AISOP’s slow implementation is due to lack of support – Oluwasona
By Felicia Nwosu
Following the observation made by some industry practitioners who presumed that the Advertising Industry Standards of Practice, AISOP, is slow in implementation, Olukayode Oluwasona, Chief Executive Officer, 1201 Brandsway Limited, has alluded that the assumed slow or ineffective implementation is due to inadequate support from members of the sectoral groups for the law.
Oluwasona during an exclusive interview with MARKETING EDGE expressed full support for AISOP while revealing that its success and full implementation depend on the sincere support and collaborations of all the sectoral groups.
“I think we need to take it from the first principle which borders on the essence of AISOP, the reason d’taire of AISOP. My position on AISOP is that it is a fantastic idea. There is no better time than now to have it. the issue of implementation depends on how people support it. if it is well received and supported well, then implementation will run well but If people don’t support it properly or holistically, implementation will be haphazard
Oluwasona who is also a former president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), mentioned other reasons which could be responsible to the slow implementation of the law.
“Also, the implementation not been properly enforced, may mean that some people possibly never understood it, or they don’t fully support it, or they are just playing eye-service. I think AISOP is fantastic. The implementation maybe the way it is now because I know there are stakeholders involved in it, it is not just ARCON and another group, it is ARCON and many groups that have different interests. I have always told people that the interest of these stakeholders can never be the same all of the time and that is what people can’t understand. The interest of the people who are in the same ecosystem that are supposed to implement AISOP are different. In many cases, they are actually objecting each other, in a situation where a particular part of the policy in AISOP favours a particular sector; the other sectors may flare it up, simply because some of us are not ready to play it as sincerely as possible.
He reaffirmed that for the industry reform not to remain elusive in its implementation; it requires and demands sectoral will with relevant stakeholders to expedite its effectiveness in all ramifications.
“Some sectoral group is actually against ARCON and has even gone to Court, if they go to court, naturally the implementation will be delayed. It is means that AISOP is not well supported completely the way it is supposed to be by every sector. We all must as sectors must first of all support it, then we won’t have dissenting voices because as it is now, the dissenting voice is now working against the implementation of AISOP, so how will it now run properly but I believe that AISOP is good, it has the backing of the law, so nothing should stop it.
Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, in a separate interview with MARKETING EDGE, reaffirmed that ARCON has established some mechanisms put in place to monitor and enforce compliance from all players.
He therefore challenged practitioners to present their cases backed up with reasonable evidence and see if AISOP will not take its course.
“The first thing is let them bring thesis with clear record to say this is the situation. I know of an organisation that has reviewed its billing policy downward to 45 days, because of AISOP and I am also bold to say now, here today, if our people, the monitoring department, goes out there and sees any organisation whose policy is payment after 45 days, we will have no other option than to bring the force of the law against such organisation. Before, clients write to agencies and tell them that your payment will be done 90 days. I need just one letter, it is not like we are threatening, no, we are both colleagues and partners and stakeholders in this whole conversation. What we are saying is that for this industry to grow, all hands must be on deck.”
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Comment
No comments found.