AAG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS CALL ON MINISTER OF INFORMATION.

Accra, August 7, 2019 – Executives of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), led by its President, Mr. Torgbor Mensah, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Information, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at his office in Accra.

The meeting, which was convened at the request of the AAG, discussed issues that are critical to the marketing communications industry in Ghana and the way forward in overcoming the challenges in the industry. The issues discussed at the meeting included the status of the Advertising Bill, by-laws and regulations guiding the citing and installation of billboards and out of home advertising and possible areas of collaboration between the AAG and the Ministry.

Speaking at the meeting Mr. Torgbor Mensah said:

“The issues raised are very pertinent to the development of the industry and the country as a whole. We have engaged Parliament since 2016 over the Advertising Bill, but as we speak we do not know the status of the bill. We are also concerned about the unrestrained manner in which Assemblies give permit for the installation of billboards and the uncontrolled way the Ghana Highway Authority has been pulling down billboard without consulting the AAG. It is for these and the other issues we have raised that we have come to seek your support”.

Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in responding to the concerns assured the Executives of the AAG that his outfit will work to ensure that together they overcome the challenges facing the industry. According to the Minister, “The Ministry has initiated an engagement process with professional associations such as the AAG to resolve a lot of these issues and identify possible areas of partnership and collaboration. Due to this the Ministry will appoint a liaison officer who will ensure that the Ministry is constantly involved and engaged in the work of the AAG”.

The Executive Council Members of the AAG present at the meeting included Mr. Francis Dadzie, Mr. Orlando Baeta, Mrs. Norko Dua and Mr. Clarence Amoatey. Also present was Mrs Mamle Andrews, Chief Director of the Ministry of Information.

AAG courts NMC’s support for passage of Advertising Bill

The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) is urging the National Media Commission (NMC) to support its bid for the passage of the Advertising Bill.

Its passage, according to the Senior Vice President for the International Advertising Association, Joel Nettey will help sanitize the advertising industry in Ghana.

He made the call when the AAG met with the National Media Commission (NMC) to discuss pertinent issues impeding the advertising industry in Accra.

“Back in the day when we had only one station we cried about it but it had its advantages because there was a vetting system. But these days before you dream about going to do it, it’s already being played on radio” he bemoaned.

Mr. Nettey stressed that, the Advertising Standard Bill, which has been agreed upon in consultation with all the various stakeholders, will regulate all aspects of the advertising industry, including safety concerns.

He was confident that “this Standards Bill will not only regulate the ads field, but will regulate everybody.”

In support, Chairman of the NMC, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh pledged their unflinching support for the AAG to ensure the bill is passed.

However, as an immediate measure, he urged them to adhere to their ethical standards in the discharge of their work.

“In the absence of the bill, they must encourage their members to demonstrate a certain commitment to professionalism” Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh added.

Africa Rising 3 – Register Now

The 3rdedition of the highly anticipated Africa Rising – “What’s Coming Next?” The conference comes off in the city of Accra, Ghana between 20thand 21st May 2019. It promises to be two days of insightful industry developments, networking and discussions with a host of accomplished speakers from all over the world.

The IAA (The Global Compass of Marketing Communications) believes in the future of Africa and this conference provides a platform for an in-depth assessment and understanding of the economic, social forces and trends, insights facing consumers, brands and governments in Africa to collectively bring Africa to the fore in the era of evolution.

This year our speakers and indeed every delegate will answer the question posed from our theme “Technology Vrs. Consumer Choice – Who’s determining the future?” through topics like:

  • Africa – We look forward!!
  • Insights – We are the same but different
  • Brands at Crossroads
  • Digitize and Humanize
  • Nation Branding
  • From the whole comes the whole – some things are not binary
  • Technology Trends Vs. Consumer Brands
  • Influencer Marketing – the right marketing path for your business?
  • Connecting Stories and Experiences
  • The “Madmen” of 2030 (Millennials will rule the world)

The city will come alive with culture, food, music and all things that make Ghana a vibrant and hospitable country. This conference promises to be one of the biggest Marketing Communications event on the African continent in 2019. Make sure you reserve your seat in Accra, May 20 -21 for this ground-breaking industry event.

All accompanying partners will have the opportunity to experience Accra from a culture, commerce and entertainment point of view.

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AAG Executive Council Pays Courtesy on Graphic MD

The Executive Council of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) has paid a working visit to the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL).

The meeting which was to dialogue and deliberate on how to strengthen the partnership between the two bodies was also used to welcome the new managing director of GCGL, Mr Ato Afful who assumed office a little over a month ago.

Speaking at the meeting, the President of the AAG, Mr Torgbor Mensah, said the advertising industry had grown big and it had come to stay, hence the need to forge stronger collaboration with key stakeholders like the GCGL to work towards a common goal.

He revealed that the aim of the AAG was to make Accra the headquarters of advertising in Africa and called for support to push that agenda for the mutual benefit of the two groups. 

While eulogizing Mr Afful for his past managerial experiences in the adverts industry, Mr Mensah said he was hopeful that Mr Afful would bring his managerial skills and experiences to bear on running the GCGL to achieve excellence in the industry.

Welcoming the delegation, Mr Ato Afful said advertising was strategic to the business of the GCGL, adding that “you have been with us for years and the success of this company has been with your support over the decades”.

He, therefore, urged the AAG to support and make inputs into the company’s business concept and development agenda to enable the GCGL to build better and relevant content for its ever-growing audience.

Mr Afful also hinted that the GCGL is undergoing a digital transformation for it to remain relevant and help shape the transformational agenda of the national economy. He said although the traditional print publications of the company would continue to be stronger and better, the management was now focusing on the digital media to meet current demands. 

He said the GCGL was committed to delivering a business that would enable partners and clients to connect and engage easily, as well as deliver compelling messages and content to suit the audience.

For her part, a past President of the AAG, Mrs Norkor Duah, commended the GCGL for its successes over the years, saying: “The GCGL has come a long way and it has excelled. It is way ahead of the game and I encourage you to do more.”

She called for advocacy by the AAG and the GCGL to address issues regarding the regulation of some advertisements by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). 

She also used the opportunity to announce the third Africa Leadership Conference, dubbed: “Africa Rising”, which will be organized by the International Advertising Association (IAA) in Accra in May this year.

While assuring advertisers of improved services this year, the Director of Marketing of the GCGL, Mr Franklin Sowa, urged the executive of the association to impress on their members to update their records with the company as it explored new avenues and systems to operate.

As part of its digital transformation agenda, he announced that the GCGL would soon roll out an online television outlet with impressive content that would enhance the lives of Ghanaians.

Mr Sowa, however, expressed concern over late cancellation of advert orders, saying it disrupted the company’s production and told the advertisers that future cancellation of advert orders at late hours would attract a surcharge of 25 per cent.

AAG Organizes Training for Members

The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) has organized a five-day refresher course for its members in Accra.

The training programme which was dubbed Creative Capacity and Innovation Competence Development took place at the Accra International School of Advertising and Design ( AiSAD ), and forms part of efforts aimed at upgrading the competence of industry players.

Facilitator for the course, Rhoda Onyinah expressed her joy for the overwhelming response and importance attached to the programme by member-agencies, saying it was an “acknowledgment of the skills gap bedeviling the industry.”

She added that AAG was committed to building the skills capacities of its members by supporting and developing new and innovative training product geared toward improving productivity at the workplace.  

“We want to see the training that they are getting reflect in their output in the industry. We should be able to see more entries from Ghana when it comes to the Cannes Awards next year. This year there were a couple of nominations from member-agencies but we are hoping to see more. I also wish to see better production at the Gong Gong Awards next year,” she said.

The 15-selected participants were taken through strategic planning, idea-generation techniques, creative brainstorming and how to take advantage of emerging new technologies.

The Founder and CEO of AiSAD, Christian Obeng Boadi revealed that the course content has strategically been designed to meet the individual needs of the applicants.

He, therefore, believed the initiative taken by the association, when sustained, would go a long way to improving the competitiveness of practitioners on the local and global market.

One of the participants, Nana Ama of TouchPoint Communications said “the course has given me some basic understanding of advertising strategies and developing ideas. Some of the areas we covered were new to me so I am also going to train my colleague so that we work in that regard.”

Alfred, a publicist also opined that the programme has extremely been beneficial to him as he had acquired brilliant ways of generating ideas.

“Moving forward I am going to do great stuff, so watch out for me as a publicist,” he said enthusiastically at the end of the programme.

The Creative Capacity and Innovation Competence Development Programme is an initiative by the AAG and supported by the Skills Development Fund. It is intended to train about 100 personnel in the advertising industry at the end of the programme.