By: Opeyemi Adebiyi
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced the second annual Advertising Industry Colloquium (AIC 2.0). The event is scheduled for June 27, 2024 at the Sheba Events Centre in Ikeja, Lagos.
The colloquium, themed “Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Advertising Education and Professional Excellence in Nigeria,” will be inaugurated by Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation. The event aims to align academics and professionals in the marketing communications industry.
The Advertising Industry Colloquium and Journal Committee aims to:
1. Plan, organise, and implement the first Annual Advertising Colloquium for academics and professionals in the marketing communications industry.
2. Plan, edit, and publish an annual academic journal for the advertising profession in Nigeria.
3. Market and raise funds through grants, sponsorships, exhibitions, and fees to execute these initiatives.
The colloquium’s theme, “Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Advertising Education and Professional Excellence in Nigeria”, highlights the impact of scientific and technological innovations, major drivers of human development. The 21st century’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), or Industry 4.0, is characterised by disruptive digital technologies and computational power.
These include advanced analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), human-machine interactivity, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), the Internet of Things (IoT), and increased use of robotics and AI in education, production processes, and advanced engineering across all sectors. These emerging technologies significantly impact communication and media, particularly advertising and marketing communication education and professional practices.
AIC 2.0 is a social responsibility (non-fee paying, pro bono) programme, widely supported by advertisers, marketing communication sectorial groups, and regulatory agencies, including ARCON. The programme promotes the town-and-gown relationship and sensitises participants to current knowledge, professional practices, and skill sets required for success in advertising and related fields.
Several national and international corporate organisations, government institutions, and other patriotic Nigerians have already backed the programme. Sponsors will be acknowledged and appreciated in the event’s brochure, including those who placed sponsored advertisements in the maiden edition of the ARCON Journal of Advertising and Marketing Communications (AJAMC).
ARCON calls on other corporate bodies and patriots to generously support this noble and patriotic enterprise, elevating the status of advertising/marketing communication education and professional practices. They also extended gratitude to media organisations that have provided extensive airtime and media space on a pro bono basis during pre-event communications and programme promotion. Commercials for AIC 2.0 have inundated the airwaves, with generous out-of-home exposures.
The media are invited to continue their partnership to enhance the success of this Second Annual Advertising Industry Colloquium. This support will be well documented and appreciated as part of the media’s contribution to the development of marketing communication education and industry in Nigeria.
In closing, the Director General- ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, highlighted ARCON’s efforts to align university education with practical industry needs and the importance of bridging academics and practitioners. He described ongoing industry involvement in curriculum development for advertising and marketing communication. Addressing outdated teaching methods in Nigerian universities and the significance of credible academic publications is crucial to fostering employability for Nigerian marketing communications graduates.
