The nation’s  advertising sector received a boost recently, as women, in the out- of- home (OOH) advertising, unveiled the Women In Out- of- Home Advertising in Nigeria (WOHAN),  and a new logo for the association, in a bid to create an inclusive  environment that recognizes and amplifies their talents, expertise and engender a more equitable industry.

 

The new association is designed to fight for more space, in the hugely-dominated male sector, encourage more women to seek elective offices in OAAN, and promote the mental, physical and emotional well being of female practitioners.

 

Interestingly, a critical factor that made the birth of the new group so seamless is the support it is getting from a very unusual quarter. For instance, the incumbent leadership of OAAN is reportedly the brain behind the formation of the group, and it  has vowed to go the whole hog with the new women OOH ad association.

 

For instance, at the inauguration of the group in Lagos, recently, the incumbent President of OAAN, Chief Emma Ajufo believes the feminine gender in the association, has what it takes to effectively form and run an association of their own.

 

The OAAN boss, in a solidarity speech delivered at the event, argued that out –of- home advertising has come of age in Nigeria, while insisting that women, within OAAN, have always demonstrated competence and leadership, whenever called upon to serve.

 

“Women have come a long way in this line of business. While some were born into it, others have worked their way to the top echelon of our industry. Today we have some female CEOs. At the association’s management level, we have had female council members. Presently we have two female executive council members and two female BOT members.

 

“In all the positions, where women have been in charge, I can state with all sense of duty that they have discharged themselves very creditably,” he added.

 

While looking forward to the first female president  of OAAN, Ajufo charged  members of WOHAN  on the need to explore other areas of OOH advertising.

 

To further demonstrate the support of OAAN to the new group, a former president of the association and present member of the Board of Trustees, OAAN, Mr. Charles Chijide, congratulated members of the new association on the feat, but advised them on the need to be very professional and not see the group as a pressure group.

 

Chijide also urged the new group to ensure that members comply with the general rules, guiding outdoor advertising practice in Nigeria, and not operate in silos.

 

“While I congratulate you on this well thought-out initiative, let me advise the leadership of this new association on the need to engage members professionally, and get them involved in issues that will grow the industry. You should also see yourselves as part of the umbrella body of the main association, OAAN, and not as a pressure group; because seeing yourselves as a pressure group can be counterproductive,” he added.

 

Expressing her delight at the inauguration, the Coordinator, WOHAN, Mrs. Adeola Odesanya, assured stakeholders of the  group’s honest intention of fighting for more space for women in the industry. She, therefore, expressed the commitment of the association’s leadership to breaking all barriers and gender biases, and ensuring women excel in every aspect  of the industry.

 

“As we demonstrate this quest for gender balance, we intend to seek affiliations with other women groups and encourage more women to seek elective offices in OAAN.  This will empower women in Out of Home advertising and consequently promote the well-being of our sector,” she added.

 

In her keynote address, tagged, ‘Women in OOH Media, Challenges and Prospects’,  former President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), and Chief Executive Officer, Ladybird Advertising Limited, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, commended the leadership of the new association for  determination and resilience in seeing their plans through. She however charged them on the need to be competent, professional and innovative to enable them survive the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) terrain, that the nation’s business environment has become, of late.

 

She also charged them on the need to up-skill, technically and digitally, while also stressing the need for them to dump ‘dictatorship marketing’, and be more flexible in their operations.

 

Pledging her association’s support for the new group, the newly-sworn-in president of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN),  Mrs. Tolulope Medebem, described WOHAN  as a clear indication that women have what it takes to showcase the OOH sector.

 

“While expressing my sincere gratitude to OAAN leadership for coming up with this idea, let me say here that what we, as women, are only asking for is equity, and I’m happy women in OOH are being provided a platform to realize that, with the launch of WOHAN,” she added.