Brands/Products
Want to Survive a Period of Economic Crisis? Don’t Kill Your Marketing Spend
By Tintin Imevbore
During times of economic downturn, such as the one Nigeria’s currently experiencing, businesses are frequently forced to make tough choices when it comes to cutting back on costs. Unfortunately, marketing is often among the first cost items to be cut. While the reasons for cutting back on marketing as a whole are understandable, doing so could potentially cause detrimental damage to the business in the long run.
In fact, there’s a strong case to be made that, rather than making wholesale cuts, organisations could aim to reallocate spending to suit the current economic climate while also driving efficiency and adapting to changing consumer behaviours. And that, in turn, could mean putting an increased focus on digital marketing. Doing so comes with several advantages. Not only does it minimise the pitfalls that come with cutting back on marketing spend (including lost brand visibility and diminished customer loyalty), but it could also help businesses stand out against competitors who do cut their marketing budgets in a bid to save short term.
But, in order to enjoy these advantages to their fullest extent, organisations have to take the right approach to digital marketing. That includes working with advertising partners who understand the digital landscape as well as the platforms and digital ad products most suitable to each business’s requirements.
Understanding the psychology of cutbacks
Before looking at how businesses can ensure that they get the full benefits of digital marketing, it’s worth getting a clearer understanding of why it’s so often among the first items to be cut in a company budget.
One of the biggest reasons is that cutting back on marketing spend provides immediate savings to the business. That could help the business preserve immediate cash flow in the short term. While that’s not as applicable to digital marketing channels as it is to traditional ones (such as broadcast and outdoor), businesses looking to preserve cash flow and save jobs will try and save anywhere they can.
Additionally, marketing budgets are seen as more flexible compared to fixed costs like salaries or commercial rent. As such, some business owners and executives believe that it’s easier to scale back or eliminate marketing campaigns than it is to make drastic changes to the organisation’s structure.
To add to it, , in a period where business survival is perceived to be more important than growth and expansion, long-term investments like marketing campaigns might take a backseat in favour of short-term cost-cutting measures.
Short-term gains but long-term pain
As understandable as that logic is, the short-term gains made by cutting back on advertising can result in long-term pain for businesses.
Reducing or eliminating marketing efforts during an economic downturn can lead to reduced brand visibility, a loss of market share, and diminished customer loyalty. This, in turn, could make it more challenging for the business to recover once the economic situation improves.
And in an emerging market like Nigeria, that could mean missing out on considerable long-term growth. While the economy might be struggling now – thanks to a combination of volatile exchange rates, the removal of the fuel subsidy, rapidly rising inflation, and global macroeconomic factors – that won’t always be the case.
The country’s expanding youthful population, growing levels of connectivity, and rich natural resources mean that it is primed for long-term growth. In fact, research from Goldman Sachs suggests that Nigeria could have the fifth-largest economy on the globe by 2075.
The businesses that will be best positioned to enjoy the fruits of that growth are the ones that build personalised relationships with their customers, and digital marketing remains one of the most efficient ways of doing that.
Use the right partners
But that doesn’t mean that businesses have to adopt a “business-as-usual” approach when it comes to digital marketing. It is, after all, still possible to recognise the importance of maintaining a digital presence while also being aware of the broader economic situation.
Achieving this balance can be a lot easier when businesses choose to work with the right advertising partners. The ideal partner would be able to help a business identify which platforms and formats work best for its business needs. The partner will also be able to help deliver the kind of campaigns that provide the maximum return on the business’s marketing spend.
Businesses should also consider looking for an advertising partner that has an established in-market presence with local on-ground expertise. By doing so, the business is more likely to understand and adapt to the shifting economic conditions. It’s additionally important to use an advertising partner that prices transparently, meaning the business knows it’s getting the fairest possible price from the start.
An ongoing investment
Ultimately, then, it should be clear that while cutting digital marketing budgets is understandable, it should never be viewed as desirable. Businesses that choose to keep their advertising during activities running through challenging economic times could potentially come out stronger on the other side. In order to reap maximum benefits, they should consider working with partners who can help them ensure their marketing budgets work as efficiently (and as economically) as possible during uncertain times.
Tintin Imevbore is the Managing Director for Nigeria at Ad Dynamo by Aleph
Brands/Products
Why Your PR Report Must Include CEO Metrics — Or Risk Losing Their Interest Entirely
By Philip Odiakose
Let us be honest — if I had a Naira for every time a CEO said or thinks PR is a “cost center,” I would probably have built a second agency by now. And I get it — PR feels intangible to some folks in the C-suite. It is not always as direct as “We spent X and sold Y.” But here is the kicker: PR is the only business function working daily to maintain the public reputation of the brand that the CEO wakes up every day to lead. Without PR, a brand’s reputation could crumble quietly while the finance team celebrates balance sheets. So when next you hear someone say PR doesn’t bring value, kindly show them this article — and maybe offer them a bottle of water too, because they are clearly thirsty for the truth.
Having stated the value of PR, let us start this conversation with a bit of PR truth serum. If you have ever presented a beautifully designed PR report and watched your CEO flip through it with all the enthusiasm of someone reviewing a phone book in 2025, I feel your pain. And I have lived it. With over 15 years in PR measurement, research, and media intelligence — and having worked across different markets in Africa — one recurring silent theme has always echoed from boardrooms: “This is great, but what exactly does it say about me?”
You do be surprised how fast a CEO’s interest sparks when they see their name with a performance score next to their competitors.
Now, before you roll your eyes and scream “vanity metrics,” hold on. This isn’t about stroking egos or creating a separate report that worships leadership. It is about relatability. One of the major reasons why some executives see PR teams as a cost center — and why they struggle to sign off on measurement budgets — is because they simply can’t connect with the report. Yes, the brand got 500+ mentions. Yes, the sentiment was 80% positive. Yes, you landed an exclusive in a top-tier publication. Yes, you have raised brand awareness. But guess what? If nothing in that report speaks directly to the leadership’s role in that performance, you are missing a critical link.
PR isn’t only about brand exposure and reputation — it’s also about brand leadership visibility.
At P+ Measurement Services, I can’t count how many times PR professionals have said to us during cold calls, “Our CEO isn’t buying into the PR measurement thing; he thinks it is fluff.” And honestly, I get why. When a report is full of brand numbers but doesn’t show how the leadership contributed or is being perceived, it loses the executive audience quickly. That is why in the early years of our agency, we developed a proprietary framework (P+MCA) that captures CEO-specific performance metrics — not just the presence of their names in headlines but how they rank in sentiment, thought leadership, share of voice, and positioning versus competitive CEOs.
You want sign-off on your Measurement and Evaluation budget? Show your CEO how they perform against other CEOs. Then step back and watch the magic.
There was a time we worked with a leading insurance brand in South Africa. The PR team had been practically begging their CEO to take up a keynote speaking slot at an industry event, but the man was adamant: “Not now.” Frustrated, the team approached us for help. We produced a CEO-focused performance audit — showcasing not just his media presence but a comparison of his leadership metrics against rival insurance CEOs. When he saw his score at the bottom of the table, his reaction was priceless: “How can I be last on this scoreboard?” The very next week, he was asking the PR team for the event lineup. That moment right there? That’s what we call data doing the heavy lifting.
Let the data speak where words fail. CEOs don’t argue with numbers.
This doesn’t just help you secure leadership buy-in for PR campaigns; it opens up strategic conversations around executive positioning, thought leadership, and industry influence. One of our proudest long-term engagements came from that South African experience — we have supported that team since 2018, helping position their CEO from media-shy to media-smart. Data made that happen.
And this isn’t just relevant for CEOs with PR-phobia. It is vital for CEOs who sit on multiple boards. A chairman might be squeaky clean in one company and still drag your brand into crisis by association. I remember working with a multinational FMCG brand in Nigeria whose chairman also served on the board of a financial services company. When the latter entered crisis mode, the FMCG brand was dragged into headlines it didn’t ask for. Why? Because media doesn’t separate leadership roles — it connects them.
Your CEO’s reputation isn’t siloed. If they sit on multiple boards, so do their risks.
Including CEO-specific metrics and competitive insights helps PR professionals spot reputational risks early. It also helps pre-empt crises. When you know how the media is talking about your leadership, and how that compares with others, you have the leverage to act — not react. And that, dear PR pro, is the difference between being seen as a “cost center” and a strategic partner.
This is your call to upgrade your report. Brand performance is great — but leadership performance? That’s where the real power lies.
So next time you are struggling to justify your PR strategy, your measurement and evaluation budget, or why your CEO should attend that industry event — don’t argue. Just present the data. Let it tell the story, and let P+ help you craft one they can’t ignore.
Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of public relations monitoring, measurement, evaluation and intelligence in Africa. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMEC, NIPR, AMCRON, ACIOM and Founding Member of AMEC Lab Initiative
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A partnership aimed to strengthen product safety and compliance measures has been entered into between Temu and Eurofins Consumer Product Testing and Eurofins Assurance.
As part of this initiative, Eurofins Assurance will conduct independent inspection services across multiple product categories, including textiles, apparel, jewellery, toys, outdoor furniture, and electrical products.
These assessments will help ensure that items available on Temu comply with relevant safety and quality regulations before reaching consumers.
Additionally, Eurofins Consumer Product Testing will support Temu’s seller onboarding process by carrying out key product certification tests, such as Toy CPC (Children’s Product Certificate), Adult Apparel GCC (General Certificate of Conformity), Outdoor Furniture GPSR EU EN581-1 Physical Safety Testing, and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) + RoHS Test Reports.
The objective is to support transparency in Temu’s product safety processes, enhance quality control and ensure that products sold on the global e-commerce platform meet rigorous safety and regulatory standards.
Temu’s partnership with Eurofins Consumer Product Testing and Eurofins Assurance reflects its ongoing efforts to enhance quality assurance measures and support consumers in making informed purchasing decisions.
“At Temu, we are dedicated to providing a secure and reliable shopping experience.
“Strengthening our product safety measures is a key priority, and by working with Eurofins Consumer Product Testing and Eurofins Assurance, we are reinforcing our commitment to ensuring that products on our platform meet high safety and compliance standards,” a Temu spokesperson stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
African telecommunications giant, MTN Group, may be foraying into the streaming landscape as part of plans to expand its footprint.
The company planning to develop a new video streaming platform that may compete with the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and Showmax, owned by Multichoice.
The firm, according to a limited statement, is building a partnership with Synamedia, a video software provider, and will be targeted at mobile and fixed broadband subscribers across Africa.
“This collaboration aims to enhance digital content accessibility and provide a diverse range of viewing options to meet the evolving preferences of audiences throughout the continent,” MTN said in a statement on Monday.
“The service will leverage Synamedia’s advanced, cloud-based technologies to deliver both linear television and video-on-demand content. The platform will offer diverse monetisation models, including subscriptions, ad-supported content and free streaming channels with targeted advertising,” it added.
Each market in which the media platform is launched will “benefit from a curated content strategy, thoughtfully adapted to local cultures, languages and viewing habits – ensuring deep relevance and strong audience resonance across the continent,” MTN further disclosed.
Speaking on this, Synamedia CEO, Mr Paul Segre, said in the statement, “By taking advantage of the breadth of our integrated, cloud-based portfolio to quickly deploy new services at scale, MTN will be able to create a ground-breaking set of offerings for customers and viewers that will drive new revenues.”
It is not immediately clear what the steaming platform will contain but already established platforms like Showmax have varied content including television shows, sports, and films.
Business Post gathered that MTN is expected to provide more details on the move in coming days.
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