The 2025 edition of the MARKETING EDGE National Marketing Stakeholders’ Summit officially opened today, September 25, with a powerful call for brands to stop admiring artificial intelligence from the sidelines and start applying it to transform business.

One of the day’s most compelling voices came from Victoria Abiola-Ajayi, CEO of TVC Communications, who delivered her session under the theme “AI Integration: Leveraging New Technologies to Achieve Business Objectives.”

Commendation for MARKETING EDGE

Ajayi began on a warm note, applauding MARKETING EDGE for consistently uniting brands and business leaders.

She described how the platform has given her opportunities to connect with agencies, companies, and CEOs she first saw featured on the show, calling the work “commendable” for keeping industry players aware of each other’s activities.

AI as the Oriki of the Future

Shifting into her presentation, the broadcast executive likened AI-driven personalization to Oriki—a Yoruba tradition of praise poetry tailored to an individual’s identity.

Just as an Oriki can lift spirits by speaking directly to one’s essence, she argued that AI holds the power to create marketing experiences that are unique, emotionally resonant, and culturally responsive.

“Imagine if every customer interaction felt like an Oriki,” she said. “That is the promise of AI in marketing. It is the Oriki of the future.”

TVC Brings AI into Practice

Backing her analogy with action, Ajayi recounted how TVC moved AI from theory into practice.

Early this year, she set a bold strategic objective to embed artificial intelligence at the heart of the company’s operations.

Within months, TVC launched Africa’s first AI-powered news anchors, broadcasting in English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Pidgin.

She recalled the challenges of teaching AI models indigenous pronunciations, joking about how names like Sanwo-Olu and Olamide were repeatedly mispronounced until her team “hacked” the system.

Innovation Beyond Anchors

Beyond anchors, Ajayi revealed that TVC integrated QR codes to turn television into an interactive, measurable, and personalised experience.

Viewers can now scan screens to join live audiences, access news updates, participate in games, or buy products directly from broadcasts.

The station also deployed augmented reality to display newspaper pages in 3D, right in viewers’ living rooms.

These innovations, she explained, were not experiments for novelty’s sake but deliberate steps to expand reach, deepen engagement, and unlock new revenue streams.

The LEAP Framework

To help executives act, she shared her LEAP framework: Listen to customers, Experiment without waiting for perfection, Align technology with business goals, and Perform by scaling proven solutions.

She emphasized that while AI is not a magic wand, ethical responsibility must guide its use.

“We must ensure personalization is respectful, transparent, and rooted in connection, not just conversion,” she cautioned.

Closing with a Proverb

Ajayi closed with an African proverb: “When the rhythm of the drum changes, the dance must also change.”

With AI, she insisted, the rhythm of business has already shifted.

Leaders who adapt will thrive, while those who cling to old steps risk irrelevance.

“AI will not replace us,” she declared. “But leaders who embrace it will replace those who don’t.”

Summit Highlights

The summit, organized by MARKETING EDGE, gathered top stakeholders across marketing, media, and communications, offering a dual-themed agenda. Ajayi’s session stood out as a vivid reminder that the future belongs to those willing to leap.