In a bid to up the ante in the Nigerian creative industry, the Association of the Advertising Agencies of Nigeria initiated the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (creative awards) in 2006 to fill the critical gap in the dearth of creative ratings and reward for professionalism.
The association has the belief that the LAIF creative awards will launch Nigeria creative potentials in international circles says the Chair of the LAIF Management Board and Managing Director, 141-Worldwide, Mrs Bunmi Oke.
Since the inception of the awards, the association has held the event six edition back-to-back without miss. It is also evident on record that each edition has provided learning for the subsequent one. This is apparent in the fast rising profile of the awards which endears it to practitioners and industry watchers alike.
As it has become its tradition for the past six years, the AAAN roled out the drums to celebrate professional excellence and reward ground breaking works by the practitioners at the 6th edition of the LAIF awards on Saturday, October 29th,2011 at the prestigious civil centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Arguably, the first major outing by the association since the inception of the Rufai Ladipo led AAAN exco, the president expresses that the award is one to be reckoned with and supported by all, since it supports creativity in particular and marketing communications in general without being partisan.
Mr. Wael Ammar, the Chief Marketing Officer of Etisalat-Nigeria and the platinum sponsor of the 2011 LAIF stated that ETISALAT-Nigeria will continue to support business initiatives aimed at improving creativity in particular and marketing communications in general.
Out of about a 100 (One Hundred) agencies in the country, just about 20% entry was recorded of the total number of agencies. “A total of Twenty (20) agencies participated in the 2011 edition of the Award and competed for Gold, Silver and Bronze in the four main categories of press, outdoor, radio and television and the 12 sub-categories of each of the four main categories” says the Chairman of the LAIF management board.
Be that as it may, what the association lost in number of entries, it gained in the progressively stringent decisions of the LAIF jury panel to consciously judge according to world class standards.
This played itself out in the gold draught witnessed and in some instances; there were not awards in some categories having considered the submitted entries to be below par. This one singular act helped to raise the profile of the awards in the industry and beyond.
The medal table for the 2011 edition of the LAIF awards is led by Lowe Lintas. The oldest agency in the Nigerian market coasted home with the Grand Prix, one gold, a silver. DDB Nigeria, is the first place runners up with three (3) Gold, seven (7) Silver and five (5) Bronze medals, making a total of 15 medals. Rosabel Leo-Burnett is the second place runners up with three (3) Gold, six (6) Silver, five (5) Bronze. It’s total medal haul stands at 14.
Young but dynamic Noah’s Ark came fourth, with two (2) Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze, making a total of four medals.141 Worldwide has in its kitty courtesy the 2011 LAIF awards 1 Gold, two (2) Silver and four (4) bronze medals. It’s total of seven (7) medals places it in the fifth position on the table. Noah’s Ark and 141-Worldwide have established themselves as some of the most consistent young agencies in the Nigerian market.
TBWA Concepts is sixth on the medal list with 1 Gold and two (2) Bronze medals making a total of three medals. STB-McCann has three (3) Silver and 1 bronze, a total of four medals. It is in the seventh position on the table.
Prima Garnet Ogilvy is in the eighth position with two (2) Silver, four (4) Bronze medals. LTC/JWT recorded two (2) Silver and two (2) Bronze, to place ninth on the list while SO&U Saatchi & Saatchi won a Silver, three (3) Bronze medal to place tenth on the list. ZK Nigeria is placed eleventh with a Silver and 1 Bronze while three agencies were – Solution, Novel Potta Y & R, and Bates Cosse tied with one Bronze a piece to place 12th position on the table.
LAIF Awards has proved that talents are embedded in the advertising agencies. It connotes, that its continuity, will launch Nigerian creative potentials in the advertising agencies beyond the spheres of the country to the international circles.
Dignitaries from different sectors of the industry witnesses the 2011 LAIF awards. These include Chief Marketing Officer of Etisalat, Mr. Wael Ammar, who was the Special Guest of Honour; The Chairman of APCON, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, who delivered the goodwill message. Others include Mr. Chris Doghudje (former APCON Chairman), Mr. Ayo Owoborode (Chairman AAAN Board of Trustee), Mrs. Bola Thomas (Member, AAAN Board of Trustee), Mr. Funmi Onobolu (Past President AAAN), Alhaji Garba Kakanrofi (APCON Registrar), Mr. Charles Chijide, (OAAN President), Mrs. Celine Loader (Consultant, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Enitan Denloye (Marketing Director ETISALAT), Mr.Dele Anifowoshe (Marketing Director, Cadbury Plc) among other dignitaries.{jcomments on}
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