenger even as a market leader. In other words, one must not underestimate competition.

Hitting below the belt is allowed as long as it guarantees submission.

Copying one’s competition, for him, should not be seen as an aberration; however it should be done with style and with a difference. Also relying solely on price reduction should not be long-term marketing strategy because consumer spend is not determined by price alone. The consumer wants to be ultimately satisfied and will most likely settle for the best. For him speed or being first to the market does not guarantee success, what does is quality coupled with swift calculated innovation that leaves little or no space for competition. It is also pertinent that a brand's marketing soldiers, even the creatives must be from diverse academic backgrounds. This will help enrich strategy and enhance execution.

In a nutshell, ''if you stay on top of your game in terms of accurate consumer insight; sound, robust and relevant value proposition development; excellent go-to-market strategy, efficient route to market; adaptive and flexible organisational agility to exploit and ride the waves of marketing opportunities and changes, all effectively communicated better than competition, you may lose some battles, but you are in good stead to win the war'' Oyeyemi affirms.

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