The AAG, the umbrella body of advertising practitioners in Ghana, has unveiled a new logo and a restructuring plan to revamp its image and operations. The new logo, which features a stylized letter A in the colors of the Ghanaian flag, represents the association’s commitment to excellence, creativity, and national pride.
According to a report by Daily Graphic, the restructuring plan aims to make the AAG more relevant and responsive to the current and future challenges and opportunities in the advertising industry, which has been disrupted by the rapid evolution of digital technologies and new business models.
The AAG President, Andrew Ackah, announced the plan at the association’s 32nd annual general meeting (AGM) in Accra, where 13 new members were sworn in and presented with their certificates of membership. He said the plan was inevitable if the AAG wanted to progress and flourish as the purveyor of top-class advertising practice and ensure that all members felt a sense of belonging and participation.
Regulatory framework
One of the key challenges facing the AAG and its members is the lack of a regulatory framework to standardize and regulate the practice of advertising in the country. The Advertising Bill, which was designed to address this issue, has been stalled for the past 15 years.
Ackah said the Executive Council of the AAG had met with the Minister of Information and the Minister of Trade and Industry to petition for their support to get the bill approved by the Cabinet and laid before Parliament. He expressed optimism that the bill would receive the necessary attention and approval soon.
“We remain optimistic and are working assiduously to ensure that the Advertising Bill is passed at the right time. We will need all of you in the lobbying process when the time arrives,” he urged the members.
Outdoor advertising
Another challenge that the AAG is tackling is the clutter and chaos caused by unauthorized and unsafe billboards and other outdoor advertising structures on the roads and public spaces. Ackah said the association, through its Outdoor Caucus, had set up a committee to conduct a thorough audit of all structures on selected streets in three municipal assemblies in Accra.
He said the data and findings had been compiled in a comprehensive report, which had been submitted to the municipal chief executives (MCEs) of the assemblies for their action plan to declutter and sanitize the outdoor advertising environment. He added that the Executive Council had also met with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) on the same mandate.
The AAG hopes that its restructuring plan and its efforts to address the industry’s challenges will help it achieve its vision of becoming a world-class advertising association that promotes ethical, effective, and innovative advertising practices in Ghana and beyond.
