A Consequential Annual General Meeting for AAG

This November 18th 2025 is scheduled for the 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG).

For every individual or corporate members, this AGM is one of the most important AGMs for various reasons: the current Council has just one more year to hand over to a new Council and a new President (this AGM is a preparation for next year’s Council elections), a new Gong Gong Board (made up of top industry experts, academia, top media experts and individuals from client organizations) will be inaugurated, new functional committee members will be inaugurated, the dinner and networking time will be different, etc.

 All member agencies, individual practitioners and all stakeholders of AAG will be attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 5:00 PM. It will be hosted at Insel Communications Ltd., @ 17 Asoyi Crescent, East Legon, Accra.

The theme for this year is: “Securing the Future of Advertising: The Urgent Case for an Advertising Act.” We look forward to hearing from our Guest add his voice to this call to spark up a new discourse on the urgent need for a proper advertising act to be passed in Ghana. The Guest of Honour for the night would be the new President of the Ghana Independent Advertisers Association (GIBA), Abdulai Awuni.

📅 DATE: Tueday, November 18, 2025
🕔 TIME: 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 VENUE: Insel Communications Ltd., East Legon, Accra

No registration required — just show up and be part of the conversation that will shape the future of our industry.

Three Ghanaian Women Lighting Up the Global Marketing Stage

The influence and contribution of Ghanaian women in marketing communications both at home and internationally keeps getting more and more exciting. The pathway of quality that Ghanaian women in advertising and marketing have been demonstrating have been crystalized in different shades of awards internationally. This year, at the Women in Marketing (WiM) Global Awards, the names of three Ghanaian women have come up among a list of 25 incredible women from around the world including the UK, the U.S.A, France, South Africa, Romania, and more. Out of the list, nine represent Africa, and three of them proudly come from Ghanaian.

The three are:

  • Dr. Gillian Hammah, Chief Marketing Officer at Aya Data
  • Venus Tawiah, Agency Lead at Now Available Africa
  • Mariam Kaleem Agyeman-Buahin, Marketer, Brand Consultant & Fintech Professional at Papillon Brands & Marketing Specialists.

Venus Tawiah: A Rising Star with Global Vision

Among the nominees, Venus Tawiah stands out not only for her professional accomplishments but for her continuous drive to build bridges across the creative world. Venus represents Ghana well within the network of Women in Marketing, a testament to her commitment to amplifying women’s voices in marketing.

Venus was also recently appointed as the Director of Global Partnerships (AAG/Cannes Lions & Informa Relations) at the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) a role that connects Ghana’s creative industry to some of the biggest global platforms in advertising and communications.

In this new position, Venus will spearhead collaborations with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Informa, championing initiatives that spotlight Ghana’s talent on the world stage. Working alongside Isaac Cudjoe, APR, Executive Director of AAG, she’ll help strengthen strategic partnerships that benefit local agencies while deepening Ghana’s footprint in the global creative community.

Her journey from leading campaigns at Now Available Africa to shaping international collaborations at AAG embodies the spirit of Ghanaian creativity: resilient, collaborative, and unapologetically bold.

For Ghana, the recognition of Dr. Gillian Hammah, Venus Tawiah, and Mariam Kaleem Agyeman-Buahin is more than just a moment of celebration; it speaks of progress and a sustained intentionality to create excellence for women within the advertising space in Ghana.

About Women in Marketing (WiM)

Founded in 2004, Women in Marketing (WiM) was born from a vision to empower women in every corner of the marketing world from agency corridors and boardrooms to entrepreneurial ventures. WiM is a global movement that celebrates brilliance, courage, and purpose in women shaping the marketing, media, and communications industries.

Every year, WiM honours women whose work transforms brands and communities, bridging cultures and breaking ceilings. It’s a recognition not just of achievement but of impact of stories that inspire the next generation to dream louder and lead boldly.

Welcoming Venus Tawiah to AAG as Director of Global Partnerships

The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) is proud to announce a dynamic new chapter in its leadership journey with the appointment of Venus Tawiah as Director of Global Partnerships – AAG/C Cannes Lions & Informa Relations (formerly known as Ascential).

Venus joins the Association at a pivotal time when collaboration, innovation, and global visibility are shaping the future of Ghana’s creative and marketing industry. With over two decades of experience transforming brands and leading strategic initiatives across Africa’s digital landscape, Venus brings the perfect blend of creativity, leadership, and vision to the AAG leadership team.

In her new role, she will be handling all Cannes Lions and Informa projects, working closely with the Executive Director of AAG to drive strategic initiatives that deliver value for member agencies and amplify Ghana’s creative influence on the global stage.

Venus will also focus on cultivating new global partnerships that align with AAG’s mission to strengthen the advertising and communications industry in Ghana. Her appointment a reflection of AAG’s continued commitment to building stronger bridges between Ghana’s creative talent and the international marketing community.

Venus’s professional journey is one of purpose, innovation, and impact. From leading disruptive campaigns for global and local brands at Now Available Africa to co-founding Digital Foundation Africa, she has built a career on connecting creativity with transformation. As Dean of the Young Pitcher Academy, Venus has mentored and empowered the next generation of creatives, while her advocacy for female participation in Esports and digital innovation continues to drive meaningful inclusion across Africa’s digital ecosystem.

Her work and influence extend beyond borders — serving as the first Ghanaian Cannes Lions WARC Judge. Venus continues to champion African insights and creativity on global stages.

Welcome to the AAG team, Venus. 🌍

 

Government Takes initial Steps to Clean up Billboard Mess in Ghana

The billboard mess in Ghana is almost like a cross-generational canker that has defied any form of solution from one government approach to another. It appears, however, that the government of President John Mahama wants to lead the way to curb the menace once and for all.

Since the Mahama government assumed office, there have been some level of desire by certain state agencies connected to road safety and local government management to clean up the chaos within the billboard sector in the country. But their efforts have been sporadic and a bit uncoordinated.

However, on the 10th of October 2025, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, through directives from the President, inaugurated a 12-member Technical Working Committee to produce practical and enduring solutions to regularize and standardize billboards and signages in the big cities of Ghana. The ultimate aim of the committee and the project is to enhance beautification and aesthetics of the airspace of the major cities in the country.

The 12-member Technical Working Committee was drawn from different bodies related to the outdoor industry including the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), Land Use & Spatial Planning Authority; Office of the Attorney General & Minister of Justice; Ministry of Environment, Science & Technology; Road safety Authority; Department of Urban Roads; Ghana Highway authority; Motor Traffic & Transport Unit of the Police Service; Ghana Institute of Planning; National Development Planning Commission; Department of Parks & Gardens and the Dean of MMDCDs.  

LADMA Embarks on First Stage of Flexis and Billboard Removals

The La DadeKotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), has taken its first action to remove flexis and boards whose permits are not fully paid for as well as boards that are not captured in their data.

The assembly embarked on an exercise on October 7th that led to the removal of a great number of flexis. The next stage of the exercise, according to the Municipal Coordinating Director, is to remove actual boards, especially boards that are not captured in their data or regularized. That exercise will begin by mid-November. In a recent outdoor audit conducted by AAG, managers of LaDMA’s outdoor space, over 60 boards were identified to be irregularly installed and a lot more boards are not captured in the authorized system of the assembly.

Another municipal assembly that has also planned flexi and boards removal exercise is the Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly (ANMA). By convention, billboard owners are expected to pay over 80% of their permit fees by the third quarter of the year.

 

Ninani Group Champions Staff Wellbeing with Annual Sports Day

The Ninani Group, a leading group of marketing communication companies in Ghana, has successfully organized its annual sports day to foster unity and team bonding among its staff.

Held at the American International School Sports Complex, the event brought together staff from the Group’s agencies including Rezultz Advertising, Innova DDB Ghana, Interactive Digital, Touchpoint Magna Carta, Brand Alert, and P2P. The day was filled with friendly competition and laughter as employees swapped laptops for jerseys to take part in football matches, skipping contests, pushups, and other fitness challenges.

Human Resource Manager for the Ninani Group, Akosua Aworae Apau, said the initiative is central to building a thriving workplace culture.

“As a group of businesses, we see our staff to be our biggest assets and we spend a lot of our time in the workspace. So, there’s always the opportunity where we want to come out, relax, have fun and bond. That is why we are having this, mainly for wellness and the opportunity to bond as well,” she said.

Now in its third year, the event has evolved into a cherished tradition, one that blends competition with connection. “Every year has had its own unique experience because we pick learnings from previous events to improve upon the new event,” she noted.

The football tournament, the highlight of the day, ended with Interactive Digital emerging champions, taking home a trophy and a cash prize of GHS5000. Innova DDB Ghana secured second place with GHS2000, while Rezultz Advertising and Touchpoint Magna Carta placed third and fourth respectively.

Member Spotlight: Mrs. Norkor Akua Duah

BRIEF PROFILE OF NORKOR AKUA DUAH (NEE OMABOE)
Mrs. Norkor Akua Duah is a communication specialist with over 3 decades of experience in Brand Building which is reflected in her role of creating most of Ghana’s successful brands in the Marketing communication field.


She is the Managing Director of Mullen Lowe Accra also known as Lintas Ghana Ltd. an Integrated Communications company affiliated to Mullen Lowe Worldwide and Partners, a member of the InterPublic Group of Companies, and she has an oversight role as the Group C.E.O of The Advantage Group (TAG) which comprises Mullen Lowe Accra, Prodesign Ltd, FM24 Ltd and Media Initiative.


Norkor has developed exceptional qualities in Health Communications and Behavioural Change communications. Her expertise in this arena has seen her champion award-winning Public Sector Health campaigns supported by Development Partners as well as Private Sector initiatives over the years.

From an industry perspective, Norkor is currently the Vice President/Area Director, Africa of the International Advertising Association (IAA), a Past President of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) and a founding member of the Ghana Design Network (GDN). She also serves on several boards of highly reputable companies in Ghana.


In 2009, she was awarded the “2008 CIMG Marketing Woman of the Year” for her distinguished contribution to the advertising industry, “Best Entrepreneur Advertising/ Marketing Communication of the Year” Award in 2011 at the Ghana Entrepreneur Awards.

She received the Medal For Merit Award in 2013 for being a promoter of IA programs in Africa, and being the first Vice-President Development-Africa to serve on Exco of the IAA. She also received the Advertising Association of Ghana’s (AAG) 2015 Distinguished Personality Award, including several other accolades.

She was honored with the IAA Inspire Champions award at the 2018 IAA Global Conference for her exceptional leadership and continuous effort in expanding the IAA footprint in Africa most especially through the formation of new chapters. She was in 2019 awarded for her dedication and commitment to the development of Advertising in Ghana at the 4th Ghana Women in Excellence Awards.

She was awarded in 2020 for her Outstanding Contribution to Marketing (Agency) at the 10th Women In Marketing Global Awards.In 2022, she received a Creative Impact Award from the 3Music Awards Women
Brunch for her extensive work and impact in the creative industry.

She also received a Hall of Fame Award from the Ghana CEO Excellence Awards for her leadership and achievements in the Advertising sector of Ghana.

Norkor finds great joy in giving back to society, which finds her in associations like Zonta International, of which she has held many positions. She is also a strong advocate of Girl Child education and as such is involved in promoting reading in children while supporting education amongst the less privileged i.e. The IAA OBAA Project.

Top Executive of AAA Advertising School Shares Perspective on AAG-AAA’s “Unlock the Future of Work with AI Training”.

The recent AI training program organized by the Association of Advertising Ghana (AAG) in partnership with the AAA School of Advertising of South Africa brought together industry professionals for an immersive online upskilling experience. AAG sat down with Anthea Whitehead, Faculty Head at the AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, who played a central role in designing and delivering the training. Here’s her take on how it went and what’s follow next.

Balancing Overwhelm with Breakthrough Moments:

Attendees were introduced to tools and concepts that many had never used before. It was like watching someone see the moon landing for the first time.” “Some days, the amount of information was overwhelming,” Anthea admits. “

To improve future sessions, she suggests a “50% presentation, 50% play” model.
“Giving people toolkits in advance asking them to explore ChatGPT Pro, for example would help them engage more deeply during the live sessions.”

Why AI is No Longer Optional:

When asked whether agencies can afford to ignore AI, Anthea is clear:

“If you’re not using AI, you’re not in business.”

But she emphasizes that AI should serve as a collaborator, not a creator.
“Use it to test ideas, check originality, gather insights. It shouldn’t replace creativity it should refine it.”

Beyond AI: Back to Industry Fundamentals:

While AI dominated the agenda, Anthea sees a parallel need for training in advertising basics:
“How to write a good brief, manage client expectations, run projects on budget these are evergreen skills.”

She advocates for micro-learning shorts, focused sessions that professionals can fit into their schedules.

Africanizing AI: The Next Frontier:

One theme stood out above others: the need to localize AI.
“Right now, AI thinks in Western paradigms. We need tools that understand African contexts, languages, and consumer behavior.”

For Anthea, the training was not a conclusion but a launch:
“This wasn’t a finale it was a start. We’re now looking at how we can build an African knowledge community.”

Parting Thought:

“I’m leaving inspired,” Anthea says. “The engagement especially from Ghana was incredible. This is the start of something new, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.”

Anthea Whitehead is Faculty Head of Marketing and Advertising at the AAA School of Advertising, Cape Town. She has extensive experience in advertising education and played a key role in developing AAG’s recent AI training program.

Participants of AAG’s “Unlock the Future of Work with AI” Training Surprised by the Depths of Training Content

The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) successfully hosted its “Unlock the Future of Work with AI” training, a dynamic and immersive program designed to equip members with insights into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on creative and media agencies. The training ran in two phases: from 27th–29th August and 3rd–5th September 2025, giving participants a comprehensive understanding of emerging AI trends and practical applications.

Key Takeaways:

Participants left the program with:

  • A broader understanding of AI trends affecting advertising, media, and creative industries.
  • Insights into leveraging AI for content creation, personalization, and audience engagement.
  • Awareness of ethical considerations and responsible AI implementation.
  • Practical tools to integrate AI into strategy, campaigns, and innovation processes.

Feedback from the Participating Delegates:

The six-day program left a strong impression on participants, who shared how transformative the sessions were for their professional journeys:

  • “AAA and AAG AI Training has been awesome. It has been a very educative and inspiring six-day journey for me… I discovered tools beyond ChatGPT and Meta AI—like Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Hugging Face, Runway, Gama, and Sound Draw—which will really aid me in my graphic design profession. The key lesson for me was that AI doesn’t just do stuff for you—it responds to the quality of the instructions you give its your TEAMMATE. Garbage in, garbage out; quality in, quality out.” — Howard from BrandFlow.

 

  • “The training has been a good introduction to how working with AI can be done, and seeing the various ways it’s been applied in other markets was a great eye opener. It was like motivation to keep exploring the various tools I find.” — Cosmos from Dentsu Ghana.

 

  • “I had the privilege of participating in this intensive training. One area that stood out for me was the emergence of new skills and challenges in the industry. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into media operations, agencies now require to in programming, data analysis, and machine learning. At the same time, we face critical challenges around ensuring the accuracy of AI-generated content and upholding transparency in automated processes.” — Fafa from Elite Services.

World-Class Speakers and Thought Leaders:

The training featured a distinguished lineup of industry experts and thought leaders:

  • Luca Gallarelli – CEO, TBWA Group
  • Graham Cruikshanks – Director of Africa Operations, TBWA
  • Sydney Rheeder – Head of Creative Innovation, Hunt Lascaris
  • Anthea Whitehead – Faculty Head of the AAA School of Advertising
  • Avi Ramsundra – Global Business Lead, PHD
  • Kyle Fraser – CEO, Plus Narrative
  • Wayne Bishop – PHD Global Business Lead
  • Kenneth Hammond-Ayree – MD, InnovaDDB Ghana
  • Olivia Matterson – TBWA Data & Digital Strategy Lead
  • Mbu Pahlana – Head of Media and Performance Marketing Reckitt
  • Andreas Shifotoka – Strategic Director

These speakers brought diverse perspectives, covering AI strategy, creativity, ethics, data-driven insights, and consumer behavior, ensuring participants gained actionable knowledge applicable to the African marketing landscape.

Topics Covered:

Over the six days of training, participants explored:

  • Adopting an AI Mindset – understanding AI’s role in creative industries (Luca Gallarelli)
  • 8 Themes of Generative AI – exploring cutting-edge AI applications (Graham Cruikshanks)
  • AI Influence on Media Agencies – how AI is transforming operations and campaigns (Sydney Rheeder)
  • AI-Powered Content Creation & Personalization – crafting campaigns that resonate (Kyle Fraser)
  • AI & Consumer Insights – understanding audiences better and creating impactful campaigns (Olivia Matterson)
  • Ethics and the Future of AI – responsible AI use in advertising (Anthea Whitehead, Mbu Pahlana, Andreas Shifotoka)