PVCA RELAUNCHES AS VISUAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION
Print industry employers’ association PVCA is rebranding and relaunching as Visual Media Association, following a special general meeting that garnered unanimous support for the move.
The new name reflects the strategic review process and member surveying, which saw a majority of members seeing their industry as far more diverse than it has been historically, and seeking a broader positioning to reflect their businesses.
In addition to the name and brand relaunch, the association has committed to four key pillars of focus with supporting programmes and services, to enrich membership value and serve the industry needs.
Matt Aitken, president of the association, and CEO, IVE Group, addressed the members with a clear overview of the past twelve months and now the future. He said: “With the merger, full review of all the programmes and services in place, as well as deep engagement with members and industry stakeholders, our purpose is to ensure long-term prosperity of our industry and our members.
“Building key pillars to our deliverables and focus communicates to our members and industry what we are committing member funding to, what we will deliver, and how we will deliver these for the benefit of our members in the immediate term and the industry on the broader horizon.”
The relaunch includes an overhauled strategic plan that will see a number of key initiatives rolled out in the coming twelve months to assist member businesses as the priority.
Kellie Northwood, CEO of the association, said, “Discussions with members has made it abundantly clear that as a stronger co-operative we can implement business tools to reduce cost from our members' businesses, streamline workplace relations for quicker solutions, improve skills shortages and resource accessibility, build and promote industry standards as well as communicate the value of visual media channels to investors and customers.
“Today’s relaunch announcement is about rebuilding the association for a strong future, with a brand and strategic focus to support our members to be the most successful businesses long into the future. It is also about how the peak industry body will deliver programmes and services to achieve that,” furthered Aitken.
Following member surveys across names and words to describe their businesses and the industry, the words ‘print’, ‘communication’, ‘visual’ and ‘media’ rated the higher over ‘creative’, ‘marketing’ and ‘industry’. Further defining analysis aligned member feedback across services they deliver to the wording - ‘visual media’.
Types of visual media include digital and printed images, photography, graphic design, videos, animation, and more. The association says visual media is regularly viewed on billboards, packaging, smartphones, newspapers, magazines, posters, televisions, brochureware, labels and various other mediums and devices.
“Following member feedback, we were left with four key words, however when we started delving into member comments the strongest of the four key words were visual media. Adding association to hold our peak industry body status was also important. Now we embrace the definition of visual media into our mission and purpose to include all the industry sectors we represent,” said Northwood.
The change in name cements the coming together of the two organisations (PVCA and TRMC) with a single purpose, to drive value for members by helping to grow our diverse industry. The relaunch follows extensive consultation with PVCA members who have provided clear majority support to the new name and focus in today’s special general meeting, or by proxy in the previous weeks.
Aitken said, “Having members support the relaunch and the key deliverables is important to the success of the strategy, and I was humbled and delighted to have the opportunity to share the thinking with the members and their ultimate support.”
Key new programmes and initiatives include Skills & Training, IR/HR Advisory Policy & Governance, Engagement, Leadership & Growth, and Environmental Social Governance.
“These initiatives will help shape a new era for the industry and the association, with strengthened credentials and value for all members during a period in our history when this has never been more crucial,” said, Aitken.
Assets including a new visual identity for the Visual Media Association with a new website and other brand, marketing and communication materials will now be progressively rolled out over the next forty days, as the Fair Work Commissioner reviews and approves the change.
“To reach this point has required an enormous breadth of work, from member engagement to board support, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to surveys, discussions, phone-calls and general feedback. All of you have been instrumental in building where we land today. To Kellie, Charles and the team, your engagement, collection, research, analysis and dedication to building a strong future for the association and industry is reflected in this roll-out, and I thank you for your hours of work and efforts across this merge and rebuild,” concluded Aitken.
Click here to watch the new Visual Media Association video.