Expectations, as Africa tells ‘own’ story at 2019 S/Africa Advertising Week

FOR practitioners in the nation’s  creative and communications industry, a major hurdle facing the African continent is that of  having its  narratives, controlled by ‘strangers’, especially the West.

Concerned individuals and groups in the marketing and communication sector have, therefore, consistently called on heads of governments and businesses in various African countries to have a common front to tell African stories rather than leaving it for foreigners.  It is also believed that such platforms will provide opportunities for players in communications-related fields to share ideas and explore opportunities.

Interestingly, such agitations seem to be giving way to expectations. After many years of expectation, promoters of the popular Advertising week, in December, last year, announced that the African version of the event, believed to be the world’s largest annual gathering of advertising, creative, entertainment, marketing, media and technology  leaders, in today’s market, would berth in Johannesburg, South Africa, this year, 2019.

The African edition is expected to unite the continent with other cities that had hosted the global event like London, Mexico City, New York City, Sydney and Tokyo.

According to the organisers, a global partnership has since been instituted with Nelson Mandela Foundation, to create new employment opportunities for young people to cushion the effect of poverty in Africa.

While the event will be led globally by Stillwell Partners, a group of eggheads from Republicom, a group of six market-leading companies working together to deliver 360-degree integrated marketing, advertising and creative services,  led by Tunji Adeyinka, Tosin Lanipekun and Eyitayo Olayemi, will be on ground to oversee the Johannesburg leg of the Advertising Week.

To work with them are 31 additional members of the Advertising Week Africa Advisory Council, drawn from various countries and business organisations.

Since its inauguration in 2004, by Matt Scheckner and Lance Pillersdorf, Advertising Week has evolved into a business-to-business event in New York City, cutting across all industries, and has expanded rapidly across the globe.

The Week, which enjoys a global footprint with editions in London (7 years), Mexico City (2 years), Sydney (2 years), Tokyo (4 years) and now, Johannesburg. Via AW360, has since been extended into a thought leadership platform, onto smartphones and tablets year-round.

Speaking on the choice of the host for the maiden African edition, the Chief Executive Officer of Advertising Week, Matt Scheckner  explained that the selection of Johannesburg was the culmination of more than two years of developmental work, adding that it was grounded in a strategic positioning to create and execute Africa-wide participation and presence.

“From female entrepreneurs in Kenya to start-ups in Ghana to a broad spectrum of digital innovation out of Nigeria, there is a unique opportunity to unite the continent and leverage our platform to tell incredible stories from all corners of Africa. This one has a higher purpose.” he said.

Interestingly, not a few believe there are opportunities. For instance, beyond the need for entrepreneurs and start-ups in various countries to leverage the platform for positioning, the Group Managing Director of Republicom Group, Tunji Adeyinka, believes the event has the  potential of enhancing  capacity development in the industry.

He added that the event would give Africans the opportunities to tell their authentic stories.

“We have seen that across Africa, there is a deficit in talent within the industry: the industry is not attracting as many young people as it should in the competition for talent.  Thus, as Republicom Group, we see the Week as a platform that has a potential to enhance the knowledge capacity of the industry,” he stated.

Besides, he argued, the Week will provide a great platform to tell authentic African stories and showcase the great marketing and technology innovations and breakthroughs that have come out of Africa” he said.

Speaking on the forthcoming event,  Director of Advertising Week Africa, Tosin Lanipekun, described Advertising Week as a global industry event and thought leadership platform that will impact on players in the advertising, technology, media and other related fields positively.

“I have just attended an advisory council meeting in Lagos and I was excited with the preparation and readiness of our people to be part of this global event.

“What we conceive is a good mix of thought leadership by day and entertainment and business of show business at night. Besides, there will be photo launches, dinners and awards that resonate well with the industry.

“This award will recognise those who are making impact in the industry from various parts of the continent,” he added.

Though an African event, positioned to allow Africans to speak about their continent from the rooftop, Lanipekun argued that it also has supreme relevance in Nigeria because of the strategic position of the country in Africa, adding that  the event will help brand owners  and customers interact with one another, across the globe.

• ‘Telling unique stories is what inspires my works’

While disclosing that the event has gotten the buy-in of different sectoral bodies, such as the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), companies, media organisations and similar bodies in Ghana, Kenya and other African countries, he expressed his confidence that the event would foster good business, education, marketing and networking relationship among the participants.

Speaking on what informed the decision to settle for African now; Lanipekun explained that the continent was though long overdue for the event, the promoters concluded to hold it now because of the belief that it is well positioned to provide answers to various socio-economic challenges  facing the continent.

“With it, stakeholders will be able to access where we are coming from and the likely future. Experts, drawn from various countries will dissect activities of many sectors to know where the shoe pinches,”  he stated.

On what participants should expect from the event, Lanipekun stated that the immersive daytime programming will be made up of over 50 seminars and workshops that would focus on the industry’s most relevant topics and trends.

Advertising Week President, Lance Pillersdorf, had earlier stated in a previous statement that the African version was inspired by the need to partner and create new initiatives and  elevate the global conversation around uplifting those in poverty and creating enhanced education and ultimately, employment pathways.

“It will create access to education and internships which bring the digital economy to those who historically are shut out of such opportunities. Indeed, it is a key driver of what we are doing with Advertising Week,” he added.