The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has commended the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) for its effort at sanitising the industry in Nigeria.
Idris who gave the commendation at the second edition of the Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC) and launch of the maiden edition of Journal of Advertising and Marketing Communications recently in Lagos said the advertising industry remains among sectors vital to Nigeria’s economy and social orientation.
Speaking on the theme of the Colloquium, themed “Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Advertising Education and Practice in Nigeria” the minister who was represented by his Special Adviser, Mr. Sunny Baba, said the colloquium’s objectives buttressed President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
“We are gathered here today to explore how the latest technological advancements can be integrated into our marketing communications, education, and practice. This colloquium is not just a meeting of minds but a convergence of innovation, creativity, and foresight aimed at propelling our industry into the future in line with our nation’s vision for a prosperous and technologically advanced Nigeria”, the minister noted in his message.
According to him, the colloquium’s objectives which included robust interactions between academia and industry; examining current marketing communication issues; sensitizing students and academics to the demands of a digitized era; and discussing trends in creative advertising, media campaigns, digital marketing, and regulations are crucial for driving the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
Speaking further, the Minister commended ARCON’s innovative idea of involving students from institutions of higher learning in its various programmes, thereby empowering youths, creating jobs, and most importantly ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Earlier in his speech, Director General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, said the dearth of books and journals has been a major concern to both the academics and professional as it hampers the training of well baked students.
He described the new Journal of Advertising and Marketing Communications as the panacea for the dearth of academic materials, and will serve as case studies for the training of marketing and advertising students and future professionals.
Speaking during the unveiling, the Director General of ARCON said the journal launch was a landmark development as it also serves as a bridge between the research works in academia and the case studies from the industry.
“One of the greatest achievement over time from this journal is the fact that we even have foreign contributors, for the first edition, we have people from other countries who are pushing to be part of it, now we can imagine where this will go because from this edition, this journal will be cited as an authority when you are doing your research, thesis and when you need to to make presentations or share relevant document.”
In his own remark, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, Chairman of the Planning Committee and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Advertising said the aim is to produce graduates who will hit the ground running and also develop quality manpower for the sector.
The journal, a body of profound works that could be cited in academic papers, thesis and doctoral dissertations, is a comprehensive compilation of insightful and in-depth works contributed by scholars from around the globe. It promises to enhance the body of knowledge within the advertising industry.
The event also featured a pitch competition among six universities, making presentations on combating the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria. Covenant University won the top prize of one million naira with their campaign “The High is Never Enough.”
In the first and second runners-up places are the University of Ilorin and Lagos State University winning 750,000 naira and 500,000 naira, respectively. Federal University, Kashere, Ebonyi State University and Rivers State University also got 250,000 consolation prizes.
