Communications Council relaunches as Advertising Council Australia

Advertising industry body, the Communications Council, has relaunched under the new name, Advertising Council Australia (ACA). The relaunch entails an overhauled strategic direction that will see a number of key initiatives rolled out this year and next, aimed at supporting members and the advertising industry as a whole.

Following extensive consultation with ACA members who have supported the project, the relaunched is timed to build confidence in the advertising industry, which has been battered by the economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. ACA CEO, Tony Hale, said the relaunch is about reclaiming the term ‘advertising’ and “reinjecting confidence in our industry.”

“The relaunch of our brand and the new strategic direction we are taking are also key to the future of our organisation,” he said.

The rebrand includes an overhaul of the corporate identity, developed by brand and design consultancy, Maud, including a new visual look with a new website and other marketing materials progressively rolled out over coming weeks.

ACA also is developing several programs aimed at enhancing advertising industry standards and providing maximum benefit and value for its membership. ACA chair and CEO at The Monkeys, Mark Green, said the associated is looking to foster long-term prosperity of the industry and to elevate advertising as a profession. 

“Now is the right time to reclaim advertising and to refocus what we do as an industry body, re-evaluate what we stand for, the programs we deliver and how we present ourselves to the broader business community,” he said.

The new initiatives include reintroducing accreditation for members, a Reconciliation Action Plan that includes a commitment to help build pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to the industry, an industry labour agreement to cover key skill shortages, revamped awards program for both the Effies and AWARD Awards and further studies into advertising effectiveness.

“These initiatives will help shape a new era for the Australian advertising industry and strengthen the value of our profession to the wider business community during a period in our history when this has never been more crucial,” said Green.

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