Moving Beyond Good Stories to Bankable Assets: Yinka Adebayo Challenges Content Owners to Think Bigger

In a stirring keynote address that challenged the status quo of the Nigerian creative industry, Yinka Adebayo, Group Executive Director at Omnicom Media Group, has urged content creators to transition from mere storytelling to the creation of “bankable assets”.

Speaking at the EMCOAN induction ceremony held recently, Adebayo warned that in an increasingly competitive digital landscape, “creativity does not thrive on an empty stomach,” stressing that artistic vision must be matched by commercial viability.

Adebayo, addressing an audience of industry leaders and regulators, described Nigeria as a “powerhouse” with a population of 230 million people—an “army of storytellers” that remains largely untapped.

He argued that the traditional top-down approach to broadcasting is dead, as the modern youth audience has become more discerning and selective. “If content is king, then context is god,” Adebayo declared, explaining that success now depends on delivering the right message, at the right moment, on the right platform.

Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted how global streaming giants like Netflix capitalised on a period when local content owners were caught off-guard. He cited successful local examples like “Turn Up Friday” and “Labari Salon” as models of how audience engagement and brand partnership can drive ratings “through the roof”. He specifically highlighted that “Debbie’s Salon” was successful because it involved the audience from the primary stages and ensured the cast was professionally trained, rather than taking the audience for granted.

The Omnicom boss also called for greater professionalism and regulation to “separate the meat from the shark”. He lamented the rise of “unsooled” (untrained) creators who disregard broadcasting ethics and urged the NBC to act as a “Big Brother” that not only monitors but also celebrates those doing it right. “What brings money to the table is what people do, not what they say,” Adebayo concluded, challenging EMCOAN members to use research and agility to ensure their intellectual property becomes a dependable stream of income.