World Biggest Outdoor Agency JDCecaux, APCON Come On Board LASAA’s African Sign Expo

The record breaking and multi interest encompassing initiative of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency ( LASAA) has generated myriads of endorsements from far and award.

The latest a worthy supports and coming on board of world biggest outdoor agency, JCDecaux and national regulatory body, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

Here are details as made available by image handlers of the organisation

‘Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency’s (LASAA) bid to host Africa’s biggest outdoor conference and exhibition in June this year has received a big boost following the participation of the world’s biggest outdoor agency, JCDecaux.

The Chief Executive Officer of JCDecaux Southern Europe, this week confirmed participation, indicating willingness to share his wealth of experience with other international speakers and conference delegates.
Jean-Sébastien Decaux joined JCDecaux Group in 1998. From 1998 to 2000, he worked as a Sales manager responsible for the launch of advertising campaigns in supermarkets for JCDecaux in the United Kingdom before being appointed City Relations Manager of JCDecaux Italia in 2000.

‘He previously served as Managing Director responsible for Street Furniture and Sales Director of IGPDecaux, of which he is also a board member. In 2004, he took on responsibility for the Belgian and Luxembourg subsidiaries. The outdoor agency is presently in 3,700 cities with more than 10,484 employees.

Managing Director of LASAA, Mr. George Noah was upbeat about the development saying it will augment the level of debate at the much anticipated event.

”Mr Jean-Sébastien Decaux’s presence would add more pep to the intercontinental
flavour of the conference owing to his wealth of experience in European markets’’ Noah enthused.

JCDecaux is the number 1 Outdoor advertising company in the world, playing a major part in transforming urban landscapes across the world.

‘The company was established in 1964 when Jean-Claude Decaux – JCDecaux’s founder and today Chairman of JCDecaux’s Supervisory Board – installed the first advertising bus shelters in Lyon, France, driven by his vision of city beautification financed through advertising revenues at no cost to the municipalities and taxpayers.

The company now operates in over 55 countries around the world including; United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.
‘In 2013, JCDecaux had a turnover of €2,676.2 million. The company is listed on the Eurolist of Euronext Paris and is part of the Euronext 100 index. Whilst maintaining pole position in the world in the area of street furniture with 434,700 advertising panels, it is also No.1 worldwide in transport advertising with more than 150 airports and more than 280 contracts in metros, buses, trains and tramways (358,100 advertising panels), No.1 in Europe for billboards (199,600 advertising panels), No.1 in outdoor advertising in the Asia-Pacific region (205,000 advertising panels), No.1 worldwide for self-service bicycle hire 1,002,800 advertising panels in more than 55 countries.

‘The African Outdoor Advertising Conference and Exhibition (Africa Sign George Noah
Expo) is to hold in Lagos between June 25 – 27, 2014 at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Victoria Island. The event, which is being organised by LASAA, will focus on trends, best practices, innovations and challenges within the Nigerian and African context. Expected participants include advertising agencies, outdoor practitioners, media owners, signage fabricators, printers, advertisers, regulators, government Officials, event companies, outdoor protection services, retailers, franchisees and marketing professionals.

‘The event is expected attract over 4,000 visitors, 300 exhibitors and conference participants from over 30 countries drawn from Europe, Asia, America, Africa and within Nigeria.

In a related development, Preparations for the hosting of the first international African Outdoor Advertising Sign Expo, Lagos, scheduled for June 25th -27th 2014 received another major boost from the apex regulatory body for Advertising practice in Nigeria, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). This support was handed by the Registrar/Chief Executive of APCON, Alhaji Bello Garuba Kankarofi when the team from LASAA led by Mr. George Noah paid him a courtesy call.

‘APCON serves as the umbrella body for the maintenance of strong focus on promoting responsible and ethical advertising practice, acts as the conscience of society in matters of commercial communications and as a watchdog for consumers. It also manages the need and interests of stakeholders in Nigeria’s advertising industry.

”The visit to APCON is part of our wider consultation and awareness effort to get the buy-in of all major stakeholders within the advertising industry on the forthcoming Signage and Outdoor Advertising Conference & Exhibition (African Sign Expo 2014) Lagos” Noah said. ‘’We have come to APCON on this courtesy visit having recognised the pivotal role of the Council as a major institution in advertising as a whole and in furtherance of our collaborative effort from time past.’’

Noah noted that ”the visit was to keep APCON abreast of our initiatives and activities which we believe are all aimed at promoting the advertising industry”. According to Noah, ‘‘our immediate plan is to successfully host the African Outdoor Advertising Conference and exhibition in June”.

‘In his response, Alhaji Kankarofi thanked LASAA team for visiting the council to brief it on its many lofty initiatives. According to him ”it is important we meet frequently considering our past close relationship’’. He went on further ”Your visit has cleared the air on your many initiatives particularly the recent misconstrued formation of fellow state outdoor advertising regulatory association (ORAAN)”.

‘‘From your explanations, we now understand the spirit behind your various initiatives is to promote cleaner environment and by extension to other states as well as lift the practice of advertising profession” Kankarofi noted. In conclusion he expressed APCON’s readiness to support LASAA on the forthcoming outdoor advertising conference. The LASAA team was later conducted through the Council’s secretariat.’