President of the Advertising Association of Ghana, Andrew Ackah, has argued that while the fundamentals of advertising remain unchanged, the industry has evolved significantly.

Mr Ackah says this has made contemporary advertisements more advanced and creative.

In an interview with Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, he said that due to the diverse channels available for advertising, the craft has now become more versatile than earlier times.

He therefore strongly disagreed with the notion that advertising in the past was more creative than it is now.

“I will disagree with that because, back then, we had only GBC and later, with the liberalisation of the media space, we had more television and radio stations. Instead of placing your advert on one station, you had multiple options.”

Mr Ackah explained that the limited number of brands in the past made advertisements more memorable.

"At that time we didn’t have a lot of brands, they were quite limited, so you will remember all of that advert back then.

"For those in the industry, if you look at the quality of work, the supporting data, and the creativity from copywriting to film production, it is far more advanced now. The use of technology has significantly improved the overall quality,” he argued.

He also pointed out that while some brands invest in professional advertising, others remain stuck in the past, opting for amateur productions.

“Some brands take bold actions to hire professionals for their adverts, while others just get anyone to create a video with an iPhone and call it an advert,” he explained.

Mr Ackah underlined the importance of understanding the psychology behind consumer behaviour in creating effective advertisements.

"Creative advertising is deeply rooted in marketing communications and psychology. You need to understand how sounds, colours, and motion affect consumer behaviour. This requires thorough understanding and study to craft something that appeals to consumers,” he said.

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"At the end of the day, that’s what you want to do, you want the adverts to appeal to your costumers or your consumers to take an action whether they are buying your product, visiting your website for more information, or participating in a competition," he concluded.