……Inaugurates Journal Of Advertising, Marketing Communications
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, (ARCON), on Thursday, 27th June, 2024 held the 2nd Annual Advertising Industry Colloquium. (AIC), (2.0) at the Sheba Event Centre, Lagos with the theme, ‘Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Advertising Education and Professional Excellence in Nigeria.’
The specific objective of AIC 2.0 according to the organizer is to provide a platform for interaction between Town and Gown for the examination of emerging technologies for sustainable advertising education and professional excellence in Nigeria, sensitize academics and students of Communication and Media studies to key requirements for career success in different areas of marketing communication in the face of emerging technologies.
Declaring the Colloquium open, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris said the theme: harnessing emerging technology for sustainable advertising education and practice in Nigeria aligns perfectly with the president’s renew hope agenda which emphasize innovation, growth and sustainable development in every sector of the economy.
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“We gather here today to explore how the latest technological advancements can be integrated into our marketing communications education and the practice thereof.” he said.
Represented by his Special Adviser, Mr. Sunny Baba, the Minister added that the colloquium is not just a meeting of minds but a convergence of innovation, creativity and foresight in at propelling the industry into the future “and it is in line with our nation’s vision for a prosperous and technological advanced Nigeria.”
He explained further that the objectives of this colloquium are crucial, the aim to foster a robust interaction between the academia and the industry, examining current issues on marketing communications, sensitizing students and other academics to the immense of a digitalized era and discussing trends in creative advertising, media or campaigns, digital marketing and regulations.
These efforts, he added, are fundamental to driving the renew hope agenda which seems to empower youths, create jobs and ensure sustainable economy growth.
“As we embark on this journey today I encourage all participants to engage actively, share insights and collaborate towards building a more dynamic and sustainable advertising industry in Nigeria. Let us therefore work together to realize the renewed hope agenda’s vision of driving innovative and inclusive Nigeria. With a prospects of a new height in the advertising industry in Nigeria,” he stated.
Director General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo said the event was organized to bring the academia and the practitioners in the advertising and marketing communications industry together to dialogue and exchange ideas on how to improve the Nigerian advertising ecosystem.
“I am very pleased that we will be witnessing another intellectual boost in the industry that would add tremendous and invaluable information to our knowledge and giving credible reference from first hand insight and experienced speakers.
He explained that the contributors of the academia and stakeholders in the advertising industry display the passion that helps in the effort to realize the fundamental goals of keeping the profession and business of advertising and marketing communications healthy.
“This event will also afford another opportunity for tertiary institutions to participate in a pitch competition judged by experts in the industry with firsthand experience and who have mentored and groomed international standard executives in the advertising and marketing communications businesses.”
Fadolapo explained further that the uncommon challenges and elations in the industry are expected to be conversed, harnessed and put to mutual benefits.
“There are always additional ideas and trends to learn and to share in our industry and we will always appreciate the contributions of the academia to the body of knowledge, the sharpening of the skills set that makes up the body are also interrogated from time to time to meet or exceed societal demands in line with best global practices, ” he added.
The Chairman, Planning Committee for the Colloquium, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji in his address stated that increasingly, the transformative power of technology in shaping the advertising and marketing communications education and industry is phenomenal, from digital marketing to data analytics, emerging technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation in scholarship and professional practices.
“Accordingly, the 2nd Annual Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC 2.0) has come up with a big opportunity, to brainstorm on the theme and the uniqueness of the colloquium lies in the fact that the one-day event is highly loaded with different deliverables.
Thanking the ARCON DG for sustaining the initiative of Advertising Industry Colloquium to its current status, Prof Olatunji added that the discussions and resolutions of the programme will greatly enrich the curriculum development and implementation for the marketing communications disciplines in the institutions so as to make them impact the industry better.
The highpoint of the event was the official launch of the first edition of the ARCON journal of Advertising and Marketing Communications (AJAMC), a comprehensive collection of research in various advertising fields.
The journal is a compendium of quality research works from academics and case studies from the industry which will help deepen the understanding of the advertising industry.
Speaking on the content of the journal, Prof. Olatunji, who is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal said it is a comprehensive compilation of insightful and in-depth works contributed by stellar academics from around Nigeria, Africa and beyond, promises to enhance the body of knowledge within the advertising industry.
“I am privileged to be the editor-in-Chief of the journal and its going to be the most authoritative on the African continent. In this journal, the editorial has professors from all over Nigeria, Africa, and Africans in the diasporas; it also cuts across all sectors of the economy, including professionals in the industry,” he explained.
Also held at the event was the Creative Pitch Competition by tertiary institutions drawn from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria and they include the Department of Mass Communication in the following institutions: University of Ilorin, Kwara State; Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State; Lagos State University, Ojo; Rivers State University, Rivers State; Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State and Ebonyi State University.
After an intense competition among the universities, Covenant University came first with a prize of N1 million, University of Ilorin came second and won N750, 000 and Lagos State University came third with a prize of N500, 000.
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