Experts Dialogue On Reimagining Marketing Education For A Future Driven By Creativity & Technology At AIC 3.0
Experts from across the marketing communications industry have issued a call to action to reimagine marketing education and practice for the realities of a tech-driven, storytelling-powered future. This call was made yesterday at the third edition of the Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC 3.0) held at Sheba Centre in Lagos.
The event themed “From Dialogue to Data: Merging Storytelling, Human Engagement & Tech in Marketing Communication” brought together a series of thought-provoking presentations between six distinguished speakers, all in one powerful panel.
The speakers included Mrs. Lanre Odufuwa, Head of Marketing, OmniRetail; Prof. Kolade Ajilore, Professor of Communications Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo; Mr. Idorenyen Enang, Immediate Past President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN); Nana Milagrosa, Founder/Chief Experience Curator, MPXM Agency; and Olufemi Odugbemi, Founder and CEO of Zuri24 Media. Managing Director of Redwood Consulting, Hannah Oyebanjo moderated the highly interactive panel.
Speaking on preparing the next generation for a rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, Mrs. Odufuwa brought her expertise to the forefront, guiding the next generation of marketers on the need to adapt to the rapidly evolving market, where disruption is key.
She spoke on the importance of understanding prompt engineering to communicate effectively with AI machines and also acknowledged the growing influence of the creator and influencer economy: “People are no longer just building wealth, they are building tribes. However, authenticity and relevance are non-negotiable.” She revealed.To prepare for the future, she also recommended that institutions teach not only hard skills but also soft skills like agility and creativity, among others.
Idy Enang’s discussion on the panel centered on cultural relevance in automation, specifically focusing on how to maintain authenticity in tech-driven marketing. He reflected on the importance of storytelling in marketing, referencing Femi Odubemi’s emphasis on brands shaping the future through storytelling.
Enang who noted that Storytelling is the soul of marketing, revealed that cultural relevance is crucial, with brands needing to speak to consumers in their own languages and embrace their identities. He also highlighted the importance of emotional experiences and connecting with consumers on a deeper level. He further added that there is need for marketers to shift from a monologue to a dialogue approach, recognizing that communication is no longer about pushing messages, but about pulling engagement through active listening. He stressed that many marketers fail to listen to their consumers, resulting in ineffective marketing strategies. He criticized the current state of marketing, noting that many brands are telling stories that are “totally off the hook” and lacking in authenticity.
Highlighted the importance of technology in enabling personalization and real-time efficiency in marketing. Enang referenced the iconic Coca-Cola ad “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” as an example of effective storytelling and emotional connection encouraging marketers to focus on developing insights and understanding the needs of their consumers, rather than simply relying on technology and data.
Bringing his expertise to the panel as a media expert, Stephen Onaivi who looked at the issues and challenges in media planning strategy in the era of AI reiterated the importance of empowering younger generations to solve Africa’s problems, stating that the continent’s challenges cannot be solved from outside. He expressed excitement about the potential talents emerging from schools, which can drive growth in the industry.
He highlighted three key challenges that need to be addressed. Firstly, called for a centralized approach to data, stressing that having a single source of truth for data organization is crucial for successful marketing. He encouraged younger folks to enhance their capabilities to solve this challenge.Secondly, Onaivi discussed the challenge of extracting key insights from large amounts of information. He questioned how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to gain core insights, and the need for AI to be relevant to local needs and dynamics, and lastly, he addressed the challenge of regulating advertising in the contemporary age. He recommended gathering AI experts to develop a narrative on how to regulate the industry effectively.
Professor Kayode Ajilore spoke on the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry, particularly in the field of marketing communications. He noted that the current model is “mind-boggling”, and there is a need to bridge the gap using technology as a platform.
He observed that research conducted in academia is not responsive to the challenges of the marketing competition, and it is difficult for industry practitioners to access the research believing that technology can be used to solve this problem. He shared some of the policies implemented to bridge the gap, including collaborations with industry practitioners and the development of a localized curriculum. One of the interventions mentioned by Ajilore is the obligation of lecturers to participate in industry partnerships, going beyond traditional student internships. However, he noted that despite these efforts, there are still challenges to overcome.
Ajilore concluded by stating the importance of preparing students for the workforce and driving innovation in the field. He believes that by bridging the gap between academia and industry, they can motivate and encourage future generations to start their own businesses, rather than just searching for jobs.
Bringing her experiential expertise to the discourse on the panel, Nana Milagrosa had a hands-on approach when dissecting the future of brand engagement with the audience. Taking the audience through a live poll conducted during her short presentation, she was able to prove stories that mirror people’s lives or struggles is the top factor in making consumers feel emotionally connected to brand.
Milagrosa also explored what makes consumers engage with a brand after their first experience. The live poll results showed that personalization, consistency, and reflection of one’s identity in the brand’s community are key factors while data-driven activations and experiences are crucial in creating personalized connections with consumers.
To understand what drives consumers to share brand campaigns online, Milagrosa presented another result from the live poll. The results showed that a funny or emotional storyline is the top factor in the Nigerian market. Milagrosa emphasized that consumers share content that relates to them on an emotional level. She also discussed the importance of cultural relevance in brand campaigns. The live poll results showed that campaigns that reflect the consumer’s reality, rather than perfection, make them feel seen. She concluded by sharing case studies of successful data-driven yet emotionally compelling campaigns.
To round up the panel session, Femi Odugbemi who presented the keynote for the day, emphasized the importance of practitioners sharing their experiences and knowledge to enrich the resources available to students. He noted that many professionals in Nigeria retire without documenting their experiences, which is a significant loss of valuable knowledge and insights. In contrast, practitioners in other countries consider it a responsibility to document their journey, providing a wealth of information for students and young professionals.
Odugbemi stressed that this documentation is essential to complement theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. He encouraged professionals to commit to writing case study books and providing internship opportunities to students, emphasizing that character building is just as important as knowledge acquisition.