It’s easy to feel alone in the World. There are over 7 billion of us, with each one dealing with some extremely specific challenges. It does not help that we are divided by race, language and most importantly, location. It’s why most times, it’s easy to think your problems are only “your problems”.

 

But then you head to social media, and for a second you start to realise that there are enormous parallels between us all, regardless of age, gender, tribe, skin colour or religion. This realisation is powerful and it is the fuel that will flame the fire of activism and the uproar of advocacy in the next decade.

This goes without saying that naturally as we spot more similarities between ourselves, we would also spot more differences. Hence, the increase of ‘cancel culture’ and the never-ending gender wars.

However, this is a small price to pay for the chance to speak up and fight for what we feel is right. The value here isn’t only in the outcome but in the process, as more people, brands, and organisations are finally finding the courage to stand for what they believe in.

“The journey is long, and the world will not change in a year, a decade or even a lifetime, but now we have the tools to wield a concerted effort at championing real change.”

While being an activist often involves speaking and being an advocate involves listening, both are extremely important for society to move forward. So no matter how good it gets, no matter how bad it becomes we must remember that we have a voice, and it is our duty to speak up, it is our duty to S’oro Soke.

It’s usually difficult to discuss ‘consumers’ in generic terms. Because the psychology shifts as you move from one sector to another; from one demographic and psychographic to the other. To undertake a one-size-fits-all journey is to, in Nigerian pop culture parlance, sleep on a bicycle.

But there are exceptions, as demonstrated by the events of the past year. Since the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus a pandemic on March 11, 2020, every reasonable citizen, consumer if you would, has been preoccupied with staying healthy and alive, embracing virtual work and play, seeking ways to keep earning, prioritizing food and shelter, and owning masks.

Universities have mostly taken courses online, most jobs have become remote where practicable, music and film entertainment have boomed on apps and TV, sports is learning how to create a great experience without live stadium fans, social media use and gaming have grown, even as we have seen a tremendous increase in spousal abuse, mental health issues, anxiety, and other downsides.

It’s the first time in my career I can confidently say most consumers are expected to think and act in the same way, no matter the geography, industry or demography. Family values are high, almost everyone’s showing love and accepting to be loved; many can relate with personal loss; even as jobs are either lost or hanging by the thread. In most cities around the world, fewer and fewer people are sitting in traffic to and fro work, the tubes are empty, malls closed, and no one is hosting a festival.

So what are consumers doing? Living on their devices mostly. Smartphones, television, tablets, radio, and the people that live inside them. Everyone is spending more time at home, less time visiting or transiting. And those who were late to social media, gaming, series, and virtual meetings have since found their way in.

The vaccine will help, hoping it reaches everyone within 12 to 24 months. But we should not expect behaviour to change drastically.

– So What Should We expect?

Well, the pandemic has opened our eyes to what’s really important. Before March 2020, we couldn’t pause for a minute. Now, we’ve seen that it’s actually possible to stop and smell the flowers. More consumers, especially those between the ages of 18 and 45, will prioritize convenience and safety over a lot of things; and they will have no care for organisations that won’t allow them lifestyle and career flexibilities. They’ll be intentional about brands and products too, patronising and advocating only for those whose purpose aligns with their interests.

– Who Will Take Their Time and Money?

“We should expect a boom in health and fitness, in technology, spirituality, and entertainment. And the concept of value over brand could become mainstream, seeing many abandon expensive, crowded cities for the outskirts, or small towns.”

It will be the same for cars and food and education; as consumers practice what the first pandemic in one hundred plus years has taught them.
Brands, organisations, and governments would be wise to enable, even accelerate this, instead of fighting it. And we all should be the better for it.

Over 82 million people live on less than $1 per day. Yet, Nigeria is expected to become the world’s second-most populous country in the world, by the end of the century.

We are a struggling country where it matters. Which means that ‘luxuries’ like access to electricity is out of the question for over 40 percent of the population (85 million people do not have access to electricity).

There are more issues. With 86% of the country’s total export revenue contributed by its petroleum export, and our position as Africa’s largest oil producer, we are one of the top 20 biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses in the world!

Intense heat waves, reduced rainfall, increased singular rainstorms, and other disrupted weather patterns, have been experienced across the country. This can be catastrophic for a country’s agricultural industry that is heavily dependent on rain for irrigation. This means that the livelihood and productivity of Nigerian farmers are currently being threatened, and even for years to come.

Fortunately, in 2015, the country signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and promised to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030. The Agreement was ratified two years after. But, five years after the signing, greenhouse gas emission has increased by 16%.

With the pandemic raging on, apparent economic and societal instability, there is a very slim chance that 20% reduction will be achieved. There is still the matter of oil spills, wood-burning and deforestation, etc.

The short and long solution may lie in the country’s estimated 2 billion metric tonne coal reserve, as well as a sustainable approach to the wind and solar power – two options that the country has grossly under-utilised.

Thankfully, the Federal Government’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan highlights a structure for getting solar power to 5 million households by 2023. The Government believes that it will provide 250,000 jobs. Great! If there is any intention to implement this and sustain this, then we may well be on our way to changing our climate positively.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world like a curse in November 2019. Everyone faced the potential health and economic implications. But few anticipated the drastic impact on the environment. Restricted mobility and reduced production levels proved to be blessings for the climate and environmental sustainability.

 

Does this mean that we are saved from long-term effects of sustained high levels of CO2 emission? And that the planet will now live another few millennia; Greta Thunberg can finally return to school and live a normal teenage life?

Unfortunately, no.

We still have a long way to go. The possible solution to global warming still lies in the hands of government bodies, corporate organisations, and a concerned, involved populace.

The ball is in the court of the over 7.8 billion humans on earth, strategic government policies, and dedicated corporate bodies intent on doing good.

Will we celebrate our victory over COVID-19 by switching over to clean, bicycle travel to greet our not-too-distant neighbours? Or will we be booking a flight first thing in the morning, riding jet fumes cross-country to a vacation spot where we order a fat steak and tell the chef to keep ‘em coming? And, will ‘environmentally-friendly’ be the anthem we all sing, or would we all forget and head back into the slump?

COVID-19 has altered our lives. Battling the pandemic is sinking holes in national economies, as the outflow of capital is causing rising fiscal deficits. By June 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) received applications for emergency funding from over 100 countries. Some may call that dire.

And things will not return to the ‘normal’ we are used to, any time soon. Some countries are going into overdrive to develop and distribute the vaccine, some are squabbling over the ratio of distribution.

All of these processes cost money. And the worst hit may be the developing countries, especially in Africa, where digitisation and financial inclusion were otherwise on a steady rise.

While financial growth can be spurred on by the very nature of the virus – less body contact usually equals swift adoption of digital options – the most vulnerable will be hard hit; for most, a matter of life or death.

Here are projections on what could be obtainable in 2025:

Four-Year Projections

– Economic Reforms

Economic activities across the world will continue with fewer face-to-face interactions. Some sectors will regain strength, others will be on standstill.

There will be an increased need for equal access to digital infrastructure; improved financial and digital literacy. There will be a need for policies that cater to a wider spectrum of needs.

– Economic Momentum

Domestic economies will have gained momentum, propelled by the digital economy. And new heavyweights could emerge.

– Widely Available Vaccines

The use of vaccines will increase globally but delays to vaccination deployment, difficulties controlling new virus outbreaks and failure to learn lessons from the first year may have an adverse effect overall. Travel protocols will also change, with most airports and borders incorporating systems to ensure they keep the virus away.

– Positive Economic Growth

The rebound will be stronger and faster as more and more activities re-open, limiting the aggregate income loss from the crisis. The recovery will be uneven across countries, potentially leading to lasting changes in the world economy. However, the countries that learn from their mistakes, quickly, and develop long-lasting inclusive solutions will lead the pack.

– Socio-economic Damage

There will be deep-rooted damage to the socio-economic fabric of countries worldwide. It’s inevitable. Currently, millions of low wage earners have lost their jobs and are only covered by unemployment insurance, at best; with poor prospects of finding new jobs soon. Children and youth from less well-off backgrounds, and less qualified adult workers have struggled to learn and work from home, with potentially long-lasting damage. The principles of cause and effect are simply at play here.

Currency Pressure

Currency pressure to persist and inflation will continue to rise. Exchange rates flexibility is expected while policy convergence will limit exchange rate movements in the major economies, more currency volatility is expected in emerging markets.

It will be a long ‘trek’ to recovery. Fortunately, we have always been a resilient people.

As a 13-year-old boy who would often race home to catch my favourite TV shows, it’s hard to imagine that there would be a time when I would go for months without sitting in front of a TV. Alongside my obsession with TV sitcoms was my love for listening to the late Dan Foster on the radio. There was often something surreal and peculiar about TV, radio and print. It was more than just being able to get information or entertainment.

It was an experience. It’s why the smell of books added to the aura of actually reading a book, gives me a thrill.

While we may not have realized it at the time, traditional media in its various forms and mediums became a brand in its own right. Hence, TV manufacturers sold more than just a screen, the radio shows transcended the A.M and F.M stereos to become a core staple of the Nigerian home, and the print medium was the holy grail of knowledge.

Obviously, traditional media exceeds these obvious touchpoints but it’s interesting to see how things have evolved over the years. The elephant in the room is of course digital media. Digital media is an interesting by-product of the dot-com boom. The rise of these mediums of communication was long foreshadowed and the rapid evolution of wireless technology meant it was a matter of when and not if.

Interestingly the biggest question plaguing digital media today is not the “if” or “when”, but actually the “what” and “what if”. Social media has changed the game, and has helped cultivate new media consumption habits, such as content being more audiovisual than ever. Yet there is a growing sense that digital media isn’t replacing traditional media, it is instead becoming it.

I have long believed that while there is a “digital revolution”, there is no “digital media revolution”. Digital media has simply abstracted from the use of wireless technology to do the same things in new ways. And while that is commendable, it isn’t game-changing.

For example, with podcasts, anyone can get their voices out, but the mechanism of doing so feels very reminiscent of the radio. While E-books mean you don’t have to store large amounts of hardcopy books in your home, it still doesn’t bring too many new features to the art of reading a book. These are just a few examples of how digital technology is making our lives easier, but the “media” isn’t exactly being experienced in any way that is unique, fresh or revolutionary.

The biggest strength of digital media is in its ability to have simultaneous multimodal conversations. This is the reason why conversations about some of the prevalent issues plaguing mankind have been rife in the last few years. These include conversations about race, gender equality and religion. But with recent events of infringement of free-speech against certain parties (albeit with justifiable reasons), it does make me wonder if the one thing that digital media has truly changed may soon become a relic from a distant past.

Either way, digital media will remain relevant and will continue to make our lives easier but if all I get from an e-book is the ability to read the book on a screen, I would rather head to a local library just so I can smell a book again. As long as digital media continues with its abstract form of digital technology while refusing to add anything new to the medium, it will continue to be a cool but ultimately inconsequential version of traditional media.

In 2025, doing good will no longer constitute a microcosm of activities that businesses engage in as part of the mandatory contribution of a percentage of their annual revenue, instead being good will form a fibre of every business decision and activity.

 

The rise in ethical consumption (consumers) will see a growth in carbon footprint calculators supported by large corporations as the difference between a successful and struggling business will be deduced from the sum total of their sustainable practices.

Businesses currently make decisions on communities or causes to support based on factors that can either stimulate business activities or improve the bottom line. In 2025, the people (consumers) will decide the causes and ventures that corporations will support.

2020 saw a wake in activist movements across the world. From North America to Europe and Asia, Africa not excluded, citizens marched in protest against Government practices and demanded that corporations take a stand for or against their cause. There would be no sitting on the fence.

In 2025, businesses will be built around activist movements, cause marketing will no longer be a nice-to-have and Chief Marketing Officers will no longer hide behind memos and press releases.

Doing Good in 2025 will not just require organisations to ‘speak’ good, consumers will need to see the ‘faces’, ‘hands’ and ‘feet’ behind the voice(s).

One of the effects of a global health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic is its lasting impact on culture. No sector, field, area or practice of mankind, is spared; not even our occupations. It goes without saying that the field of corporate law and its practitioners, will experience the long-term impact.

 

The rise of an easily transmissible disease, mandatory use of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as face masking, social distancing and the rise of virtual and remote working have all deepened our dependence on technology and forced changes in the practice of corporate law. I’ll expatiate on a few points below:

– Contracts and The Future

I see Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) taking prominence in contracting processes in most, if not all, global and multinational companies as well as in mid-size companies.

Closely linked will be an increased reliance on cloud hosting services and electronic signature platforms in the contract management process. Use of file hosting and e-signature platforms such as Dropbox and HelloSign will no longer be limited to global corporations and multinational companies. Their prevalence among individuals and small-sized companies across the globe will lead to huge revenue increases in the industry.

In essence, the acquisition and use of AI-driven contracting tools, file hosting and e-signature platforms by law firms, legal departments and in-house counsels will become a norm and, then a ‘must’ rather than a ‘nice to have’.

– Virtual Board Meetings

In Nigeria where there is the penchant to hold on to ‘norms’, some have begun abandoning hosting board and shareholders’ meetings in physical locations in favour of virtual meetings.

Many more will follow suit, depending on how quickly the curve of the spread increases. The legislature who usually play catch up will be forced to develop much-needed guidelines for the regulation of virtual BOD and shareholders’ meetings in Nigeria.

Post-COVID-19, I see the trend of virtual meetings (i.e Board, AGM and other corporate meetings) continuing. They’ll become part of the meeting processes as attendees will be given the option of attending these meetings virtually. We will have a mix of physical and virtual attendees at these meetings.

– Data Privacy

This will necessarily follow the increase in dependence on technology in our daily lives. There will be conversations on data privacy being elevated to the level and recognition given to human rights. For practitioners and by extension, the business community, data privacy and its treatment will take centre stage in contracting, compliance, regulations and laws across the world.

– WFH Requirements

Provisions for virtual working will become one of the central points in drafting employment contracts by practitioners. This will be a natural evolution following the changes currently being experienced at the workplace. Lawmakers will have to make new laws or amend existing laws to accommodate these changes.

– Courtroom Disruption

Just as board and other corporate meetings become virtual, courtroom drama will cease to happen in containments called courtrooms. Virtual court sessions have become available for lawyers and litigants to adopt – an option that will be popular with litigants who live in countries or jurisdictions different from that which they have pending court cases. A saving on travel expenses, I dare say.

– Tech Savvy

Expertise in technology law is also becoming a key requirement for in-house counsel roles. A certification in technology law will become equally as important as being called to the Bar. Employers will demand proof of knowledge and skill in dealing with technology and the issues related to them as a corporate law practitioner.

A mini-revolution about to be unravelled, an emerging frontier.

Twelve years ago, the first block of Bitcoin was mined. Built on a technology called blockchain, that uses a peer-to-peer network to make transactions without having to go through a third-party like the Central bank.

 

In its initial release in January 2009, the worth of Bitcoin was $0. Today, Bitcoin has become the strongest cryptocurrency in the world after reaching a record high of $40,394.87 in January 2021, pushing the market value of crypto above $1 trillion, that’s almost half of the world’s most valuable company, Apple.

The digital currency landscape is growing very fast, and with over 7,800 cryptocurrencies reportedly available, the possibility that crypto will change the future of currency as we know it is sure.

In their Imagine 2030 report, Deutsche Bank, the German multinational investment bank and financial services company, believes that cryptocurrency users will grow four times by 2030, reaching 200 million – which is almost the same growth the Internet had in its first 20 years.

With the current challenges with the government’s financial policies, Deutsche Bank believes that cryptocurrencies need to overcome three main hurdles to become widespread. First, they must become legitimate in the eyes of governments and regulators. That means bringing stability to the price and bringing advantages to both merchants and consumers. They must also allow for global reach in the payment market.

To do this, alliances must be forged with key stakeholders – mobile apps such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, card providers such as Visa, and retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart. In February 2021, Mastercard announced that it will start supporting select cryptocurrencies directly on its network!

If these challenges can be overcome, the eventual future of cash is at risk. And that’s not a bad thing.

With many concerns around the technology and its capacity to disrupt traditional financial systems, the future of crypto is looking good.

A cursory look at the mode and manner of communications during the recently concluded 45th United States presidential election will show that a lot has changed with Government communications as we know it.

Following the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by the past President’s supporters and the subsequent ban of the 45th president of the United States by big tech corporations, it raised questions around Government communications and what is acceptable.

Typically, Government communications involve press secretaries issuing official statements to accredited media platforms who then publish to the wider public. That is fast changing as the entire communication landscape is breaking the role of the media gatekeepers and moving to meet the target audience where they converge. For example, the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Government offices especially in Africa adopt closed social media platforms such as Whatsapp to sensitise the public on COVID-19 guidelines.

Very soon, Government communications will be completely democratised. Government communication offices will channel their resources towards owned platforms where both accredited media platforms and the general public will consume official information at the same time. In fact it’s already happening.

The big tech social media platforms will still be influential however, more Government offices will prioritise their website newsroom, and owned media channels like Podcasts, Vlogs, and newsletters, as opposed to depending on the large community of social media followers.

We will see a proliferation of online radio stations a la podcasts run by Government offices and it won’t be surprising to see a sitting president as a Podcast show host.

In the last five years, the rise of influencer marketing has been astronomical. Social media has become a more integrated part of our lives and people are turning to their favourite Twitter personalities, Instagram stars and YouTubers for recommendations on purchasing decisions. Gone are the days of celebrity endorsements, where companies would use celebrities to hawk their wares, and celebrities would use companies for money and free stuff. These days anybody with a social media presence can grow to become an influencer.

In 2019, marketing and public Relations technology company, Plaqad reportedly paid out over 200 million Naira to influencers on multiple campaigns.

This is a testament to the growing demand for brand influencers. On the client-side, brand managers prefer working with influencers because they are easier to work with, and have a deeper and trusted relationship with their audiences.

The demand for influencers can only go higher, as brands are set to spend up to $15 billion globally on influencer marketing by 2022. In its 2020 Influencer Compensation Report, Plaqad reported that 57% of Nigerian brands spent between N10 million to N50 million on influencer marketing campaigns, while 11% had a budget of over 50 million Naira and 33% spent less than 10 million Naira on the same service.

– What is To Come

With the COVID-19 disruption and people spending more time at home, brands will continue to work with influencers to communicate messages that are inspirational, genuine and community-driven. Also, niche influencers – micro and nano – will enjoy more patronage due to their high engagement, authenticity, and low-costs.

With many people still relying on influencers for credible information on brands and products, the effectiveness of influencer marketing should not be underestimated.

The Lagos ‘street’ landscape is a cacophony of different sensory stimuli that has morphed into its own cultural identity, and is now being transported through music, fashion and art, across the world. As loud as Lagos is though, you only appreciate the beauty behind the madness when you take the time to pay attention to the rhythm and grind.

Although Lagos is being touted as the next megacity in Africa, which immediately brings to mind images of skyscrapers and bullet trains, the real cultural ‘juice’ of Lagos exists on the other side of the coin – the frames that do not make it to the new Nollywood movies or the metropolitan city video backdrops.

The pulse of Lagos exists in the grime and grind of the streets. A decade or two ago, it may have been easier to act obtuse about that side of Lagos. But now, the story of Lagos cannot be properly told if you haven’t mentioned words like Computer Village, Fela Shrine, Balogun Market, Lagos Island, Fatai Rolling Dollar, Palm Wine, Owambe, Fuji music and the rest. The many facets that have contributed to a thriving underground scene that is quickly taking its turn in the spotlight.

These street elements now form the heart of tech, trade, art and music in Lagos, and by extension West Africa. It’s the reason why Computer Village in Ikeja, is the burgeoning Silicon Valley that Africa has not fully realised it needs.

It’s the same reason acts like oddly popular Azeez ‘Naira Marley’ Adeshina Fashola, Omoniyi ‘Zlatan Ibile’ Temidayo Raphael, and songs like Wizkid’s ‘Ojuelegba’, Naira Marley’s ‘Soapy’, Flavour’s ‘Ada Ada’, Patoranking’s ‘Abule’ are catapulting the streets to international acclaim, while developing a cult-like movement.

Why?

The street calls unto street. Whether it’s through well-placed slangs, or tech-savvy learnt by hard knocks and banter – it’s a language that is well understood and that millions of people who have been knocked down by the economic instability, rise in employment rates, poverty, hunger, etc can relate with. It’s also the same language the bourgeois wish they understood and are desperately attempting to. A some-what win from both ends.

So, mapping these streets and its people is chronicling culture. While the wave of recognition is causing more people to look up and seek ways to explore the untapped potential that lies in the streets, we are still a long way from understanding the full extent of the street.

The next decade will show us just that. And those individuals and initiatives who can rise up and act as a bridge between the ‘street’ and the opportunities that they seek, may well be on their way to tapping into a new source of influence – passionate, raw and real just like its advocates.

The great news is that because art has always been the great keeper and protector of history, we can be rest assured that Lagos street culture will not become eroded.

Until very recently, brands aligning with politically-charged movements was considered suicide. A select few businesses were able to cross the line, because they were either too ‘small’ to matter to the powers that be, or too big to be tackled. They were the exceptions.

However, things have obviously changed. We have and are still experiencing a shift. The year 2020 saw a remarkable shift with regards to the ideals and trends that brands and companies associated with. Audiences are beginning to gravitate favourably towards brands that identify with or support movements – especially social justice movements. In fact, they are beginning to demand this of them. “I want them to care.” Hence, the rise of the ‘conscious brand or company’.

So what are the opportunities?

– A New Brand Reality

This new corporate posture has spread across every industry, with companies rushing to identify with nationwide protests and proffer solutions to prevalent issues plaguing surrounding communities. Pushed by employees to act in some cases; and in others by a fear of losing consumer loyalty, corporations are being forced to play a bigger role in ushering change across different facets of dysfunctions in society.

– CSR In The Spotlight

No longer will CSR activities be reduced to bit-part mentions in their agenda statement. Instead, we will see more companies incorporate CSR activities into their culture and business models.

– Renewed Creativity

During the era of George Floyd and the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the public interest took precedence over bottom-line benefit and the crises made a different kind of creativity necessary.

And the dangers?

– False Positives
According to a recent Edelman study, fifty-seven percent of consumers will buy or boycott a brand because of its position on an issue. This is evidenced in the campaigns that now cater to the “belief-driven buyer” who shops with a conscience and perceives brands as conduits through which change can be achieved. In a dramatic twist, the money-grubbing capitalist “pigs” are playing a much bigger role in driving positive change, and therein lies the pitfalls ahead.

Sure, it is nice having a big corporation speak out for a movement or cultural topic of conversation you strongly believe in, but a more disturbing trend emerging is the advent of what I would like to call performative marketing – devoid of authenticity or self-awareness.

I combed through the internet sometime last year to note companies that communicated messages of support to the Black Lives Matter movement. Over 20 major companies tweeted their support of the movement, and I was not surprised to see many of them being called out for embodying the ills they condemned.

– The Endgame

While companies believe they can latch onto any movement for their self-interest, the global consciousness will demand that they practice what they preach.

 

Walk the talk.

Dubbed as the fastest growing economy in the world Africa has been in the spotlight for quite some time now. As various sectors of the economy seek to get back to normalcy, navigating the economic climate will require some wisdom.

 

– The Small Picture

Getting a good enough grasp of the big picture is essential, but will not be sufficient in order to assess investment viability. Understanding the situation on the ground will become necessary. With Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania representing three of the top five highest growing economies, foreign investors will require credible information on individual markets to make decisions.

– Small Corner Solutions

Nigeria alone has around 41.5 million SMEs. In the long haul, the greatest competition to bad leadership will be the collective of small businesses trying to solve problems and working with organised private sector, and foriegn investors to scale. The African economic climate will continue to encourage entrepreneurial efforts. But it won’t be a walk in the park.

– Sharing Africa’s Values

With everyone trying to be woke for all the right reasons, companies will look to work with partners who have shared values. Africa is in desperate need of better leadership, technological leapfrogging, essential infrastructure, investment, and security, and local and foreign entities planning to succeed here will have to be exactly what the doctor recommended. It will be important to this generation of emerging business and political leaders that development happens without further compromising the culture, history, and humanity of their people. Foreign governments and companies who understand this would have won, before even trying.

Foreign entities looking to foray into burgeoning industries will be met with positive reception as the private and public sectors seek economic recovery from the pandemic.

Marketing communication agencies have always been at the mercy of their clients’ budget. In recent years, big-spending-brands have begun to adopt the ‘in-sourcing’ approach, where they set up in-house teams to handle needs for which agencies were previously hired.

 

This trend has been reported much over the past five years. In 2018, the Association of National Advertisers in America (ANA) found that 78% of its members had in-house agencies, up from 58% in 2013, and 42% in 2008. According to Digiday Research, 38% of 214 brand marketers said that going in-house is about increased control. Now, it’ll be reasonable to expect this trend to continue, especially with all the challenges that 2020 threw at the marketing and communications industry.

When brands are under financial pressure, the marketing budget is usually the first to be cut, unfortunately. Of course, this means the death of many agencies. So, how do agencies escape this client budget trap, and become self-sustaining businesses? One answer is in innovation; B2B and B2C product development.

With technology being the greatest enabler of innovation and fuel for scaling businesses, it has become imperative for traditional agencies to start making the mental and strategic shift to becoming ‘product’ companies. Unfortunately, most agency people are not trained to build products and generally lack the technical capabilities for tech product development. So, how will comms people build products if they can’t code?

Enters the NoCode Movement.

NoCode Development Platforms (NCDPs) allow non-programmers to create application software through graphical user interfaces and configuration, instead of traditional computer programming. In the past couple of years, the rise of the NoCode movement has started to change the landscape of tech, providing more opportunities for non-technical people to create and build minimum viable products (MVPs) for their ideas.

With NoCode tools like Retool, Bubble, Google Cloud’s AppSheet and others, marketers – the so-called “suits” – can now drag-and-drop and connect application components to create mobile or web apps without writing a single line of code!

Agencies, big and small, will need to behave more like product companies in order to survive the next decade. Mastering and adopting NoCode tools will help communicators navigate the unfamiliar waters of technology product development.

If you had asked me a few months ago if cinemas/movie theatres still stood a chance in this age of streaming, my answer would have been a solid no. But I won’t be so dissident if you asked me the same question today.

 

 

Just last month, in Nigeria, home of Nollywood, Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto: The Saga, surpassed The Wedding Party to become the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time. The 2020 comedy flick has reportedly grossed over N468 million according to the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria. And all of this happened in a pandemic, when more people than not are wary about leaving the comfort of their homes!

What this tells you is that human beings are social creatures. Though binge-watching your favourite series on Showmax from the comfort of your couch seems like the more appealing and convenient option, you’d sooner or later start to thirst for the great outdoors. And for movie lovers, nothing quite trumps the cinema experience.

There’s been an undeniable change in consumer behaviour since coronavirus hit, and production companies are reacting accordingly. In December 2020, Warner Bros. announced that its entire 2021 releases would arrive simultaneously in theatres and on its streaming service, HBO Max. Everyone from ViacomCBS to Walt Disney is pumping money and more resources into their streaming services, and understandably so. Streaming is in now and I daresay will be for a long time to come. But is it ever going to completely wipe out the theatre? Not likely.

Streaming is as yet to experience its first crisis or major setback. It has mostly been smooth sailing and there’s no telling how it will fare in the face of crisis. Movie theatres on the other hand have survived wars; and from the look of things, will also survive a pandemic.

And then there’s also the question of sustainability for the filmmakers and studios. WarnerMedia will reportedly lose more than $1 billion by releasing movies on HBO Max. Where up to 5 people can sign in to a Netflix account at 4,400 Naira a month to access unlimited content, what is the long-term benefit for the studios who pour millions of dollars into a single production? And even for the streaming services who buy the content?

Streaming may have come to stay but as has been repeatedly demonstrated, so has the cinema. But then, I guess the jury’s still out.

The year 2020 came with significant changes for the marketing industry, putting to test all we knew as modus operandi. Although marketing has long been a progressive and dynamic profession, the level of change that it witnessed in 2020 was enormous. Some may even argue that it was ‘unprecedented’. The pandemic obviously played a pivotal role in changing the marketing landscape for every brand and marketer out there.

 

 

From shopping going largely electronic (E-commerce) to social commerce (Instagram and surprisingly WhatsApp sales), and telemedicine/E-services becoming increasingly adopted by consumers, marketing has never known a more disruptive time.

This disruption, although accelerated by an unexpected pandemic, was also buoyed by technology. In 2020, the number of internet users across the world grew by 321 million to peg the total number of users at 4.66 billion. That’s more than 875,000 new users added daily (A 7.4% increase from the previous year).

More people are online daily, and this will not change in the foreseeable future. In fact, because of the number of people flocking online daily, marketers will have to be more imaginative in engaging with customers. Still, imagination and creativity alone won’t cut it for marketers in the years leading up to 2025.

Between now and 2025, they will rely heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) to understand, reach, connect with and convert online customers. They will use the technology to track customer movement, predict demographic compatibility, anticipate purchases, and to provide top-tier customer service. AI will be the backbone of modern marketing by 2025; it will study how customers think, what they want, and how you as a marketer can reach them.

One might argue that AI is already helping marketers win, but the industry has actually been underutilizing AI. Just watch what happens between now and 2025. I’ll be here to say, “I told you so.”

2020 was the year everything changed. Pre-coronavirus, the world was relatively predictable, there was a playbook that worked and brands knew where they fit. Now we live in “unprecedented times”, the upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the adoption of technologies in marketing. These changes will be around for a long time.

 

Technology is enabling marketers to engage with every individual customer in a personalized and meaningful way – a dream previously considered unattainable. Technology-driven marketing is based on individual real-time needs, interest and behaviours.

Recently, I purchased makeup off a retailer’s website. Three days after my online purchase, the retailer sent me a beauty-themed email. Intrigued, I clicked the link and watched a skincare tutorial video. Five days later, I received a message nudging me to use the retailer’s mobile app to unlock a 10 percent one-day discount on female footwear.

Although I had never purchased such items at this retailer, I bought a pair of shoes. My journey as a consumer had metamorphosed into a deeply engaging experience. Leveraging technology, marketers use real-time data in a way that is relevant to customers and profitable for organizations.

Leading up to 2025, cross-functional marketing teams will rely heavily on tech to coordinate globally dispersed teams. Also, more marketing professionals will rely heavily on advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver a consistent, effective message at scale and across multiple channels. This is the only way to survive a highly competitive market with no margin for error.

Make no mistake the future of marketing is intelligent technology. However, concerns around information security and privacy risks will continue to be a source of concern for consumers.

Back in the 14,000 BC, when ancient cartographers (map makers) set out to symbolically represent the world on tablets and in caves, the ultimate objective for them was to explain their world as they knew it. Even then, with less sophisticated gadgets that could lend a third perspective to the conclusions they came to, there was a methodical science to the art of map-making. This precision was needed, in order to enable men of the time to navigate their world in times of peace and especially, war.

 

Fast forward to the 21st century, where you would see free and open collaborative projects like the OpenStreetMap, and a huge corporation like Google’s jealously guarded secret world mapping project ‘Ground Truth’ – both with the goal of mapping our world digitally, using on-the-ground navigational gadgets and satellites from space

And just like that, history repeats itself, the ancient cartographers are re-born, only this time, the stakes are different.

The art of mapping has moved beyond the basic premise of just navigating. Humans now have a different thirst beyond just physically moving from one point to another. It’s a thirst for spatial experience, with the intention to digitally control and interact, just like they will do in the physical world. If there is any indication to what functional layers could be stacked on navigating the world, you just have to look at what Google has been able to achieve with Google Earth and Google Arts & Culture.

The next frontiers to be explored in navigating the world would be the fun part, most of the hard work has been done, and the cool thing is that a lot of the data you need to push the envelope can be licensed and integrated for free. With the current work and lifestyle climate, street navigation in cahoots with AR/VR and other experience gadgets alike will enable people to ‘move around’ in order to experience culture, art, personalities, places and events, without stepping out of their houses.

Certain digital products have come under scrutiny for a perceived failure to treat privacy issues with the importance it deserves.

As a result, users are becoming more cautious about the way they use certain features, which has significantly dampened user experiences. Like dominoes, these issues will give rise to further situations that will require swift action from the government, consumer groups and consumers themselves.

The following will become apparent:

– Increased Popularity of “privacy-first” products

Products that actually prioritize privacy and advertise the fact will become more attractive than their counterparts. Product users will harbour a significant sense of safety and encourage use by others.

– More Legislation on Privacy

According to Gartner, by 2023, 65% of the world’s population will have its personal data covered under some kind of modern privacy regulations. The legislation is going to increase as outcry continues. Countries around the world will begin to see the need and act accordingly.

– More Caution in Product Usage

As users continue to become aware of privacy liberties taken by product companies, they will begin to use products more cautiously. This will lead to the sparing use of certain product features.

–  Individuals, As Well As Organizations, Are Learning To Take Privacy Issues More Seriously.

Gartner again reported that by year-end 2022, more than 1 million organizations will have appointed a privacy officer (or data protection officer). With an increase in the stay-at-home workforce, legislation and protection within subscriber networks will become increasingly important.

“The next big thing”. What does that even mean, you might ask. Let me explain. Ever since humans first landed on planet earth (depending on which theory you believe), we’ve always looked to the next thing after achieving a set goal. What’s next? That’s usually the same question after every milestone? It was true 2000 years ago and still true today. It’s the same with technology.

When mobile phones were introduced in Nigeria, we were all excited. For those who are old enough to remember, the Nokia 3310 was the highest-selling mobile phone in the 2000s. It was a fantastic piece of technology, a considerable upgrade from the Payphones, the flip phones, and the Triums.

We soon got tired of the 3310; we wanted cell phones with more exciting features to perform more complex tasks. Developers heard our cries and subsequently met our demands. We got phones that turned to mini cameras (Kodak was in big trouble) and phones that performed the tasks your audio systems would typically perform (the beginning of the end for audio cassettes).

The 2010s also saw disruption across different industries. Airbnb disrupted the hospitality industry without owning a single hotel room, and Uber became the largest transportation company without owning any vehicles. The 2000s and 2010s were quite innovative.

But what does the 2020s hold? What is that invention that will be the major highlight of this decade? I think it will be electric cars. Yes, it has been in the works since the 90s, but not many can afford it at the moment. EV makers are struggling to meet up with demand and also experiencing bottlenecks with Lithium-ion batteries (The critical element that will power these vehicles).

If we as global citizens are to achieve our goal of having an environmentally sustainable planet, then we need to ditch crude oil as soon as possible. But how do we power our vehicles when we ditch crude oil? That’s where EVs comes into play. EVs will ultimately become the new normal as it becomes affordable and production is ramped up significantly. It is expected that EV production will reach 12 million by 2025, that’s 200% increase from the 4 million EVs produced in 2020.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing for EVs being the next big thing is the United State’s President, Joe Biden’s resolve for a clean energy revolution. Biden believes in clean energy and has already revoked some of his predecessor’s horrible decisions on climate and energy issues in his first few days in office. That’s an indication that he is committed to his promise of a clean energy future.

In a video he made back in August 2020 test driving a car, Biden said, “I believe we can own the 21st-century market again by moving to electric vehicles. And by the way, they tell me, and I’m looking forward if it’s true to driving one that they are making an electric corvette that can go 200mph, and I am looking forward to it”.

To add to that vote of confidence by the world leader, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also recently purchased about 1 million dollars worth of stocks in Elon Musk’s flagship EV company, Tesla. That should tell you all you need to know about this being the next big thing.

Public Relations as we once knew it has since been dead and buried. Even as a newbie PR associate consultant in 2018, I cringed when a client expected me to focus on print, online and social media alone. They were mere means to an end.

Three years ago, rapid technological growth, dark social, an audience that didn’t want to be ‘PR-ed’, information overload and mediocrity, were some of the problems of PR. These still form a part of the issues today. But in a year we will have a new set of challenges, especially for practitioners that are insistent on using a ‘formula’.

The biggest cause of the problem will be the unidentified young customer. We have always been taught that to solve a problem, you need to first understand the root cause. But, with the world shrinking at breakneck speed due to technological advancements, and people under 30 amounting to over 3.5 billion of the world’s population – growing in far removed realities from previous generations, their interests are becoming more ambiguous. The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the situation – even more trends and habits will begin to form.
So, how do you communicate with a generation that can barely keep up with communicating with itself; that is discovering new realities and forming strong and vehement opinions on every issue; that can spot a PR stunt or piece from a continent away?

In another ten or twenty years, media and communications will no longer be what we see now or envision. A foreshadowing of this occurred at the 2010 International Newsroom Summit in London when Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., former editor of The New York Times said, “We will stop printing the New York Times sometime in the future, date TBD.” Communication will have metamorphosed in ways we cannot begin to imagine.

“When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.” This quote adequately captures the problem of public relations, which is ironic seeing that a profession whose duty it is to manage the perception of others hasn’t quite done so for itself. Few professions are as misunderstood as PR.

 

Over the years, the concept of PR has become synonymous with other communications concepts such as promotion, propaganda and marketing. This in itself is a huge red flag which industry experts have sought to solve.

The Public Relations Society of America defined the practice in 1982 and 2011. Simply put, PR is the strategic management principle that looks after reputation. This definition encompasses the diverse functions of PR which include Corporate Communication, Crisis Communication, Executive Communication, Internal Communication, Investor Relations, Media Relations, among others.

Failing to see PR for what it truly is (a strategic aspect of business and governance) is an oversight, one which the world is paying dearly for. Dare I say, that PR is the solution to everything that is going wrong with the world today. PR is invaluable in building relationships, preventing crises, achieving business objectives; pushing national interests as well as preventing and resolving conflict. Yes! PR goes beyond publicity and crisis management. To reap the unending fruits of PR, it should be embraced in the full spectrum of its functions and should play a central role in every organisation’s interactions internally and externally.

As daunting as this might seem, it’s not all gloom and doom. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organisations came to rely heavily on PR to guide them through the unchartered waters of communicating effectively without appearing tone-deaf. This reliance on PR is earning it a much-deserved recognition and respect. However, how long can PR sustain this new ‘rep’?

Surely PR needs a dose of its own medicine. The solution to PR’s many problems is not one a magic wand can fix. However, an intentional approach by industry professionals to change the narrative could create a brighter future for the profession.

The birth of World PR Day is a step in the right direction. It presents a unified global agenda towards making the world understand, appreciate and utilise public relations better. By 2025, the World PR Day should have attained global recognition with PR professionals forming a united front to transform the profession they so dearly love. We will probably better appreciate the true power of influence, and the impact it can have on businesses, governance and every-day-life as we know it.

There’s never been a time in the history of mankind, that humans, no matter their sex, race, status, or location have had as much power to make their voice heard.

 

The world watched, provided commentary, and joined virtually, as Russians took to the streets on Saturday, January 23, 2021, in support of jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny. The horrible killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, reverberated around the world so much, it led to protests in almost every major city; protests as passionate and powerful as the ones in America where the police killing happened.

When we think of advocacy and activism, we like to think they’re reserved for people who are dedicated to the cause; fighting oppressive governments, drawing attention to issues like global warming and poverty; and working with donors and NGOs to fund some of the world’s biggest interventions. Now, and into the future, we expect to see every citizen – with a smartphone, internet connection, a social media or chat app account, and a set of things, people, and values they care about – put themselves up when it matters.

When Pyra Labs gave us Blogger in 1999, and WordPress followed in 2003, the world welcomed a proliferation of citizen journalists. Everyone with an idea, an opinion, a source, could now potentially put them out without needing a traditional publisher. Unprecedented. CNN iReports followed in 2006. All three combined not only led to the democratization of digital journalism, but it also created an entirely new genre, aptly named ‘blogging’.

If blogging gave everyone a voice, then social media brought along with it a ready audience; providing the community that Blogger and WordPress did not deliver. But social media did more than provide eyes and ears. Each social media platform is designed as a microblogging platform, and from Facebook to Whatsapp, Instagram, TikTok and Nairaland, everyone is using a free, mobile content management system to tell the stories they care about, with the minimum viable audience being friends, colleagues, and family. Almost every celebrity, business, organisation, idea, religion, or government today relies on the power of social media to communicate, sell, educate, influence, organize, and convert.

But it took sometime before users, billions of them poor, unhappy customers, and citizens, realised their power. And it must have been staying home for so long during the pandemic, not knowing if they’ll survive or not, that made many pay attention.

In Nigeria, a West African nation of over 200 million people, regular Twitter users engaged in conversations about police brutality, leading to a nationwide protest – the most organised in the country’s modern history – that made many celebrities, businesses and leaders scramble to align. The government was irritated, but the citizens’ voices were heard. Their advocacy worked. In America, it was regular citizens, organising through social media, that brought the criminal killing of George Floyd to global attention, forcing the government to bring his killers to book. There are many more examples, if you look around you.

And we should expect to see more of this: the line between advocacy and activism getting blurred; as more and more people get involved in calling for justice; recognising model humans and brands, holding governments accountable; condemning brand misdemeanours, or drawing attention to important issues and policies. It will be the much-needed independence, in a world held captive for aeons, by a business and political class happy for things to remain as they are. But it will not be without its risks, as mob action and cancel culture become predominant, and unscrupulous elements manipulate passionate young people into misguided protests.