By Queen Nwabueze

Please allow. Let’s start this article by drawing the conclusion: Only Media Monitoring and Intelligence Services were able to foresee the level of uncertainty that 2023 would bring for businesses. Therefore, if you are not involved in the Nigerian Media Monitoring Industry, you must agree that trying to predict what the election year will bring is utterly absurd.

We all love data as business organizations, but it’s time to stop assessing and analyzing the effectiveness of our media and public relations strategy using unhelpful data or we’ll miss the purpose.

What KPIs and metrics are you using for measurement? Equivalence in Advertising Value? Sorry, but AVE is considered to be a vanity metric given its age.

Using a relatable analogy: Using vanity metrics to gauge the success of your marketing campaign is like using an Instagram filter to cover up all of your imperfections. You look fantastic, but that isn’t a true reflection of who you are.

Vanity metrics give the impression that your public relations and media campaign is successful. There isn’t really any value in the numerous newspaper references, the cover pages featuring your CEO, or the hundreds of connections to your website that you have. Why? Since they are also susceptible to manipulation, they won’t provide you with any ACCURATE information about your company or the behavior of your supporters.

But! Today, it’s not about AVE and other meaningless numbers. Let’s discuss the elections in 2023.

What stage of election preparation are you at as a brand? Do you intend to keep tracking and assessing your exposure and reputation quotient in the same manner and hope for a different favorable outcome? No way!

Every new administration in Nigeria takes office with its own set of guidelines and regulations that frequently burn corporate organizations. The truth is that these gods just use their own method of rolling the dice, and someone very low in the corporate ladder loses something important. Numerous companies have had to close their stores as a result of inconsistent policies that the government of the time truly believed to be harmless.

Do we still punish this sleeping dog, though? Lay it off!

Change the baton yourself by going ahead. Start accepting accountability. How? The first step in getting anything in-depth for you is to work with Media Monitoring and Intelligence agencies who have received AMEC certification. AMEC? You ponder, “But why AMEC?”

A comprehensive, genuinely data-driven method of assessing and auditing communications became essential as PR evolved through time and PR professionals began working across all media. The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) now steps in to help with this. For measuring each PR effort for any significant brand, the Barcelona Principles and AMEC’s integrated evaluation methodology are the de facto gold standard.

As an AMEC member, P+ Measurement Services’ top piece of advice for companies in 2023 is to focus on holding yourself accountable rather than the unstable political landscape and the new administration. Ask your clients if they want to diversify their board, which used to be made up entirely of non-politicians.

Additionally, look within. Are you noticing that you continually use the same spokespeople to target more conventional publications? Shake things up. Give everyone in the C-suite a chance to shine. Accept new publications that appeal to a wide readership! Simply change a few things up and watch how well you do.

These days, the brands who deviate from the usual are the ones that succeed!

What about the incoming administration? Yes, you have developed a solid public affairs and government relations plan. But do they actually function? how did you find out? The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is another matter. The Lagos section? any further industry regulators? What problems exist? What new regulations are there? How precisely do they impact the existence and activities of the brand? Are you certain?

Did you even realize that there were policy updates and other modifications that you might not have been aware of because you were preoccupied with ensuring the delight of your customers? Have you ever considered that 2023 may establish and bury policies and concerns in the media that you missed because you were only looking out for mentions of your brand and competitions? You are too busy for any REAL Media Monitoring job, regardless of how you try to justify it. So just hire independent experts to handle that crucial aspect of your corporate existence. Your brand needs pro-data, media performance analysis, and public relations evaluation, which Media Intelligence Services provide, to start and at every stage until 2023. QED!

It’s fascinating that P+ Measurement Services is one of, if not the only, Nigerian Media Monitoring and Intelligence Agency to be a part of the esteemed international organization AMEC here in Nigeria. AMEC is the perfect fit!

P+, a well-known national and international provider of Media Intelligence Services, has never shied away from the lauded Barcelona Principles. Say there is too much jargon. The Barcelona Principles are as follows: Focus on the outcome of your campaigns rather than just the output; abandon metrics that are equivalent to AD value; and acknowledge the PR worth of outcome evaluation and performance audit. Simple!

Indeed, given the transformation of the media landscape, why not think outside the box when it comes to earned media placements. You assumed you knew this, but you’re about to learn that you don’t: your target audience is already focusing on other media and content consumption.

There are many options to spread your content right now, from building your own blog, podcast, or vlog to investing in a breezier social media campaign. But to avoid wasting money, let the data guide your choice.

Please don’t just go into this deep ocean called 2023 without robust media intelligence as the driver, again from P+ Measurement Services.

In truth, the same PPlus had always been in the lead, pushing for the establishment of the Nigerian Media Monitoring and Measurement Association as the industry’s governing organization (NIMMA). Award-winning P+ has been pushing for the establishment of the Nigerian Media Monitoring body for nearly ten years, even going so far as to publish details of how it operates so that everyone may plainly and unambiguously see that NIMMA is OUR VERY OWN!

You see? No need for alarm. As a corporate brand or HNI, you already have a highly qualified Media Monitoring and Intelligence Service in P+ that can handle and give you specific information about what the election year of 2023 has in store for your brand and your particular industry.

Queen Nwabueze is a Media & Content Strategist based in Lagos.

By Elvis Eromosele

Nigeria has a huge population. Current estimates put it in the region of 210 million. This is a huge number.

There is no prize for guessing that this number of people will produce humongous amount of waste. The challenge is how prepared are the managers of the economy to deal with the sheer volume of waste generated and ensure effective disposal.

Now, if you have ever wondered why drains are always blocked, dumpsites are created indiscriminately and pollution is the order of the day in many cities across the country, wonder no more. The answer is simply – People. People. People. This is the heart of the problem – a large number of people generating large volumes of waste without a discernable plan for proper disposal.

One thing is clear, Nigeria lacks a proper waste management system. Experts argue that the real problem is a large amount of ‘single-use’ items and products which effectively creates a linear economic model.

The linear economic model involves “take, make, use and dispose of”. Under this model items once used need to be disposed of and they subsequently end up in landfills and waste sites. Fun fact, the largest open waste site in Africa is situated in Nigeria, in Olusosun, Ojota, Lagos State.

And with the population expected to hit 400 million by 2050, according to the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, the quantity of waste generated annually is projected to continue to increase substantially.

Translation: unless we have a system in place, it is only going to get worse.

Describing the Nigerian economy as linear means that when raw materials are used to make products, once the item is used, it automatically becomes a waste product and is quickly thrown away.

The linear model is defined as the traditional model where raw materials are collected and transformed into products that consumers use and discard as waste, with no concern for their ecological footprint and consequences.

Of course, the indiscriminate dumping and burning of waste harm the environment. It pollutes the environment, degrades the quality of air, water and soil and contributes to climate change challenges. It equally affects the health of people, impacting productivity and economic development.

In seeking to effectively control the waste management problem, adopting global best practices in this space makes sense. The current trend is shifting from mere waste management to wealth creation, economic development and an improved environment. This is the emergence of the circular economy.

First off, the circular economy grew out of the urgent desire to curtail waste and drive the reuse of materials and waste to create economic value. A practical instance is where waste paper is used to make new paper and discarded plastic containers are used to make new plastic materials and other useful items for construction. The potential here is humongous. It guarantees that there will be enough raw materials in the immediate future to continue to produce these items. This is precisely what the circular economy is all about.

Under the circular economy, production has as little impact as possible on the environment by leaving less of a footprint. To make it sustainable, it must follow these three principles: reduce, reuse and recycle. The principles are three approaches – reduce (minimize the quantity of resource use); reuse (optimised resource use) and recycle (turnaround and put the resource to use again).

There are several ways to achieve this. Experts insist that with this system, value is created by focusing on value preservation.

The circular economy can almost be viewed as the opposite of a linear economy. It focuses on optimising the use of a product or service, a concept that is relevant to economic sustainability. The circular economic model can help promote and achieve environmental awareness, reduce the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and create wealth-making opportunities for the citizens.

The circular economic model benefits the citizens, the economy and the environment. It ensures that there are enough raw materials, promotes production efficiency and stimulates economic growth.

The real issue is how to ensure that the circular economy works for Nigeria’s 210 million people. When we consider the principles on which it is based – the circular economy can present innovative ways to recycle products and materials for the future. This can help to conserve the environment, combat climate change and generate endless job opportunities. Perhaps the biggest advantage the circular economy offers is the waste-to-wealth path for sustainable economic growth.

While the private sector organizations are already building massive in this direction, the government can help through the implementation of appropriate policies to fast-track the emergence of the circular economy across the country.

Studies indicate that single-use plastic waste makes up a huge portion of waste generated in an economy. So, policies that ban or restrict the importation, production and use of single-use and all variants of non-recyclable plastics will help precipitate the circular economy.

Eliminating single-use plastic waste from the environment will no doubt curb the clogging of public drains, curtail incidents of flooding and limit harm to the environment.

The government equally needs to collaborate more with the private sector to drive the circular economy agenda in much the same way it is pursuing and driving the digital economy agenda. The Minister of Environment can take a cue from Prof Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

In addition, portions of the ecological fund can be channelled into grants and rewards for firms that actively promote the circular economy through their business practices with widespread impact.

The introduction and enforcement of extended producer responsibility (EPR) can be another option to reduce waste, especially plastic waste. Consider container take-back programs, an example of EPR that has been effective in many places.

Under this initiative, consumers will pay a small deposit when products are sold (usually beverages), which is refunded when the packaging waste is returned to the retailer. Naturally, the containers go back to the manufacturer for recycling and reuse.

There is no reason why a State like Lagos cannot adopt this strategy to reduce the volume of plastic waste in the streets and public drains.

For a country that urgently needs to diversify its economy, the circular economic model provides tremendous value and opportunities for Nigeria.

When a country demonstrates a commitment to the circular economy, the rats don’t need to eat the poisoned holy communion to gain attention. International and multi-lateral agencies will be eager to provide grants to help drive inclusive circular economy projects.

For 210 million people to participate actively in the circular economy, the government must urgently step up and step in with relevant policies, collaborate with the private sector and engage the citizens. This is the way to go!

Elvis Eromosele, a Corporate Communication professional and public affairs analyst lives in Lagos.