By Fabian Ekeruche
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) says it will bridge the knowledge gap between professional practice and theory ahead of its maiden Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC) slated for March 30.
Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, Director-General, ARCON, made the disclosure at a media briefing on Wednesday in Lagos.
Fadolapo said that emerging technologies in digital media had brought huge disruptions advertising communications.
He added that the AIC would help to negotiate a nexus between the town and the gown in advertising practice.
Also speaking, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, Chairman, Advertising Industry Colloquium and Academic Journal Committee of ARCON, said that the AIC was the brain-child of the director-general
“On assumption of Office, the Director- General, ARCON, Dr Lekan Fadolapo, constituted the Advertising Industry Colloquium and Journal Committee, to achieve the following objectives:
“Plan, organise and implement the first Annual Advertising Colloquium for Academics and Professionals in the Marketing Communications industry.
“Plan, edit and publish an annual academic journal for the advertising profession in Nigeria,” Olatunji said.
Olatunji said that he was privileged to be a serving Chairman of the Committee since its inception in June 2021.
According to him, the nearly two years of intensive, painstaking and dedicated efforts of the planning committee members have crystalised into the success of the colloquium coming up on March 30.
”On behalf of the committee, let me express my appreciation to the D-G, ARCON, Dr Fadolapo, for the invaluable support and quality leadership behind the success of the event so far, Olatunji said.
According to him, the colloquium is a one-day event organised by the marketing communication industry sectorial groups and powered by the ARCON.
He said that the primary objective of the AIC was to provide the forum for academics and students of Mass Communication, Advertising and other components of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) to interact.
Olatunji said they would interact with professionals in advertising/other components of IMC; media practitioners, policy makers and regulatory agencies.
He said that the theme of the colloquium is: “Changing Trends in Advertising Education and Practice in the Era of Globalisation: The Nigerian Perspective.”
“It is a social responsibility (non-fee paying, pro bono) programme widely supported by a plethora of advertisers, marketing communication sectorial groups and regulatory agencies including ARCON to promote town and gown relationship,” he said.
Olatunjia added that it would sensitise participants to current knowledge, professional practices and skill sets required for success in advertising and related fields.
“The three-in-one; one-day event presents opportunities for keynote address, panel discussion on diverse areas of marketing communication theory and practice, and creative pitch competition,” Olatunji said.
The chairman said that digitisation, occasioned by globalisation and media technological advancements, had heightened disruptions in diverse areas of marketing communications
He said that the disruptions had affected scholarship, profession, including the media and regulatory environment, locally and internationally.
“Perhaps in response to these disruptions, the National Universities Commission recently adopted advertising, public relations, strategic communication, information and media studies, amongst others, as distinct bachelors’ degree programmes in curricula of universities in Nigeria.
“Just like, or much more than, the marketing communication scholarship, recent developments in the marketing communication industry reveal that the profession is also experiencing increasing fragmentation or unbundling.
“This is seen in specialist agencies, including creative shops, media independents, out of home (OOH) practice, advertising production outfits, digital marketing, influencer marketing, voice-over artistes and the like.
“There is equally the changing nature of advertising law and regulation in the era of digitised media.
“This colloquium is, therefore, organised to bridge knowledge and professional gaps among advertising practitioners, academia and undergraduate students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria through a robust searchlight on relevant areas of marketing communication,” Olatunji said.
He said that the AIC, which would be held at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, would be declared open by the Honourable Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed.
