Lessons from the Eskimi CMO Masterclass in Nigeria on Driving Marketing in the Digital Era

Every screen is going digital! This was demonstrated at the Eskimi CMO Masterclass on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 in Lagos (Nigeria); speakers, panelists, and participants unanimously agreed that brands in Nigeria must focus on the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) while embracing programmatic solutions to achieve their marketing goals.

Eskimi is Nigeria’s largest programmatic platform; an ad-tech platform that allows independent brands and agencies to run programmatic advertising campaigns in display, native, video, and other formats.

The keynote address was delivered by Vita Garifulina, Business Development Director at Eskimi, who emphasized that startups and other aspiring entrepreneurs should learn from industry leaders in telecommunications, FCMG, retail, and device brands that are leveraging Eskimi’s metrics to drive marketing measurement in the areas of consumer awareness, interest, engagement, and actions.

These, she claims, can be attained by having real-time data, focusing on the right KPIs, and making data actionable.

According to Garifulina, Nigeria’s digital marketing industry has enormous potential, with an estimated population of 203.6 million as of 2021 and 50% of them connected to the internet.

According to the Statista 2021 report shared by Eskimi, Nigeria has 169.2 million mobile phone connections, accounting for approximately 83 percent of the population. 42 percent of the population, or 85.49 million people, use the internet, with 27 percent using social media.

Garifulina explained the significance of the Eskimi CMO Masterclass, saying, “Eskimi has observed trends in the market and its potentials.” We felt it was critical to share the information with Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and brands.

“So, the masterclass was just about learning a little bit more about marketing, specifically digital marketing.” As a result, as a global company, we work differently and value knowledge sharing. We want local businesses or markets to adapt to the new knowledge and experience, and we want it to be localized to the Nigerian market. And it is for this reason that we want to bring some local trends, global trends, and then like, adapt, and help marketing professionals, digital professionals, and everyone else in the space to actually grow and get the most out of their marketing strategies.

What are some of the Nigerian trends you’ve noticed?

In Nigeria, we have a population of more than 200 million people, and half of them are online. This means that if your marketing strategy is based on online advertising, you will be able to reach a large number of people. In addition, many people use mobile phones. Mobile or online advertising is extremely important.

“This is similar to one of the takeaways, and when compared to social media, only 27% of people use social media.” As a result, if you are developing a digital advertising strategy, you cannot rely solely on social advertising.”

She went on to say that the company will continue to help brands leverage digital advertising to achieve their marketing objectives.

In his presentation at the Eskimi CMO Masterclass titled ‘Marketing in a Digital World: The Path to Business Growth & Sustainability,’ business leader with marketing expertise, Lampe Omoyele; the Managing Director, Nitro121, stressed the importance of understanding the underlying keywords in the definition of marketing, which he defined as “the identification or anticipation and profitable fulfillment of customer needs and/or wants.”

“Marketing strategy, therefore, is the matrix of mutually reinforcing actions that help to differentiate a brand in the minds of target customers and profitably meet customer needs, or create wants,” Omoyele, who is also a Partner at Lucent Consulting Company, explained further.

“Digital marketing implies: ‘Today’s consumer is more connected than ever, with greater access to and deeper engagement with content and brands as a result of the proliferation of digital devices and platforms.”

“Content that was previously only available to consumers through specific modes of delivery (such as print, radio, and broadcast television) can now be sourced and delivered to consumers via multiple connected devices.”

“This is fueling the media revolution while also blurring traditional media definitions.” “Innovation in advertising will be critical for success,” Omoyele, who was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Global Marketing Leaders in 2018 by the World Marketing Congress, told participants at the Eskimi CMO Masterclass, emphasizing that marketing and advertising in a digital world will necessitate skilled marketing teams to innovate, interpret data for insights, engage with customers, and communicate the latest marketing trends in order to develop an effective marketing strategy.

What are the current digital marketing trends in Nigeria?

“Digital marketing and its localization are expanding in Nigeria.” So there has been significant growth in the last ten years. As a result, it is being used by an increasing number of businesses and brands, and marketing competencies and capabilities are expanding. As a result, digital marketing is no longer just about social media; it is also the reason for the various dimensions and perspectives on marketing.

“The social media trend is growing, but we are also entering a space where there is a high level of influence on marketing.” We’re getting to the point where you’re talking about programmatic advertising, virtual reality, and augmented reality, which means that different tools are coming into play in Nigeria.

Have we made significant progress?

“I was talking about data analytics, or data utilization.” So, while there has been some progress, I believe it is necessary to accelerate progress in terms of not only the availability of data, but also the ability to use the data to make informed decisions. I’m also going to discuss how we mine data and generate actionable insights.

“So, it’s like asking; what is the future of marketing in Nigeria,” Oluwatobi Adekunle, Marketing Manager, Eskimi Africa, said when asked about the future of digital marketing in Nigeria. “Digital marketing simply means the application of digital technology in marketing.”