ADVAN poised to consolidate growth of SMEs

The umbrella body for all advertisers in Nigeria, The Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) is poised to scale up its goal of growing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria with the introduction and expansion of some categories of this year’s ADVAN marketing excellence awards.

Commentators have identified one of the new categories – Marketing on a Shoestring – with a strong capacity to appeal to serious –minded SMEs. This explains why ADVAN had specifically invited SMEs to submit entries for this special category that focuses on the maximisation of limited budget in achieving impact and measurable result.

Commenting on ADVAN’s current focus on SMEs, ADVAN’s President, David Okeme explained in a statement that the decision to open the elite platform to SMEs was informed by lessons learnt during the World Federation of Advertisers global conference in Malaysia where bodies like ADVAN were enjoined to open a second tier membership to accommodate small scale businesses.

Okeme believes that relating with existing ADVAN members would be of immense benefits to SMEs as they would be interacting with seasoned analysts and experts who can conveniently dissect key marketing issues, insights and emerging consumer engagement trends. Okeme also believes that SMEs are veritable tools that can help Nigeria move out of her current recession.

Also commenting on the tilt towards SMEs by ADVAN, Emmanuel Young, a member of Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and keen commentator on Marketing issues feels there are other ADVAN Awards categories that should interest small and medium scale organizations. According to Young, categories like Experiential Marketing, Innovation, Digital/Social Media Marketing and Future Leader of Marketing Awards can equally throw up SMEs that can demonstrate verifiable success in total marketing if they are bold enough to submit entries.

Speaking in details about the relevance of SMEs, Young further explained that although global corporations tend to dominate the business pages, a healthy small business sector is essential to a prosperous economy. His words: “SMEs play increasingly important roles in ensuring that economic growth is sustainable. The small business sector makes a huge contribution on multiple fronts: from employing a diverse workforce and engaging with their local communities, through to bringing jobs to employment black-spots. It is highly commendable that ADVAN is trying to motivate growth in this segment. It is equally commendation that successful ADVAN Award entries by SMEs this year can give them a direct chance to become ADVAN Member with all the concomitant benefits”

The ADVAN Awards is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious and respected awards in the Nigerian marketing community. This year’s Awards nite, which is its sixth edition, is billed to take place at the prestigious MUSON centre, Onikan, Lagos on October 29, 2016.

Just like previous editions, the 2016 award is structured for the express purpose of highlighting the fundamental position marketing occupies in business and public sectors, besides celebrating outstanding marketing achievements across a range of industries.

Daniel Obi