The marketing, media and advertising industries are already signatories to an agreement, 'the Master Agreement', which has as prime object the financing of the South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The Master Agreement also established the Industry Wide Forum (IWF), a forum of all the presidents of the organizations in the marketing, media and advertising industries. IWF came into being end of 2004 (It includes National Association of Broadcasters, outdoor media, Cinemark, SAARF).
"The IWF has noted various initiatives to find a substitute for the MFSA. But due to the importance of the Master Agreement and the type and level of representation on the IWF, the IWF is the logical place to initiate discussions in respect of the role and function of a representative body for advertisers. This is also the ideal opportunity to consider and plan a unified strategy for the marketing, media and advertising industries in respect of critical issues," said Keith Giemre, Chairperson of the IWF.
He said that the IWF will initiate discussions not only between the representative bodies and key players of the marketing (advertisers), media and advertising industries, but also want to include representatives from the Department of Communications and the Department of Trade and Industries.
This initiative fits in with the intention of the IWF to hold an indaba in 2006 where all the role players in the industry, including Government, will be brought together to discuss the principles of advertising regulation and to determine the ownership of these principles and to ensure a unified vision in respect of these principles for the future, said Giemre.
