Advertising professionals have been advised to continuously upgrade their skills and business models to remain competitive in an industry increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, data-driven marketing and changing consumer behaviour.
The call was made at the annual meeting of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) in Lagos, where industry leaders stressed that agencies must adapt to emerging technologies while preserving the human creativity that drives effective communication.
Speaking on the theme, “AdVolution: The End of Advertising as We Know It and How to Win What Comes Next,” Divisional Head, Brand and Communications at Fidelity Bank Plc, Meksley Nwagboh, said the advertising industry had entered a new era where traditional approaches may no longer be sufficient.
According to him, the transformation of the sector should not be viewed as a threat but as an opportunity for agencies to rethink how they create value, serve clients and engage consumers.
He noted that successful agencies would be those capable of combining technology with strategic thinking, cultural understanding and creative excellence.
Nwagboh warned against relying excessively on artificial intelligence at the expense of originality and critical thinking, adding that technology should be used to support creativity rather than replace it.
He also emphasised the growing importance of data, saying future-ready agencies must be able to transform data into insights, insights into strategy and strategy into measurable results for clients.
AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, urged practitioners to embrace change and invest in talent development, describing failure to adapt as a greater risk than the rapid transformation currently taking place across the industry.
Chief Executive Officer of Big Cabal Media, Tomiwa Aladekomo, also highlighted the increasing influence of artificial intelligence but maintained that human creativity, intuition and cultural understanding would remain indispensable in advertising.
Chairman of the conference and member of the AAAN Board of Trustees, Kelechi Nwosu, encouraged agencies to expand beyond client services by developing and owning intellectual property, which he described as a key growth opportunity for the industry.
Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the conference theme was timely, noting that while technology continues to transform business and society, creativity remains a uniquely human strength.
Participants at the conference agreed that agencies that invest in people, embrace innovation and respond effectively to changing consumer expectations will be better positioned to thrive in the next phase of the advertising industry.
The consensus among speakers was that while technology will continue to reshape advertising, long-term success will depend on balancing innovation with the enduring value of human creativity.