LAGOS — Nigeria’s corporate communications sector is experiencing a strategic pivot from traditional product marketing to a more complex field: the personal branding of executives. According to industry experts, this shift is driven by a market realization that in a crowded digital landscape, a leader’s personal reputation is a primary business asset.
This trend is the foundational principle for the CEO of Brands and PR, a firm that evolved from managing consumer products to specializing in building the public identity of founders and C-suite leaders.
“I tell clients all the time that ‘people buy you before they buy what you’re selling,’ especially online,” the CEO, a 10-year advertising agency veteran, stated. “My main focus is working with leaders… helping them build their personal brands from their core, understanding who they are, why they exist in the marketplace, and how to communicate that identity effectively.”
She describes the service as “handing the world a ‘script’ of what they want to be known for,” moving clients from a state of brand “confusion to clarity.”
However, this specialized field presents significant operational challenges. The primary hurdle is managing client expectations. “Many clients know the problems they want solved, but not what they actually need to achieve those solutions,” she explained. “Convincing them to trust your professional judgement can be tough. If you follow their lead and the results fall short, you still get the blame.”
The cost of acquiring and retaining such high-level clients is also steep. Pitching to CEOs requires substantial, non-refundable investments of time and money, a process she terms “failing forward.”
For entrepreneurs in this volatile industry, the CEO advises a focus on consistency over the “noise around passive income.” She stresses that a willingness to strategically “quit” non-viable ideas and the cultivation of a robust support system are essential for survival and success.
