Broadcasting
Rising Above Analytics: The Untold Story
By: Ayodele Ogunkunle
When most people hear growth marketing, they imagine dashboards glowing with KPIs, endless A/B tests, and data visualizations that point the way forward. And while analytics is undeniably our compass, the real story behind meaningful growth often lives beyond the numbers.
Ayodele Ogunkunle
It’s about understanding people, sensing what they don’t say, catching the unspoken cues, and connecting dots invisible to most.
I’ve been in rooms where the charts painted a bleak picture: numbers sliding, engagement stagnant, conversion rates plunging like a stock on a bad headline day. The instinct in those rooms? Shut it down. Pivot fast. Move on.
But sometimes, just sometimes, the numbers are only telling half the truth.
One campaign in particular stands out vividly. It had all the right elements: compelling copy, visually stunning assets, a tested subject line formula. Yet, performance-wise, it tanked. Open rates declined. Click-through rates dragged. Bounce rates spiked. Even our best analysts frowned at the results.
Still, something about the campaign still felt right. During our internal reviews, a few teammates confessed it stirred personal memories for them. Soon, a trickle of unexpected signals appeared. We suddenly started receiving direct messages on social media, thoughtful quote-retweets, subtle mentions from users who felt seen by the message, even if they hadn’t clicked the button we were tracking.
So, we made a decision, not to kill the campaign, but to listen differently. We stepped back. We read between the lines, the untagged mentions, the indirect nods, the private notes.
We realized the campaign wasn’t failing; it was resonating on a deeper, more personal level. It wasn’t designed for instant conversions; it was speaking to identity.
We revised our approach. We tweaked our campaign, from the “growth” jargon, to rather tell a story. We leaned into aspiration, not just action. We spoke to who the audience wanted to become, not just what we wanted them to do.
Within a week, organic referrals tripled. A global brand reached out for a collaboration after spotting the campaign in an unexpected LinkedIn thread. Same audience. Same core message. Only reframed, with empathy.
That experience taught me three things:
- Analytics reveal what is happening, but rarely why.
- People may not act immediately, but they feel instantly.
- Not every campaign is built for metrics; some are built to spark momentum.
Rising above analytics doesn’t mean ignoring the data. It means knowing when to pause, and ask deeper questions: What does our audience fear? What excites them? How do they describe their dreams, not just their needs?
For me, growth marketing has shifted from a fixation on numbers to a fascination with people. My biggest wins didn’t start in spreadsheets. They began with empathy, intuition, and the willingness to follow imperfect, messy human signals that charts can’t map.
That’s the untold story behind every “breakthrough” metric I’ve ever reported, and why I’ll always look past the dashboard before I look into it.
About the writer:
Ayodele Ogunkunle is a Digital Marketing Lead with a reputation for driving business growth through strategic campaigns and innovative marketing solutions. With multiple years of experience in the tech and fintech sectors, he has led successful digital initiatives for brands like ALAT by Wema and Bumpa, resulting in increased revenue, user growth, and investor funding.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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