President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG), Michael Abbiw, has urged African marketers to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving global marketplace.
He made the call at the African Marketing Confederation (AMC) and TICON Africa Annual Conference, which opened in Accra on Tuesday.
“As marketers, we cannot continue to deliver our services using the old tools, the old methods, and the old ways. AI, for instance, has come to change the landscape on how we produce content, how we analyse data, and how we provide customer retention strategies,” Abbiw said.
He explained that although African brands are beginning to leverage technology, much more effort is required to close the digital gap with global competitors.
He also stressed that professional training and certification are critical in ensuring responsible adoption of new tools, particularly in data collection and customer protection.
“One of the things that CIMG has been promoting over the last five years is certification education. The reason is to create an environment of ethics and professionalism. We must ensure that the data we collect is not just used but also well protected,” he added.
Global push for African marketers
On the sidelines of the conference, the co-founder and president of the African Marketing Confederation, Helen McIntee-Carlisle, disclosed that the Confederation has signed international collaborations aimed at positioning African marketing professionals more prominently on the global stage.
“We’ve now signed collaborations with the Asia Marketing Federation, the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK, and the European Marketing Confederation, and we aim to launch the World Marketing Council so we can start putting African marketing professionals firmly front and centre of the global stage,” McIntee-Carlisle said.
She added that AMC is spearheading a global and African research survey to evaluate how countries are performing in the marketing industry. The Confederation is also launching a certified professional marketing designation focused on African case studies, alongside short courses and upskilling programmes.
“These initiatives are aimed at ensuring that African marketers are not only recognised globally, but are also equipped with the right skills and knowledge to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment,” she said.
The AMC-TICON Africa Annual Conference has brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and marketing professionals from across the continent to deliberate on innovation, digital transformation, and Africa’s role in the global economy.
Report by Sandra Akimi for Asaase News in Greater Accra
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