EXCLUSIVE: New Brand Council of SA announces office bearers

Inaugural electoral board meeting

The appointments follow the BCSA's inaugural electoral board meeting in September 2011, at which representatives from Brand Leadership, the Brand Union, Grid, HKLM, Interbrand Sampson, It's a Go, Switch and Yellowwood were appointed to the board.

The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) also has representation on the board, to help foster shared learning and industry collaboration between the organisations.

McCoy says he is privileged to be part of the pioneering leadership team charged with the responsibility of strengthening the brand and design industry as a unified whole. "Our focus is on action, not talk, and although the board's role and objectives are still to be finalised, aggressive roll-out of our resources and action plans is scheduled for early 2012."

Strong code of conduct

The BCSA and its members will be governed by a strong code of conduct, which will promote responsible best practice and self-regulation and which is designed to build understanding, value and demand for brand marketing and communication design in SA.

Among other things, the council will:

• provide essential resources and networking platforms for its members
  
• aims to maintain, build and showcase the industry's creative standards - both locally and internationally, and
  
• aims to positively influence skills upliftment and job creation and improve competencies, practice and knowledge in the industry through structured education, training and employment initiatives

Relevant contribution to the economy

McCoy adds that the BCSA is committed to making a relevant contribution to the economy by promoting bilateral exposure between the local and the international brand marketing and design industry. It is also committed to encouraging its members to contribute to society at large.

"All the groundwork has been done and with a strong and committed team in place, I believe the benefits of having a collective voice for the industry will be significant," he concludes.