Agencies Should be Strategic Partners
In May 2025, the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) House in Victoria Island played host to the sixth edition of the Industry Summit, a gathering of Nigeria’s top minds in branding, communications, and marketing. This year’s theme—‘Understanding Changing Consumer Preferences in Troubled FMCG Space’—couldn’t have been more timely, as brands grapple with evolving consumer behaviour, economic headwinds, and the relentless pace of digital disruption.
Keynote addresses were made by Lampe Omoyele, Managing Director/CEO of Nitro 121, Stanley Obi, Co-Founder/CEO Innova Hive Integrated Ltd and Toyin Nnodi, a marketing consultant. The keynotes were followed by a panel discussion. Among the standout voices on the panel was Efe Obiomah, founder of Brand Spark, who joined industry leaders including Nana Milagrosa (CXO, MPXM) and Celestine Umehi (CEO, Arewa24), in a conversation moderated by Gift Uche-Ewule, Assistant Brand Manager at Indomie.
Changing Consumer Behaviour: Are Brands Keeping Up?
Efe highlighted a critical challenge facing brands: consumer preferences are evolving under the weight of socio-economic realities and amplified by technological disruption. Unlike before, the traditional pace of campaign planning and approvals often struggles to keep up with fast-moving market trends.
‘Brands are more responsive compared to five years ago, but brands are still not responding as quickly as they should,’ she noted, pointing to the accelerated influence of content creators and digital communities. In today’s FMCG landscape, where trends can shift overnight, agility is no longer optional but necessary for survival.
She pointedly observed that bureaucratic delays hinder agencies’ ability to respond swiftly when emerging trends present fresh opportunities. This gap between the speed of consumer shifts and slow internal processes risks brands falling behind in relevance and connection.
Her insights sparked a broader conversation about real-time relevance and the need for brands to listen more actively, adapt more swiftly, and engage more authentically.
Agencies as Strategic Partners
When asked how agencies can earn deeper respect from their clients, Efe offered a powerful reminder: ‘Agencies must fully immerse themselves in their client’s business and industry. We’re not just vendors—we’re advisors and subject matter experts.’
She emphasised three pillars for agency credibility:
- Expertise: Deep understanding of the client’s market and challenges.
- Execution: Delivering high-quality campaigns on time and within budget.
- Engagement: Building trust through collaboration and shared goals.
This call for strategic partnership over transactional service resonated strongly with attendees, many of whom echoed the need for more integrated, insight-driven agency relationships.
Sparking the Future of FMCG
As the FMCG space continues to evolve, Brand Spark remains committed to helping brands decode consumer behaviour, craft meaningful narratives, and drive measurable impact. Efe’s presence at the summit reaffirmed our belief that bold thinking, adaptability, and strategic rigour are the keys to thriving in turbulent times.
We’re proud to be part of the conversation, and even prouder to help lead it.
