Omolaraeni Olaosebikan speaks on efficacy of integrated marketing communications

Poised with the zeal to efficiently accelerate growth in Nigeria’s integrated marketing communications (IMC) industry and propel all-round relevance in the country’s development, brand expert, Omolaraeni Olaosebikan has ignited fresh conversation on why stakeholders must be proactive to keep the sector relevant.

The CEO of McEnies Global Communications, a leading IMC specialist, also identified straight and narrow strategies that could be explored by professionals to revitalise the industry to meet contemporary standards and clients’ demands.

In her view, professionals must begin to deplore IMC tools that would help their clients’ businesses out of the economic difficulties brought upon them by various factors, instead of resorting to self-pity.

She made these disclosures during her monthly media engagements with some brand correspondents at her corporate head office on Monday, August 1, 2022.

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Omolaraeni, who is equally a guru in event planning (Perfect Clicks Signature; McEnies Events and Protocols), added that professionals must have excellent ability and creativity to easily connect with customers at an emotional level, build trust and develop relationship with relatable, relevant, believable, memorable, emotional, engaging and authentic brand stories among others.

Olaosebikan said: “Integrated Marketing Communication is a game of mind and in marketing, perception is a reality. Moreover, practitioners (professionals) in this industry are expected to be proactive and ahead of every storm.

“It is also their duty to always offer relevant professional expertise in order to keep their clients’ business alive no matter the enormity of the challenge.

“For example, COVID 19 pandemic was a shock like no other, involving simultaneous disruption to both supply and demand in an interconnected global economy.

“Some of our colleagues couldn’t stand the heat of those dark days occasioned by the pandemic, but the few of us who stood firm used our professional prowess and passion to deepen IMC as a veritable tool to keep many business alive for both clients and their respective target audiences.

“We successfully met the demands of the so-called new normal that was never anticipated, professionalism significantly played out. Like I usually say, this job is not a walk in the park, it is primarily meant for those that are professionally trained for it and also those with passion and genuine interest at heart.”

Omolaraeni further explained: “As a core professional, an integrated campaign helps you provide customers with information in the format they prefer. Consumers and business customers can specify if they want to receive product information via email, direct mail, text message or telephone.

“Clients that you do not reach directly can still benefit from your campaigns by viewing your print ads or hearing your radio and TV spots. Integration ensures that customers and potential customers receive the same information in all communications.

“You can also meet the needs of customers who search the internet for product information by integrating for example, your website design and content with other communications. Above all you must keep your integrity intact as well as the ethical standards.”

When asked if local firms had really maximised the benefits inherent in marketing communications, Omolaraeni said: “Which Nigerian brands do you know of in the area of consumer goods? And that’s what we need to do. We need to quickly turn these products into brands. For now, there are products all over the place; we need to convert them to brands. It is when we succeed in doing that, that there can now be a connection between the consumers and the brand. And that’s what will bring about volumes that we are looking for; bring the wealth that we are looking for; and save us billions of dollars that we don’t have. And it is possible.

“You are talking to me; you work for various news outlets, and these are Nigerian companies that have Nigerian brand with their respective names. It is indigenous; it is good. Isn’t it? We need to see a lot of that in the area of manufacturing so as to accelerate growth and maximize profit internally and reduce poverty and enhance human capital development.”