Elite advertisement in Nigeria
Encyclopedia
Elite advertisements in Nigeria are various forms of personal
leaning print
, audio
and visual ads sponsored by Nigerian elites to elaborate the achievements of a deceased acquaintance or to congratulate a fellow colleague, family
or friend. The advertisement are readily seen in the pages of Nigerian dailies, with some ads consuming more than ten pages filled with congratulatory messages to a prominent Nigerian on his birthday
, wedding
or recent honorary
award
. Usually, the obituaries of deceased businesspeople tend to be the most space consuming. Critical views have been expressed on the prominence of this forms of ads, ranging from Ken Saro-Wiwa
view that the obituary ads were obnoxious to some readers view that the ads are merely a form of communication
. However, the ads brings out questions about the influence in popular opinion and culture of excessive and dominating imagery and text made up of an individual's self definition of his social and communal achievement and the elites influence within and beyond their circles. The ads are sometimes seen as an indirect way for elites to augment their status symbol in the society. Also it challenges the notion of social responsibility in the Nigerian press
However, there are ethno-regional variations in opinion and disposition towards the social marketing of elites in the country.
The conspicuous elites within an heterogeneous and stratified Nigerian society then use different mediums to convey traditional solidarity, maintain their social and political influence peddling and socially market themselves as cultural symbols of status, men of influence within their community and reference for power brokering.
business in Nigeria can be traced to the middle of the nineteenth century. The primary goal of newspapers then was to influence the literacy
rate of the population. Foreign owned newspapers quickly emerged as an avenue for readers to self educate themselves and also as a tool of the mercantile traders to read about trade related ads or to advertise their goods. The success of the early newspapers was linked to the competence of its writers and editors
, political appeal, patronage by local administrators and the financial purse of the owners. However, fluctuating subscriber revenues by the 1920s led to a greater dependency on advertisement, with about 50-70% of pages devoted to ads but most of it was related to merchandise goods. By 1943, a strategy to increase revenues led to the introduction of classified ads mostly covering one page. It wasn't until the establishment of two politically inspired newspapers, the West African Pilot
in 1937 and the Nigerian Tribune in 1949, did newspapers began to devote more space to personality profiles.
In the 1950s, the Nigerian government established a number of newspapers, television and radio outlets. But access to government patronage in later years and increase in political activity led to an emerging space consuming and conspicuous political motivated ads in many of the government owned newspapers. But by the mid 1980s, a bust in government revenues arose following an oil
boom sparked by large increases in the price of oil in the 1970s, the revenues accrued by the government began to precipitate downwards leading to cuts in budgetary subvention to many government owned outlets. The revenue shortfall is believed to have created the impetus for many media
operators to court and promote congratulatory and obituaries advertisement in their T.V or radio stations. In the 1980s, solicitation was sometimes done through field agents who receive a commission of about 5-15% of the paid advert. Rivalry between field agents led to discount in groups messages or a ceremonial ads celebrating the crowning of a new communal chief, some of the discount were also extended to paid birthdays or welcoming messages for a new president. In 1989, the Nigerian Daily Times, a government owned newspaper published an average of 7 obituaries daily, with majority of it devoted to ads taking one quarter of a page. During the same period, the Nigerian Daily Sketch on the other hand, published about 2 pages of obituary
ads.
Identity (social science)
Identity is a term used to describe a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations . The term is used more specifically in psychology and sociology, and is given a great deal of attention in social psychology...
leaning print
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
, audio
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
and visual ads sponsored by Nigerian elites to elaborate the achievements of a deceased acquaintance or to congratulate a fellow colleague, family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
or friend. The advertisement are readily seen in the pages of Nigerian dailies, with some ads consuming more than ten pages filled with congratulatory messages to a prominent Nigerian on his birthday
Birthday
A birthday is a day or anniversary where a person celebrates his or her date of birth. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with a gift, party or rite of passage. Although the major religions celebrate the birth of their founders , Christmas – which is celebrated widely by...
, wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
or recent honorary
Title of honor
An honorary title or title of honor is a title bestowed upon individuals or organizations as an award in recognition of their merits.Sometimes the title bears the same or nearly the same name as a title of authority, but the person bestowed does not have to carry any duties, possibly except for...
award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
. Usually, the obituaries of deceased businesspeople tend to be the most space consuming. Critical views have been expressed on the prominence of this forms of ads, ranging from Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
view that the obituary ads were obnoxious to some readers view that the ads are merely a form of communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
. However, the ads brings out questions about the influence in popular opinion and culture of excessive and dominating imagery and text made up of an individual's self definition of his social and communal achievement and the elites influence within and beyond their circles. The ads are sometimes seen as an indirect way for elites to augment their status symbol in the society. Also it challenges the notion of social responsibility in the Nigerian press
However, there are ethno-regional variations in opinion and disposition towards the social marketing of elites in the country.
Background
In many African countries, a few elites, notably politicians tend to be prominent actors in the everyday drama that plays out in many Nigerian talk shops, group gatherings, and in front pages of the media; further crowding out space for discussions about practical non-elite involved issues that influence the common man. Sometimes not only do they make the news, they own the media and they are also the news.The conspicuous elites within an heterogeneous and stratified Nigerian society then use different mediums to convey traditional solidarity, maintain their social and political influence peddling and socially market themselves as cultural symbols of status, men of influence within their community and reference for power brokering.
Beginning
The roots of the newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
business in Nigeria can be traced to the middle of the nineteenth century. The primary goal of newspapers then was to influence the literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
rate of the population. Foreign owned newspapers quickly emerged as an avenue for readers to self educate themselves and also as a tool of the mercantile traders to read about trade related ads or to advertise their goods. The success of the early newspapers was linked to the competence of its writers and editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
, political appeal, patronage by local administrators and the financial purse of the owners. However, fluctuating subscriber revenues by the 1920s led to a greater dependency on advertisement, with about 50-70% of pages devoted to ads but most of it was related to merchandise goods. By 1943, a strategy to increase revenues led to the introduction of classified ads mostly covering one page. It wasn't until the establishment of two politically inspired newspapers, the West African Pilot
West African Pilot
The West African Pilot was a newspaper launched in Nigeria by Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1937, dedicated to fightingfor independence from British colonial rule.-Foundation and growth:...
in 1937 and the Nigerian Tribune in 1949, did newspapers began to devote more space to personality profiles.
In the 1950s, the Nigerian government established a number of newspapers, television and radio outlets. But access to government patronage in later years and increase in political activity led to an emerging space consuming and conspicuous political motivated ads in many of the government owned newspapers. But by the mid 1980s, a bust in government revenues arose following an oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
boom sparked by large increases in the price of oil in the 1970s, the revenues accrued by the government began to precipitate downwards leading to cuts in budgetary subvention to many government owned outlets. The revenue shortfall is believed to have created the impetus for many media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
operators to court and promote congratulatory and obituaries advertisement in their T.V or radio stations. In the 1980s, solicitation was sometimes done through field agents who receive a commission of about 5-15% of the paid advert. Rivalry between field agents led to discount in groups messages or a ceremonial ads celebrating the crowning of a new communal chief, some of the discount were also extended to paid birthdays or welcoming messages for a new president. In 1989, the Nigerian Daily Times, a government owned newspaper published an average of 7 obituaries daily, with majority of it devoted to ads taking one quarter of a page. During the same period, the Nigerian Daily Sketch on the other hand, published about 2 pages of obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
ads.