+Acuity has reaffirmed its commitment to developing the next generation of marketing communications professionals through its sponsorship of PRADWAVE 5.0, the flagship competition of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Public Relations and Advertising (PRAD) Club.

Held at the MADhouse, UNILAG, the grand finale brought together students, academics and industry professionals under the theme, “Gen-Z & Marketing,” creating a platform for discussions on talent development, evolving consumer behaviour and the future of marketing communications.

Speaking at the event, Emmanuel Adediran, Business Unit Director at +Acuity, said the agency’s support forms part of a long-term strategy to address the growing talent shortage in Nigeria’s marketing communications industry, which has been exacerbated by the migration of skilled professionals.

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“We understand that in the industry, there’s been the challenge of talent quality, thanks to ‘Japa’ and a couple of other things. Rather than complain about the problem, we thought let’s do something about it. The immediate step for us was to begin by developing talent from the grassroots. Supporting the UNILAG Public Relations and Advertising (PRAD) Club is aimed at bridging that town-and-gown gap,” he said.

Managing Director of +Acuity, Victor Oyarero, said the agency’s decision to invest in student development was informed by recurring gaps observed during recruitment exercises.

“When we’re doing our recruitments, we really find out that there are a lot of people, even when they’re coming from other agencies, that still have a lot to learn. We felt that it’s important we go to the base, which is speaking with students who are in school,” Oyarero said.

Delivering the keynote address, Oyarero urged students to rethink the modern marketing landscape, noting that while technology has transformed the industry’s tools and channels, the principles of understanding human behaviour remain unchanged.

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“Everything has changed, yet nothing has changed,” he said, explaining that although consumer psychology remains constant, technological advancement has fundamentally altered how brands engage audiences.

He added that technology continues to reshape consumer behaviour, making it essential for marketers to continually adapt their communication strategies.

“Brands, in trying to outperform their competitors, will fund technology. That technology will change human behaviour. Once human behaviour changes, you and I have to find a different means of engaging that audience whose behaviour has changed. Your responsibility is to understand those behavioural changes and find out how best you can communicate to that changed audience,” he said.

The competition attracted 40 student teams in its preliminary stage before judges shortlisted five finalists to present integrated marketing campaigns focused on Gen-Z consumer behaviour before a panel of industry professionals.

At the end of the contest, The Pitch Perfect Team, comprising Idunnumi Haruna, Bisola Jemilugba and Elizabeth Oyerinde, emerged as the overall winners after impressing the judges with their campaign strategy, emotional storytelling and teamwork.

President of the UNILAG PRAD Club, Daniel Nnam, described the competition as a milestone for the association and expressed appreciation to +Acuity for supporting the initiative.

“I feel very fulfilled because we have been able to create a room where young people can thrive and see marketing beyond the way they’ve seen it before. Something like this is the first of its kind for us. A huge shout-out to +Acuity for believing in us and supporting us all the way,” he said.

PRADWAVE 5.0 formed part of broader efforts to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry by exposing students to real-world marketing challenges while preparing them for careers in Nigeria’s evolving marketing communications sector.

See Also: +Acuity Empowers Next-Gen Marketing Professionals at PRADWAVE 5.0