EXMAN tasks members to embrace innovation at industry awards

Members of Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) have been charged to see innovation, capacity development and solidarity among others as key factors to grow the industry. Outgoing President of the association, Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan, stated this at the inaugural EXMAN awards, when he said these attributes would aid the speedy growth that is anticipated by industry players and practitioners.

According to him, “Innovation is key and we must build on it to distinguish ourselves from illegal practitioners. Knowledge is important and that comes through training and retraining of personnel.”

Olaniyan then advised members to maintain a united front to end clients’ unnecessary bickering among agencies, adding, “There is need for us to understand that as agency practitioners, we should show solidarity to one another. Clients used to knock the heads of agencies and fundamentally have reduced the game to commodity pricing. We must not allow that to continue, because the Mackenzie of this world will not lift a finger until a fee has been agreed. They don’t operate on the basis of commodity pricing; they operate on the basis of the fact that they are good and they should pay for it.”

The association’s annual general meeting, which climaxed with the awards recently, saw the emergence of 22 winners out of 62 entries in the 11 categories. EXMAN Life time achievement award went to Chris Parkes, founder of Chris Parkes Marketing Services. It was a moment of glitz and glamour.

Keskese won the Grand Prix for its strategic interpretation of client’s brief, innovative experiential idea and seamless execution of the first-of-its-kind Noiseless Party for one of its clients – MTN Nigeria, tagged “The MTN Music+ Noiseless Party”.

Other agencies on the winning list included EXP Marketing-Gold for Heineken/Live Your Music in Best Event (B2C) category, GDM-Gold Smirnoff/Guinness House Party- Best activation of an entertainment property, GDM-Gold Smirnoff/Guinness/DJ Spinall album launch in Best use of digital in experiential marketing, Abelinis-Silver Abelinis Fans Championship Africa in the Best Activation of a sporting property and Towncrier-Gold Nigerian Breweries/33 Export in Best Use of Branded Installation or Prop in Experiential Marketing among others.

However, there were no winners in three categories as a result of entries falling below standard. The categories are Best Event (B2B), Best Activation of a Cultural property and Best Trade or Shopper Activation.

New exco members were sworn in at the event, including are Kehinde Salami as President, Tolu Medebem as Vice President, Angela Makinwa as General Secretary, Owolabi Mustapha as Financial Secretary and Gil Kimani as Public Relations Officer.

However, out of a 5executivecutive member of the previous exco only Salami returned while Olaniyan, Oladunjoye Wole, Kayode Idowu and Oshinibosi Abiodun did not return.

The new president, Salami, in his maiden address, said it was a new order that calls for new, strategic ideas and execution proficiency in running efficient experiential agencies. He hoped to put in structures that would among others enhance professionalism, earn for practitioners respect of the clients and work toward harmonising interest rates which have put the practitioners’ businesses in jeopardy.

Similarly, the Mr. Parkes, who has been in the industry for upwards of two decades, advised that the younger generation to increase their professional depth and create value of their clients.

The entries were judged by five distinguished practitioners, including Idorenyen Enang (former Commercial Director at Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Managing Director at L’Oreal Central West Africa & Samsung Electronics West Africa and also past-president, Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) as lead judge), Mrs. Bimbo Alabi (ADVAN’s 2nd Vice President), Steve Babaeko (CEO, X3M Ideas) Sam Osunsoko (Managing Director, Leo Burnett Lagos) and Mr. Ikechukwu Obiaya (Dean, School of Media and Communications, Pan Atlantic University).