Brandcom Awards 2026: Success Is Built Gradually, Not Overnight – Convener Joshua Ajayi

The convener of the Brandcom Awards, Joshua Ajayi, has urged young marketing and communications professionals to be patient, consistent and responsible in building their careers, noting that none of this year’s honourees “arrived overnight.” Ajayi spoke on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Brandcom Awards 2026 held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, where brands, individuals and agencies were honoured.

Addressing the young professionals directly, he asked them to take note of the people celebrated on the night. According to him, the winners “showed up, learned, took responsibility, and stayed consistent.” He described excellence as a long road and said the hall was proof that it is worth walking.

The convener also had words for nominees who did not win. He said being nominated is itself a mark of distinction, and urged them to keep building. He added that many of the night’s winners were once on the outside looking in. He said the recognition also belongs to the planners, creatives, analysts and account managers behind every trophy, many of whom never take the stage.

The awards ceremony followed BRANDCOMFEST 2026, which was held earlier the same day, where panels and a fireside chat explored how brands are built, how consumers are won, and how to stand firm amid change. Brandcom Awards also celebrated the Top 35 Under 35 Marketing and Communications Professionals, a category for young practitioners in the industry who were recognised as emerging talent and the next generation of industry leaders.

According to Ajayi, all the winners selected, reflected those themes, having built trusted brands, dealt honestly with consumers, and answered disruption with creativity instead of fear. He restated that the awards’ has continued to maintain its guiding values of Prestige, Integrity and Credibility. In his words, the platform protects its standing through careful assessment, clear criteria and a firm refusal to be swayed by outside influences.

Ajayi explained that presentation of awards do not only encourage and create excellence but also announce it, so that others can hear about it, believe in it and aim for it. In conclusion, he thanked those who nominated, the assessors, sponsors, partners, guests and the Brandcom team for making the event possible. He also thanked his wife and children for their support.