APCON to partner IAA on global advertising standards
Godwin Anyebe
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has embarked on a strategic move towards realigning its mutual relationships with the International Advertising Association (IAA) with a view to promoting and supporting Nigeria’s advertising industry on a global scale.
Specifically, the Council said it was deploying strategic machinery, working through organs of the Nigerian chapter of the global advertising body, alongside similar agencies and bodies with membership cutting across advertising and marketing communications entities which encourage and promotes self-regulation.
Acting Registrar/CEO of the Council, Mrs Ijedi Iyoha, who made this disclosure recently in Lagos said that attaining a self-regulatory environment was central the Council’s administrative policy, and to that extent, every sectoral group in Nigeria’s advertising the industry was constantly being encouraged to practice self-regulation.
The APCON boss who observed that the Council had recorded great achievements in regulating Nigeria’s advertising industry noted, however, that the council was facing major challenges in its operations including among other things, the non – constitution of its governing council, inadequate funding and lack of physical presence in every state of the federation.
“We have passed the stage of looking at possibilities. Every sectoral group in the advertising industry practices self-regulation and that includes AAAN, OAAN, BON, ADVAN, MIPAN etc. It is easier to communicate with these bodies and achieve positive results without much ado.
“These bodies also recognise their positions and roles in the industry. They make the most meaningful contributions on how best to develop and strengthen Nigeria advertising industry to make it competitive with what is obtainable in other parts of the world,” she explained.
She added that the Council’s decision to partner with State signage and advertising Agencies were deliberate and necessary for the good of the industry.
She, therefore, advised every practising as well as all intending advertising practitioners to continually adhere to total compliance to the code of ethics of advertising, while also encouraging them to pursue the goal of fulfilment of the basic requirements under the corporate licensing regime.
“Nigeria advertising industry is an interesting profession to explore legitimately.
To those who aspire to become involved in the advertising business, the industry is convivial albeit not for the indolent. Dedication, competence, diligence and industry are its chief characteristics”, she stressed.
