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Abstract
The study which covers 2001-2011; 2019-2024, adopted stratified random sampling using in-depth interview to examine the factors that influence survival in seven accredited advertising institutions dead and alive in Nigeria. The objectives were to compare the failing factors with the survival factors so as to share reliable data that would contribute in saving the industry from extinction. Results showed that: a monumental stagnancy is hitting the industry; while poor entrepreneurial spirit ranked highest on the causes of death; followed by clients’ debts and economic downturn in 2011; inability to work with modern technology and innovations (as practiced in performance advertising agency) and economic downturn caused the 80% death rate in 2019-2023. Since dead and surviving agencies operated under same economic factors, the study concluded that inability to practice performance advertising and poor entrepreneurial spirit are the root causes of death in advertising agencies. To save the industry from extinction, the study called on ad practitioners and regulatory bodies to collaborate with performance advertising; involve fully the performance advertising practitioners in the skill-update programs of the Advertising Academy; restrict unskilled entrepreneurs and non-marketers from heading agencies.