CMC Connect LLP Lead Partner, calls for empirical measurement in Nigeria’s cluttered marketing landscape
By Felicia Nwosu
Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Lead Partner at CMC Connect LLP, a leading perception consulting firm, has issued a strong call for greater emphasis on empirical measurement within Nigeria’s marketing communications industry, citing a “cluttered” and increasingly complex landscape.
In an exclusive interview with MARKETING ONTV, the industry statesman highlighted the challenges of determining the effectiveness of various communication channels and stressed the need for a shift from output-focused campaigns to outcome-driven strategies.
Referring to the current state of the communications and marketing industry in Nigeria, the industry thought leader pointed to the diverse sectors, including public relations, advertising, experiential marketing, out-of-home, digital, and social media, as contributing to the complexity.
A key challenge, according to him, is the difficulty in measuring the impact of different communication efforts, while emphasizing the need for greater clarity and accountability. He stressed the importance of moving beyond simply running campaigns and focusing on achieving measurable results.
“If you ask me, there’s a lot going on in there. There’s a lot of clutter. Is it advertising that is working? Is it public relations that is working or which one? Is it even influencer marketing that is working?”
The PR icon also quoted a sentiment that the greatest challenge of communication is the illusion that it has taken place, adding that many of purveyors of communication put more effort on output rather than outcome.
To address this challenge, the hall of famer advocated for a greater emphasis on research, intelligence, and data gathering.
“We should put more effort in research. We should put more effort in intelligence. We should put more effort in data gathering. We should put more effort in understanding lifestyle. So how do people respond to products? How do they respond to messages? What time do they listen? What is the attention span?”
The PR guru also pointed to the need for better industry-wide measurement tools and standards, adding that the industry must have indices that we agree, giving the example of sales as a key metric for sales-oriented campaigns. The veteran communicator illustrated this point by mentioning the absence of credible circulation figures for Nigerian publications and the need for more relevant metrics for measuring the reach of broadcast media in the digital age.
The industry legend’s comments shed light on critical issues facing Nigeria’s marketing communications industry. His call for empirical measurement and a greater focus on outcomes underscores the need for greater accountability and effectiveness in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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