By NtiaUsukuma.
The absence of formal reports or results of pitches organized by brand owners for agencies desiring to handle their brands is the major reason why lots of rumours trail most account winners after the contest. This assertion was made by the Chief Operating Officer of Centerspread, Mr. AkintundeAkinwale recently while responding to the current spellbinding performances of his advertising agency.
[ad id=”187″]
According to Akinwale, “Pitches are filled with rumour mongering in our country. It would be nice if brand owners can release pitch results. This will help remarkably. Another option is for industry bodies or associations to invite participants in pitches where winners are named. Everyone can now put their works on the table for analysis. This will make marketing communications more robust”.
In the last few months, some analysts have viewed recent mesmerising performances of Centerspread with excitement and curiousity. Who would believe that an agency that withdrew its services from a juicy Etisalat account over some unsavoury developments, and equally threw away a seemingly delicious foreign affiliation with Draft FCB would win seven new businesses or accounts in six months, with seven pitches ongoing?
Akinwale provides the answer; “it is ourintensepassion to stick to the rules and ethics of good corporate governance, and our relentless pursuit of global best standards that has brought this remarkable turn-around to centerspread”.
READ ALSO AAAN To Hold 42nd AGM/Congress In Osogbo, Osun State
Sustainable results suggest that this 33 year-old agency headquartered at Anthony Village area of Lagos had embarked on 360 degree restructuring, re-invention and retooling in order to cope with the current wave of business windfalls. Akinwale took time to dissect how the premium integrated marketing communications shop knitted a new strategic direction that has re-positioned and reinvigourated the agency with capacity to meet clients’ ever-growing needs and demands.
Acknowledging the fact that indeed, the agency had passed through a reasonable period of lull in the past, Akinwale also revealed that it is their latest effort at restructuring, re-inventing and retooling the agency that created these earth-shaking results.
Providing more details on this restructuring, the agency’s Director of Strategy, Mr. Yomi Martins revealed that the agency has embarked on an aggressive operational review of all its previous processes by bringing on board vibrant, energetic and knowledgeable personnel. “We have a five-year Marshall plan on ground. Our founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kola Ayanwale is now taking the back seat as an adviser, mentor and supervisor. A new management team has been put in place headed by Mr. AkintundeAkinwale as Chief Operating Officer. Myself – Yomi Martins, The Creative Director and Claude Nwamba are arrowheads in this emerging scenario. When everything has been put in place, we will unfold it in details to the media community. For now, it is bringing great results.” Matins explained.
[ad id=”599″]
Also speaking on the new order, Client Service Director, Mr. Claude Nwamba said that everything on ground was aimed at making the organisation an agency of first choice in the country. His words: “We have won new businesses recently like Airtel’s advertising brief, Skye Bank Plc, Dana Motors, and many others. There are some new ones we will unveil soon. We will add them to existing businesses such as Ogun State’s Home owner’s charter, Money gram, and many others. Virtually all our recent accounts were won through competitive pitches. All subsidiary companies in the group are doing exceedingly well in their respective sectors. Training, strategic partnerships and deepening the knowledge of all team members are premium issues and huge resources are devoted to them. Indeed our new thinking has made us cross old barriers and we are equally dumping old stereotypes”.
