ARCON Reels Out Plans for 2023 National Advertising Conference, to Launch Brand Nigeria Campaign

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has reeled out plans for the 2023 edition of the National Advertising Conference (NAC) scheduled to hold from December 6 to 8, 2023 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. It will also launch the Brand Nigeria Campaign at the event.

The theme of the third National Advertising Conference is “Marketing Communications as an Enabler for National Transformation”. 

Speaking on the importance of the Brand Nigeria Campaign, the Director General of ARCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo said. “We are going to take a detailed look at all the elements, the DNA, and come up with a communication for it. This is our own industry’s effort aimed at positioning the country’s brand in its right place among the comity of nations. We know that nobody can do this better than professionals.”

To make the event worthwhile, the organizers announced that it has created two committees to handle core projects related to the conference. They are the Brand Nigeria Campaign Committee which is chaired by Steve Babaeko, President of AAAN, and the GDP Multiplier Committee which is chaired by Femi Adelusi, the president of MIPAN.

Commenting on the role of the second Committee, the GDP Multiplier Committee, Fadolapo explained “First of all, what is the industry spend? Secondly, what is the industry’s contribution to GDP? Thirdly, what is the multiplier effect of this contribution? In other climes and markets, there are existing answers to these questions. We are a tripod – the advertiser, the agency, and the media. Within this ecosystem we provide employment, within this ecosystem, there is money moving in and out so we want to take a detailed look at this and how this is impacting the economy positively. So it is for us to sit down to interrogate the body of knowledge as well as every other element that contributes to this profession we call advertising.”.

Giving a rundown of the activities of the three-day Conference, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Tunji Adeyinka, who is also the immediate past president of EXMAN said “On the 6th of December, when this Conference is starting, we will be having a fireside chat with three different industry legends who are going to be sitting on the table to chat and talk about their experience in the industry. The Fireside Chat is going to take place in the evening at John Hood by Bolton Hotel in Abuja. It is also a networking opportunity for industry practitioners.

“The business would start on the second day as we did last year with an economic session which will be looking at the reform agenda and the challenges that the economy currently faces. An economist will be on hand to dissect the reality and imperatives of the Nigerian economy. Then, as I said, we have two issues for presentation – the GDP Multiplier and the Brand Nigeria Campaign launch. A few state governments who have in their way projected their state brands will also be on hand to present their perspectives.

“After the second day, on the 8th we will have breakout sessions. Last year we had three breakout sessions. This year, we will have four breakout sessions.

“Apart from two breakout sessions that will look strictly at industry issues and new developments in content management, data, and translating global insights to local conditions, the next breakout session will be looking at the academics. There is a new curriculum that has been introduced in the universities right now, so we will have some lecturers from the universities who will be speaking on this. And we will also be looking at some students who have graduated from some of these universities to interact within that breakout session.”

He added that the “The fourth breakout session is going to be specifically created for students around Abuja. We will reach out to a few schools in Abuja so that we have a good meeting of the town and the gown. It will be for some of them the first time that they are coming in contact with our industry and for them to begin to understand the opportunities that exist in our industry.

“After the breakout sessions, we will then have our town hall meeting which will be a discussion with the regulator where we will be able to express ourselves on some topical issues and have a very good interaction. In the evening we will have a gala night and the ASP Compliance Award,” Adeyinka revealed.

Adeyinka disclosed that speakers at the event would be announced soon. “We are going to announce our speakers from next week and I can assure you that we will have very accomplished speakers that you will be very interested to listen to. The committee has worked very hard to get airlines and hotels as our partners who would offer more flexible terms and arrangements.”