‘Glocalization’ and marketing strategies in Nigeria: Implications for the Nollywood industry

Abstract

The concept of glocalization posits that for globalization to be effective, the people should, as a matter of necessity, think globally but act locally. This has  become effective in developing countries of the world where globalization has been seen as having some negative influences. In glocalization, the global  is domesticated (suffused with much local contents) to be sustainably functional to particular societies. This paper sets out to x-ray the adoption of local  materials in film scholarship in Nigeria. The paper is follow-on of a doctoral research project that adopted triangulation (involving documentary research,  in-depth interview and observation) as research method. It is discovered that the commercial framework (marketing aspect) of Nollywood controls other  aspects of the industry. Yet, this all important aspect of the industry is at present entirely manned by non-professionals and the least emphasized in film  training curriculum in the country. A review of film curriculum in Nigeria to include, as a matter of utmost importance, glocalized cross disciplinary film  marketing training with an eye on the commercial needs of the industry is advocated. This will aid trained film entrepreneurs aspiring to break even into  the industry. In the long run, the injection of such academically trained film marketers into the industry will engender the revolution of Nollywood for  better sociological functions to the nation as well as ensure that the industry competes favourably in the global film market.