An advertisement goes through the approval process, gets the green light and is eventually released to the public. Then the complaints begin. What happens when a campaign that has already received regulatory approval becomes the subject of public criticism?
That question brings an important tension in advertising into focus. While brands and agencies want the freedom to create work that attracts attention and connects with audiences, they must also consider how their messages are received, particularly when cultural values and public sensitivities are involved.
The issue came up during the WiM Africa Lagos edition of the Real Talk Debate Series, organised in collaboration with Women in Advertising (WIA) and Kantar. As industry stakeholders discussed whether Nigeria was realising its creative potential, the conversation also turned to the role of regulation in determining what eventually makes it to the public.
Dr Emme Akande, Director of Regulation at the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), offered a regulatory perspective on the relationship between creative freedom, compliance and consumer protection.
One example she referenced was an MTN advertisement that had received approval but was subsequently withdrawn following complaints about its portrayal of the girl child.
The example raises a difficult question for advertisers: is regulatory approval enough to guarantee that a campaign will be accepted by the public?
Approval confirms that an advertisement has gone through the required regulatory process. However, public reaction can introduce concerns that may not have been anticipated before the campaign was released. For brands, this means that compliance cannot be treated as the only consideration when developing advertising content.
Akande also referred to goodwill messages that attracted public complaints and required further vetting. These examples highlighted how advertising content can generate reactions that extend beyond the original intention of the advertiser.
For agencies and brands, the challenge is to understand the environment in which their work will be received. A message may be creatively strong, but its interpretation by consumers can influence how it is perceived and whether it continues to serve the brand’s interests.
The discussion also touched on advertising in the digital space, where the boundaries of regulation can be less straightforward. Akande clarified that ARCON does not regulate the entire digital space. However, advertising content placed on digital platforms remains subject to advertising standards.
This distinction matters as brands increasingly use digital channels to reach audiences and work with content creators. The platform on which an advertisement appears does not remove the need to consider the standards that apply to advertising communication.
Yet, regulation also presents a concern for creative agencies. If the process becomes difficult to navigate or leaves little room for experimentation, it could discourage the kind of distinctive work the industry says it wants.
Fiona Uwagwu, Managing Director, Ogilvy Nigeria, raised the need for agencies to receive sufficient regulatory support to experiment and develop creative ideas. She highlighted how regulatory hurdles can affect the creative process, particularly in the digital environment, where content formats and platforms continue to evolve.
Her contribution points to a concern that goes beyond whether an advertisement meets existing requirements. Agencies also need clarity and guidance on how to develop innovative work without running into avoidable regulatory difficulties.
This is where the conversation becomes more complicated. Advertisers need room to tell fresh stories and challenge familiar approaches, but creative freedom does not remove their responsibility to audiences. Equally, regulation must protect the public without unnecessarily limiting the industry’s ability to innovate.
For Nigeria’s advertising industry, the challenge is not choosing between creativity and compliance. It is finding a workable balance that allows brands to communicate boldly while respecting the standards and sensitivities that shape public communication.
Ultimately, an advertisement’s success cannot be measured only by whether it gets approved or attracts attention. It must also be judged by how responsibly it communicates and how well it connects with the people it is meant to reach.
