Advertising Sectoral Groups (HASG), an umbrella body that makes up marketing, media, advertising activation as well as out-of-home media companies in addition to transmitting firm teams, yesterday called for more consultations on the proposed charge of an N100,000 on adverts played on foreign media channels.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had stated that going forward there would be a fine for advertisements transmitted on foreign-owned channels and production of content abroad by advertisers, urging that brand names that run adverts during foreign matches must compulsorily advertise during Nigerian premiership games.
He added that brands that create their advertising materials abroad will pay a fine of N100, 000 each time such adverts are run, including advertising and materials promoting Nigerian brands will be routed as well as authored by Nigerians in the country.
But in a statement jointly signed by the President, Advertising Association of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Steve Babaeko, President, Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Mrs. Bunmi Adeniba and President, Media Independents Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Femi Adelusi, the coalition noted none of its members was carried along before the decision was reached.
Various signatories which include the President, Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Mr. Emmanuel Ajufo, Chairman, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Sa’am Ibrahim and the President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Mr. Tade Adekunle.
The team urged the minister to involve other industry and practitioners more and explore collaboration on issues like the foregoing prior to making pronouncements that can significantly affect the industry.
The advertisers urged the minister to understand that they put their advertising investment where Nigerians are attracted to bearing in mind that media decisions are driven by the consumers’ interest, passion, inspiration and aspirations.
According to them, CNN and other international news channels are watched by Nigerians locally and internationally clarifying that the world is now a global village and Nigerians do not only live within their physical boundaries.
They suggested that Nigerian-based news channels and contents developed locally are also consumed across many countries beyond its borders, with no special fines and levies imposed on companies who place adverts within them.
The coalition stated that while there are some merits in the bid to motivate and support local production of contents in a bid to support the local industries, he minister needs to recognize that these need to be permitted to develop organically.
Likewise most leading advertisers are multinational companies who rationally seek to explore economies of scale in the production of materials, negotiation costs, and broadcast of their contents which run across many countries.
“Despite having this stated, empirical information as well as trended data, shows clearly that that investment in local broadcast stations still outweighs that of foreign channels.
However, the body stressed that its members would continue to reach out and be available to support the ministry of information and culture as well as its regulator, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is expanding the marketing communications industry.
Lastly we strongly appeal to the ministry as well as the National Assembly, to engage and involve the professional practitioners of the various sectors of the marketing communications industry in the conversations on policies at the point of ideation, formulation, and development of these policies.
“This is the best pathway to a progressive and implementable legislation of policies and initiatives that will improve the well-being of the industry and Nigerians,” the umbrella advertisers’ body discussed.
