Mr. Osamede Uwubanmwen is Commercial Director at Biogenerics and newly elected President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN). He spoke to our correspondent, ABIGAIL GOLD on a wide range of issues, dwelling on Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), the ADVAN house, marketing practitioners among others. Excerpts….
Where did you meet ADVAN as the new president?
ADVAN, to me, is a good house. I met ADVAN as a good house, and one of the things that people should know about ADVAN is that it is a collective house. ADVAN is so well structured to the extent that it has different forums, groups etc. I will tell you, when there is critical issue to be discussed ADVAN takes a sit to hear the forums. These are the Head of Functions, Head of Brands and different organizations. The executive of ADVAN, in most cases, is to chart the way for us, to guide us for two years. I have been part of many groups, capacity building, stakeholders’ engagement group etc. I am very much involved in ADVAN like other people. ADVAN is for all the people so I am part of ADVAN and I am still part of ADVAN. To me ADVAN is in good hands, it’s just for us to try and take ADVAN to a new height in two years. That is what I see every Exco job is, so you will never meet ADVAN in disarray.
When you talk about taking ADVAN to new height what is the state of health?
The state of health is very good because financially it is good. The state of health is good because the last Exco was able to do a lot of democratic considerations. You can’t take a decision without Exco’s support. The state of health is not only internal based on what to do if they can bring fund to move us to the next level. If they were able to do 3 to 5 events in the next level it is good, because I won’t say I like everything they have done. My style is what I try to understand if it is working or correct. As a group we decide on analyzing what they have done, whatever they have done we will continue to do it and we will inject new ideas into it by changing venues, styles and so on. To me, the state of health is good even if we engage the media stakeholders they still recognize ADVAN as the pillar of the industry.
What is the state of that project?
ADVAN is a continuous process. ADVAN uses its facilities to train a lot of staff. It brings revenues and it ensures a lot of continuity. We will definitely take it to the next level.
After your promotion a very popular brand magazine came up with a story…
I don’t dwell on the issue that borders on hearsay. I dwell on issue that is a fact. We have the ADVAN executive’s names, they are multinational brand stars. CMOs are the chief marketing officers, it means the most senior person on the brand marketing. So some people will call it head of marketing while some people will call it marketing director or commercial director. So there is signatures issue. As at today the CMOs group of ADVAN still exist, ADVAN takes decisions in conjunction with CMOs. I am part of the CMOs and I am the president. We are still there and we deliberate on all issues. We have a common front, when you check ADVAN executive you will see that head of brands are there.
Let us know why you are in this position, ADVAN position?
ADVAN submitted its position statement. We also have a reservation on certain aspects of the AISOP rule, we never turn our back. We have reservation on certain items that we feel it is good. We say that we are good to have this coversation with others. And if we are allowed to sit down, we are trying to make sure it is well executed. Our execution, we think of how it works for the people to have an industry that is perfect than to have an industry to bring a policy and the policy throws the industry into trouble. We need fund, seamless, for the smooth running of the industry. And because we are part of the industry we live everyday of our lives as a brand. We are analyzing government policies, government resolution, government reforms; we know how the things come down to resolution.
ADVAN has to be regulated because of the way we stand for the economy, for the country, we are not regulating the lives of MTN and Coca-Cola. ADVAN is not afraid of APCON because we are regulated of different marketing, so we are part of the legal brand. We are in different sectors.
What are the things your association does not align with other associations in that document?
The entire document is large so we just have to look at the necessary ones to do. ADVAN looks alongside in every other sectors or bodies.
What are you telling your members on how to match out with the point because very soon you will return to the discussion table, how are you going to convince these people?
As you have stated we belong to various industries, payment circle is an internal process when you receive payment. Payment circle is not an external conversation; it’s most times the same with the industry. The payment circle is also determined by various industries base on what time to make their product catch. Product to catch is very essential in payment circle.
ADVAN cannot support you in putting a contract term. ADVAN only advises regulators to know because we know and we need you to know that this law is good but the implementation has various problems because the implementation issue will be based on these heads. We have a lot of immigration either from ADVAN side or from agency side. What ADVAN can do with their issues is that we can do the needful. I am sure all ADVAN members are responsible to do it.
What is your advice?
How ADVAN will come in, is not really clear to me but I will say the media should ensure that they are in touch with the marketing people of the brand side. The media should ensure they have a good proposal which they will pay them and find a way of having necessary information because information is power.
We are part of the AMCS so we build our normal position paper. We also make sure to put our effort as much as we can into the conversation. While we are doing audience measurement, other people outside the country are doing global cross audience measurement.
ADVAN will be at par of the body because we need such bodies because data is necessary and anything that makes us to be more effective and understand how we are doing and make sure it goes well. The other issue around is the bodies that are trying to come up, everything that deals about data is welcome by every ADVAN member. It is data we use to specify our brands, data is never enough for marketing person. Anything that needs to do about data we are aligned. ADVAN needs more data as soon as possible, the more the data the lesser to spend. ADVAN will always support for data and we are always welcome for data.
ADVAN is structured to WFA, we are trying to make sure our structure align with the best practices not only here but globally. We are aligned to the structure that will work best for us.
Why is ADVAN different from the other sector, when their former president can come on board to advise them?
I have been part of ADVAN for years, I have also served ADVAN in different capacities and I will remain as part of ADVAN member as long as I am the president.
Who is an ADVAN member?
ADVAN members are cooperate brands in Nigeria. ADVAN has the privilege to speak to the past president for advice and speak for the members. ADVAN members are cooperate organizations.
How do you get to this position pertaining to your career?
How I got here is not about my career it is because I am keyed into ADVAN. I am passionate about ADVAN. I have being part of ADVAN Exco, I am having ADVAN as another capacity. I have just one vote and every Exco member has a single vote. I am a round table person and a team player. I got here not because of where I have worked or because of my career. I got here because I am passionate about ADVAN. Last year, ADVAN gave me an award, ‘Industry Builder’ because I have been part of the industry for a long time. Being here is different from my career. I have worked in Guinness and now in my present job. In terms of career I have moved in different company.
