The Daniel Ampedu Twum Jnr Fellowship has been launched to nurture and empower the next generation of creative professionals in Ghana’s marketing communications industry.
The fellowship, established in honour of the late Daniel Ampedu Twum Jnr, was unveiled in Accra to mark 20 years since his passing. He was a celebrated creative director widely regarded as one of Ghana’s most decorated figures in the advertising industry.
The Chief Executive of the Ninani Group, Mr .Joel Nettey, speaking at the launch, said the initiative is designed to address the declining quality in the industry’s talent pool while preserving the legacy of the late creative icon.
He explained that the fellowship goes beyond traditional award schemes by opening opportunities to a broader pool of young talent across the country.
“This is not just about recognition anymore. It is a deliberate effort to identify, train, and mentor young creatives who are interested in careers in marketing communications, from writers and designers to strategists and animators,” he said.
Mr Nettey noted that applicants will undergo a rigorous selection process, including portfolio assessments, written applications, and practical tests. Successful candidates will be enrolled in a three-month intensive mentorship programme led by industry practitioners and academics.
Participants will also receive stipends to support their involvement, ensuring that financial constraints do not limit access to the programme.
According to him, the fellowship will offer certification upon completion, giving beneficiaries a competitive edge across industries such as advertising, banking, telecommunications and insurance.
“We want the industry to recognise that anyone who has gone through this fellowship has been trained to a certain standard of excellence,” he added.
He further disclosed that the initiative is currently funded by the Ninani Group, with expectations that other industry players will support it as its impact becomes evident.
Delivering the keynote address, Rev. Albert Ocran, Co-founder of the Springboard Road Show Foundation, described the late creative director as a creative genius whose greatest legacy lies in the people he mentored.
He noted that Daniel Ampedu Twum Jnr’s impact continues to be felt through the many professionals he trained who now occupy key positions across the marketing communications industry in Ghana and beyond.
“His legacy is people, the countless individuals he mentored and influenced who are now shaping industries and creating impact,” he said.
Rev. Ocran emphasised the importance of investing in people, describing mentorship as a critical driver of growth and resilience in today’s evolving world of work.
He commended the establishment of the fellowship, describing it as a strategic initiative to ensure the transfer of knowledge, values and creative excellence to future generations.
The fellowship is expected to become a key platform for grooming creative talent and strengthening Ghana’s marketing communications ecosystem.
During a panel discussion moderated by Robert Ebo Hinson of the UGBS Graduate School, Assistant Creative Director at ID, Afia Owusu Nyantakyi, underscored the importance of networking and strong client relationships in delivering effective marketing communications.
She noted that building meaningful relationships with clients and audiences is critical to achieving impactful results.
According to her, one of the major challenges between agencies and clients is the disconnect in understanding audience needs, as agencies are sometimes limited in directly engaging the end users of their clients’ products and services.
“Are we engaging enough with the people we are creating for? Are we paying attention to audience behaviour and their real needs?” she questioned.
She stressed that bridging this gap requires agencies to deepen their relationships with clients in order to better understand their expectations while also ensuring that campaigns resonate with target audiences.
Ms Nyantakyi explained that success in the industry depends on striking a balance between meeting client objectives and delivering messages that connect with audiences.
“It is not just about delivering on client expectations, but also about understanding what they need and ensuring that the communication resonates with their audience,” she said.
She added that strengthening client agency relationships remains key to improving outcomes and driving impact in the marketing communications industry.
The Founder and Director of The Storytellers, Jason Nartey, stressed the need for brands to balance short term sales with long term brand building through strategic storytelling.
He noted that many agencies struggle to reconcile immediate commercial demands with sustained brand development.
According to him, effective advertising must be rooted in strong consumer insight and cultural relevance, rather than solely focusing on visibility.
“Great campaigns are built on understanding the customer’s reality and telling stories that resonate emotionally,” he said.
He added that successful creatives prioritise strategy and audience insight, noting that compelling storytelling naturally follows when brands clearly understand their target market.
A Growth Consultant, Stephen Naasei Boadi, also urged brands to reposition advertising agencies as strategic partners rather than executional vendors to strengthen marketing effectiveness.
He said agencies are increasingly being confined to implementation roles, limiting their input in brand strategy and weakening overall campaign outcomes.
According to him, excluding agencies from early stage planning has led to reactive campaign development driven by tight deadlines and client directives.
He called on agencies to interrogate briefs more critically, especially in influencer marketing decisions, to ensure alignment with brand objectives and audience relevance.
Mr Boadi further urged brands to involve agencies in strategy development sessions from the outset, warning that failure to do so undermines long term brand building and weakens campaign impact.
The Chief Operating Officer of Akuna Group Ghana, Mariam Kaleem A Buahin, called on marketing professionals to continuously evolve their knowledge base to remain relevant in a fast changing digital ecosystem.
She said the modern marketing landscape has shifted significantly, requiring practitioners to move beyond traditional approaches and embrace performance driven digital strategies.
According to her, many experienced professionals risk becoming obsolete if they fail to adapt to current consumer behaviour and emerging digital platforms.
Ms A Buahin noted that today’s audiences are increasingly influenced by digital environments such as gaming platforms and social media ecosystems, rather than traditional media channels.
She stressed that understanding audience behaviour across these platforms is critical to effective brand communication and media planning.
“The knowledge of today is different from the knowledge of yesterday. If you do not evolve with how audiences are consuming content, your experience becomes irrelevant,” she said.
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She urged marketers to continuously learn and align their expertise with current market realities to remain effective in delivering brand value.
