Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has recently weighed in on the ongoing debate about movie producers dancing and creating skits to promote their films. Her message? Times have changed, and you either evolve or get left behind.
In a video posted to her Instagram page, Iyabo passionately addressed the backlash some filmmakers, like Funke Akindele, have received for using unconventional methods to create buzz around their movies. And sis did not come to play.
“This is something that has been happening as far back as when I joined the Yoruba film industry,” she said. “The only thing different is just the method in which we do it.” According to Iyabo, marketing isn’t new, it’s just gone digital.
She walked us down memory lane, back to the OG days of Nollywood when producers had to promote their films by hand, literally. “We’ll stay from the gates [of the National Theatre], we’ll be beating drums, dancing, singing cultural songs, trying to lure them to come and watch our own movies.” Imagine a full-on parade just to get eyeballs on your movie. Now that’s hustle.
She went on to explain how producers used to tour multiple cities- Ibadan, Osogbo, Akure, and Ilorin- just to get the word out. “Sometimes we do a tour. We go to Ibadan, and from Ibadan, we go to Osogbo. We go to Akure. We go to Ekiti. We go to Ilorin,” she recalled.
All of this is just to get people into theaters. Compared to those days, she says, creating content and dancing on social media is a walk in the park.
“You can’t bring out a movie and just put it in cinema and just expect people to watch it,” she said, clearly calling out the passive marketing mindset. In a media-saturated world where everyone’s attention span is shorter than a TikTok loop, Iyabo believes you have to do what it takes to stand out.
Her golden nugget of wisdom? “If Coca-Cola is still running adverts back to back on their products, I wonder why I or anyone else can’t use any method to run an advert and create awareness.”
Iyabo also emphasised that “everybody doesn’t have to dance.” But if that’s your lane, go for it. If not, “do drama,” she says. “That’s why you’re an actor or an artist in the first place.”
In short, Iyabo is telling producers to embrace creativity and stop worrying about looking unserious. Whether it’s dancing, skit-making, or putting up your own billboard in your neighborhood, do what you gotta do to get butts in seats.
Because in the words of Iyabo herself, “You must constantly advertise.”
READ ALSO: ‘It’s Getting Tiring’: Jaiyeola Kuti questions the trend of dancing to promote Nollywood movies
