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29TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Accra, Ghana. On Wednesday, September 30, 2020, at the Coconut Groove Regency Hotel, Accra, the Advertising Association of Ghana hosted 50 members in good standing at its 29th Annual General Meeting under the leadership of Mr. Torgbor Mensah – President of the AAG with the theme: Advertising beyond Covid-19; Reintegrating Agencies, Brands and Consumers. The event was beautifully graced by Dr. Kasser Tee, President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) as the Special Guest of Honor; Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu, President of the Institute of the Public Relations Ghana (IPR) and Professor Robert Ebo Hinson, the AAG’s consultant on the AAG School.

The President of the AAG, Mr. Torgbor Mensah in his report acknowledged the efforts of members of the Association for adhering to the AAG standards which has helped promote best practices within the advertising industry in Ghana. He went further to assure members that, soon the Advertising Council Bill will be passed by parliament to establish the Advertising Council which will be the appropriate authority to regulate advertising in Ghana.

The novel Covid-19 was captured in the President’s report on how the pandemic had affected 100% of the Advertising industry in the Association’s survey on the economic impact of Covid-19. Members of the Association mentioned in the survey the huge budget cuts by clients which affected cashflow; safety protocols which affected the traditional means of advertising, employees laid off, and so on.

The President in his report also addressed the Association’s biggest challenge. He mentioned that, as part of the AAG’s effort to support the vision of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, which is to make Accra one of the cleanest cities in Africa; sanitized and devoid of clutter and filth, the creation of new Metropolitans, Municipalities, and Assemblies has rendered the Association’s effort fruitless. He stated that these Assemblies have set aside the regulations adopted by their mother Metropolitans in consultation with the AAG, as these have resulted in the clutter with traditional advertising losing its value, sighting the clutter of billboards at Liberation circle, 37 Hospital, Gold house, Apenkwa Overpass, Airport traffic lights, etc. He called on the Ministry of Local Government and the Local Government services to collaborate with the AAG, to ensure that the President’s vision is not defeated.

In his concluding statements, he mentioned the theme for the 29th AGM was chosen to inspire hope and to encourage members to embrace the current challenges the world faces during the fight against the pandemic.

He cautioned members not to use the Agencies as channels or media that will promote violence as the country approaches the polls in December 2020.

The Special Guest of Honor, Dr. Daniel Kasser Tee, President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) speaking on the theme: Advertising beyond Covid-19; Reintegrating Agencies, Brands and Consumers, recounted the journey of advertising in Ghana; from 1920 when advertising made entry into Ghana as a new phenomenon in the commercial space; to when modern advertising surfaced in Ghana with the introduction of media trafficking through agency of modern-day advertising when signages for advertising were produced from about 1860 until the 1970s imported from England; and after the independence of Ghana was real revolution – the decoration of cans and taxicabs with paintings, signages and advertisements along roads and in city lorry parks. He mentioned they were seen as part of an evolving local visual modernity that included the use of advertisements and illustrations in magazines, photographs, and up-to-date art techniques and processes imported initially from Europe.

Dr. Kasser Tee still recounting mentioned the birth of indigenous Ghanaian agencies like Primetime, AdMedia, Impact DDP, Media Lynx. Media Majique and many others who rubbed shoulders with foreign agencies such as STB McCann, Lintas, etc. There was the burst of capable local agencies doing world-class adverts and branding in Ghana, he mentioned.

After several recounts, he mentioned the arrival of the World Wide Web which revolutionized advertising in the most astounding way by changing consumers’ behavior towards advertising messages.

Dr. Kasser Tee in his address mentioned the many challenges the industry faces today ranging from; clients not enjoying the full-services agencies particularly client service, marketing service, research, media, agency remuneration, etc. and the lack of clear understanding of clients company business, industry, competitors, consumer profiles before proceeding to run campaigns.

The AGM ended with the swearing-in of new members and the election of new Council members.

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