Omolaraeni
A leading expert in the integrated marketing communication (IMC) and CEO of McEnies Global Comms, Omolaraeni Olaosebikan has identified strategies that could be explored by practitioners to revitalise the industry and meet contemporary standards and clients' demands.
According to her, practitioners must begin to deplore IMC tools that would help their business out of the economic difficulties brought upon it by pandemics and other challenges, instead of resulting to self-pity.
She made this disclosure during her monthly media engagement with some brand correspondents at her corporate head office on Monday, August 1, 2022.
Omolaraeni who is equally known as a guru in event planning (Perfect Clicks Signature; McEnies Events and Protocols) added that practitioners 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 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 and neither is it for quacks.” she added.
Omolaraeni further explained why premium should be placed on integrated marketing communication. In her explanation she said:
“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.” she said.
When asked if local firms have really maximised the benefits inherent in marketing communications, Omolaraeni cuts in:
“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” she stated.
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