Marketing professionals have stressed the need for brands to integrate culture into their strategy to better connect with Nigerian consumers and preserve local values in the face of globalisation.
According to a statement, the Executive Chairman of CMRG Limited, Lanre Fasakin, argued that culture and marketing are inextricably linked and must not be treated in isolation. He addressed stakeholders at the maiden Nigeria Market Research Association International Conference 2025 recently held in Lagos, where he delivered a paper titled ‘How brands can co-create with consumers: The human-centric design approach.’
Fasakin, a former NIMRA President, said, “Culture is a reflection of who you are. Nobody is an expert in your affair more than you. The marketing strategy that will win, ultimately, will be that which acknowledges your personality and the context in which you live. So, culture and marketing are inseparable.”
He warned that unless older generations, whom he referred to as “baby boomers”, actively promote cultural values that resonate with younger Nigerians, local traditions risk being drowned by foreign influences.
“We have statistics to show that young people all over the world share a lot in common.
So, if we’re not deliberate about certain aspects of our culture and putting our feet down, making the youth see how it can also appeal to them, we risk our culture being submerged,” he said.
Fasakin also highlighted NIMRA’s role in professionalising market research in Nigeria, noting that the body has existed for over four decades to promote ethical standards in the industry.
“We wanted to sanitise it, ensure that the ethics are followed, define membership categories and ensure that members operate based on universal rules,” he said.
President of NIMRA, Seyi Adeoye, said the four-day conference explored emerging trends, especially artificial intelligence, that are reshaping market research.
Adeoye remarked, “We had sessions with clients focusing on how we can better cooperate together and grow their businesses. We also looked at social and policy research, the type of research that impacts government policy, the livelihood of people, and interventions that can elevate Nigerians.”
Chairperson of the Planning Committee, Vera Nnaji, noted that the conference challenged researchers to rethink their methods in an era where human behaviour and machine learning are increasingly intertwined.
“We are standing at the crossroads of data-driven evolution, where artificial intelligence is not only a tool but a strategic partner in uncovering truths about human behaviour, consumer decision-making, and cultural dynamics,” she said.
The conference, themed ‘Beyond the Horizons: AI and the New Frontiers’, was held in hybrid format, with each day focusing on a different segment, from client engagement to social research and international collaboration.
