Why Nigeria’s creative agencies fizzle out with their founders
The risks faced by creative agencies that tie founders’ and owners’ life and personality to the business are enormous. Wherever a founder happens to be the only vital force and oxygen of the agency, chances are that the moment he or she grows old or ceases to be, the business naturally collapses and dies.
Nowhere has this trend been witnessed time and again than in Nigeria, particularly in the integrated marketing communications sector. Many agencies solely seem to thrive on collecting a retainer and flaunting multinational clients on their corporate credentials. Little or no attempts are made at investment and commitment to the culture and legacy of the business just in case the founder ceases to be.
A few decades ago, Nigeria’s IMC landscape was creatively hegemonised by agencies such as Lowe Lintas, Grant Advertising Limited, OBM, Promoserve Limited, Campaign Palace, Hunters Publicity, Ogilvy & Mather, Dawn Functions, MC & A and several others. Sadly, today, their corporate existence and creative radiance had been eclipsed by the passage of time.
What’s more, a few other contemporaries of the said bygone agencies which appear to be hanging in there are merely perching gingerly on the precipice as their creative spiral and clientele have continued downwards.
Market intelligence reveals that myriads of issues such as selfish succession strategy, disloyal employees, poor business culture and models including a myopic attitude, particularly on the part of the founders, contributed in no small measure to the collapse of these agencies.
Industry experts and analysts view the problem from a multifaceted lens. While failed business owners were held accountable for building their businesses around themselves and their families, young Nigerian professionals who are in a hurry to become their own bosses blamed for disloyalty.
Deputy Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Dr. Jide Johnson, in a recent report cited lack of visionary leadership and unfaithful employees as the cause of agencies not outliving their founders.
“The problem is that everybody is wise in Nigeria and that is why Nigerian business owners, including the agency owners think only of themselves and their families alone.
“As a result of this, the moment they see a young man or woman they employ a few years ago growing, they start suspecting him or her. The next minute, the guy or lady gets axed as a result of suspicion that such a person may end up hijacking the business. There is no way we can build an agency brand of the future if we don’t allow experienced people working in the agency to get a buy-in in the business after decades of working to grow the agency,” the report quoted.
Meanwhile, fingers were also pointed at employees. Another expert who craved anonymity blamed many successful professionals in paid employment arrangement, who always see themselves as competitors to the business owners.
“If we must build strong brands in the marketing communications industry, people must grow, they must be trained and they must be prepared to take over. Yes, they will make mistakes because nobody is totally infallible but they will learn from it and master the business. Above all, after spending a quality time on the business, they should be allowed to be part owners. It is through this that Nigerian business owners can be immortal like the Arthur Anderson or the Ogilvy of this world.
“Having said this, I must confess too that some Nigerian agency owners have genuine intention to make their businesses outlive them, but for the lack of loyalty, distrust and internal competition on the part of the employees,” he said.
Regrettably, however, verifiable records in Nigeria’s IMC sector are replete with notable professionals who supposedly left their employers’ businesses unceremoniously as a result of suspicion or internal politics. The unfortunate truth is that internal politics exists everywhere. But it becomes harmful to the business when it culminates in lots of in-fighting, sabotaging, backstabbing and malicious gossiping. Many agencies and business are reportedly just a fanciful façade on a mountain of refuse.
How then can agencies change the trend and culture of corporate mortality? Agency management needs to get behind bigger and better thinking, get excited about it and believe in it. Agencies should help staff grow and develop their careers with both internal and external education. Sure, they may leave your agency at some stage, but the more skills and talents they develop while they are there the better the environment and the work will be.
In an age where the IMC has moved from creative excellence to solutions excellence, founders and business owners must realise that that creativity and innovation does not begin and end with them and their families. Because creativity is in flux, a creative giant of today who refuses to put a smart and futuristic succession plans and structure in place may become a midget or bygone of tomorrow.
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