Ad body urges Buhari to review national communication method

Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has advised Muhammadu Buhari, president-elect, to review the current national communication architecture as part of his efforts to re-ignite the Nigeria spirit and positively project brand Nigeria.

Kelechi Nwosu, president, AAAN, while congratulating the winner of the 2015 presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari and commending President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship for honourably conceding in the election in a manner that doused tensions across the country and boosted confidence in the future of democracy in Nigeria among global observers, said as a neutral but patriotic body, the AAAN had actively promoted a professional agenda for issue based, ethical, smear free campaigning among the political parties.

With the election over, it would be ideal for the incoming government to engage the professional support of certified professionals in the onerous task of projecting the immense potentials of the Nigerian brand, Nwosu said.

He called on Buhari to re-configure the national communication architecture in order to give impetus to a robust economy, promote national re-orientation, inspire innovation, as well as enable entrepreneurship and create choice. The AAAN president additionally recommended that the new government should also pursue local content, affirmation policy and allow experienced professionals to run government communication to avoid the lack of public support and buy-in that trailed certain policies introduced during the current tenure as a result of poor communication and engagement.

From a marketing communication point of view, he asserted that “the AAAN would wish to propose nation building initiatives to the incoming government such as National Re-orientation Project. Nigeria needs a re-orientation project that will build Civic Pride, promote ethical values and get Nigerians believing in Nigeria and her assets. A corollary to this is to ensure that Nigerians begin to appreciate and support made-in-Nigeria products and brands.”

The Association also suggested that the incoming government should create a plan to inspire innovation, enable industry, reward productivity to make Nigeria a progressive and competitive economy. “This will provide the opportunity to grow many dynamic and respected Nigerian brands.

Advertising is a critical tool in this regard because we help create choices that fuel the economy and even the polity,” he said.

On local content and affirmation policy, the AAAN president advised: “We will also strongly recommend a local content and affirmative policy that allows Nigerian professionals to do better business in Nigeria. We should moderate our consumerism which drives importation and stop fuelling other economies.”