APCON seeks media collaboration in tackling misleading advert

The Acting Registrar, Advertisers Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Ijedi Iyoh, has urged media outfits in the country to assist the Council in addressing misleading advert in order to guard against exploitation of the consumer.

Addressing journalists on the forthcoming national advertising conference in Lagos recently, she noted that media outfits must ensure that the adverts they put out have the clearance of APCON.

According to her, “advertisers must vet their commercials and get clearance from APCON before placing their commercials.”

Specifically, the chairman conference planning committee, Joe-Eugene Onuora, in his speech, noted, “one recurring area of conflict is the granting of credit on transactions and the burden of indebtedness arising from prolonged payment defaults.

“There is also the issue of huge advertising briefs going to non-advertising professionals and foreign agencies and consultants.”

According to him, “many public sector organisations do not appear to appreciate that advertising is a professional practice, reserved for persons who are qualified and registered as advertising professionals.

“Thus, there is large patronage of contractors by public sector organisations resulting in very poor and unprofessional execution of huge-debt campaigns and consequential stultification of growth of the Nigerian adverting profession

“There have also been issues around the regulation of advertising practice in Nigeria. While the role of regulation in stabilising and raising the professional status and public perception of advertising has been largely applauded, the processes and framework of the regulation have sometimes been subjecting of argument and conflicts. This is understandable, given that public-interest sometimes does not conduce to the market share and profit objectives of business organizations. One lingering challenge of the professional regulation of advertising is the long absence of the governing Council of APCON.”

The acting registrar added that the theme of the event is: ‘Advertising in the post-digital age, the profession, the business and Nigeria socio-economic development’.

She said the event would hold in Abuja from November 25 to 27, 2019. The Vice president, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, will declare the conference open and Secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha, is one of the invited guests.

She said there would be a conversation around the business of advertising in Nigeria in the light of the digital revolution that has transformed every aspect of life as well as the current challenge of transforming the nation’s economy.