What do you think about Advertising in the Nigerian

Media

A presentation byEHIAGHE RITA OMOVBUDEPAU/SMC/PT3/110030

ADVERTISING IN THE NIGERIAN MEDIAA Semiotic analysis of Newspaper & Magazine Adverts From 1980 till date

Content• How it all started

• What is advertising?

• Advertising in Nigeria

• What is semiology?

• A Semiological analysis of Adverts in the 80s,90s and 21st century

• Conclusion

How it all started

Advertising in some opinions dates back

to the origin of Adam, Eve and the Serpent in the Bible (see, for instance Okigbo 1985:10 and Klepper 1985:6).

Some others state that advertising started

in ancient Babylon at about 3000 BC Wright (1983:4) when inscriptions for an ointment dealer, a scribe and a shoe maker were made on clay tablets.

Sandage and Fryburger (1963: IV) argue that Egyptians first wrote runaway – slave announcements on papyrus at about 3200 BC.

In Nigeria in particular

and Africa in general, Town Crying and Hawking were earliest forms of advertising.

The earliest form of advertising dates back to London when a prayer book was announced for sale in 1477. The firstnewspaper advertising appeared in the Boston Newsletter in 1704.

• The print media came into Nigeria in 1859 with the appearance of a Yoruba language newspaper, iwe Iroyin published by Reverend Henry Townsend at Abeokuta. The publication carried an advert in the form of an announcement for the Anglican Church.

So what’s advertising all about any ways?

Advertising has been defined as “a powerful communication force and a vital marketing tool helping to sell goods and services, image and ideas…” (Wright1983:8).

Advertising may also be seen as “a group of activities aiming at and including dissemination of information in any paid product or service to compel action in accordance with the intent of an identifiable sponsor.” (Doghudje 1985:8)

Awareness Creation

In Nigeria…• The advent of Advertising agencies like West African Publicity

now known as Lowe Lintas, OBM, Grants, Admark which were established during the colonial days and were run by expatriates brought about a structure in the industry.

• After Nigeria’s independence in 1960, there was a break in the monopoly, which the foreign based agencies enjoyed with the advent of two indigenous advertising firms Insight Communications and Rosabel, which formed the bedrock of the clientele of Advertising agencies.

• Agencies such as Prima Garnet, Casesers and SO&U sprung up in the 90’s and changed the face of advertising due to their creative vibrancy. Sectoral groups such as Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) emerged at this time also to protect the interest of the different stakeholders as advertising became an all commerce affair.

• As a result of this mad rush of individuals to join the bandwagon of advertising practitioners and the challenges that the regulatory body Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) have to face to maintain standards, there is a need to critically analyze Advertising in the Nigerian media.

What is Semiology

Is simply the study of signs and the sign process. It is

divided into three branches and they are;

Semantics- connotative and denotative meanings.

Syntactics- Sentence

formations.

Pragmatics – The effect that signs have on people who use them.

Nigeria in the eighties

• Belinda

• Commercials

Political-It was a decade of military rule-There was no freedom of press due to military rule

Infrastructure-There was a shortage of Nitel phones so people had to move around more often to visit friends and loved ones unannounced.

Entertainment-The kind of music listened to back then where the likes of Chris Okotie, Onyeaka Owenu, Sunny Okosun, Alex O, Dizzy K. Falola & Mike Okri.

Soap operas like the village headmaster, new masquerade, cock crow at

dawn, koko close, house number 13

Fashion-Suits with shoulder pads, bubus made out of Ankara, Iro and buba. Washing and setting, jerry curls e.t.c.

Value System-A great regard for family, good food, Communal and Conservative

Advertising in the 80s

• Adverts of this era focused majorly on icons that projected the product or service.

• Some of the adverts borrowed from the existing lifestyle of Nigerians at that time. e.g Social Life, Fashion, friendship.

• The language was simple, unexaggerated and was limited in its use of figurative expressions.

• There was hardly any contrast between the copy and the visual representation-what in advertising terms we call “Say shoe, show shoe”.

• Advertising in the Nigerian media in the 80’s reflects to a large extent the technological limitations and modernization of this time.

Nigeria in the Nineties

• Check mate

• Junior and Pretty

Political-A failed transition to civilian rule-Continuation of Military rule-An Interim Civilian Government- Another Military rule

Infrastructure-The internet (1995)-Influx of desktop computers-America took over Britain as Nigeria’s biggest customers

Entertainment-The kind of music listened to back then where the likes of Blackky, Plantation Boiz Danny Wilson, Junior & Pretty, Remedies and western Music NOLLYWOOD

Fashion-Coloured Blazers, Shoulder padded dresses and tops

Value System-A great regard for family and aspirations for a good life

Advertising in the 90s

• The influx of technological devices like the desk top computers and the internet brought advertising to life due to the vibrancy that colours and concepts which reflected people’s way of life persuaded consumers to buy products and services available at that time.

• It was also a period where quite a number of indigenous businesses sprung up majorly in the financial sector and fast moving consumer goods category.

• The visuals projected family, friendship, celebration, patriotism and so much more. With food and beverages, the products were displayed in a very alluring manner through the use of models that consumers aspire to be like and their interaction with the brands in question.

• There was a lot of figurative expressions e.g Alliterations “Peak of the Pack” Personification “Strength” in the guiness, Simile “Guinness is good for you”

• Advertising in the 90’s marked the beginning of intellectual and conceptual development in the use of media in advertising. This could be attributed to the number of professional advertising agencies that sprung up in this era and the internet.

Nigeria in the Millennium

• P Square

Political-Successful transition to democratic rule-Freedom of expression-Nigeria turned 50-Transition from one democratic dispensation to another reflected stability

and encouraged investments.

Infrastructure-More sophisticated computer devices-Mobile Phones

Entertainment-Nollywood gone international, Nigerian Music gone international, Sophisticated music videos were being produced, DSTV

Fashion-Fusion of African Prints and Western Styles. Human Hair Weavons, Tailor-

made suits

Value System-Speed, Great & Ambitious Aspirations, Luxury, Living the good life at all

cost.

A millennium of Exaggerations

PROBLEMATIZE

• One prominent feature in Advertising on Nigeria Print media in the 21st century is the use of copy and visual hyperbole.

• Advancement in technology, has enhanced colour and production quality that makes for an exciting print commercial.

• There is a conscious effort to stir up the emotions of consumers as opposed to just telling them the rational benefit of the product or service.

• Brands are associated with colours, a layout style and a visual persona that reflects the image perception they wish to convey.

• The use of brand ambassadors.

SummaryAdvertising is a marketing tool that creates awareness about products and services enough to compel people to purchase them.

Whilst advertising of the 80s and 90s were quite conservative and rational, advertising in the 21st century has been more exciting because print houses also stepped up the game of their quality offering, therefore creating a formidable platform for creative advertising to be showcased.

However, the downside to this is because of the exaggerated style of advertising in this era, brands tend to overpromise and under deliver.

There are standard organizations in place like APCON and ADVAN. To some extent they do a good job of managing the content allowed to reach the consumers. However because they are highly monetized, they compromise standards and allow things to slide.

Effect on Society

• Compulsive buying

• Young people who do not possess the purchasing power begin to crave for things they don’t necessarily need.

• Perception that every brand is a reflection of your personality, status or class.

• It has the power to alter the value system of a people.

CONCLUSIONThe effects advertising has on society cannot be changed As long as we keep selling goods and services and expect people to buy. However they can be managed.

Until corruption in the nation of Nigeria is curbed standard organizations to a large extent will be compromised.

However, practitioners must be the first gatekeepers of what they

allow the society consume all in the name of Advertising. Media

Houses as well should also be gatekeepers of what they allow agencies or marketers place on their media.

Reference• Klepper, O. (1985) “Advertising and Development in Nigeria”, The

Public Communication Systems. London: Allen and Unwin

• Rodenrick, W. (1980) Advertising: What it is and How to do it. Surrey: Routledge

• Sandage, C. and Fryburger, V. (1963) Advertising: Theory and Practice. Homewood

• http://introductiontomasscommunication2.blogspot.com/2010/05/history-of-advertsing-in-nigeria.html

• http://freelartdesigns.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/nigeria50-the-story-of-advertising/

• http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/advertising-print-advertising/2590-1.html