Proper segmentation key to success for advertising agencies, says Thorpe

As Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) celebrated another year of successful practice, and inducting new practitioners into its fold at the 17th Advertising Day, it was indeed a moment to remind members on best global practice in the advertising marketplaceWITH A Segmentation Study of the Advertising Market in Nigeria: the Portfolio Strategy and Positioning Implication for Advertising Agencies as theme, practitioners were given the key element required to run a modern agency. The gathering attracted advertising practitioners, stakeholders in the advertising industry, including Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Advertising Association of Nigeria (AAAN), Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), ADVAN and MIPAN.Also in attendance were the doyen of advertising industry, which included the Minister of Information, represented by Abiodun Henry Angulu, Special Adviser to the President on Ethic and Value, Mrs. Sarah Jubril, Hon, Salisu Mohammed, former presidents of APCON, May Nzeribe, Sir Steve Omojafor, Chris Doghudje, guest lecturer, Mr. George Thorpe, a fellow of the Nigerian Marketing Institute.Others were Ayo Owoborede, Funmi Onagbolu, Bola Thomas, Bello Kankarofi, Azuka Odiduka, Charles Chijide and others.In his welcome address the APCON Chairman, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, said the theme was carefully and deliberately chosen to reflect global and therefore local developments and changes within the profession and industry. He stated, 'For us in APCON, it is part of our contribution towards preparing all practitioners and stakeholders for the realities of now and the future. In a profession that TIME magazine at the end of the last millennium cited as one of the top ten professions of the new millennium, we cannot afford to be ignorant in the practice and developments if we want to remain relevant.'We also believe a forum such as this will help us prepare the way for the major industry reform that the APCON Council is working on, and which is very much near completion'.Akinwunmi further expressed fratitude to the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, who, he said, had continued to extend professional courtesies to the profession and on behalf of the government has requested for, and accepted the institutes offer to support his ministry and the federal government especially in the onerous task of implementing the relevant portions of the administration's Transformation Agenda.He implored practitioner to keep fate based on the support promise made to the government through the Hon Minister and other senior government functionaries 'we have lately met by inviting all advertising practitioners to support the government's Transformation Agenda as it is relevant to our practice. We have received assurances at the highest levels that government will cooperate with us in this regard,' he said.Accounting for the successes and recognition accorded to APCON within the Africa sub region, even in these days of Nigeria-bashing, Akinwumi said 'I want to proudly inform you all that in recognition of the development of the profession in Nigeria, our colleagues in Ghana have made a formal request and invited APCON to help them in restructuring the practice and profession in their country, including advising on how a council similar to APCON will be put in place. I have also been formally invited to address the next AGM and Congress of the association in Accra towards the end of this year. At a time like this, this is cheering news for the profession and the country's image.'According to the minister while imploring agencies and practitioner to stay focus and putting all hands on deck in actualizing the vision 2020 goal of being one of leading economy, he sees the sector as a viable too towards it. ' The sector is no doubt a critical partner in the realization of this vision not only because it is the driving force as catalyst of growth in all other sector of the economy but also because advertising communication has proved very esthetic in shaping consumers and popular attitude in the right direction. I therefore challenge advertising practitioners to deploy their wealth of creative and strategic recourses in supporting the transformation agenda,' he saidWhile delivering the day's lecture on the theme, A Segmentation Study of the Advertising Market in Nigeria: the Portfolio Strategy and Positioning Implication for Advertising Agencies, George Thorpe pointed out that the major problem within the sector is the issue of proper segmentation, which he said, if that is taking care of the industry will benefit much even from regulators.In a statics analysis of adverting trend in the country between 2006 and 2010, he recorded a huge spend in advertising, 30billion to 50 billion according growth to the agencies yet there are still lapses ' if agencies are still having problem is not because of the advertising spend, rather no proper segmentation'Sir Steve Omajafor lamented that the call to proper segmentation is really key at this time as media agencies' life is largely un-segmented 'it is important it rediscover itself as a leader because most agencies don't have planning department,' said.Sarah Jubril, advice that the best trend in keeping to the profession mandates is by obeying the ethics and value place on it. 'Every profession is successfully driving by values of different segments, I advice that agencies would go back to the drawing board after now because ethic is the power that drives development,' she said.Throupe recommended that as Ad Agencies grapple with market challenges should: See Advertisers as consumers of (market for) Agency services; Advertisers have been spending market is like an unevenly leaking bucket; Like smart marketers, Agencies to determine how Advertiser market segments & where/how to commit; Regulators to leverage technology to make field a level playing surface for all (All advert materials controlled to a uniformly consistent quality standard, all Stations adhering to limits on commercial load for audience listening pleasure, appropriate pricing of advert space/time & reinvest superior margins in improved audience delivery) and Market Segmentation & Portfolio Strategy as key initiatives to be undertaken as relevant & specific to each advertising agency.
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