'Give adverts to private papers'

Page 24/49 (Spread), Dec 10, 2007
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has bemoaned the lack of adverts in the private press, saying that the situation should be a matter of concern to people interested in the sustenance of the country’s democracy.
“It seems to me that the extreme sensationalism indulged in by some of them may be due to desperate need to sell every issue,” he said.
Speaking at the Sixth Advertisers Association of Ghana (AAG) Gong Gong Awards in Accra on Saturday, Mr Oteng-Gyasi observed that the lack of advertising revenue “may be part of the reason for the desperate headlines they inflict on us”.
The occasion was on the theme: “Advertising in Ghana...Fifty Years On”.
Lowe Lintas won the platinum awards for the radio and television categories while Art Bureau picked the platinum award for the print category.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi, who is the Managing Director of Kabel Metal, recalled a headline in one of the private papers some years back after the execution of former Head of State General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
He stated that after writing a sensational headline “Acheampong Alive in Togo” and landing himself in trouble, the publisher of the paper explained that he needed such a headline to sell his paper.
That story, he explained, reported that a type of grass known as “Acheampong grass” was still prevalent in Togo.
Mr, Oteng-Gyasi, who is also Chairman of the University of Ghana Council, therefore, appealed to advertisers to consider placing adverts in the private newspapers, some of which had an appreciable circulation.
“Democracy costs money. Democracy requires plurality,” he said, adding that since private newspapers provided the country with such plurality, “let us help keep them alive by placing adverts in them”.
Quoting from a British Soap pioneer, Lord Leverhouse, who is reputed to have said that he knew half of his advertising budget was wasted, but did not know which half, Mr Oteng-Gyasi said “in Ghana we may also not know which half of our advertising expenditure is wasted but it will be comforting to know it is wasted on ensuring democracy”.
He called on players in the advertising industry to assist manufacturers to build brands with adverts that were consistent with the message and the delivery.
He called on advertisers to avoid single-person agencies and build large professional agencies, since good adverts were achieved through teamwork.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi urged young entrants into the advertising industry not to be tempted into thinking that they would be better off on their own just because of one or two initial successes, explaining that “advertising is both an art and a science. Long diligent study is required”.
In his address, the President of the AAG, Mr Reginald Laryea, noted that the Gong Gong Awards programme, which is the industry’s main platform for recognising and rewarding creative excellence and distinction, had grown into an irresistible social ritual for practitioners and the general public.
He mentioned factors which had helped in the transformation of the advertising industry to include the impact of foreign and multi-national agencies, the revolution of information technology, the liberalisation and improvement in the national economy and the emergence of a new dynamic and dedicated professionals in the industry.
Mr Laryea said the industry had become so vibrant and attractive that one could count over 200 agencies operating in Accra alone.
He said he was happy that there has been an excellent working relationship between the AAG and its partners and stakeholders such as the metropolitan and district assemblies, the Food and Drugs Board, the National Media Commission, the Association of Ghana Industries and media owners over the years.
Mr Laryea gave the assurance that the AAG would use the award scheme to identify, acknowledge and reward professional excellence and home-grown creative ingenuity as an antidote to mediocrity and shoddy work.