BMA Gets AAAN Endorsement As Entries Close
By Tunmise Adekunle
The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has endorsed the annual Brandfaces Marketing Awards (BMA) as Creative Award that its members can be part of. The entries for the 2004 edition which was on for over two months has been declared closed by the organisers.
The AAAN endorsement follows presentation made to the Executive Board of the Association by the organizers of the Creative Award.
A statement from AAAN signed by the Association's executive director, Mr. Lekan Fadolapo said that sequel to the endorsement, AAAN member-agencies can now obtain the entry form from the Secretariat of the Association.
On the total number of entries , THISDAY checks revealed that entries for the 2004 edition which closed on August 6, 2004 witnessed a significant increase from the maiden edition held August 2003 that had over three hundred (300) entries .
The BMA Creative Award is now affiliated to Lorie Award in South Africa and is internationally recognized.
As part of measures put in place to ensure a successful award that will meet with international standard, the organizers of the most prestigious Marketing Awards in the country, Brandfaces Marketing Awards (BMA) recently organized a workshop and brain storming session with agencies to intimate them with modalities of entry and to clear certain misconceptions.
The workshop which held at Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos, was used as a medium to intimate the agencies that the same material can be entered for more than one category.
Mr. Chris Parkes of Chris Parkes Marketing Solution (CPMS) the event consultants for the awards , who took the agencies through the modalities of entry and the categories to be entered for, also fielded questions from representatives of agencies on various aspects of the awards. He stated that each category has a grand prix for exceptional work which will be entered in the Loerie through the BMA. Grand Prix winners automatically qualifies for the Loerie and need not go through the preliminaries, The Grand Prix according to Parkes 'is to add value to what we are doing'.
Mr. Tokunbo Modupe, the publisher of Brandfaces magazine said that it is necessary to clear the mix up because of the BMA's alliance with the Marketing Federation of South Africa, organizers of the Loerie. By the alliance, he said the award has assumed international status.
Reacting to a participant's question on the judges to be used, Parkes said Loerie will send in two or three international judges. Last year, two judges from South Africa and one from Kenya sat on the team.
The BMA which made its debut last year was acclaimed by industry watchers for placing marketing on a higher pedestal by exploring crucial areas such as creativity and methods of presentation.
The alliance with Loerie awards in South Africa has been commended by industry watchers who believe that it has given the award recognition and credibility.
A total of 24 categories will be awarded this year. The categories include; Best multi-disciplined promotional campaign; Best use of advertising; Best use of direct marketing; Best use of innovative communication strategy; Best use of new media; Best activity generating brand trial and awareness.
Others include, Best activity generating brand volume; Best activity generating brand loyalty; Best business to business; Best retail account specific; Best dealer of sales forces activity; Best idea or concept; Best use of copy writing; Best use of photography. Best Use of Television; Best use of radio; Best use of outdoor; Best use of PR marketing; Best use of PR-corporate image; Best social service campaign; marketing journalist of the year; Best use and up and coming young brand marketer; Brand of the Year and Brand marketing professional of the Year formed the rest of the award.
Working on a budget four times the size of last year, the organizers say they are ready for the challenges that lies ahead in making the BMA a world class event.
The event holds in a couple of weeks.
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