MA(SA) puts critical issues to industry debate

Topics

• The state of the SABC - implications for marketers - solutions
• The funding of vital marketing industry organisations (The Advertising Standards Authority; the market research organisation - SAARF; the levy collection body (MAMCA)
• The structure and governance of these organisations
• Support for the Marketing Association of South Africa - the representative voice and professional body of marketers

Background to meeting

It is of critical importance that MA(SA) should be a viable entity with full support and endorsement of the critical mass of marketing organisations in the country. Key matters where MA(SA) is playing a role and is expressing the 'voice' of the marketing industry include:

• Ensuring the 1% levy collected on behalf of marketers by media owners is managed appropriately. This levy represents your money, being spent on industry self-regulation (ASA) and industry research (SAARF)
• Decision making on the distribution of the funds raised from advertising spend - i.e. the 1% levy paid by yourselves on all media and collected on your behalf by media owners and managed by the LCA committee. This fund amounts to some R90 million and is the primary source of funding of the ASA and SAARF business, which are both vital services to the marketing industry.
• Advertising Standards Authority budget and management: MA(SA) holds important Board positions on the ASA Board which manages the finances and overall scope and business of the ASA. Important decisions were approved at the ASA AGM concerning funding, budget and scope of responsibilities.
• South African Advertising Research foundation: MA(SA) holds 2 board positions on the SAARF board and further positions on their technical committees. SAARF is the main provider of media and product research (AMPS) and it is vital that the SAARF business and research is managed to satisfy the needs of the marketing industry. The role of rapidly evolving technology has enormous implications for marketers and marketing planners and it is vital that we receive accurate and useful research on all aspects of consumer and business behaviours.
• Interface with media owners: MA(SA) holds regular interface meetings with all major media owners where industry related matters are discussed. It was indeed the MA(SA) intervention with the SABC two years ago concerning the highly inflationary rate increases of the SABC which led to the reductions in rates by the SABC during 2008/9. The current state of the SABC is now major cause of concern and urgent solutions are now being sought.
• Government lobbying and input to proposed legal/regulatory matters which impact on the marketing industry. We believe the proposed Protection of Information Bill and the Media Tribunal will have significant implications for marketers.
• Representation on industry bodies: MA(SA) is represented on the various industry bodies which impact on our marketing environment, e.g. the ACA, NAB, PMSA, ABC. In addition, MA(SA) chairs a quarterly industry forum of all relevant industry bodies to discuss and manage matters which impact on the industry as a whole.

The meeting will be held at 4pm at Tiger Brands head office, c/o Sloane and William Nicol, Fourways, Johannesburg. To RSVP, email Bonny Benadé at az.oc.asgnitekram@ofni or phone +27 (0) 12 844 1123