Meksley Nwagboh, Division Head, Brands and Communications, Fidelity Bank Plc, has told advertising professionals that the end of advertising as it was practised is not a tragedy; rather, it is an invitation to evolve, build better agencies, create intelligent campaigns and develop more responsible communication systems.
Today, the industry has changed with many dynamics such as technology at play; therefore, the players need to change alongside to remain relevant and shape the next chapter.
To Nwagboh, the evolution in advertising is an “invitation to return to the true purpose of advertising, which is understanding people deeply, creating meaningful impact and moving markets responsibly; this is the core today”.
He spoke on “AdVolution: The End of Advertising as We Know It and How to Win What Comes Next” recently at the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) annual meeting in Lagos.
The theme brought together advertising professionals, government representatives, regulators, and stakeholders across the marketing communications industry to examine the future of advertising in a rapidly evolving landscape especially in the face of AI, changing consumer behaviour, technology, and emerging creative models on the future of the industry.
Advising on careful application of AI, Nwagboh said the agencies that will lead the future will not be those with the most AI tools; they will be those with the strongest strategic thinkers, the deepest understanding of people and culture and the wisdom to know when AI should speak and when it should remain silent.
“Use AI to eliminate repetition, not originality”, he said while also advising on AI knowledge among departments and staff in an agency.
Maintaining that in the age of AI, human creativity still prevails, he said the danger is not that AI will replace advertisers. “The danger is that advertisers who use AI lazily will replace themselves.” According to him, technology is a tool, creativity is the force, trust is vital, and relevance is the bridge between brands and the people.
Describing the current transformation within the advertising industry as an opportunity for agencies to rethink how they create value, he noted that consumers increasingly seek relevance, authenticity, and meaningful connections from brands.
Nwagboh emphasised that agencies that will thrive are those that can combine data, technology, and human judgement to create work that resonates with audiences.
“The future will belong to agencies that can turn data into insight and insight into strategy and strategy into stories and stories into measurable impact. “This is why we must rethink the purpose of data in advertising”, he said. He also advised agency collaboration across sectors.
Opening the meeting, AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, described the industry’s current moment as one that requires agencies to embrace change and build the capabilities needed to thrive in a fast-evolving environment.
“The greatest challenge facing the industry is not change itself, but the risk of failing to adapt alongside it, stressing the need for talent development and a stronger understanding of how emerging technologies can work alongside human creativity,” he stated.
Tomiwa Aladekomo, Chief Executive Officer of Big Cabal Media, agreed that while artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the industry, human creativity remains the biggest differentiator. He challenged agencies to focus on the value they provide clients, noting that technology can support the creative process but cannot replace human intuition, cultural understanding, and the ability to develop original ideas.
Speaking earlier, Kelechi Nwosu, chairman of the conference and member of the AAAN BOT who advised that agencies must move from working and creating works for others, identifying ownership of Intellectual Property as an area agencies can think about.
While stating that agencies must identity next things that are rewarding, he said that imagination is the greatest thing agencies have and must use it appropriately,
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, described the theme as timely, noting that while technology continues to shape the world, creativity remains uniquely human.
