Garlands As Brand Communicator Holds Maiden Edition Of Women In Marketing Conference And Awards (WIMCA)

A good number of ladies are usually found in entry level marketing and marketing communications, positions, but further up the ladder, the number seems to decline. It was on the back drop of this that Awesome Communications, publishers of frontline brands and marketing communications journal conceived the idea to hold the Women in Marketing Conference and Awards, which recently held on the 31st of July 2014, at the Shell Nigeria Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos.
The immediate past Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor, who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that women ought to begin to take their place in leadership positions in Marketing and marketing communications. He recounted various experiences he had with female marketing communications professionals early in his career, especially at Lintas and how they immensely influenced his career.
To cap up his opening remarks, Omojafor noted that, “I am looking forward to a period that women will take over the marketing and integrated marketing communication fields. There is no better time than now, because women are not just pretty, they are go-getters and resourceful. The women have arrived and this is their time. We need their leadership and feminine touch.”

In his opening remarks, publisher of Brand Communicator, and Convener of WIMCA, Joshua Ajayi noted that the event was conceived to address the various issues hindering the female folks from achieving remarkable heights in marketing communications, as well as a response to various cover interviews of his publication, which has often been skewed towards male marketing practitioners. According to him, “Amongst many other things, WIMCA seeks to ignite the potential in women towards attaining enviable heights in marketing and management, create a platform for networking among women in the marketing and communications industry, inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in women towards creating and sustaining enduring marketing and communications industry businesses, as well as providing a mentorship platform for young and prospective professionals, and to celebrate women of outstanding achievements in the marketing and communications industry.”

LEADIND THE CHANGE IN YOUR SPACE
The first guest speaker at the conference was Mrs Biola Alabi, Principal Partner, Biola Alabi Media, and the immediate past Managing Director of Mnet Africa. In her presentation, noted that to be on top, whether as a man or woman, the ability to research and sound education are critical. She also emphasized the need to have good network, which she called support team or personal board of directors, opining that these sets of persons are resources to rely on for information and advice besides providing some mentorship directly or indirectly.
Going further she also noted that “Women should always build a support team to get to the next level. It should be a support team you trust so that they could guide and support you. Women should also do more in telling their own stories, and do better at managing their personal brands.”
She also suggested that in making a success of a career in the marketing space, women must be adept at handling data, understand their environment within and outside the workplace, remain focused, leverage on their uniqueness, and be willing to acquire new information.
For females, especially students who are willing to acquire marketing experience but no platforms to give them paid employment, Alabi suggested volunteering as a good way to start.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER SUCCESS IN MARKETING: FACT OR FICTION?
The second presentation of the day was given by quintessential marketing expert, and Managing Director of L’Oreal West Africa, Mr Idorenyen Enang. In his usual no holds barred approach, Idy as he is fondly called by industry practitioners maintained that if a person is not motivated, whether such is a man or a woman, there would be no headway or opportunities for career excellence. He also gave various instances where he had opportunities to work directly at various points in his careers, and noted that if given the right opportunities, women will no doubt excel in their various chosen fields.
He continued that “Having a legislation would be a right step to have more women in higher cadre, because, working with women gives room for better transformation within the work place. On the other hand, women must understand that it is not just about employment but they must utilize properly every opportunity given to them, and most importantly, they must adopt the qualities of an iconic brand, which are authenticity, staying power and consistency.”

INTERACTIVE SESSION
In order to engage with the audience and get some more insights from other seasoned practitioners, the discussants were called up to discuss the papers presented, as well as to give their own informed opinions on other marketing communications issues. Leading the discussion session was the Managing Director/Executive Creative Director of Noah’s Ark Communications, Mr Lanre Adisa. The other discussants were, Mr Kolawole Oyeyemi, General Manager, Consumer Market, MTN Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Oke, Chief Operating Officer, 141 Worldwide, Mrs. Yinka Ogunde, Managing Director, Goals and Ideas Communications, and Mrs Ehinomen Emekabor, Associate Director, Brand Operations, Procter and Gamble Nigeria.
Adisa was data driven in his approach as he gave an analysis of the number of women in marketing and integrated marketing communication field in some developed countries thereafter he narrowed it down to Nigeria. One thing was constant in his analysis, the higher up the ladder, the lesser the number of women. He also noted that this is in spite of the fact that 80 percent of the people who make purchase were women. In Nigeria, there was no female creative director in any of the AAAN recognised Nigerian advertising agencies.
He however maintained that there is need for a balance which must be driven by merit not feminine sentiments.

Another discussant, Managing Director, Goals and Ideas Communications, Mrs. Yinka Ogunde emphasized that being able to identify opportunities is a critical ingredient, as it helps to create new ideas and ways of thinking. She narrated how after resigning from one of the advertising agencies and she decided to set up her own company with niche in education marketing, many wondered why she ventured into it. To them, it was not lucrative, she stated. She said she was not deterred but years after, things are not just getter better and stronger, new opportunities are opening up within the education-marketing field, which she never imagined when she started. She also enjoined women to be bold enough to step out from their comfort zones.

The immediate past President of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mrs. Bunmi Oke, who re-echoed the need to have a support team, said women must be their own challenger by motivating themselves to always want to get and do better.
The Associate Director, Brand Operations, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, Mrs. Ehinomen Enekabor, who implored ladies to marry wisely, advised women not to allow anything to hold them back, especially if their minds are made up on such issues.
The President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria, (ADVAN), Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, said that a woman who got an edge because of her sex and romance with a man would become a slave. He therefore enjoined ladies to always think about merit and not their sex. To him, women are better managers because they have the innate talents to multi-task.

TRENDS WORTH BILLIONS: HOW BRANDS CAN TAP INTO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF NIGERIAN FEMALE CONSUMERS
The last presentation of the day was given by Franklin Ozekhome, the erstwhile Chief Marketing Officer of Insight Communications, and Founder of TINK Africa, an innovation and brand intelligence company. Ozekhome, a well known industry trends-spotter was fluid in his presentation as he shared on how the Nigerian woman had evolved from just being a housewife to being an empowered working woman with increased consumption choices, noting that a new breed of the Nigerian woman has emerged, smart and innovative enough to become breadwinners of their own, and identified trends such as healthy living, “deal lust”, and back to basics fashion.
He also continued further, giving imperatives for marketers, encouraging them to sell magic to the Nigerian woman, not just products, and take the story-telling further by creating touch points for story bonding, and seek to strike an emotional connection with them.

THE AWARDS
The event was capped by the much awaited awards ceremony. The convener Joshua Ajayi had earlier noted that the awards were aimed at celebrating women of proven track records with visible impact, substantial influence and uncontestable contributions in Marketing, Marketing Communications and brand building.
Based on this, some female professionals were recognised for their giant strides in their various industries. . The award for the Outstanding Female Marketing Professional In the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (Marketing) Category, went to, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, Executive Director (Marketing Services), Nestle Nigeria Plc. In the Financial Services Category, it was presented to, Mrs Folake Ani-Mummuney, Head, Marketing and Communications, First Bank of Nigeria Limited;
In the Telecommunications, (Corporate Communications), Ms. Funmi Onajide, General Manager, Corporate Communications, MTN Nigeria, went home with the awards, while in the Creative Advertising Category, Mrs. Mowunmi Owodunmi, Managing Director, STB McCann Lagos, got the award. For the Public Relations Category,(agency business) Ms Alima Atta, Managing Director, SESEMA PR was awarded while In the Out Of Home Advertising Category, the award went to Mrs Ify Onukwuba, Managing Director, NAS Advertising.
Notable members of the Marketing communications community were on hand to grace the occasion. Some of them include, Mr Ayo Oluwatosin, Group Managing Director, Rosabel Group, Mr. Makanjuola Alabi, former Managing Director, Lagos State Advertising and Signage Agency, (LASAA), Kachi Onubogu, Executive Director, (Commercial) Promasidor, Mr Lampe Omoyele, Africa Marketing Director, GlaxoSmithKline, Caroline Okafor, Head, Corporate Communications, Notore Chemicals, Mr. Kayode Olagesin, President, Experiential Marketing Agencies Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), and Mrs. Bola Adeniji, Marketing Manager, OLAM Nigeria Limited,
Students from higher institutions of Learning were also on hand to witness the event. Schools in represented at the event include, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Landmark University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Redeemers University, Lagos State University, Covenant University, and the Pan African University.
The event was sponsored by Procter and Gamble Nigeria, makers of Oral B, Duracell, Ariel, Safeguard, and Always. The event was also supported by L’Oreal West Africa, Promasidor, and Nokia.