2025 Will Be Defined by Digital Acceleration and Shifting Consumer Behaviors Says Insight Publicis Boss, Ogunbambo

As the Chief Operating Officer of Insight Publicis, Dolapo Ogunbambo sits at a vantage position which is  the heart of Nigeria’s evolving Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry—a space that has witnessed seismic shifts in consumer behaviour, digital acceleration, among others. In this no-holds-barred conversation with Brand Communicator, Ogunbambo looks into the challenges and opportunities shaping advertising, brand storytelling, AI adoption, regulatory compliance, and talent retention. From economic turbulence and shrinking marketing budgets to the growing influence of AI and performance-driven advertising, he unpacks what industry stakeholders, professionals and agencies must do to stay ahead. He also shares insights on 2025’s business outlook, key industry action spots, and how AI is both revolutionizing and challenging creativity.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE BUSINESS TERRAINS OF THE IMC INDUSTRY IN 2024?

2024 has been anything but uneventful for the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry. The terrain has been defined by economic volatility, shifts in consumer behavior, and rapid digital transformation. While challenges such as all-time high inflation, unprecedented rise in operational costs, currency fluctuations, and the resultant budget cuts have tested agencies and brands alike, these hurdles have also presented opportunities for innovation, strategic agility, and deeper consumer engagement. Agencies like Insight Publicis that have embraced digital transformation, data-driven storytelling, and adaptive creativity have found ways to thrive despite these headwinds.

HOW DO YOU VISUALIZE THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE IMC INDUSTRY IN 2025, ESPECIALLY THE ADVERTISING SECTOR YOU OPERATE?

The business outlook for the IMC industry in 2025 will be defined by a combination of economic recalibration, digital acceleration, and shifting consumer behaviors. The Nigerian economy, like many emerging markets, is navigating complex realities—ranging from inflationary pressures to regulatory changes. This will influence how brands allocate their marketing budgets, making ROI-driven advertising and performance marketing even more critical.

For the advertising sector, data, AI, and automation will play an even more significant role in campaign execution. Brands are looking for more than just creative storytelling; they want measurable business impact. This means agencies must move beyond traditional advertising and become strategic business partners, using consumer insights, predictive analytics, and omnichannel marketing strategies to drive brand success.

Additionally, consumer expectations are evolving. With the dominance of digital platforms, consumers are demanding more authenticity, personalization, and interactivity in brand communication. Social commerce, influencer marketing, and immersive experiences (AR/VR) will see a surge in adoption, requiring agencies to integrate new storytelling formats beyond static ads.

Another key trend is the rise of brand purpose and sustainability messaging. Consumers—especially younger demographics—align more with brands that demonstrate commitment to social causes, environmental responsibility, and inclusivity. As such, IMC agencies must guide brands in crafting messages that resonate on a deeper level while maintaining business relevance.

2025 is also expected to see a significant increase in regulatory scrutiny within the media and advertising space. Data privacy laws, AI-generated content regulations, and responsible advertising policies will require agencies to operate with more transparency and ethical considerations. The relevant regulatory bodies such as Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) will have to ramp up their talent upskill to cope with the evolving, dynamic and spontaneous issues that will arise from this.

For Insight Publicis, our focus will remain on driving business-led creativity, leveraging technology, and advancing thought leadership in Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem. We are extensively re-engineering and repositioning ourselves, in alignment with our global brand, Leo Constellation, to help brands navigate uncertainty, maximize digital opportunities, and remain culturally relevant in an ever-changing landscape.

HOW WOULD YOU CATEGORIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IS STILL FACING? WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST PRESSING ONES AT PRESENT?

The Nigerian advertising industry continues to face structural, economic, and technological challenges that require adaptive strategies to overcome. The most pressing issues include:

Economic Uncertainty & Budget Cuts

• The Naira depreciation and rising inflation have led to shrinking advertising budgets, as brands focus on survival rather than aggressive marketing. The current attempt by the government to bring stability to the currency and other economic factors will boost business performance if it materializes early enough

• Clients now demand high-impact, low-cost marketing solutions, leading to a shift from traditional media to digital, influencer marketing, and experiential activations.

The Rise of Digital, but with Limited Infrastructure

• While brands recognize the need for digital transformation, Nigeria’s limited broadband penetration and high data costs, especially in the wake of ongoing tariff hikes, continue to slow down the adoption of high-engagement digital campaigns.

• Many FMCG and retail brands still struggle with digital literacy, affecting their ability to fully leverage performance-driven marketing.

Regulatory & Compliance Challenges

• The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has become more stringent in content approval processes, particularly for social media influencer marketing and digital media advertising.

• Stricter compliance laws on data protection (NDPR) also require agencies to handle consumer data with greater responsibility.

The AI Disruption: Opportunity or Threat?

• While AI has enhanced automation, creative ideation, and audience targeting, there is growing concern that over-reliance on AI may weaken creative originality.

• Additionally, AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes, and synthetic media pose risks to brand credibility and consumer trust.

Addressing these challenges requires a balance of innovation, compliance, and value-driven creativity. Agencies must embrace AI while protecting creativity, invest in digital talent development, and prioritize ethical advertising standards.

4. IN YOUR OPINION, HOW BEST CAN THESE CHALLENGES BE TACKLED?

Addressing the challenges facing the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry in Nigeria requires a multi-pronged approach that involves innovation, regulation, talent development, and industry collaboration. Here’s how we can navigate these pressing issues:

Tackling Economic Pressures: Finding Cost-Effective Marketing Solutions

With Nigeria’s high inflation, exchange rate volatility, and reduced consumer spending, brands are under pressure to do more with less.

Solution: Shift focus to high-impact, low-cost marketing strategies like:

• Digital-first campaigns: Brands must prioritize programmatic media buying, AI-driven targeting, and social commerce to maximize ROI.
• Content marketing & influencer collaborations: Rather than relying totally on traditional media that may be considered expensive, brands can complement by tapping into micro and nano influencers to drive authentic engagement.
• Performance-driven marketing: Agencies must link ad spend to tangible business outcomes—measuring performance through attribution modeling, real-time analytics, and AI-powered media buying tools.

Example:

• Pepsi’s “Thirsty for More” campaign leveraged AI-powered media placement and influencer-driven content to connect with Gen Z audiences in emerging markets, including Nigeria, achieving a 30% increase in engagement with a lower ad spend.
• Nike’s “You Can’t Stop Us” campaign during the pandemic used dynamic AI-powered video editing to create a seamless montage of athletes, ensuring high-impact storytelling at a fraction of the traditional production cost.

Bridging the Digital Infrastructure Gap

Despite Nigeria’s growing digital adoption, challenges like high data costs, poor internet penetration, and digital illiteracy still slow progress.

Solution:

• Investing in localized digital solutions: Brands and agencies should develop offline-friendly campaigns, including USSD-driven marketing, SMS-based engagement, and low-data video ads.
• Capacity building for clients: Many businesses lack digital marketing expertise—agencies must educate clients on performance marketing, analytics, and audience segmentation.
• Government-private sector partnerships: The industry can advocate for policies that lower data costs and improve broadband penetration to make digital marketing more accessible.

Example:

Facebook’s Free Basics & a Nigerian Telecom brand’s App provide free access to digital content in Nigeria, helping brands reach lower-income audiences without high data costs.

Addressing Regulatory & Compliance Challenges

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has intensified compliance measures, especially regarding social media advertising, influencer marketing, and consumer protection laws.

Solution:

• Early collaboration with regulatory bodies: Agencies should work closely with ARCON, NBC and relevant regulatory agencies to ensure compliance while maintaining creative freedom.
• Self-regulation & ethical advertising standards: The industry must develop internal compliance frameworks, ensuring that brands follow guidelines before regulatory intervention.
• Advocacy for industry-friendly policies: Agencies should collaborate with industry groups like AAAN, EXMAN and MIPAN under the HASG umbrella to push for balanced regulations that protect advertisers, brands, consumers and agencies alike.

Example:

In 2023, ARCON sued Meta over unapproved Facebook ads, forcing advertisers to rethink influencer marketing compliance in Nigeria.

Balancing AI Integration with Human Creativity

While AI is enhancing media optimization, content creation, and analytics, there are concerns about over-reliance on automation, loss of creativity, and job displacement.

Solution:

• AI should assist, not replace creativity: Agencies must train their teams to use AI for efficiency while ensuring that human creativity remains central.
• Reskilling & upskilling marketing professionals: Training programs should focus on AI-powered marketing tools, digital strategy, and data analytics to help professionals adapt.
• Ethical AI guidelines for advertising: The Nigerian advertising and digital communication industry must establish best practices to prevent algorithmic bias, misinformation, and unethical AI use in advertising.

Example:

PepsiCo uses AI-driven consumer sentiment analysis to refine its marketing campaigns, but final creative decisions are still led by human teams to ensure cultural relevance and emotional appeal.

Strengthening Talent Retention & Industry Growth

The advertising industry in Nigeria faces brain drain, as top talents move to fintech, consulting, or international markets for better pay and career growth.

Solution:

• Competitive compensation & career development: Agencies must offer structured career paths, mentorship programs, and upskilling opportunities to retain talent.
• Flexible work models: With the rise of remote work and freelancing, agencies should explore hybrid models that balance creativity with productivity.
• Collaborative ecosystem: Industry stakeholders should invest in internship programs, partnerships with universities, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to attract and groom young talent.

Example:

• Insight Redefini’s “Management Trainee” and “Creative Intern Academy” initiatives are training programs that equip young professionals with real-world advertising skills, ensuring that Nigeria’s IMC sector remains competitive.

AI IS FAST SHAPING EVERY FACET OF HUMAN LIVES, INCLUDING THE IMC INDUSTRY WHERE YOU OPERATE. HOW HAS THIS IMPACTED YOU AS A BUSINESS LEADER AND AS A PROFESSIONAL?

AI has transformed marketing communications from traditional campaign planning to real-time, data-driven decision-making. As a business leader, AI has impacted me in three key ways:

Smarter Media Buying & Ad Optimization

• AI-driven platforms like Google’s Performance Max, Meta’s AI Advantage+, and programmatic DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) now automate ad placements, audience targeting, and budget allocation.
• At Insight Redefini media agencies, we are leveraging AI tools to improve media efficiency, ensuring that every advertising Naira delivers higher impact.

AI-Generated Content & Personalization

• Brands now use AI-generated content tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Runway to create personalized ad creatives, product descriptions, and social media posts at scale.
• This means that creative professionals must evolve—instead of fearing AI, they must learn how to blend AI efficiency with human creativity.

AI-Powered Consumer Insights & Predictive Analytics

• With AI-driven consumer sentiment analysis, brands can now predict consumer behavior, optimize messaging, and refine targeting strategies in real time.
• For example, our recent AI-driven audience segmentation project for a fintech brand helped identify untapped Gen Z users, leading to a 20% increase in user acquisition.

AI is not replacing human creativity—it is enhancing it. The agencies that succeed will be those that integrate AI into their workflows while maintaining the cultural and emotional intelligence that makes advertising truly effective.

HOW IS IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THIS INDUSTRY AND HOW IS IT POSITIVELY DOING LIKEWISE?

On the positive side, AI has democratized creativity, enabling brands to execute ideas faster and more effectively. It has also improved audience targeting and real-time campaign optimization.

However, the downside includes the risk of generic creativity, over-reliance on automation, and ethical concerns around deepfakes, misinformation, and privacy breaches. There’s also the challenge of talent displacement, as AI takes over certain roles traditionally performed by humans. The key is to use AI as an enabler, not a replacement for human ingenuity.

WE KNOW THE CAF NATIONS CUP IS IN DECEMBER FOR AGENCIES AND ADVERTISERS TO EXPLOIT, WHAT ARE THE OTHER EXPECTED ACTION SPOTS FOR 2025?

Beyond the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), several high-profile events and cultural moments will shape the marketing and advertising landscape in Nigeria in 2025. These events present opportunities for brands to engage consumers, drive conversations, and create impact-driven campaigns:

Nigeria’s General Economic Recovery Initiatives

With the government’s focus on economic reforms, digital transformation, and financial inclusion, brands in banking, fintech, FMCG, and telecommunications will have significant marketing opportunities.

🔹 Key Opportunity:

• Fintech brands can leverage financial literacy campaigns and digital payment adoption to engage consumers.
• Telcos can position themselves as enablers of digital transformation through innovative data, 5G, and connectivity solutions.

🔹 Example:

• The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and fintechs are pushing for increased cashless transactions. Marketing campaigns around financial inclusion, eNaira adoption, and digital payment security will be key action spots for brands.

2025 Elections in Key Nigerian States

States like Anambra will hold governorship elections, sparking heightened media consumption, political discourse, and increased advertising spend.

🔹 Key Opportunity:

• Brands must be mindful of political sensitivities while tapping into heightened engagement across social media, radio, and TV.
• FMCG brands can tailor campaigns around unity, progress, and civic engagement.

The Lagos International Trade Fair & Business Events

This is Nigeria’s biggest trade exhibition, drawing thousands of businesses, investors, and consumers. Other key industry events include:

• Nigeria Economic Summit (policy-focused, attracting business leaders)
• Lagos Fashion Week (opportunity for lifestyle brands)
• Techpoint Build & GAGE Awards (highlighting innovation in tech and media)

 Key Opportunity:

• Brands can leverage these events for product activations, influencer partnerships, and experiential marketing.
• Tech brands like Flutterwave, Paystack, and Google Nigeria will use these platforms to introduce innovations in payments, AI, and digital services.

🔹 Example:

• Heineken has historically partnered with Lagos Fashion Week, creating limited-edition branded collections. Expect similar activations in 2025.

Music & Entertainment: The Rise of Afrobeats & Nollywood

Nigeria’s entertainment industry is booming, with Afrobeats artists dominating global charts and Nollywood movies gaining traction on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Showmax.

🔹 Key Opportunity:

• Alcoholic and energy beverage brands can sponsor Afrobeats concerts and club activations.
• Tech and mobile brands can ride on entertainment-based influencer campaigns.

Major Sporting Events: Beyond AFCON

While AFCON is the biggest sporting event, other key sporting moments will shape advertising in Nigeria:

• The UEFA Champions League Final (May 2025) – Nigeria has one of the biggest fanbases for European football, making it a huge opportunity for sports-related brands.
• The FIFA U-20 World Cup (September 2025) – Nigeria has a history of excelling in youth football, and this tournament presents opportunities for sponsorship and marketing.
• The National Sports Festival (Nigeria’s Olympics equivalent) – An opportunity for brands to engage with grassroots sports communities.

Religious & Cultural Festivals

Nigeria’s biggest festivals—Eid celebrations, Christmas, and New Year festivities— remain key consumer spending moments.

🔹 Key Opportunity:

• FMCG brands will launch festive promotions.
• E-commerce platforms will drive Black Friday & December sales campaigns.

2025 presents a mix of political, economic, entertainment, and sports-driven opportunities. Brands must be agile, consumer-centric, and innovative in crafting campaigns that resonate with Nigeria’s evolving audience. By aligning with high-engagement action spots, agencies and advertisers can drive brand relevance, increase market share, and foster deeper connections with consumers.