Demola Adedoyin, CEO, Integrated Troops and Publicity Secretary, Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), stresses that despite the numerous challenges facing the communication industry, it has, of late, become one of the major revenue earners for the three tiers of governments, in this interview with Akin Adewakun. Excerpts:

The marketing communications industry in the country is, without doubt, going through its trying moments.  Why have you decided to either swim or sink with the industry?
This is definitely where my passion lies. One of my driving principles when I was going into the industry was to be behind a huge success. I want to be part of a team that will help deliver greatness, in terms of product brand or corporate brand. I do not necessarily have to be celebrated. And you know what, the discerning members of the public will probe and discover the real people behind the success. I want to contribute to raising the standard from where the industry is today to where it should be.

How would you rate the industry today, compared with what obtains in other countries like South Africa?
The industry is becoming increasingly vibrant. We are not doing badly. I don’t want to join the bandwagon of those who say the marketing communications industry in Nigeria is not growing compared with what obtains in South Africa.

To start with, the practice in South Africa had been exposed to the western world long before we had that opportunity. Ask those in South Africa, they will tell you that Nigerians are learning fast. However, there are still hurdles to be surmounted. Before you talk about the state of advertising in any society, you must first look at the state of the practice and even its practitioners in that environment. Our reading habit is nothing to write home about in Nigeria and it is affecting almost all facets of our life, including our industry.

We have marketing communications practitioners who cannot afford to subscribe to core industry journals that would enhance their knowledge of the practice. We have advertising executives who don’t read because they cannot afford the books. We are in a world that is constantly evolving and any practitioner who wants to remain relevant must constantly read and go for training.

There is also the issue of people hoarding knowledge. We need to share knowledge a lot more. The companies founded in the US and the UK who operate in Nigeria today, whether through affiliates or direct involvement in the Nigerian economy would not have been here if they had subscribed to knowledge hoarding. But, on the brighter side, we have an industry that holds a world-class record in government tax. The highest tax ratio paid to any government in the world is on outdoor adverts in Lagos State.

Why did you leave the agency for the client side of the divide only to return?
I am someone that is restless, especially in pursuance of knowledge, because I subscribe to the notion that what you know is what will take you to where you want to be. I have always known that after going the 360 degrees in the industry, I would wind up as a consultant someday running my own agency. So, it is just important to get experience from all sides. This would arm you with the much- needed robust marketing experience and better prepare you for taking the bold step of becoming an entrepreneur.

The new craze about activation to marketing, what exactly is it about?
The earlier the people that are into activations realised that activation is an integral part of marketing, the better for them. Activation is beyond road shows or getting a musician and some sales persons to attract the attention of people for a short while. Activation is about bringing a brand message to life via a campaign, which can be in different ways and formats. It can be via SMS, events, TV, radio, outdoor, PR, interactive/digital, social media, word–of-mouth, sales, sponsorship and so on. It is centered around an idea that provides the catch, a connect, a hook (connection) with the target  audience for the attainment of the business objective.

Brand activation is about activating the brand to drive home a given message for a specific purpose. A successful activation must take the dynamics serious and get it right, otherwise, the exercise will end up a failure.

What are these dynamics?
You need to identify the business objective? Of all the communication channels available, which will be most appropriate, taking into consideration the demographics and psychographics of the target audience. Communication objective drives the business objective? What does the brand actually need? You cannot activate a brand without a cause or reason.