Rumbles, disquiet in nation’s IMC space, as political campaign begins

Recently, the news channels were awash with the grievances of some stakeholders in the nation’s integrated marketing communications space, over the preference of some political gladiators in the country, especially the two major ones, the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC), to look beyond practitioners in the domestic marketing space, in their bid to curry favours from  the electorate, as 2019 general elections approach.

An instance, is the main opposition party’s, the PDP’s contract with a top US lobbyist, Brian Balland, for a whopping sum of $90,000 (N31.5 million) per month, as communications consultants, ahead of the upcoming 2019 elections.

The ruling party, the APC, is not spared either. There are claims, in some quarters, that the party is considering the options of re-engaging AKPD Message and Media, a United States-based public relations and public affairs consultancy firm, said to be highly instrumental to its success at the 2015 polls, or hire a fresh agency from South Africa.

AKPD is Co-founded by Mr. David Axelrod, ex-President Barack Obama’s campaign strategist and a former White House Advisor.

And, just like the rumbles similar  decisions generated before and even after the 2015 polls, some individuals and  bodies, within the nation’s IMC space are beginning to highlight the undesirability of taking such actions and the negative effects it may have on the industry, generally, as the electioneering campaign officially kicked off throughout the length and breadth of the country on Sunday, November 18.

A top Public Relations practitioner, who would rather prefer to speak on the covers of anonymity will prefer to see the development as a clear disrespect for practitioners in the local space here.

“It is a case of having that belief that foreigners are more knowledge-able in issues pertaining to Nigeria, than Nigerians themselves. It is rather absurd.

“Does it mean we don’t have competent hands here to handle such projects?  The Ekiti example is a testimony to that fact we still have competent agencies that can do that here.

“Besides,  how do you expect Nigerians to believe in your local content ‘gospel’, as a government, when what you do in matters like this is  to look beyond this space for solutions?” he queried.

He believes  agencies abound in Nigeria that can handle such projects, if given the opportunity and availed with such huge funds.

The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the umbrella body of public relations consultancy firms in Nigeria, is not finding the issue funny either.

The body had cautioned the  two political parties on the need  to lead by example, by giving due respect to the provisions of the laws, guiding the Nigerian marketing communication practice.

One of tbe provisions, the body argues, is the need to protect and patronise local businesses, which the actions of the two political parties negate.

The  association’s President, Mr. John Ehiguese, believes Nigeria has enough capacity in the form of well-trained and experienced consultants, to handle  political campaigns of any party in the country.

He argued that the local PR consultants and agencies understand the terrain better and are, therefore, better positioned and equipped to craft and project the right strategies and messages.

“The best PR is local, and political communication is country-specific. Local issues will invariably drive the campaigns, and certified local professionals, who live and do business in the country, are in the best position to understand the issues, as well as the local nuances and peculiarities of our media,” Ehiqueze stated.

He also noted that the propensity of politicians rushing overseas for PR consultants, smirks of inferiority complex and constitutes a stumbling block to the development of the nation’s marketing communications industry.

“Even where the right level of competences and capacity may appear unavailable or insufficient locally, several Nigerian PR consultants have foreign partnerships and affiliations whose resources they can tap into, to successfully deliver,” Ehiguese added.

Another practitioner, Mr. Ayodeji Louis would rather see the act as a crime against the practice and the nation’s economy, as a whole.

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“How on earth, at this time, when everybody is stressing the need to look inward, would a group of people, aspiring to lead, be exhibiting so much contempt against the society it intends leading? If everybody is looking beyond the shores of the country for professional expertise, how would the industry develop? How do we also grow the economy? While I agree that the world has become a global village, such development should not be at expense of the local industry and businesses,” he argued.

The Chief Executive Officer of Media Edge, a public relations firm, Mr. John Ajayi,  would rather counsel the local advertising and PR consultants on the need to position themselves against the forthcoming electioneering campaigns.

According to him, practitioners and agencies must be ready to give proactive services and engagements for candidates aspiring for elections.

“We have what it takes to develop good strategy for various parties and candidates to win election if only we respect our own. To me, a local agency that is sure of its onions will not shy away from providing relevant tools for positioning of local clients based on its understanding of the market and global trends.

“The present development, if allowed to continue will only lead to capital flight. If at this age we still go to abroad to look for foreign communications experts, it speaks volume about us as a people,” the Marketing Edge Publisher argued.

Interestingly, watchers of the industry believe that the present resentments of stakeholders to the development might be of little or no effect.