The newly-inducted Fellows of Advertising have been urged to uphold professionalism and adhere strictly to industry rules, to enable the sector contribute its own quota to the nation’s economic development.
The practitioners who gave the advice at the induction of 38 new fellows by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in Lagos, recently, noted that advertising has evolved over the years and practitioners, especially the senior ones in the profession, must strive to remain relevant, upright and be ready to uphold the ethics of the profession.
While charging the new fellows on the need to uphold standards, the first Registrar of the then Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Dr Josef Bel-Molokwu, expressed the delight that the practice has continued to attract individuals of equal intellect and ability as the clients, noting that the era of seeing ad professionals as ‘errand boys’ is over.
“It’s a delight to see that the quality of the people being conferred with the Council’s Fellowship today. It is an indication that we are not just tradesmen, but hardcore professionals, equal to the advertisers. No more the errand boys like it used to be,” he stated.
Bel-Molokwu, however, the new fellows of the huge responsibility ahead, while counselling them on the need to always be good ambassadors of the profession wherever they are.
Congratulating the 38 new fellows, the chairman, fellowship screening committee, Chief Emma Ajufo, stated that the new inductees were approved by the committee, for the highest title in the profession, having been found fit and proper.
“Fellowship to us is like SAN to the lawyers, and we were diligent in getting the right people to be conferred with that kind of privilege. It is conferred on those who have been found to be fit and proper,” he stated.
The immediate past president of the Out- of- Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) stated that some of the criteria for arriving at the new fellows, included the number of practice the applicant had put into the practice, and their contributions to the industry’s growth.
He however charged them to be of good behavior, and be professional in their dealings, especially those on the clients’ side; since it would be a great disservice, for a fellow to be reported for misconduct, or act inimical to the ethics of the profession.
The Director-General, ARCON, Dr Lekan Fadolapo, also one of the inductees, explained that the Advertising Practitioners Registration Act in 1988, now ARCON Act 2022, provided for different categories of membership of the profession: Student member, Associate member, full member and Fellow; with the Fellowship being the highest status of membership of the profession.
He stated that the new fellows will be added to the 162 practitioners, so far conferred with the fellowship by the Council.
“Like the ones before them, they are expected to conduct themselves and their marketing communications practice with appropriate dignity and distinction, as well as serve as pillars of support and leading lights for the profession,” he stated.
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