BenAnyan.com

The International Context

I sat rows from the La Lumiere podium in Cannes where Martin Sorrell was put on the spot several times by Ken Auletta who he was supposed to be interviewing. He was very guarded in his responses about what necessitated his WPP exodus and what specific plans he had for his new company S4 Capital.

Asked if the new company will be a threat to his old establishment, he answered by describing S4 Capital as a peanut that would only be an issue for those with peanut allergies. However, a look at S4 capital’s recently published prospectus shows that, Sorrell is confident that his plan for S4 will make traditional Creative Agencies redundant.

He is betting that marketers who matter will choose to work with firms that offer services relevant for a new era of digital marketing. In his strategy he considers his competition to be consultancy businesses with focus on technological innovation in digital marketing such as IBM iX, Accenture Interactive, Deloitte Digital and PwC in addition to production companies like B-Reel, Stink, Psyop, Omnicom’s EG+ and Publicis Groupe’s Prodigious. There’s no mention of creative shops like Ogilvy, Y&R or JWT.

It is also no secret that creative agencies have suffered significant budget cuts worldwide, with spending patterns of clients shifting drastically. If who has the biggest yachts and choicest beach locations at the Cannes Creativity festival is anything to go by then suffice to say that tech giants like Facebook, Google and Spotify have taken over from big agencies.

There is also the trend of major brands creating in-house agencies as against the traditional agency model. Only this week in a Marketing Week article, Nick Bennett, Honda UK’s digital content and social media manager, revealed the company’s satisfaction with its newly created in-house content hub ‘Engine Room’. Honda doesn’t regret ditching agencies. In fact, he says “For too long, agencies have got away with murder. They outlined what’s successful based on metrics that work for them but don’t necessarily constitute what’s happening in the real world.”

These developments and Sorrell’s conviction reminds me of a favorite Ghanaian proverb that translates; “If a frog jumps out a river and tells you of a hungry crocodile, believe him!”

The Local Context

It’s important to note that in the grand scheme of things and in money terms, the size of the advertising market in Ghana is puny (Projected to reach $200M by 2020). However, as a key market in Anglophone West Africa due mainly to our geo-political advantages, a formidable operation here is strategic for any agency that aims at regional and continental relevance. This becomes even more interesting when you recognize the increasing international political and business focus on Africa as the next viable market for growth and influence.

As a tree, we’re not so remarkable, but we are a special part of a vital forest.

Another key thing is the evolution of the business landscape here in Ghana and Africa. The internet, e-commerce, fin-tech innovations, technology and the evolving digital habits of Ghanaians are driving new startups and many established indigenous businesses to think international in their business projections. Indigenous businesses (especially in fashion, entertainment and tech) are seeing the opportunity and potential to compete and win on the continent.

Also, international corporations like Coke, Unilever, Nestle, KPMG etc. are establishing more fervently in the country and region. The recent visit and promise by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to set up VW plants and more German businesses in Ghana, the StarTimes (Chinese) brouhaha are indicative of international business interest in the region. All these point to an increasing relevance and need for a thriving Advertising Industry.

Already in Ghana, consultancies and research firms are becoming more relevant to clients. Firms like Nielsen and Milward Brown are securing more revenue from clients by mining data, extrapolating it and presenting clarity to businesses about their consumers and what works best with them. Clients are increasingly asking more questions and looking for more answers that the classic Traditional set-up isn’t currently equipped to answer well enough.

Implications For The Ghanaian Creative?

First off, it depends on how ambitious you are. If advertising is a means to an unrelated end and you don’t mind the crumbs you get served, you’re good. If you -like me- have your eyes on the world, there’s a lot to consider.

Connecting the dots between trends and Sorrell’s conviction, the Ghanaian creative who wants to future-proof his career must rise above present encumbrances and be ready already.

Be Strategic

This is no longer the function of a person or a department, every creative must exhibit some strategic flair. It’s okay if you aren’t as savvy as a trained strategist, but you must have a strategic outlook to your career and to the client’s business. This allows you to elevate conversations and become more valuable.

Great strategists are hard to find in Ghana. The next best alternative is a ‘research analyst’, which is why research firms are becoming even more relevant to clients, but a true creative strategist is indispensable and a more preferred option.

Be Locally Relevant

Your understanding of the Ghanaian and West African consumer could easily become your ticket to sustained relevance. Most international clients and even more Ghanaian businesses believe that ‘expats are the experts’. The veracity of that thinking is the subject for another post, but even if they are right, the one thing they shouldn’t believe is that a foreigner understands the Ghanaian consumer better than the Ghanaian creative/strategist.

When international brands come flocking, they will need a strong locally-relevant angle to communicate from. Your ability to provide this will distinguish you.

Be Digitally Savvy

Ghana (as well as West Africa) is a mobile first country. All countries in the region have more than 60% of all internet users accessing the web via mobile. Most people -especially those from mid to low income homes- connect to the web through their phones (first and mainly). This has big implications for how creative content is created and consumed.

There is an undeniable evolution in media consumption habits of the Ghanaian. Understanding the platforms that power this as well as the tech that optimizes its usage is vital. Your creativity is more valuable when you know how to utilize the tools that digital innovations offer in understanding the consumer and the landscape.

We can’t stick our heads in the sand and absolve ourselves of the dynamic nature of our industry. We are either drinking deep or tasting not, and if that be the case then the best thing to do now is to be ready already.