Frequent pitches impede brand building says Kayode Ebatamehi
An experienced voice in the Nigerian advertising industry, Mr. Kayode Ebatamehi has stated that the high frequency of pitches being experienced in the Nigerian marketing communications space is unhealthy for brand building process.
In recent times, it has been observed that brand owners are increasingly becoming impatient with agencies. Consequently, pitching for accounts has become so rampant in the Nigerian brand building industry, with pitches being conducted virtually every month.
Speaking on the development, the Chief Operating Officer of Bluebird Communications told MARKETING EDGE that some brand owners call for pitches without genuine reasons.
“I think the advertising business in Nigeria has grown, but we still have a long way to go in terms of how things are supposed to be done. You will find clients calling for pitches left right and centre. The question is why are they calling for pitches, what are the issues? If you have a partnership with an agency, it is the partnership that sat down and drew the brand communication plan with you,” he said.
Ebatamehi, a highly experienced and respected voice in the industry went further to explain that brand communication for consumer connection does not only require being handled by experts, but also requires consistency which cannot be achieved within a short timeframe.
According to him, “the agency’s job starts from the brand positioning statement, to differentiating point of the brand and then packaging of the brand. So agency’s strong area is to draw a brand communication plan over the years and help to communicate the brand. This is because there’s need to be disciplined in the way you communicate your brand.
“There’s therefore a need for consistency because if a brand is not consistent in the way it communicates itself, tendencies are that there will be some distortions along the line and the brand will stand for nothing. So you need to have a brand that when you mention its name, a particular image starts coming to your mind because of what the brand has communicated the years and the consumers experience over the years’’
Ebatamehi said a proper industry structure will go a long way in solving the current pitch frequency. According to him, “Unless the agency is not performing, there’s no need to call for pitches so soon. I think if we can structure the industry properly and people know what they are supposed to do on both sides; the frequency of pitches will reduce.”
Bluebird Communications, the agency which the IMC expert superintends, has a reputation of maintaining long term relationship with clients.
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