Pitcher Festival and Advertising Association of Ghana Announce Strategic Partnership to Elevate Creativity Across Africa

 

The Pitcher Festival of Creativity, Africa’s premier celebration of innovation in advertising and communications, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG). This collaboration is designed to strengthen Ghana’s creative industry, expand opportunities for young professionals, and position both organizations as leading voices in Africa’s creative economy transformation.

Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Venus Tawiah, Director of Global Partnerships at AAG, noted: “This partnership is about more than awards and events — it is about building bridges. By connecting Ghana’s creative community with peers across Africa, we are fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.”

The partnership will create opportunities through initiatives such as the Pitcher Awards, the Young Pitcher Academy, the Young Pitcher Competition, and the Festival Watch Parties in Ghana. The Young Pitcher Academy 2026, Africa’s leading training and competition platform for young professionals in marketing communications, is now open for registration. Running from 9 March to 16 May 2026, the Academy will deliver cross-disciplinary masterclasses with global and African thought leaders, sector-specific sessions for creative, media, PR, and brand professionals, regional watch parties in designated cities, and competitions across seven categories, culminating in winners being announced at the prestigious Pitcher Festival. Open to professionals 30 years old or younger working across Africa, the Academy offers high-impact training, networking with top creative minds, continental recognition, and certificates of participation.

Isaac Cudjoe, Executive Director of AAG, emphasized the importance of this collaboration for Ghana’s creative industry: “We are proud to endorse the Pitcher Festival as a platform that not only recognizes creativity but also nurtures it. For Ghanaian agencies and professionals, this collaboration opens doors to continental recognition and global exposure.”

Entries for the Pitcher Awards 2026 are also open, with Early Bird discounts available until 31 December 2025. New for 2026 is the Care Category, which celebrates creative excellence in health-related communication across Africa and the diaspora. Subcategories include public health, pharmaceuticals, wellness, healthcare services, employee wellbeing, and health equity advocacy. Returning Special Awards include Brand of the Year (national and multinational) and Marketing Company of the Year (national and multinational), recognizing outstanding achievements in shaping Africa’s marketing landscape. The Special Awards also include Agencies of the Year, Networks of the Year and Regional Holding Companies of the Year. Now in its ninth year, the Pitcher Awards remain one of Africa’s most prestigious accolades, judged by distinguished juries from across the continent.

Reflecting on the broader vision, Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, Chairman of Pitcher Festival, stated: “This partnership with the Advertising Association of Ghana is a milestone in our mission to unite Africa’s creative voices. By working together, we can amplify Ghana’s role in the continental creative economy, empower young professionals, and showcase the transformative power of African creativity to the world.”

The collaboration between Pitcher Festival and AAG signals a new era of opportunity for Ghanaian and African professionals alike—one that champions learning, recognition, and the collective ambition to place Africa at the forefront of global creative excellence.

 

GONG GONG AWARDS TO BE BETTER POSITIONED WITH NEW GONG GONG BOARD INAUGURATED

In a move signaling a new era of strategic governance, the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) formally inaugurated the Gong Gong Awards Board on Thursday 11th December at the Airport West Hotel. The historic swearing-in ceremony of the 10-member board marks a decisive step toward refining the nation’s premier creative awards and amplifying Ghana’s voice in the international advertising and creative ecosystem.

 

The event drew a gathering of industry stakeholders, media, and dignitaries who witnessed the board members take their oath of office. With its diverse composition spanning academia, media, agencies, and client-side leadership, the board was tasked to bring fresh perspective and rigorous standards into the awards framework.

 

In his inaugural address, Andrew Ackah, CEO of Dentsu Ghana and the President of Advertising Association of Ghana, framed the board’s mission in ambitious terms. “This is not merely an administrative body,” Mr. Ackah stated. “Our collective mandate is to elevate the Gong Gong Awards to international benchmarks, ensuring they become a true beacon of excellence that recognizes and rewards the phenomenal talent within Ghana’s creative sector.”

 

The newly constituted board represents a cross-section of industry heavyweights:

 

Guiding the academic perspective is Dr. Mrs. Linda Narh, a Lecturer and Coordinator at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

 

The media realm is represented by Afeafa Nfojoh, General Manager of Adesa Productions Ltd.

 

The agency and creative industry cohort features a roster of leaders: Russel Eni (Insel Communications), Grace Adzo Andoh (Art Excel), Anand Badami (Publicis West Africa), Nicolette Amaeshi (Pulse GH), Justin Darkwa (Rezultz Advertising), and Russell Banful (Brandflow).

 

Representing the client-side is Lasisi Andre Tayo Jnr, Head of Brand, Marketing Communications & Events at Telecel.

 

The inauguration program blended ceremony with clarity of purpose, featuring opening remarks, the formal swearing-in, and focused discussions on the board’s forthcoming responsibilities. While the group has yet to hold its first working session, the event unequivocally established their role as the custodians of the awards’ integrity and future trajectory.

The establishment of the Gong Gong Awards Board is widely seen as a direct response to the rapid growth and increasing sophistication of Ghana’s creative economy. By installing a body dedicated to governance, excellence, and global relevance, the AAG aims not only to enhance the prestige of the awards but also to catalyze broader industry innovation and professional development.

With this new governing engine now in place, the Ghanaian creative sector watches with anticipation, expecting the Gong Gong Awards to transform into a more powerful platform that celebrates local genius while demanding world-class quality.

 

Advertising grew 8.9% in 2025 – but three companies took most of the spoils (as published by WARC).

Global advertising spend is now on course to close out 2025 with growth of almost 9% to $1.19trn, an upgrade of 1.5 percentage points (pp) from WARC’s September forecast due to strong results from Big Tech platforms and a muted impact on global trade from trade tariffs.

The new projections are included as part of WARC Media’s latest Global Ad Trends: Media’s New Normal report, which finds that the advertising market in 2025 is fundamentally different from the ad ecosystem of the past.

The story in brief

The ad market used to help tell the story of the economy as a whole, but a structural shift has taken place since the pandemic. Advertising has broken away from the economic cycle, and behaves in a way that doesn’t feel reflective of the real economy, explains WARC Media head of content, Alex Brownsell.

New money has arrived from digital-native categories, while commerce has redrawn the measured media map, and Big Tech’s self-reinforcing flywheel is harvesting almost all incremental dollars.

Growth dynamics

Next year, total global advertising is forecast to reach $1.3 trillion at a year-on-year growth rate of 9.1%. Growth of 7.9% in 2027 would push the advertising market’s total value to 1.4 trillion: a doubling in size since the pandemic and equivalent to $150 spent for every person alive today.

Consolidation

  • Alphabet, Amazon and Meta take a combined market share of 56.1% excluding China this year – equivalent to $556.6bn – rising to 58.0% in 2026.
  • Big Tech’s scale gives it an unparalleled ability to invest in research and development, especially AI-driven optimisation, creative automation and first-party data infrastructure.
  • The impact of these closed ecosystems is being seen on the open web, where advertising spend on display formats has declined in recent years.

In context

While ad spend races ahead, most other indicators of economic health look fragile. Real wages have stagnated in many developed markets, inflation has eroded purchasing power, and higher interest rates have made borrowing costlier for brands.

For many large advertisers, growth is coming more from price than volume, which has increased the strategic value of brand-building even as consumer demand stays weak.

Data from WARC’s Voice of the Marketer, a survey of 1,093 practitioners, shows that of those expecting their marketing budgets to grow next year, more than half (51%) intend to increase brand investment.

Advertising Bill Takes Center-Stage at the 2025 AGM of AAG

The urgent need for an Act on advertising in Ghana refuses to go away as both the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) highlight it as a key area of concern for the marketing communications industry.

At the 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of AAG, Andrew Ackah, President of AAG and his counterpart, Abdulai Awudu, President of GIBA raised concerns about the lack of any proper legal framework to regulate a huge industry like the advertising industry in Ghana. AAG has engaged previous governments with the positive expectations for the passage of the Advertising Council Bill, which has been touted as one of the most well-covered and well-drafted bills, yet the industry remains without any conclusive regulation.

Currently, however, the AAG has begun working together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness to re-introduce the bill to Parliament.

Apart from the matters on the Advertising Council Bill, the following areas were also covered:

  • Digital Transformation: AAG celebrated the digitalization of its awards Gong Gong Awards entry system, enhancing transparency and efficiency for the awards.
  • Gong Gong Festival of Creativity: The festival was brought back, this year (2025), after a two-year break. The come-back showcased the best of Ghanaian creativity. A proposed Gong Gong Awards Board was announced, although its official inauguration took place at a separate event on the 11th of December at the Airport West Hotel in Accra.
  • Professional Development & Academic Engagement: The President reported that AAG launched collaborations with global institutions and tertiary schools to upskill practitioners and to nurture the next generation of advertising professionals.
  • Government Relations & Advocacy: The Association continues constructive engagement with ministries, municipal assemblies, and agencies to address industry challenges such as double taxation, billboard regulation, and ethical advertising standards.
  • Increased presence on the global advertising stage: Apart from Ghana’s enviable record with the International Advertising Association (IAA), the President also reported that AAG’s influence had led to some experienced individuals from member-agencies serving on Cannes Lions and the WARC jury panels now.

Inauguration of Committee Chairpersons: Eight Council Members were inaugurated to head the functional committees of AAG to bring a lot more efficiency in the association’s work. The following are the committees to which the eight council members were appointed head: Branding & PR, Education & Professional Development, Out-of-Home (Outdoor), Finance, Membership Drive, Regulatory & Government Relations, Events, and Legal Affairs.

CANNES LIONS LAUNCHES LIONS SPORT

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced LIONS Sport, a new global forum dedicated to the cultural and commercial power of creativity in sport. Taking place 24–25 June 2026 during Cannes Lions, the two-day programme will unite leaders from across brands, agencies, rights holders and media to explore how innovation and creativity in marketing is redefining the US$417bn sports landscape.

 

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: “Sport is the world’s most universal language. It creates shared, borderless moments that no other medium can match. While we understand its scale, the real opportunity now lies in how creativity can transform that scale into meaning, value and growth. It’s clear that the new playing field has shifted from reach to relevance, from audiences to communities and from media buys to cultural moments.

 

“In a landscape where rights are fragmented, fanbases are global and athletes have become their own publishers, LIONS Sport will bring together the people shaping that new reality – because when sport converges with culture and commerce, creativity becomes the ultimate competitive advantage.”

 

Building on more than 70 years of creative benchmarking and industry convening, LIONS Sport will provide the global platform for the world’s most influential sports leaders and marketers to debate, define and recognise creative excellence in sport. The forum will take place in a custom-built venue at the iconic Carlton Hotel, featuring keynote conversations, exclusive case studies, business leader networking forums and experiential showcases from brands and athletes driving the next wave of innovation and growth in sport.

 

Commenting on the launch of LIONS Sport, Nicole Graham, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, NIKE, Inc. said:  “In a world that’s constantly shifting, sport remains a powerful force for connection, inspiration, and cultural influence. At NIKE, we see every day how sport doesn’t just reflect culture—it drives it, shaping the way we tell stories and inspire people around the world. We’re thrilled to see Cannes Lions expand into LIONS Sport, recognizing how profoundly sport is influencing the future of marketing and creative expression.” Since 2001, NIKE has won the most Grands Prix of any brand at Cannes Lions, and has taken home a number of Lions from across a breadth of categories and creative disciplines.

 

LIONS Sport extends Cannes Lions’ established sports ecosystem – with delegates having the opportunity to attend the Entertainment Lions for Sport Awards in the Palais des Festivals. The launch will be delivered in partnership with Headline Partner Stagwell, which returns with its acclaimed SPORT BEACH activation – a dedicated space for networking and collaboration between marketers, athletes and brands. All LIONS Sport passes will include exclusive access to SPORT BEACH and curated VIP sessions across the festival week.

 

Access to LIONS Sport will be application-only, ensuring a high-impact environment designed for decision-makers and future innovators at the forefront of sport, creativity and commerce. Passes can be bought standalone or as an add-on to Cannes Lions Classic passes. Further information on LIONS Sport is available here, and details on pass options and availability can be found at www.canneslions.com.

Pitcher Festival Partners with Advertising Association of Ghana to Elevate Creativity Across Africa

The Pitcher Festival of Creativity, Africa’s premier celebration of innovation in advertising and communications, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG). This collaboration is designed to strengthen Ghana’s creative industry, expand opportunities for young professionals, and position both organizations as leading voices in Africa’s creative economy transformation.

Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Venus Tawiah, Director of Global Partnerships at AAG, noted: “This partnership is about more than awards and events — it is about building bridges. By connecting Ghana’s creative community with peers across Africa, we are fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.”

The partnership will create opportunities through initiatives such as the Pitcher Awards, the Young Pitcher Academy, the Young Pitcher Competition, and the Festival Watch Parties in Ghana. The Young Pitcher Academy 2026, Africa’s leading training and competition platform for young professionals in marketing communications, is now open for registration. Running from 9 March to 16 May 2026, the Academy will deliver cross-disciplinary masterclasses with global and African thought leaders, sector-specific sessions for creative, media, PR, and brand professionals, regional watch parties in designated cities, and competitions across seven categories, culminating in winners being announced at the prestigious Pitcher Festival. Open to professionals 30 years old or younger working across Africa, the Academy offers high-impact training, networking with top creative minds, continental recognition, and certificates of participation.

Isaac Cudjoe, Executive Director of AAG, emphasized the importance of this collaboration for Ghana’s creative industry: “We are proud to endorse the Pitcher Festival as a platform that not only recognizes creativity but also nurtures it. For Ghanaian agencies and professionals, this collaboration opens doors to continental recognition and global exposure.”

Entries for the Pitcher Awards 2026 are also open, with Early Bird discounts available until 31 December 2025. New for 2026 is the Care Category, which celebrates creative excellence in health-related communication across Africa and the diaspora. Subcategories include public health, pharmaceuticals, wellness, healthcare services, employee wellbeing, and health equity advocacy. Returning Special Awards include Brand of the Year (national and multinational) and Marketing Company of the Year (national and multinational), recognizing outstanding achievements in shaping Africa’s marketing landscape. The Special Awards also include Agencies of the Year, Networks of the Year and Regional Holding Companies of the Year. Now in its ninth year, the Pitcher Awards remain one of Africa’s most prestigious accolades, judged by distinguished juries from across the continent.

Reflecting on the broader vision, Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, Chairman of Pitcher Festival, stated: “This partnership with the Advertising Association of Ghana is a milestone in our mission to unite Africa’s creative voices. By working together, we can amplify Ghana’s role in the continental creative economy, empower young professionals, and showcase the transformative power of African creativity to the world.”

The collaboration between Pitcher Festival and AAG signals a new era of opportunity for Ghanaian and African professionals alike – one that champions learning, recognition, and the collective ambition to place Africa at the forefront of global creative excellence.

Member Spotlight: Publicis West Africa Led By Anand Badami

Anand Badami serves as Growth Lead, Emerging Markets & Innovation and SVP of Publicis West Africa, spearheading the future of integrated communications across Central and West Africa.

With a career spanning global markets and a reputation for driving strategic clarity, innovation, and creativity in all aspects of our business, Anand combines business acumen and cultural intelligence to lead transformation – not just of brands, but of teams, processes, and outcomes.

Under his leadership, Publicis West Africa has delivered award-winning work across Africa and beyond, earning accolades such as Creative Agency of the Year and becoming Ghana’s most awarded agency at the 2023/2024 Gong Gong Awards.

Anand is recognized for his collaborative leadership style, empowering talent and championing bold, client-focused innovation that drives measurable impact.

 

Publicis West Africa

Publicis West Africa is the CWAR hub of Publicis Groupe Africa, the largest communications network on the continent, operating in over thirty markets and serving more than four hundred clients. As part of the global Publicis Groupe WW, it delivers end-to-end solutions through the Power of One model, integrating creativity, media, PR, data, and technology to help brands win in a digital-first world. From global giants to local disruptors, Publicis West Africa delivers transformational growth through bold ideas and smart execution.

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. 🌍