LAIF 2025 urges discipline, resilience in creativity

The 2025 Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival Creative Conference has brought together leading voices in Nigeria’s creative industry to examine the evolving advertising landscape, resilience, and the discipline required to produce world-class ideas.

The conference, held recently in Lagos, attracted a strong turnout of industry professionals, with a notable presence of young creatives, according to a statement. This year’s edition placed heavy emphasis on the values that sustain long-term success in advertising, storytelling, and brand innovation.

Speaking at the conference, the President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Lanre Adisa, said young creatives must adopt a mindset of craftsmanship, stressing that every groundbreaking idea demands effort, patience, and unwavering commitment to improvement.

Adisa noted that while technology and idea-generation tools have transformed the industry, the fundamental principles of hard work and determination remain the true measure of quality output.

“So, especially to the young guys in the audience, it still requires a lot of hard work. It is about doing good work for the Lord, working hard, and, as I always tell my team, some of us earn our money the old-fashioned way. We sweat for it. So you have to find yourself sweating to try and get the excellent idea, the very best of ideas, out. So let’s not give up, and sometimes there will be bumps on the road. Just take it for what it is and just keep on working,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival Management Board, Jay Chukwuemeka, described creativity as a demanding craft that rewards those willing to push beyond their comfort zones. He encouraged participants to cultivate their skills and remain dedicated to producing work that stands out in both quality and purpose.

Chukwuemeka urged creatives to embrace challenges as stepping stones toward exceptional output, noting that discipline and resilience are essential attributes in the pursuit of excellence.

During a panel session titled “The Anatomy of Genius: Unpacking the Human Truths and The Craft Behind Award-winning Work,” the Chief Executive Officer of X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, said creatives must consistently go above and beyond to deliver compelling work, particularly when convincing clients under pressure.

According to Babaeko, creatives must understand client psychology while presenting ideas, adding that many clients are driven by metrics such as volume, profit, or bonuses.

Another panelist, Creative Director at Dentsu South Africa, TJ Njozela, said creative professionals must strike a balance between producing award-winning work and delivering responsible, best-practice solutions, regardless of resistance from clients.

In her remarks, the Chief Visionary Officer of Event Architects Limited, Funmi Victor-Okigbo, said attention to fine details is critical to delivering great work. She emphasized that agencies should place clients at the forefront of their process, adding that client enthusiasm and excitement should be the ultimate measure of success.

In another panel session titled “Future of AI in Communications,” the Marketing Director of Visa West Africa, Seun Adaramola, described artificial intelligence as a powerful tool for making communication more effective. He urged agencies and clients to embrace AI while ensuring creativity is used to infuse emotion into their work.

Also speaking, the Founder of the Naija AI Film Festival, Obinna Okerekeocha, said AI is key to bringing creative imaginations to life faster, adding that the future of African storytelling lies at the intersection of art and technology. He noted that his organisation remains committed to rewarding individuals who effectively deploy AI tools to generate innovative ideas.

Founder of SAY Visionaries, Susan Younis, said agencies must leverage AI to tell stories the way they intend them to be told.

During another panel session titled “Power of Collaboration Across Disciplines,” the Chief Executive Officer of Q21 Solutions, Eunice Adeyemi, said agencies must earn client trust to create experiences that seamlessly integrate technology.

Corroborating this view, the President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria, Tolulope Medebem, said clients must be willing to co-create with agencies to deliver unforgettable experiences on every project.

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing at Diageo, Segun Ogunleye, said brands, agencies, and partners must adopt a collaborative mindset to achieve shared objectives.

Founder of the Lagos Street Art Festival, Osa Seven, added that delegating responsibility and building strong teams are critical to scaling creative work to global standards.

The conference also featured a session on “Authenticity in African Storytelling,” where the Chief Executive Officer of Accelerate Media Group said creative professionals must ground their work in integrity, authenticity, and continuous improvement.

Another panel session, titled “Women in Advertising,” focused on challenges faced by women in the profession and the need for employers to support work-life balance without hindering career growth.