Mixed Reactions trail agencies’ affiliation, mergers
Stakeholders in the advertising industry have expressed mixed reactions over foreign agencies affiliation, mergers and collaboration amongst local agencies in the country.
Some of them argued that agencies should enter into relationships that would be of greater benefit to them business wise rather than going into an affiliation because of fame and prestige associated with it.
They expressed their divergent views at the 2019 Brandcomfest themed: “Digital Disruption & The Future of Brands & Marketing Communications”. The event was held at the Muson Centre, Lagos.
The Managing Director, Noah’s Ark advertising agency Lanre Adisa, stressed that most agencies in Nigeria go into affiliation with foreign agencies because of the survival mentality.
Mr. Adisa pointed out that Noah’s Ark is currently affiliated to Dentsu and Aegis. He, however, added that the affiliation was only technical.
“For a long time, we were independent. What we have now with Dentsu and Aegis is a technical affiliation. I guess why agencies in Nigeria are crazy about foreign affiliation is because we believe that as agencies, we are not doing well out there,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the International Advertising Association, IAA Nigeria, Tunji Olugbodi, pointed out that the dissolution of the indigenisation decree gave rise to foreign affiliation in Nigeria.
Mr. Olugbodi, however, cautioned agencies to do away with affiliations and collaborations that are not profitable to them business wise. According to him, it is better to go into local collaborations and mergers to give the international competitors a run for their money.
“We need to do away with collaboration that is not beneficial to us and do local collaborations instead. We need local convergence of like minds so that we can give our foreign competitors a run for their money,” he opined.
Speaking contrary to the above speakers, the Managing Director, DKK Nigeria, Temitope Jemerigbe, pointed out that the major problem with the advertising industry was unity amongst the players.
Mrs. Jemerigbe stressed that the issue of mergers and collaboration have been in the industry for a long time, adding that practitioners always advocate for such yet they are not sincere enough to see it come into reality.
“Today is not the first time I am hearing about affiliation, mergers and collaboration. I have been in this industry for a long time and what I can say is that we lack unity in the industry. Like Mr. Olugbodi said, we need to collectively renew our mind as an industry and stay faithful to this course if we really want a breakthrough,” she stressed.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Comment
No comments found.