Stakeholders who spoke to BusinessDay on the sidelines of the ARCON Special Recognition Award (ASRA) in Lagos last weekend described what seemed to be the first time a regulator is publicly recognising operators for compliance as welcome, saying it is a rare and encouraging shift in how regulators should relate to those they oversee.
Yinka Adebayo, Chairman of the organising committee for ASRA, said the initiative shows the need to ‘flip the script’ by regulators. He said most operators always assume that a call or letter from a regulator means a warning, sanction or fine, ‘much as many people feel when the police stop or call them.’
Adebayo insists that ‘what gets rewarded gets done.’ He believes that if operators see a competitor or peer recognised, they will study what that peer did and try to do even better, hoping for recognition themselves.
He said, ‘Events such as this remind us that excellence deserves to be celebrated and those who contribute to growth of the economy should be recognised and encouraged.’Read Economics
Similarly, Steve Omojafor, a marketing professional who served as the CEO of STB -MaCann between 1990 and 2002, recalled that APCON, now ARCON, was initially established as a collaborative body, not to act as ‘headmaster over everybody.’ Its purpose, he said, was to ensure that marketing communications practitioners ‘speak the same language’ and keep to the laws and regulations, with sanctions for those who do not.
He said with ARCON now holding more power to enforce compliance, it is only fitting that it also identifies operators who are playing by the rules and working for the growth of the industry.
Omojafor said it is appropriate for a regulator to say ‘thank you’ to organisations that are keeping to the rules and regulations. ‘It’s all about encouragement.’
He believes that the economy will be the eventual winner with such recognitions, as operators will try to do more to keep to the rules towards building an industry that is sustainable. Read Economics
Senator Emeka Ken Eze, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, also commended ARCON for providing a platform that celebrates individuals, agencies and organisations whose contributions continue to shape the standards, credibility and development of the advertising industry.
‘This initiative demonstrates the importance of recognising excellence while encouraging greater accountability and adherence to established professional and regulatory standards.’
Eze, in his speech, encouraged all practitioners and stakeholders in the industry to regard regulatory compliance not merely as a statutory obligation, but as a professional responsibility and a commitment to the Nigerian public. Nigerian Banking Launch
Speaking earlier, DG of ARCON, Lekan Fadolapo, said recognition of excellence is not merely celebrating past achievements; it is encouraging greater commitment to the values and standards that will shape the future of the industry.
At the event, graced by captains of the industry including Udeme Ufot, CEO of SO and U; Steve Babaeko, CEO of X3M Ideas; Lanre Adisa, President of AAAN and many others saw some companies and individuals recognized for their respective contributions to the growth of the industry.