By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos
Advertising professionals have been urged to continuously evolve their skills, operating models and creative approaches to remain competitive as artificial intelligence, changing consumer behaviour and emerging technologies redefine the advertising landscape.
The call was made at the annual meeting of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) held in Lagos, where industry leaders agreed that agencies must deliberately adapt to remain relevant in a fast-changing business environment.
Speaking on the conference theme, “AdVolution: The End of Advertising as We Know It and How to Win What Comes Next,” Divisional Head, Brand and Communications at Fidelity Bank Plc, Meksley Nwagboh, said the advertising industry had entered a new era where traditional methods and assumptions were no longer sufficient.
According to Nwagboh, the transformation of the industry should not be viewed as a crisis but as an opportunity to create stronger organisations, smarter campaigns and more responsible communication systems.
“The end of advertising as previously practised should not be viewed as a crisis. Instead, it should serve as a call for agencies and professionals to evolve, build stronger organisations, develop more intelligent campaigns and create responsible communication systems,” he said.
He stressed that embracing innovation goes beyond adopting new technologies, noting that agencies must also deepen their understanding of people, culture and markets while strengthening their strategic and creative capabilities.
Nwagboh cautioned against allowing artificial intelligence to replace originality and critical thinking, saying agencies that would lead the future would not necessarily be those with the most AI tools but those with sound strategic thinking and a strong understanding of culture.
He encouraged practitioners to deploy artificial intelligence in handling repetitive tasks while preserving the human creativity, imagination and insight that distinguish outstanding advertising.
On the role of data, he said future-ready agencies must be able to transform data into actionable insights, convert those insights into effective strategies and develop compelling stories that deliver measurable results.
Also speaking, President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Lanre Adisa, urged agencies to embrace change, describing failure to adapt as a greater threat than change itself. He emphasised the need for talent development and a better understanding of how emerging technologies could complement human creativity.
Chief Executive Officer of Big Cabal Media, Tomiwa Aladekomo, acknowledged that artificial intelligence was changing the rules of the industry but maintained that technology could not replace intuition, cultural understanding and original thinking.
Chairman of the conference and member of the AAAN Board of Trustees, Kelechi Nwosu, encouraged agencies to look beyond delivering client briefs by developing intellectual property that could create new commercial opportunities.
Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, described the conference theme as timely, noting that although technology continues to transform society and business, creativity remains a uniquely human strength.
Participants agreed that agencies willing to invest in talent, rethink traditional practices, adopt technology responsibly and remain responsive to changing consumer expectations would be better positioned to lead the next phase of the advertising industry.
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