At a time when the skills gap in the Nigerian IMC industry keeps widening, what solutions are the industry players providing to solve the human resources problem? Joseph Ekeng writes.

All over the world, the marketing industry is known to be very competitive because of rapid social changes, advancements in technology and constantly evolving consumer behaviour and preferences.

The marketing landscape is changing so fast, such that trends become obsolete in a matter of weeks or months. And one of the major ways to stay ahead of the curve and remain relevant is to get the right skill.

Recent research carried out by the Digital Marketing Institute found that there is a significant skills gap in the sector, which is a major cause of concern globally.

This is probably a bigger headache for Nigerian agencies because of a lack of appropriate structure in the higher institutions that offers relevant up-to-date training in the industry. But more worryingly, the Nigerian agencies have been hit by a sustained wave of brain drain, which has created a huge skill vacuum in the agencies. So how do the local agencies combat this challenge?

Insight Publicis Takes the bull by the horn

While a lot of the professionals in the industry have expressed their worries about the lack of adequate relevant skills in the industry, Insight Publicis decided it was time to stop the talk and instead walk the walk.

The pioneer advertising agency recently launched a selective creative academy aimed at closing the growing gap created by a lack of experienced and passionate creative manpower in the marketing communication industry in recent years. According to the creative shop, the new creative academy will be a training ground for top-tier creative professionals in the Nigerian and African marketing communication landscape.

In his word, the Group chief executive officer (CEO) of Insight Redefini said, “The academy is aimed at producing thoroughbred creative professionals and providing a talent pool for the Insight Redefini group of companies to feed the creative yearning of the marketing communication industry from entry-level through the ranks.”

AAAN to the rescue

It’s been in the works for many years, but in August 2021, the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) finally launched its advertising academy, ‘Adcademy.’ The association said the Adcademy is set up to address the issue of dwindling creative talents in the nation’s advertising industry.

Speaking at the unveiling of the academy, the President of AAAN, Steve Babaeko lamented the shortage of capable personnel in the industry, adding that the academy can help solve that problem.

 “We believe advertising is a business for young people, and unless we continue to expand the pipeline that brings talents into our industry, we’ll always have a situation where Agency A will continue to poach the staff of Agency B, because there is a shortage of talents in the industry; since we are all fishing in the same pot,” Babaeko said

In-house training and development programmes:

In the absence of a structured industry-led approach, many marketing communications agencies in Nigeria have set up in-house training programmes to bridge the skills gap. These programs are usually designed to equip their employees with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to perform their duties effectively.

Republican, one of Nigeria’s top agencies runs a multidimensional staff training approach. “Our most important strategy is the Republican College where we train new intakes and bring them up to speed with industry best practices,” Hope Efese, Accounts Director at Republican told MARKETING EDGE.

Pretty much all the agencies in Nigeria have adopted this strategy because apart from being easy to run, it is also cost-effective.

Recruitment of Experienced Professionals: 

Some advertising agencies are also recruiting experienced professionals from other countries and industries to fill skill gaps in their teams. This approach enables them to leverage the expertise of seasoned professionals to complement the skills of their local workforce.

This practice is fast becoming the norm among the top agencies that have the means and credibility to attract expatriate creatives or top professionals in world-class consulting firms. For instance, a few years back X3M Ideas employed Mike Miller a foreign expatriate as Creative Director. Miller has since been promoted to the position of Executive Creative Director.

Poaching

Babaeko referenced this when he said that all the local agencies first came from the same pond. And according to Efese, poaching is one of the major ways by which agencies fill the vacant skill gap. He also stressed that the practice has become a menace in the industry because agencies are always on the lookout for good hands to poach from rival agencies.

Use of Technology:

Advertising Agencies in Nigeria are also embracing technology to enhance their marketing capabilities. They are using tools like data analytics, automation, and AI to improve their marketing strategies and campaigns. By using these technologies, agencies can streamline their processes and deliver more effective marketing solutions to their clients.

Overall, Nigerian advertising agencies are taking proactive steps to address the skills gap challenge in marketing. By investing in training and development, recruiting experienced professionals, and leveraging technology, they are positioning themselves to deliver world-class marketing solutions to their clients.