EXMAN woos students to experiential marketing

To bridge the gap between academia and industry, the Experiential Marketers Association visited the University of Ibadan to engage Communications students from the Faculty of Arts in experiential marketing.

According to a release from the association, the event was geared towards its 11th annual general meeting, held recently in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The EXMAN President, Tolulope Medebem, articulated the association’s vision to nurture talent within the experiential marketing sector.

He emphasised, “The critical role of such engagements in shaping the industry’s future workforce and the importance of bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.”

At the AGM, the EXMAN president and his vice president, Angela Makinwa, whose tenure had been ratified for a two-year term, delivered an extensive report on their stewardship.

Medebem reflected on the challenges faced by the country and the industry over the past year.

He said, “Our EXCO mission was set up on the acronym THRIVE, with each letter standing for a goal that, as a team, we have worked towards, hopefully with some tangible results.

“THRIVE represents Training and Thought Leadership, Harmony, Relationship, Inclusiveness, Value, and Engagement.”

Furthermore, the vice president, in her presentation, looked into the association’s training initiatives while highlighting its partnership with the Lagos Business School.

“EXMAN and LBS/Pan Atlantic, on February 1, 2024, formally launched an Experiential Marketing Management Programme aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness for experiential marketing and the association, providing credible and worthwhile on-the-job training and overall manpower development,” Makinwa stated.

She noted that the inaugural programme saw 42 participants, with 37 being EXMAN members and inducted eight experiential marketing agencies into its fold.

Speaking on the induction, the Chairman of the EXMAN Membership Committee, Mr Dare Oyegbola, said that in the year under review, applications were received from about 10 agencies that wished to join the association.

Oyegbola, who is also the Group Head of Experiential Marketing, Events, and Production at Havas Africa, said, “We had an audience with some of these agencies and these eight have completed their registrations and met the requirements to be admitted into EXMAN.”

According to him, the new agencies joined over 60 others in EXMAN, which collectively generates annual billings exceeding N30bn.

He mentioned that the association’s member agencies employ over 30,000 contract and part-time field activation personnel, a big statement to the economic impact of the experiential marketing sector in Nigeria.

Oyegbola added that EXMAN’s multifaceted role includes protecting, promoting, and regulating the activities of certified players within the country’s experiential marketing landscape.