2021 LAIF and the ‘handshake’ beyond borders

THE race for honours at this year’s Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) has, again, begun.  But while  critical stakeholders look forward to the ‘usual’ event that seeks to recognize excellence,  and help improve the quality of creative craft in the nation’s ad industry, the organisers of the award have vowed to go beyond the already established template. They are asking those that care to listen to expect the ‘unusual’, at this year’s version of the event.

Interestingly, one of such is the decision to extend the ‘creative handshake’ beyond the borders of the country,  this time around.

For instance, this year’s edition will seek collaboration and participation from the creative space in Ghana, as a way of deepening the award, and taking it closer to the organisers’ dream of making it really global.

This much was confirmed at the media briefing held to flag off this year’s edition of LAIF, by the Awards’ board, made up of seasoned and well-tested practitioners in the industry. The board, at the briefing, had  disclosed plans to make the marketing communication community in Ghana part of this year’s edition of the creativity awards, scheduled for November 27, this year.

The chairman of the board, Mr. Lanre Adisa, explained that the decision to extend the awards’ frontiers to the West African country was one of such steps at satisfying that long-held desires of the board at making  the festival truly global.

According to him, besides having some key marketing communication practitioners, from Ghana, on the 30-man jury of the award; quality creative contents from the West African country, will also be sought and graded for this year’s edition of the Awards.

He expressed delight that the Awards, now in its 16th edition, is gradually to assuming a life of its own, as evidenced in the accolades and recognitions it has continued to garner from stakeholders, over the years, especially with the latest coming from the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu.

Commending the  board of the awards, the  President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN),  the association behind the creative festival, Mr. Steve Babaeko, expressed the commitment of the association in ensuring that the Awards live up to its billing of celebrating and recognizing creative talents in the country.

Babaeko, who was represented by the association’s Vice President, Mr. Jenkins Alumona, at the briefing, added that one of the innovations introduced into this year’s edition is the ‘Authentic African Story Awards’, a category aimed at recognizing  stories and campaigns  that best illustrate the African experience.

Another, he added, is the ‘Viewers’ Choice Award’ , a category that gives the public the opportunity to share the campaigns that most resonate with them, via the festival’s portal.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s edition of the Awards, ‘We Made it’, the Project Manager, Mr. Segun Akinyemiju, explained that it is designed to celebrate individuals and brands that had enabled the industry survive the COVID 19 health crisis of last year.

“Those are campaigns that served as a relief during those trying moments,” he stated.

He added that this year’s edition would be extended to individuals in the  music industry, movie industry and other content creators.

One thing that is obvious from the mood of the organisers of the awards is their determination to forge on, despite obvious challenges facing the industry, and the country as a whole.

Participations from Ghana, at this year’s award, will no doubt send the much-needed message that the nation’s ad industry is actually ready to make its presence felt on the global stage.

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