‘We shouldn’t be leaving the advertising we get to chance’: Leading industry figures unite for state of Australian industry White Paper
To celebrate 50 years of advertising education in Australia, The State of the Australian Advertising Industry and the Role of Education White Paper has been developed.
The White Paper draws on research and input from advertising leaders, including Thinkerbell chief thinker Adam Ferrier, IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy and IPG Mediabrands APAC CEO Leigh Terry.
It also includes the research and rigor of academics Gayle Kerr, professor in advertising and IMC, QUT, David Waller A/Prof UTS Business School and Steven Bellman, MediaScience research professor, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.
Ferrier said: “Advertising has a profound impact on our culture, reflecting our dreams and aspirations. We shouldn’t be leaving the advertising we get to chance.
“It’s vital that we are constantly studying how it works, getting educated on how to make it better and being curious about its impact.”
Adam Ferrier
The researchers drew from secondary research and conducted new primary research to examine the current state and imagine the future of the advertising industry and the role of advertising education.
Using Australian Census data, the paper predicts advertising employment from the professional services industries should continue to grow at an average of 28% per year.
Focusing on education, text-mining software is used to visualise the key themes of university education and show a direct connection between the strategy of the university and its evolution into units and areas of study like marketing and advertising. These require skills and integration to be effective.
Terry said recognising the crucial role of advertising education in this country over the last 50 years is important.
“Not just its role in the helping drive the wider economy, but creating and celebrating Australian culture, and finally highlighting social campaigns that don’t have a voice. 50 years of helping the industry create work that works and work that matters.”
Gai Le Roy added: “Defining ‘what is advertising’ continues to be a fascinating, almost philosophical challenge, but we do know that the more the market evolves the need for top quality education will remain.”
Gai Le Roy
The White Paper provides an important benchmark and develops a number of predictions for the industry and advertising education.
“The catalyst for the White Paper was our celebration of 50 Years of Advertising Education in Australia. We thought it would be good to know if there would be something to celebrate in another 50 years’ time,” Kerr said.
“While there was a lot of research involved, just as important was the learning from each other. Brainstorming what the research really meant. How it applied to the advertising industry. And how we should align our advertising university programs to ensure the continuance of a wonderful profession.
Waller added: “This is a unique document that brings together leaders in the advertising industry and academic education to discuss past, current and future ideas to present valuable insights and predictions for advertising education for the years to come.
“I expect that this is not the end of the industry/education conversation on the future of advertising but just the beginning.”
Read the full White Paper here.
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