By Ngozi Onyeakusi–The president of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Osamede Uwubanmwen, has said the body is in the forefront of seeking a marketing communications industry that is good and fair to everyone while helping to shape the economic policies of government.

According to him, this is contrary to erroneous notions in some quarters that the body is creating chaos in the advertising industry in particular and marketing communications terrain in general.

Uwubanmwen, speaking at the association’s end-of-the-year press parley to host Brand Journalists, last Friday at its Ikeja, Lagos, secretariat, said the industry belongs to every sector and favouring some at the expense of others is unhealthy for the industry.

“To correct an impression, what we have, which most people don’t know, is not the proverbial yam and knife and/or cash, rather, it’s the knowledge. We are so versed in what we do that it gives us knowledge and that is where our strength lies,” he stated.

“Bringing it to the industry, when the industry engages with us and asks questions, it is the knowledge we have that will enable us say what may work or may not work and the reason is not far from our vast knowledge about the industry. And, as the president of ADVAN and the Vice President of World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), what that does is that, I am communicating with countries in different continents and with CEOs of other continents, whatever Nigeria is doing now, people have tried it somewhere else before,” he added.

The ADVAN President further noted that they are aware that there are so many other people playing in the industry and not just advertisers.

“For me to sell at a particular date, what happens to the competitors? If the talk is, how do we skew this to suit everybody? That would have been a better conversation rather than a straight-jacket position. It does not work like that.

The marketing outside Nigeria is self-regulated – Ghana, Kenya and the likes. What we are saying now is regulation did not just start, it has been existing before now. People say we want to own the industry, it’s like saying you want to take over people’s businesses and do it. No,” he affirmed.

While acknowledging members of Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) for being objective in their reportage, especially since the creation of the AISOP bill, the ADVAN helmsman said brand journalists have shown professionalism in the ongoing conversations, which he described as remarkable while urging for investigate stories as part of their contributions for an even better industry.

On her part, Ediri Ose-Ediale, ADVAN Executive Secretary, said the association is 30 years old this year and as such has no time for controversy or drama.

She posited that the best lesson this year has brought about is the fact that communication is not just key but critical in the sector as she urged journalists to always endeavour to get the ADVAN side on every issue.

“What this year has show more than ever is that communication is key in our industry. For us, we will continue to engage everybody, especially the media, and will continue to make sure no one assumes they know our side,” she posited.