MFSA calls for inclusivity and calm

He said the MFSA will approach these discussions guided by the aspirations of its members, who in fact are the custodians of the brands whose creative excellence the awards must promote and celebrate.

"This discussion requires all parties to be mature in their approach so that the goals of inclusivity and relevance to the challenges that the South African economy is grappling with," the MFSA said in its statement.

"An approach that perpetuates fragmentation and division will tear the fiber of marketing communications apart. This could result in the unintended consequence of even eroding gains made here and internationally around the quality of South African creativity and marketing."

The Board delegated the mfsa's Chairman, Jabu Mabuza, and Makwana to meet with the key players within the ACA as a matter of urgency - "to deal with these matters in a manner that best serves the interests of both the advertising industry and the marketing profession".

"We appeal for calm and an open spirit of solution-seeking and suggest that dogma will prove destructive," the statement from Makwana concluded.