In his welcome speech at the maiden edition of Marketing Edge Hall of Fame induction in Lagos recently, he noted that the brand has also been able to build platforms to support the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry and the nation, specifically the creative economy.
He said for the first time, Marketing Edge, bestowed The Chairman, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi with the prestigious Corporate Pacesetter honour.
Speaking further, he added that the brand also paid homage to legends, accomplished professionals, great industry titans, and gurus who blazed the trail in their various areas of endeavours.
Presenting the award to Dr. Ogunbiyi as the pioneer member of the Marketing Edge Hall of Fame was Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor
Key Note Speaker and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Pat Utomi, said when institutions are weak and you work so hard, you get push backs from weak institutions. I have repeated frequently that the biggest risk of doing business in Nigeria is regulatory risk. Government is more likely to cause your failure than market risk. What Africans need are strong institutions, not strong men.
Doyen of Advertising practice, Dr. Biodun Sobanjo said, “I really need to commend John Ajayi. To think that he only started this journey some twenty years ago and has grown to this magnitude makes it all the more commendable.”
The event also witnessed the formal unveiling of a special edition publication of the Marketing Edge magazine
Ajayi noted that Marketing Edge Hall of Fame recognises individuals that have made long-lasting and impactful contributions to the growth and stability of the IMC industry and Nigeria’s creative economy. According to him, “the Hall of Fame epitomises the highest standard of commitment to its tagline of “Promoting the Brand Idea”, its ideals, and its values. He said ten years ago, it introduced the yearly National Marketing Stakeholders Summit & Brands and Advertising Awards of Excellence.
In its quest to bridge the knowledge gap across industries while boosting capacity for businesses generally, he noted that Marketing Edge launched its Quarterly Virtual Summit last year to engage industry players in frank conversations on themes and topics that affect and impact their enterprise.
Similarly, in pursuant of innovation, he stated that Marketing Edge has disrupted the brand journalism space and challenged head-on, the traditional and conventional print media by taking its news headlines and reports outdoors through LED digital billboard headline displays.
These firms, Invent Media, New Crystal Communications, Plural Media, Elevate Media, Nimbus Media and Just Brand it has become platforms for responsive and responsible Corporate Social entities in pro-actively helping to educate, entertain and inform the hitherto largely uninformed Nigerian consumers.
As its latest offering, he added that the Marketing Edge Hall of Fame has been created not only to honour trailblazers and leaders in the fields of the creative economy but to serve as a record and inspiration for the generation next.
