The Executive Director of Brooks+Blake, Taiwo Ogunwunmi has lauded Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN)’s new strategic drive championed by its newly elected executives.

Ogunwunmi lauded the association when the Executives led by its Chairman, Clara Chinwe Okoro paid the agency a courtesy visit last Friday, February 11, 2022, to intimate her about its activities as one of the leading players in the Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC) space.

The visit is in line with a series of planned visits to stakeholders in the Industry by the EXCO to carry them along as working partners for the progress of the industry.

Speaking during the meeting, Clara said BJAN’s executives were going round the stakeholders because, “We want strategic relationships this time around”.

“We made a promise to our members during our election that we want to be of a lot more of strategic value to our stakeholders. Over the years, we have down played the role which we represent in the industry to the consumers who are the chief beneficiaries of the content that we put out in the spaces where we play and operate with our contents and it began to occur to us that probably we do not even know the relevant powers that we have as Journalists, how we shape thoughts and perceptions for those who consume what we put out, and how we communicate contents from organizations like yours and other agencies to our various publics. We need to bridge the gap so that there will be more interface between us as stakeholders so that at every point in time we will always be on the same page to the benefit of the consuming public,” Clara said.

In his reaction, Ogunwunmi said he was excited hearing about all the laudable projects lined up to drive value and partnership especially in the area of capacity building which Brooks+Blake was big on especially in the area of knowledge sharing and learning as well.

In his word: “While I use this opportunity to congratulate all of you on your new assignment as much as also say opportunity to refine how we see brand management generally, one of the first few people I know in brand reporting is Clara because we go way back and I do not doubt her ability whatsoever. I am glad to see that a woman of her statue is leading a very important association.

Continuing he said, “I don’t take for granted some of the things you have talked about- strategic value, the right type of representation, collaborative benefits that is what I believe we will enjoy in the leadership of this exco”.

Also speaking, Dr Dare Ogunyombo, Associate Director, Brooks+Blake said in the history of Brooks+Blake, this was the second time executives of BJAN had reached out to them for a visit and they do not take it for granted.

“We have been working together with BJAN for a long time, but this just shows that there are better days ahead,” he said.

Among other things, Dr. Dare noted that Brooks+Blake has to her credits 12 awards for its over a decade operation meaning that there are things the agency is doing right.

Though, he admitted that there are still rooms for more improvement and believes that with continuous engagements and support from clients and stakeholders such as BJAN, the benefits therein will be mutually gained.

He advocated support for Brooks+Blake’s proprietary project, Higher Institution Football League (HiFL), which he said is designed to grow the industry.

“HiFL is indigenous and we want support in that area in the form of reviews, highlights and reports. We know it’s a sporting activity however its heavy on brand. We want more brand to come in. We can only talk. I think a lot more deliberate effort on our part to speak on some of the elements of the HiFL platform so its not just seen as sport,” he said.

On his part, Akin Hassan, Media Manager, said at Brooks+Blake, “we ensure that we create marketing solutions for our clients and also ensure that we create value for them through these services while we are also trying to engage each stakeholders like BJAN to achieve this purpose and we are glad to have you all here today to have this session where we are able to familiarize and also deal with some key issues that we can use to improve our relationship with BJAN that has been existing and make it better in the nearest future”.

Members of brand journalists executives who were also present at the visit were Lukman Ishau, Vice Chairman, Adejuwon Osunniyi, General Secretary, Dayo Odulaja, Assistant Secretary, Melvin Udosen, Treasurer, Adeyemi Olufemi, Financial Secretary, Amechi Obiakpu, Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Afolabi Idowu, immediate past Chairman.