Our agency will change the game- Madumere

Chidiadi Madumere is the managing director of Black Purist Media Limited (BPM), an integrated communication agency in Lekki, Lagos State. Prior to establishing the agency, Madumere was the head of Corporate and Marketing Communications at Studio 24 Nigeria. Spoke extensively with Chinwe Agbeze, Madumere on the agency plans to see Canon Europe launch its presence in Nigeria.

It has been an interesting journey so far. Being a young entrepreneur in Nigeria is such a humbling challenge. I think that the most interesting thing about this entrepreneurial journey is finding talents and surrounding myself with like minds.

I have also found out that I am constantly fielding the question “Oh! You guys are so young!” My answer to it has always been, “What has age got to do with it?”

One thing, I have learnt on this journey is how to leave my age at the door and own my position and to stop underestimating myself because I have earned my place at the table. At BPM, we are constantly learning, soaking it all up and innovating. I can confidently say that we are rising very fast.

Black Purist started as a personal blog. It was my way of trying to understand my BEING. It was a platform I used to find and hone my voice.

I became tired of blogging and writing on my Facebook wall. I wanted more. So I went for more.

First, I found out that the corporate and marketing communications was a huge need. It was quite evident in the fact that during my foray in the corporate world, I was changing jobs every 3 months with a good salary to go with it. I also had organisations trying to poach me all the time. I instantly knew I had found my path.

Second, entrepreneurs need to communicate what they do as much as the established organisations do. This is always the first and will remain the constant thing to do. Whether the business is trying to communicate to other businesses or they are trying to reach out to their consumers or break into new markets. It is a constant thing. Businesses will never stop communicating.

Third, I figured that a career focused communications expert will rather have a 9 to 5 in an established organisation than give it all up to set up a marcomm firm.

I also found out that a lot of supposed marketing communications agencies are only good at one element of marcomm. It could be PR, Digital Marketing, Branding, Graphic Design, Copy writing etc. Most of them rarely offer an integrated communications service but they all claim they do.

The first challenge I faced was transitioning from being an employee to becoming a business owner. It does not quite hit you until you are the one paying the salaries and not the one receiving it. The second challenge is finding the right talent. I want to work with people my age but I have found out that they are grossly inexperienced and incompetent.

In this field, you either put your best foot forward or not at all. Finding young creative people with corporate experience is truly a tall order.

It was extremely challenging and it is still challenging.

I felt like the solution at the time was to build my business up to a certain level where BPM can comfortably attract talents and that is exactly what I have been doing. Another challenge is being able to finally attract these talents but not being financially capable to take them on. The 80/20 principle has definitely worked for me in this area.

I think the industry is going through a learning curve. The new media is seriously chasing out the traditional way of doing things. PR is giving ADVERTISING a run for its money. Online Marketing is not letting Offline Marketing be great.

Businesses are looking for new and affordable ways to create top of the mind awareness for themselves and their products; they are looking for how to generate sales. The industry is under a lot of pressure to think outside the box. Agencies are struggling to retain their clients and acquire new ones, and in this present economy it is not as easy as creating an offbeat tune.

Major industry players are losing out to smaller agencies because of pricing and retainership fees. Smaller Agencies are springing up every minute. Of course, there’s mutual respect but there is definitely a lot of competition.

There are respectable agencies and there are competitions like I said. We are a one-stop shop and what is unique about us is that our services are tailored to our clients’ unique needs, objectives and budgets. With us, our clients do not need to look everywhere to shop for different creative and communications services. Our unique selling point is not to work with the most or chase the standard. We want to work with the elite few and the most will come to us.

Our agency intends to change the game and the mentality that agencies have to compete and bid to work with existing foreign brands currently in Nigeria. BPM wants to showcase Nigeria as an emerging market to international brands. We intend to offer these foreign brands a communication roadmap to penetrate the Nigerian market. We want to bring in as much foreign companies as possible. Part of the change we envisage is helping SME’s present and promote themselves to their market.

It is not very encouraging at all but we are cutting costs and we are also looking at affordable ways our clients can reach their target market.

Yes, Canon is officially launching its presence in the Nigerian market. The Canon Central & North Africa is spearheading this entrance. Part of our responsibility is to plan, organise and execute the event of their official launch.

We are also providing our full range of marketing communications services strictly for the event. The product launch and dinner party will hold at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on October 7, 2016. Canon’s presence in Nigeria we believe will instantly eliminate purchasing Canon products from the grey markets. Consumers can now directly interface, interact and purchase products directly from Canon’s identified sales partners.

It is also an opportunity for consumers to learn how to properly use the new Canon Products from the manufacturers.

We envision an incredible relationship between Canon users and the Canon brand in Nigeria and we cannot wait to see the relationship unfold.

SBOI is an association of small business owners founded by Ikenna Chidoka, one time National Commander of Man O’War Nigeria and I currently offer my services to the board.

SBOI supports small business owners; it provides funding and business education opportunities to its members. Part of the reasons a lot of SMEs struggle to scale the customer base is the lack of a marketing communications road map or expert consultant to offer assistance and measured guidance.

In the next 5 years, we intend to be associated with the entrance of at least 20 foreign brands.