Building Trust, Not Ad Volume Alone, Will Sustain Consumer Connection, Says Joshua Ajayi, Convener, Brandcom Awards

The convener of Brandcomfest/ Brandcom Awards, Joshua Ajayi, has informed marketing and communications professionals that brands cannot buy lasting consumer connection with advertising or PR alone, insisting that they must earn it through trust.

Ajayi revealed this fact during his welcome address at this year’s event, held on Saturday at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, under the theme “Brand Building, Consumer Connection and Disruptive Realities.”

“You cannot buy connection with volume alone. You earn it through relevance, honesty, and respect,” he said.

He however, noted that trust takes time to build. “Trends move quickly, but trust is built slowly,” he said, adding that in an economy where people weigh every naira before spending, the brands that last are the ones who keep their promises even when keeping them is uncomfortable.

Ajayi went ahead to describe today’s Nigerian consumer as “informed, vocal, and unafraid to walk away”. According to him, shoppers compare prices on their phones before reaching the shelf, and they voice complaints quickly, while praise rarely comes. He said brands that listen to customers will last longer than those that only ‘shout’ at them.

He said a brand is not a logo, a campaign, or a hashtag, but a promise kept over time. He also warned that the disruption in marketing realities punishes complacent businesses and rewards curious ones, as artificial intelligence and algorithms have now reshaped how messages reach people.

The convener’s position was backed by the keynote speaker, Dr Victor Gbenga Afolabi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings and GDM Group, who said brand building goes beyond advertising.

Afolabi said a brand’s reputation is decided by the experience customers get, not by the promises made in its adverts. “It is not enough for people to know a brand; they must also trust it,” he said.

He added that a customer who meets a failed transaction, confusing communication, or an unresolved complaint may lose confidence in a brand, even after seeing an attractive advert.

“When customers repeatedly encounter such problems, the promises made through advertising lose their value,” he said.

The keynote speaker posited that brand building is the job of the whole organisation, not the marketing department alone. According to him, operations, technology, leadership, and company culture must all help to deliver what consumers are promised. He urged businesses to fix the real difficulties customers face instead of leaning on new slogans.

Afolabi also noted that consumers now compare options and share their experiences online, which means businesses no longer fully control how their brands are seen.

Three panel sessions and a fireside chat also formed part of the programme. They looked at the theme from the agency and brand sides, and at how artificial intelligence is changing campaign creation and personalisation.

Ajayi urged delegates to actively take part in the event. “Do not just attend; participate,” he said, asking them to leave with at least one or two ideas to apply in their workplaces and to network beyond their own sub-sectors.

He thanked sponsors, partners, speakers, panellists, and members of the press for their support.

The day ended with the Brandcom Awards, which recognised top brands, agencies and marketing practitioners, among them the 35 Under 35 honourees. The ceremony also witnessed the launch of Retain AI by Dochase ADX.