AAAN President Proffers Strategies on Leveraging IMC for Impact at Rotary’s Public Image Seminar

The President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Head of the Advertising Sectorial Group (HASG), Mr Lanre Adisa, has urged Rotary, a humanitarian organization, to leverage Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC), to develop a new framework to make more impact in the society.
He disclosed this at the Rotary International District 9111’s Public Image Seminar themed “Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Strategy as Magic for Promoting Public Image in Rotary” held last week in Lagos where he also suggested some strategies they should employ to make a difference.
Adisa, Managing Director of Noah’s Ark Communications Limited who was the keynote speaker at the event explained that the organization can bring IMC to work magic for them by leveraging the Power of Consistency, Storytelling as a Spell, The Magic of Multichannel Synergy, Authenticity as the Magic Ingredient, Target Audience Enhancement, Impact Measurement- The Magic Proof and Community Building as a Magical Force.
Speaking on the power of consistency and leveraging the media to make an impact, he said, “The magic of IMC is in its ability to integrate various communication channels to create a unified and consistent message. Through this consistent messaging, trust and recognition are built over time. In today’s fragmented media landscape, this is one-way Rotary can rise above the noise.
“It will require being smart with whatever resources are available for each campaign. It will also require determining which particular communication channels will most effectively deliver the goods. Each media platform, be it social media or traditional media, must be selected and used with well-spelled-out goals and expectations on how it amplifies the message. The Rotary PolioPlus easily comes to mind in this regard. If this campaign were to be launched newly in this era, how would we go around it? ,” he asked.

He added that storytelling plays an important role in making an impact and changing the world, urging Rotary to be deliberate about the stories they tell.
He pointed out that some humanitarian organizations have been able to raise funds for their projects and get the public’s support for their initiatives through emotional stories that resonate with the target audience.
He explained further that “One key asset that can aid the impact of IMC for Rotary is its extensive network of clubs across different strata globally and locally. This helps connect the message to its intended target and the general public most effectively. The cumulative effect of these clubs projecting a singular message using global and local channels is invaluable. The trick here is ensuring that the message doesn’t get diluted in any way. The versatility of this vast network also lends itself easily to the nuancing of the message to the different strata of the network based on their sociocultural context.”
He, therefore, commended Rotary for its contributions to making the world a better place by ending Polio but called for tactical campaigns, thought leadership, and ownership of causes for the organization to make more impact.
“I would like to commend the founding fathers of Rotary and those of you who have continued to raise the banner of doing good for humanity. Today’s new media platforms may be fragmented. We have since gone past the age when we all watched the same programme on TV or radio; when newspapers held sway in terms of information and education. Today, the mobile phone could be likened to an extension of our human anatomy. While all of this can appear confusing, therein lies opportunities to find your space and audience as a brand. What is needed is a well-crafted message with an emotional human angle, delivered through carefully selected channels and deployed to reach your audience wherever they may be. For Rotary, this is the way to keep the magic going,” he said.
In his contribution, the District Governor of Rotary International District 9111, Dr. Wole Kukoyi states that “The event was well attended by Rotarians, non-Rotarians, journalists, public relations and advertising practitioners, bloggers, graphic designers, and other stakeholders”.
Rotarian Olalekan Otun, Chairman of Rotary International District 9111 Public Image Committee noted that “The seminar aims to promote the positive public image of Rotary and foster understanding, appreciation, and support for its humanitarian intervention projects in the communities.”