Expert optimistic on business recovery 2017 but says innovative firms will excel

Odion Aleobua, marketing communication expert is optimistic of business recovery this year but warned that consulting firms who are able to provide integrated marketing communications with strong engagement tactics on the digital and traditional platform will excel in 2017 despite the current economic realities.

“The PR Agencies who can craft compelling narratives for their clients and creatively use other platforms to amplify messages will be at an advantage”, Odion who is the CEO of Odion Communication told BusinessDay.

Last year was particularly difficult for marketing communication agencies following cut in marketing communication budget by clients and sometimes outright dump of marketing activities. This led to dire consequences in media agencies including reduction in workforce, pile up of salary arrears. But Odion further said that those media firms who can evaluate their strategies and tactics deployed for clients to show ROI will gain the trust of their clients.

He said in continuation of the current communications trend, digital deployment will continue to grow in the dimension of tactics and budget.

According to him with social media space  still grasping with the issues of credible information dissemination – especially as Fake News assume a new normal – the traditional mainstream media will be relied on for validation. “This will once again help them gain ground hitherto lost to social media platforms in the wake of the new media phenomena”.

Odion who has worked for clients in different sectors including oil and gas, service sector and government agencies said Odion Communication is targeting African dominance through superior, innovative, creative, cutting-edge communications solutions to individuals, small businesses, large corporates, industries and government agencies. “We are confident that this is a destination we are capable of establishing our footprints.

In just two years of our set up, we are proud that we have been able to work with leading brands and organisations such as Oando, Leadway Assurance, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Rain Oil, the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), Platform Petroleum, Nepal Oil and Gas Services Limited, Propetrol Limited among others”.