AME's Grand Jury members are dedicated to effectiveness and understand the partnership between creativity and effectiveness. As results-driven creative strategists their campaigns for clients have built stronger brands and garnered awards.Their global perspective and years of industry experience ensure that work entered into AME is judged thoughtfully and fairly.As creative leaders their commitment to ground-breaking work that moves the needle on behalf of the brand set the benchmark for innovation.

2025 AME Grand Jury Member Anietie Udoh is a creative marketing strategist with nearly two decades of experience in market research, brand positioning, strategy and implementation, advertising agency relations, and budget planning.

Throughout his professional journey, Anietie has managed successful integrated marketing communications, brand management, and PR campaigns for major brands such as Peak Milk, Three Crowns, Peak Chocolate, Peak Yoghurt, Opay,Burger King and many more. His ability to infuse creativity into marketing strategies has led to successful campaigns.

Anietie has a knack for converting data into priceless market insights. In his current role as Divisional Director of Marketing Edge Publications, he provides incisive and intelligent market reports, providing brand owners and stakeholders with relevant marketing information necessary for informed decision-making.

In the interview below Anietie shares his perspective on future-forward trends, the role of storytelling in effectiveness, the challenges brands face when creating strategies that resonate across global cultures and much more!

AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards essential for measuring impact and industry growth?

Anietie Udoh: For me, award-winning, effective advertising today must involve three key qualities: 

1, They must be culturally relevant, 

2, Must show emotional resonance, 

3, And lastly, strategic innovation. 

I feel that great campaigns should tap into local and global cultural moments to create works that feel authentic and deeply connected to the audience. Such campaigns tend to resonate with the consumers and move them to take actions. 

It's important to note that emotional storytelling remains essential—ads that move people, whether through humor, nostalgia, or social impact, tend to stand out. 

And last and by no mean strategic innovation—leveraging technology, data, and bold creative execution—ensures campaigns not only capture attention but also drive real-world impact.

And last and by no means the least, strategic innovation—effective advertising must leverage technology, data, and bold creative execution— this will ensure that campaigns not only capture the minds and hearts of consumers but also drive real-world impact.

AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards essential for measuring impact and industry growth?

Anietie Udoh: The reason why effective competitions like AME awards are essential for measuring impact and industry growth is because they set high standards for creative and strategic effectiveness.

They are also an opportunity to recognize and celebrate campaigns that deliver real business result as against those that are merely focussed on creativity. 

They are also an opportunity to motivate agencies and brands to focus on factors that are important, that is return-on-investment and audience engagement. 

Awards are platforms that drives innovation and bold approaches. For example, they reward brands that make the most of technologies and cultural insight.  

As an African creative and marketing strategist, I will also like to add that they provide a platform to showcase African Creativity to a global audience. It is thanks to competitions like AME Awards that many African brands and creatives are more focussed on creating campaigns that balance local relevance with global standards.

AME Awards: In your experience, what role does storytelling play in the effectiveness of a campaign? Are there elements of narrative or structure that make campaigns especially memorable or impactful?

Anietie Udoh: I can tell you that storytelling plays an important role in the effectiveness of campaigns. Firstly, storytelling is important for emotional connection and this is important for engagement.

People love the stories, not just ads. Thus, a well-crafted narrative is a good opportunity to create an emotional bond with the audience.

Storytelling is also effective for building trust because audiences tend to connect more with brands that share and reflect their values and experiences.  

AME Awards: Are there elements of narrative or structure that make campaigns especially memorable or impactful?

Anietie Udoh: Yes, for your campaigns to be memorable and impactful it requires strong beginnings. From the very first line, you must catch the attention of the audiences 

Also, campaigns need to have elements of simplicity and clarity. A clear focussed message sticks better, while overcomplicated stories undermine impact. 

Thirdly, It is important to stress that purpose-driven narratives inspire consumers to take action. Campaigns that pushes social courses leave lasting marks and drive brand loyalty.

And lastly, leveraging local traditions, languages, and humor makes stories more relatable. Digital storytelling tools (AI, VR, social media) amplify reach and engagement.  

AME Awards: What future-forward trends and innovations will we see brands adopt for 2025?

Anietie Udoh: I have no doubt in my mind that the future belongs to brands that embrace AI, immersive storytelling, sustainability, and cultural authenticity—blending creativity with technology.

We are going to see more brands embracing AI-driven content creation for hyper-personalized ads, while predictive analytics will be deployed to optimize campaign performance in real-time.  

Augmented Reality (AR) will be more prominent in retail and digital activations. We will see brands using Virtual Reality (VR) storytelling to secure deeper audience engagement.  

We will also see more of Extended Reality (XR). This means blending digital and physical brand interactions.  

I am optimistic that 2025 is the year we are going to see more recognition for African brands and agencies on the global stage. This will come because there is a growing appetite for more culturally rich, locally inspired campaigns with global appeal.  

Also in 2025, we'll see the dominance of Short-Form and Snackable Content driven primarily by platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts driving engagement.  

If you look around, brands are already focusing on micro-storytelling for high-impact messaging. But in 2025, there will be more demands. 

With the election of Trump as President, I see NFTs and Blockchain playing a bigger role in marketing and advertising this year. One major trend will be the use of NFTs and blockchain technology for customer loyalty programs. The NFT frenzy might just be making a comeback and brands will ride the wave for brands growth and awareness. 

AME Awards: What challenges do brands face in maintaining effectiveness across diverse global markets, and how do you approach creating strategies that resonate across different cultures?

Anietie Udoh: Maintaining effectiveness across diverse global markets is a significant challenge for brands due to a number of challenges:

1, First is cultural sensitivity & relevance – A message that creates excitement in one region, may not resonate with audiences in another. Indeed, it might even be considered offensive.

Solution: Conduct local market research and use cultural consultants to tailor messaging without losing brand consistency.  

2, Then there is the issue of differences in consumer behaviour across various regions. As you move from one market to the other, you notice that buying habits, media consumption, and brand perceptions differ across markets. These can create challenges for brands seeking growth.

Approach: Utilize AI, analytics, and real-time consumer feedback to refine strategies per market.  

Also, Use dynamic creative optimization (DCO) and platform-specific engagement to reach audiences where they are most active.  

3, The third factor is of course regulations and legal differences. Compliance with advertising laws varies by country and can affect messaging and execution.

Approach: Brands should conduct thorough legal research, collaborate with local experts, and adapt messaging to comply with country-specific advertising laws

4, Another challenge is market maturity and economic conditions. For example, developed and emerging markets respond differently to branding and pricing strategies.

5, Lastly, consistency vs. localization– Balancing global brand identity with local market adaptation. 

Approach: Brands can collaborate with local experts and influencers to build credibility and ensure cultural alignment.