Advertising agencies urged to embrace AI for creativity, global competitiveness

Joel Nettey, former World President of the International Advertising Association, has urged Ghanaian advertising agencies to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance creativity, efficiency and global competitiveness. He made the call at the launch of the 18th Gong Gong Awards by the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) in Accra on Friday. He cautioned that while AI offered immense opportunities, it could not replace human creativity and cultural insight.

Mr. Nettey also pointed to a growing skills gap in the industry and called for investment in data analytics, performance marketing and AI assisted production. Dr. Linda Narh, Chairperson of the Gong Gong Awards Board, announced that this year's edition had been expanded to reflect emerging trends, including digital innovation and AI. The awards would feature 24 categories under seven classifications, with a new "Young Creatives of the Year" category to nurture emerging talent through a competitive hackathon.

Entries would open on May 4 and close on June 14, 2026, with the awards night scheduled for July 25 at the Labadi Beach Hotel. Mr. Andrew Ackah, President of the AAG, said the Gong Gong Awards remained the industry's flagship platform for celebrating excellence and driving professional standards. The 18th Gong Gong Awards will be held on the theme: "The Creative Convergence: AI and Human Craft in Advertising."