The local advertising market is set to enjoy further competition following the admission of Media Edge Interactive and BluePrint Marketing into the fold of the industry’s umbrella association.
Following a rigorous vetting process, Media Edge Interactive, the advertising arm at Media Edge Group, indigenously owned integrated marketing communications house and BluePrint Marketing, an Ogilvy Kenya subsidiary have been formally admitted into the Advertising Practitioners Association (APA) membership roll.
The two agencies will now be formally squaring it out for a share of the local advertising spend estimated to be valued at more than KES 65 billion with pride of place as official APA members.
According to Media Research House Ipsos Synovate, Kenya’s Advertising spend on radio, television, newspapers and cinema grew by 33% to hit the KES 65.4 billion mark last year, up from KES 49 billion in 2010.
Ipsos Synovate further confirmed that within the second quarter of this year, media spending had also grown by 33% to close at 16 Billion mark.
Counting 15 fully fledged members, the APA is the umbrella advertising forum that strictly enforces advertising standards through adherence to a code of conduct and advocates for professionalism among its members.
Speaking while presenting the APA charter to Media Edge Group Managing Director Esther Ngomeli, APA Chairman Monty Dhariwal confirmed that the two agencies have been admitted as part of the association’s strategy to open up membership to specialist agencies.
Advertising Practitioners Association (APA) Chairman Monty Dhariwal (left), presents a membership certificate to Media Edge Group Managing Director Esther Ngomeli ( Centre). Looking on is the Media Edge Group Creative Director, Sandeep Sura.
Dhariwal added: “Both Media Edge Interactive and BluePrint Marketing have met and surpassed the evaluation board criteria confirming that they deserve a place on the APA roundtable.”
To attain APA recognition, existing agencies are required to meet the minimum and rigorous criterion which focuses on financial operations, professional management and ethical operating standards. APA currently boasts of leading practitioners in the industry among its panel of members.
Commenting on the accreditation, Media Edge Interactive Group Managing Director Esther Ngomeli described the APA membership as part of the firm’s strategy to attain local and international operating benchmarks.
Ngomeli said that they are pleased to be joining APA which provides them with a platform for peer to peer engagement and chance to effectively contribute to Kenya’s advertising industry development.
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