APCON, GAGE awards set for strategic collaboration

Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is ready to throw its weight behind the annual GAGE Awards. The apex advertising and marketing regulatory body is also poised for a solid and strategic collaboration with the leading organisers of awards in Nigeria’s digital space.

This was revealed during a recent courtesy visit paid by Johnson Anorh and his GAGE Awards’ team on the Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, APCON Registrar.

It can be recalled that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also endorsed and threw its corporate support towards the successful staging of the maiden edition of the annual GAGE Awards which held on the 22nd of February, 2020 at the exclusive Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island in Lagos.

The NCC had partnered with the award organisers towards a successful staging of the awards which aims at celebrating brands and individuals who have made positive impact to the growth and advancement of the digital technology space in Nigeria

During the courtesy visit, Dr. Fadolapo said that the GAGE Awards is a good platform for creating rating, as it affects the marketing communications in the tech space. He hinted that APCON will see where and how it can come in as marketing communications cannot be talked about without the mentioning of APCON.

“We must know what is happening in terms of creating rating, but what you are saying now is creating rating as it affects the marketing communications in the tech space,” he said.
On the issue of creative rating for creatives, Dr. Fadolapo highlighted that craftsmanship is supposed to be paramount, but noted that while tech is taking the space, craftsmanship has absolutely little or nothing to do with tech. “Software is now writing copy; but you cannot compare copy that is written by software with what someone like Lanre Adisa or Steve Babaeko will sit down to do. So, what exactly should be the area of focus? Where is the uniqueness in the campaign you are looking for?” he queried.
Fadolapo said that the credibility of the judges on ground must be brought to bear when talking about the creative because they are going to judge different campaigns, and campaign is more about branding and marketing.

“There will be lot of conversation around it, and so if we are going to be bringing people on board, they must be people that can ….if there are opportunities for us to help you look at it, or opportunities for us to have our own input as APCON….” the association can only liaise with us for camaraderie and for regulation in terms of industry growth.

The convener of the Gage Awards, Mr. Anorh and his team who met with the leadership of APCON, deliberated on ways of moving the creative and digital industry to an enviable height in the new normal. The digital awards boss, while congratulating the newly appointed registrar said: “The appointment of Dr. Lekan Fadolapo came in at the right time, as it filled a perceived gap that existed in that system.”

According to the convener, the whole essence of the GAGE Awards is to raise the standard of service delivery, increase the pace of innovation and attract new talents to the digital space. The award is seen as a key private sector contribution towards raising standards in the digital space as well as amplifying the value of digital in Nigeria. The endorsement of APCON as a regulatory body will give GAGE Awards the necessary industry fillip it requires to fly higher.

The Gage Awards is organised by Tomato Digitals Company Limited.