The Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) has announced its decision to change name and unveil a new logo,  at the association’s 38^th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Asaba, Delta State, over the weekend.

 

The rebranding, described by its leadership as part of its efforts at repositioning the association, also saw the emergence of a the association’s new set of officials, to be led by Mr. Sola Akinsiku,  the association’s erstwhile General Secretary.

 

Others include: Omo Abunene, Vice President; Churchill Nwagwu, General Secretary; Mrs. Adeola Odesanya, Assistant General Secretary; Babs Fagade, Publicity Secretary; and Chinweuba Nwagu,  Treasurer.

 

 

Speaking on the rebranding,  at the pre-AGM media briefing of the association in Lagos, the immediate past president of the association,  Chief Emma Ajufo, stated that the association, now to be known as ‘Out- of- Home Advertising Association of Nigeria’, still maintains the same acronym, ‘OAAN’, but with a  new logo, that portrays it as a forward-looking organization.

 

He described the rebranding exercise as one of the strategies adopted by the former council at really defining the practice, and giving practitioners and the association a  proper identity.

 

The former OAAN boss added that the rebranding exercise represents the journey towards that identity search, which, he believes, the new administration after him will continue.

 

“For a long while we have been asking ourselves who we  really are, and whether we are properly positioned in the industry that we are in today. So the new administration is going to be looking at a proper identity for us. That is why I said we are going to launch our new logo by Friday,  as Out- of- Home Advertising Association of Nigeria. But, we are not going to stop there. We are still in search of who we are. And in the not- too- distant future, our plans will begin to unfold in that area. So the search for identity is there, and until we get to where we want to be, we will not rest,” he added.

 

While giving his scorecard of the last four years, Ajufo believes   his administration has been able to build a more cohesive, value-adding association for members.

 

One of such values, he stated, is the floating  of a Cooperative Society, which, besides paying dividends to members, also enhances their businesses, by availing them with the much-needed loan facilities, that would ordinarily have been impossible to access at the regular banks.

 

Reiterating the association’s commitment to professionalism, Ajufo stated that his administration initially came up with the Advertising Industry Standards of Practice (AISOP), and sought the support of the apex regulatory body, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), then Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) in its implementation in order to make it achieve the desired result of ensuring practitioners comply with  a general code of ethics, guiding the profession.

 

On the disagreement of some stakeholders with the document, Ajufo argued that such concerns can be raised, and presented for a review.

 

“There is no perfect law, even our (Nigeria’s) constitution is still being reviewed.  Each sector of the industry will have one issue or the other that was not put in the law, and when they are reviewing, those things should be there. Those who think that AISOP has not fully served their interest should be patient. But I believe all these complaints are not enough for us to throw away the whole law,” he stated.