“The world today is more digitalized than has ever been in
human history and this has revolutionized communication and many facets of
life,” said Oluwatosin Ajibade, Founder/Convener, of New Media Conference and
OloriSuperGal (OSG) Media. “Understanding what the Viral Economy is, the
opportunities and challenges it presents for all, and how to position within
the space is imperative.”
According to Noble Igwe, Filmmaker, PR, and Founder,
360Nobs, viral media have both positive and negative sides because they can
amplify the right conversations and the wrong ones too. He further added that
an important advantage of new media is the borderless reach and visibility that
it offers to creatives. “New media has come to help things get farther. A whole
lot of people appreciate Nigerian music and fashion all over the world because
they find posts about them on Instagram and other social media platforms,” he
said.
Sarah Sanni, Muralist, Ceracerni Art Hub, noted that while
new media can help with virality, it should not be an end, but rather, a means
for artists to expand their business and sell value. “Sometimes some artists do
not want to upskill and improve, and they are comfortable with just going
viral,” she said. “You should move past going viral and see the next thing that
you are to do. Are you prepared for the next thing and is your business
speaking to your audience?”
Furthermore, the Virality in Fashion, Arts and Film panel
which was moderated by Anita Adesiyan, PR expert and Country Manager for MTV
Shuga Nigeria, advised creatives to stand out and not lose their identity and
authenticity to social media trends. “It helps to have an identity or unique
self in whatever platform you are using to market,” said Laide Daramola, Media
Executive, and Filmmaker. “There is a space for knowing what works but also
there is a space to think creatively and come up with new strategies.”
Meanwhile, Jennifer Ukoh-Osamwonyi, PR Manager, Showmax,
Nigeria emphasized the importance of storytelling and curating content targeted
at one’s audience. “What is also important for PR is your message and what you
are putting out per time,” she said. “Sometimes your message might not even
change but because of the platform type, they have to be modified.”
On copyright issues, the panel pointed out that the legal system must be improved to support the work of creatives. The panel recommended that the legal processes should be made more efficient and responsive. “It is important that people use trade marking for their works or design,” said Noble. “This way, they can minimize the risk of having their work designs stolen.”
The session ended with the speakers encouraging creatives to
use their craft to effect positive change in society and contribute
meaningfully to their community. The New Media Conference 2022 was held on
October 29, 2022, in Lagos at the British Council Nigeria office with attendees
from across the continent. The New Media Conference 2022 edition focused on how viral media is
shaping different facets of human interaction including arts, technology,
finance, fashion, content creation, and politics. The event was hosted by
Isabella Adediji, the founder of Yellow Tamarind Productions, a media, and PR
company based in Lagos.
The event is powered by OSG Media and supported by the
British Council Nigeria. Media partners for the event are News Central TV,
Goldmyne TV, and Media Room Hub. For more information, visit www.newmediaconference.ng.
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