As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries across the world, some of Nigeria’s leading marketing and advertising professionals believe one thing remains certain: the future of advertising still belongs to people.
industry leaders agreed that while AI is transforming the way brands communicate, it cannot replicate the imagination, empathy and cultural understanding that make advertising truly effective.
The congress, themed “The End of Advertising as We Know It and How to Win What Comes Next,” brought together marketers, agency executives and creative professionals to examine how the industry can remain relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Advertising Isn’t Ending Tt’s Evolving
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Marketing Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh challenged the notion that advertising is dying, describing the current transformation as an opportunity for the industry to reconnect with its core purpose.
“The end of advertising is not a tragedy. It is an invitation to return to the true purpose of advertising to understand people and move markets,” he said.
According to Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, agencies that can solve clients’ business problems through innovative thinking will continue to thrive regardless of their size. He noted that traditional advertising models are giving way to more engaging, experience driven approaches where consumers become active participants rather than passive audiences.
“The brands that will win will not necessarily be those with the biggest budgets or deepest pockets, but those that create moments people genuinely want to talk about,” he added.
When Consumers Become The Media
To demonstrate how modern advertising works, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh recalled a viral social media exchange during the 2026 FIFA World Cup involving Norwegian Air and British Airways.
Following England’s victory over Norway, Norwegian Air honoured a playful pre-match promise by temporarily adopting British Airways’ Instagram branding and publicly congratulating the airline.
The light hearted exchange quickly went viral, drawing millions of online interactions and encouraging other airlines to join the conversation even though neither airline was an official World Cup sponsor.
For Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, the campaign perfectly captured the changing face of advertising.
“Creativity is no longer confined to a 30 second commercial. Today, consumers are participants, storytellers and distributors. A clever idea that captures culture can generate more attention than campaigns backed by multi-million-dollar budgets.”
AI Is A Powerful Tool But Trust Still Matters
While acknowledging that Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of global marketing communications, Dr Meksley Nwagboh cautioned that technology should never come at the expense of trust and originality.
He urged advertising agencies to strengthen their data capabilities, deepen consumer insights, invest in talent development, embrace collaboration and ensure the responsible use of AI.
According to him, the agencies that succeed will be those that combine technological innovation with authentic human understanding.
Only People Can Imagine
In his welcome remarks, the President of the association and Chief Executive Officer of Noah’s Ark Communications, Adisa Lanre, expressed confidence that advertising will continue to flourish despite rapid technological disruption.
He stressed that advertising has always been about solving business challenges through powerful ideas rather than simply producing campaigns.
“Algorithms can optimise. Machines can generate. But only people can imagine. Only people understand culture, emotions and changing human behaviour.”
The Next Era Of Communication
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Big Cabal Media, Tomiwa Aladekomo, argued that traditional advertising is steadily giving way to a new era of communication.
According to him, organisations that continue relying on outdated methods risk being left behind.
“The future will not be won by those who defend old habits with new vocabulary. It will be won by those who understand that the next era of communication must be more predictive, more participatory and, most importantly, more accountable.”
Panel: AI Can Assist But It Cannot Replace Creativity
The congress also featured a panel discussion with marketing and creative leaders including Segun Akinyemiju, Rotimi Ade Onojobi, Damola R. Salvador, Oluwatobiloba Beckley Williams and Seun Adaramola. The session was moderated by Oyindamola Fakile.
Despite representing different sectors of the communications industry, the panelists reached a common conclusion: Artificial Intelligence will continue to transform advertising, but it will never replace the originality, imagination and cultural intelligence that human beings bring to creative work.
They described AI as an indispensable tool for improving efficiency and innovation but insisted that meaningful storytelling, emotional connection and cultural relevance will always depend on human creativity.
