APCON optimistic on Nigerian Ad creative industry emerging stronger

As Nigerian advertising agencies struggle to win the first creative award at the Cannes International Festival awards in its 62 years of existence, Bello Kankarofi, CEO, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), has expressed optimism that the advertising industry will emerge stronger in the international scene in the near future.

His confidence is predicated on both the exposure of Nigerian creative students to international events such as the Cannes Lions Festival and the organisation of competitive creative awards in Nigeria.Kankarofi said in Lagos when two students sponsored by Chini Productions, who will represent Nigeria at different international creative festivals, paid him a visit that there was opportunity for Nigeria to excel.

“We are opening the eyes of Nigerians, and with Lagos Ideas Festival deepening creativity among Nigerian agencies, we will achieve a greater height,” he said.

The students, Simikoluwa Fajoribi of Mass Communication Department, University of Lagos, will represent Nigeria at Cannes Festival in France for the Roger Hatchuel Academy International, while Salisu Yewande of Mass Communication Department of Redeemers University, will attend the next Dubai Lynx Festival in Dubai. The students emerged winners among competitors from various universities for advertising creative competition.

Speaking earlier, Nnamdi Ndu, CEO of Chini Productions, the representative of the Cannes Festivals in Nigeria who led the students to APCON, appreciated the advertising body for the support in participating in Roger Hatchuel Academy. The programme affords Nigerians the opportunity to meet other people in the industry, he said, saying “participating in the Roger Hatchuel is an eye opener for the students.”

Roger Hatchuel Academy Nigeria, which is now in its eight year, has grown from being a day event to a three-day residential event. The extension is to give participating students from campuses around Nigeria more time to learn from senior industry professionals.

The programme is traditionally supported by APCON and this year, APCON accredited schools sent participants for the programme at no cost to the students or their school.

The programme serves as an early immersion into the competitive world of advertising for the students, and they will have the opportunity to work on briefs individually and in teams, and they will also be tested in their general understanding of advertising, Ndu said.

At the end of the programme, each student usually will receive a certificate of participation, the second runner-up will receive a consolation prize, the first runner-up will attend the next Dubai Lynx Festival, and the winning student will represent Nigeria at the international version of the Roger Hatchuel Academy during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.

In her response, Simikoluwa, who came with her lecturers, promised to be a good ambassador in France, while Yewande promised not to disappoint Nigeria while abroad for the programme.