At the maiden Brand Handlers Summit and Awards, SO&U’s Group Managing Director, Udeme Ufot, challenged Nigeria’s marketing community to rethink its foundations by embracing collaboration, ethics, and innovation as the drivers of sustainable brand growth.
Speaking as Chairman of the summit, Ufot argued that while Nigeria’s advertising industry has won global recognition for creativity and resourcefulness, the ecosystem remains too fragmented to fully unlock its potential.
“We are witnessing an industry that is dynamic and alive, yet inconsistent. The promise is clear, but the performance still falls short,” he told participants.
Collaboration Over Competition
Ufot stressed that success in marketing will not be determined by individual brilliance but by the ability of brands, agencies, regulators, media, academia, and consumers to function as partners in value creation. He urged companies to treat agencies as co-strategists, regulators as allies, and the media as trusted channels in shaping campaigns that deliver measurable impact.
Nurturing Future-Ready Talent
A central theme of his address was talent development. With artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital platforms transforming the profession, Ufot called for a stronger pipeline of professionals equipped for the future. He noted that universities, training institutes, and industry leaders must work together to ensure graduates are not only employable but capable of driving innovation in an increasingly technology-driven field.
“If talent is the currency of modern marketing,” he observed, “Nigeria must invest in producing it at scale.”
Ethics and Trust at the Core
Beyond technology, Ufot underscored the role of ethics as the foundation of the profession. He cautioned that without integrity, even the most innovative campaigns risk collapse.
“Trust is not optional—it is the bedrock of marketing,” he said.
Celebrating Nigerian Identity
He also encouraged marketers to lean into Nigeria’s cultural wealth, from language and humour to aspirations and traditions, as tools for building authentic narratives that resonate both locally and globally.
“Our identity is not a burden to conceal but an asset to showcase,” he affirmed.
Marketing as Economic Catalyst
Concluding his keynote, Ufot urged policymakers and business leaders to treat marketing as central to Nigeria’s economic ambitions. Far from being a secondary function, he argued, marketing drives entrepreneurship, brand growth, and national competitiveness.
“In a country seeking prosperity, marketing is not a luxury—it is a necessity,” he declared.
