Students of Covenant Universty, Ota, Ogun State Image credit: Tunji Faleye
By Tunji Faleye
Students of Mass Communication at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, once again emerged winners of the Advertising Industry Colloquium 3.0 on Tuesday, successfully defending their title from the 2024 edition after edging out three other universities in Lagos.
The university clinched first place with a total of 564 points, defeating their counterparts from the University of Ilorin, Pan-Atlantic University, and Rivers State University to claim the N1 million prize money.
All four universities presented their creative pitches on the theme “Rebooting National Pride,” sharing with an audience comprised of academics and stakeholders in the advertising industry how they developed their communication materials to reignite national pride among Nigerians.
Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, came second with a total of 512 points and received N750,000, while Rivers State University secured third position with 410 points and was awarded N500,000. In fourth place was the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, with 375 points, earning a cash reward of N250,000.
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, thanked the tertiary institutions represented by both students and lecturers for their participation, commending their contribution toward bridging the gap between the town and the gown.
Dr. Fadolapo emphasized the importance of collaboration between industry professionals and academics. According to him, such collaboration fosters a healthy synergy within the advertising ecosystem. “For any profession to thrive and succeed, there must be a bridge between the town and gown. If professionals maintain their space and academics and students do the same, the gap will be too vast. This platform is essential for all stakeholders to have a meaningful conversation,” he noted.
Theme, “Merging Storytelling, Human Engagement, and Tech in Marketing Communication,” the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), organized the colloquium to bring together industry leaders and academics to discuss the integration of technology in marketing communications.
The colloquium’s objectives included fostering robust interaction between academia and the industry, examining current issues in marketing communication, sensitizing students and academics to the demands of a digitized era, and discussing emerging trends in creative advertising, media campaigns, digital marketing, and regulatory standards. These efforts are seen as critical to driving the Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to empower youth, create employment, and promote sustainable economic development.
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