By Stanley Ihedigbo
The President of Media Independent Proprietors Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) and Chief Executive Officer of Brand Eye Media, Femi Adelusi has lauded Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN)’s choice of theme and speaker for their conference.
Adelusi made the commendation when some members of BJAN’s executive members paid him a courtesy visit in his Ikeja based office last Friday, to intimate him of its activities and especially the forthcoming brands & Marketing Conference and Awards.
Organised by BJAN, a body that comprises journalists who cover Brands and Marketing beat in the country, the annual Brands & Marketing Conference is a flagship event where seasoned analysts and informed stakeholders gather to dissect key issues facing the marketing industry and Nigeria at large.
The theme for this year’s event which is the 10th Anniversary edition is “BRANDS AND THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A DISRUPTIVE ECONOMY.
The Keynote address will be delivered by Lampe Omoyele, Chief Executive Officer, Nitro 121 Limited.
The event is billed to hold November 25, 2022 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to Adelusi, the theme for this year’s event could not have come in a better time than now considering the role of technology in the IMC space.
Adelusi, who is also the Chairman, Head of All Sectoral Groups (HASG) said, “The theme is on point in the sense that today, technology is topical in the IMC in general because we have consumers that are increasingly restless in terms of the pressures of the economy in a changing world and also in terms of their interest and passion and how technology is imparting their lives as regards their choices and everything they do”.
“And of course on the other side the challenges that brands face. One on the consumer end. The other on the advertisers side in terms of how do they bridge the gap between where the consumers are and how they can be reached.
“And of course you have a very fast paced environment where so much is happening so quickly. So, technology is key for now and the interest that it will attract should be huge.
“I know Mr Lampe Omoyele very well. Kudos on the work you are doing so far,” Adelusi said.
In her opening remark, BJAN Chairman, Clara Chinwe Okoro, said the essence of the visit was to strengthen the bond between BJAN and MIPAN as a critical stakeholder in the IMC space.
“When our exco took over in March of 2022, we had a myriad of challenges we were facing in terms of our stakeholders not knowing who we were and what our focus was as an association and the major assignment we had as a new exco was to begin series of stakeholders engagement and it has paid off handsomely because now they totally understand why together as an association we are engaging them as our stakeholders and the future we want to create with that relationship” she said.
Continuing she noted: “There are different things we have discussed with other stakeholders. But, this is very important to us, because it is the major stay of our association. Our annual conference- the Brand Journanalists Association of Nigeria annual Brands and Marketing Conference.
“It is a rallying point for us and those we represent who interface with the consumers and so when we designed it we designed it to reflect the changing times that marketing communications is facing. Through our platforms, when we engage consumers they also get a feel of what that year’s annual conference is addressing because its thematic to the problems on ground at that time, Clara posited.
She pointed that, the technology aspect of branding has become so challenging because there is so much flowing around that people are not exactly sure if they are doing the right thing, so when brands are engaging technology they are not even aware of the consumers who they are directing their engagement to. If they are co-opted into that platform that you are trying to use to reach them, “all these made us realise that there are still a lot of grey areas to be covered and as those who interface between consumers and the brand owners, as journalists, whatever we put out there is what the consumers absorb,” she added.
The visit was in line with series of planned activities by the association’s executive to intimate stakeholders in the IMC industry of its plans.
Other members of the BJAN delegation which was led by its Chairman, Clara Okoro were Lukman Ishau, Vice Chairman, Olufemi Adeyemi, Financial Secretary, Amechi Obiakpu, Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Goddie Ofose, erstwhile Chairman.
