Zim: Adma aims to stem decline in standards
Adma chairman Pilate Machadu said the seminar, to be held on Friday, 10 September 2010, would bring together different stakeholders in the advertising industry to help new players appreciate advertising standards in the country as well as raise issues pertaining to advertising in the new media.
New media includes the online media.
Highlighting advertising ethics
"We're trying to increase awareness of advertising ethics. There are several adverts that are finding their way in the media but that are clearly breaching ethics," said Machadu.
He said the industry had been recently flooded by unregistered advertising agencies that were involved in ad placement.
The number of registered agencies had also increased, creating a need for increased awareness of ethics.
The number of accredited advertising agencies is currently at 26, from around 12 advertising agencies over 10 years ago.
New agency applications
"There are new players coming in. We are currently reviewing 10 applications from new agencies," said Machadu.
There is also the issue of new media outlets that have started operating or have been recently licensed to operate and these were employing new people who would need training on advertising ethics, he said.
Advertising sales representatives, marketing managers and even PR managers had to equip themselves with necessary knowledge so that they could adequately advise advertisers on issues related to advertising ethics, he said.
"We want everyone in the advertising process to get involved," he said.
Programme sidelined
Machadu said Adma used to have a robust programme that helped players appreciate issues of ethics in advertising but these had been sidelined due to an unprecedented economic crisis that ended with the formation of an inclusive government and dollarisation last year.
"There haven't been any seminars in many years. Advertising is a specialised and technical area that needs specialist training. Adma used to run a course on advertising to equip people with the basic skills but that was stopped 10 years ago," said Machadu.
About Dumisani Ndlela
Dumisani Ndlela is a Zimbabwean journalist specialising in business and financial reporting, with experience reporting on commodities, stock and financial markets, advertising, marketing and the media. He has previously reported from a number of regional countries as well as from the UK and Germany on commodities and regional integration. He can be contacted on ku.oc.oohay@aleldnd.
