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As the 2023 general election draws near, marketing communication practitioners have advised not to allow messages capable of undermining the democratic/electioneering process and the unity and stability of Nigeria into the public arena.
The advice was given by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, in Abuja on Wednesday at the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON)’s 2022 National Advertising Conference, with the theme, The Marketing Communication Industry in Nigeria: Trends, challenges and Prospects”.
Bello noted that ARCON’s vision of promoting responsible and ethical advertising practice as well as acting as the conscience of the society and watchdog for the consumers, is especially relevant and timely as the 2023 elections draw near.
According to him, political advertising was a very significant part of campaigns, adding that the tendency was for the advertisers to go overboard and caused several critical lies while trying to get their messages across to the electorates.
“The vision of Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which among others, is the promotion of responsible and ethical advertising practice, acting as the conscience of the society and watchdog for the consumers, is especially relevant and timely as the 2023 elections draw near.
“Political advertising, as we are aware, is a very significant part of the campaigns and the tendency for the advertisers to go overboard and cause several critical lies while trying to get their messages across is always a factor that cannot be overlooked.
“You therefore have responsibility to ensure that in the course of the campaigns messages capable of undermining the democratic/electioneering process or even the unity and stability of the country are not allowed into the public arena,” the minister advised.
He submitted that the theme of this year’s advertising conference was nit only germaine but also timely as it seemed to closely looked at the advertising industry in all its ramifications.
Bello asserted that, “the role of marketing communication industry for the growth of business and by extension the Nigerian economic cannot be over stated”.
“Your professional expertise perhaps more than ever is required at this point in time, considering the current economically challenging time that is not limited to Nigeria alone.
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“You so carry the burden of responsibility to abide by all the procedures and guidelines regulating your industry as you have the obligation of meeting the needs of your clientele and the general public in Nigeria,” he said.
The minister then expressed the hope that at the end of the conference, far reaching decisions on how best to position the marketing communication industry for sustainable growth and development “and ultimately for the benefit of the people of Nigeria” would be taken.
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the ARCON Director-General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the 2022 conference was being held at a time advertising “regulatory framework is going through some fundamental changes aimed at improving the practice and business of advertising in Nigeria”.
According to him, “the recent repeal of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (Registration Etc) Act which established the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the enactment of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No 23 of 2022 is not just a name change but an improvement on the duties, mandates and responsibility of the regulatory agency.”
Fadolapo said the advertising industry was threatened with growing feeling that the business and practice of advertising was on the decline.
“This year’s theme is timely and could not have come at a better time.
“As we are all aware, our industry is threatened. There is a growing feeling within and outside the industry that the business and practice of advertising are on the decline.
“In order to arrest the apparent decline in performance standard as well as restore confidence and respect, ARCON, in collaboration with all stakeholders has taken up the responsibility for interrogating the body of knowledge, called advertising, as well improving the business framework and standards.
“This conference therefore provides an opportunity to the current and future needs and challenges of the advertising industry,” the ARCON DG said.
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