Thanks to the advent of new true colour, ultra-bright LED technology which now makes it possible for outdoor electronic billboards to be capable of performing like a real outdoor television even under direct sunlight. The EVB is an attractive, animated giant outdoor advertising video screen which is noted for arresting people’s attention on a busy street whether pedestrians or in a car or bus or stuck in traffic.

Our traditional media owners should find ever more pressure to prove their value in the marketing mix. Ambitious advertisers should learn to project marketing messages into the digital fabric of online games. When will the proverbial light bulb light up for Nigeria’s marketing communications industry? Why can we not take a cue from BMW, for example, which has looked for other media that are invited into consumers’ homes, e.g. the groundbreaking BMW films on the Internet? What if we experience th

We would like to welcome into our marketing communication industry branded entertainment consultancies and measurement firms. Meanwhile it is a surprise that we do not have a research foundation on advertising in Nigeria. Such an organ could even be charged, inter alia, with coordinating efforts of top executives in the fields of media, advertising and research. It can actually come up with methodologies that are deemed adequate to meet branded entertainment needs. Our media independents should

Meanwhile not far from my domicile, a satirical film on the Lagos Bar Beach was the subject of a forum. The irony inherent in the film is the fact that a stone’s throw from the once serene beach is a tourist edifice where we are shown films like Spiderman, Goldeneye, Austine Powers, Be Cool, XXX, etc. What most of us probably do not know is that these movies made millions of dollars even before they were ever released!

Many Nigerian companies believe that a presence on the Net is a waste of time and money. Ironically, however, word of mouth which is the most powerful means by which a product or organization builds a reputation is the platform on which the Internet is built!

What does the future hold for advertising in Nigeria? It is assumed that we would experience political stability and our economy would be favourably responsive. These are vital variables for any meaningful human endeavour, advertising inclusive. The future therefore cannot but be bright and unlimited considering the fact that without advertising support, the media communications industry would almost grind to a halt

It is heartening to know that the number of telephone subscribers in Nigeria has risen to 10 million, a remarkable leap from about 400,000 lines deployed by all telecommunications operators including the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) in 1990 – NCC 2005. The country’s teledensity (the number of phones per 100 persons) has also increased from four phone lines per 1,000 persons, thereby indicating that more Nigerians now have access to telephones (mobilenigeria 2005).

The world is now a brave, new world, replete with alternatives to straightforward advertising. P&G recently embraced channel planning which is about putting media or communications planning at the front end of one’s campaign creation. The organization realizes that the first step in any marketing programme is to understand one’s consumers and how they might be reached rather than what might be said to them.

I am happy that more Nigerian print media now have the vision and management capability to change and expand their business in line with the changing global market. However, I doubt that they are making timely response to the challenges of globalization, convergence, digital technology and societal change. Nigerian readers today want more functionality and interactivity; our newspapers need to offer online products and services which require new and very different business models from those used previously. Content is so vital that publishers must extend existing product lines into a digital environment where they have the opportunity to provide a much richer and more complex diet for their enthusiastic customers.

I do not agree with some of my professional colleagues who preach that we should not take ads seriously while basing their conviction on the slogan “creative light-heartedness and freedom of expression.” Advertising is a pervasive, powerful force that shapes attitudes and behaviour in today’s world that it would be foolhardy not to take commercials that seriously!