MASA closed off the year at its recent thirteenth annual general meeting, detailing important contributions to the marketing profession and industry.

These included the Professional Marketing Designations South Africa programme, the introduction of the MAPs products and brands research initiative to replace AMPS, and helping to safeguard marketing self-regulation through the establishment of the new Advertising Regulatory Board.

Garden will give increased focus to leading the Marketing Research Foundation and the MAPS project while continuing to work closely with MASA into the future in full support of its purpose and goals.

MASA announced that its current chairperson, Sechaba Motsieloa, had accepted its request to serve at an executive level as Interim CEO to bridge any gap until the appointment of a long-term CEO. The recruitment process for a new permanent CEO will commence immediately under the guidance of Motsieloa.

"MASA has grown in strength over the past three years," says Garden. "We have a heavy-hitter board of top marketers made up of highly-recognised individual members and corporate CMOs — the strongest in our history."

"As a professional body and association, we have made several significant strides in terms of key deliverables to our members and the broader marketing industry," adds Garden.

These strides, according to Garden, include:
  • The repositioning of MASA as the only SAQA recognised and approved marketing industry professional body — with marketing designations registered at the strategic, operational and tactical levels.
  • MASA has established itself, based on strong governance structures, processes and content, as one of the most credible non-statutory professional bodies within the South African business landscape.
  • MAPS, the new marketers' Brands and Products Survey, has been developed by the Marketing Research Foundation with direction and guidance from MASA. Subscriber funding has been raised to enable MAPS to launch at the start of 2020.
  • MASA has established positive co-operation with the Broadcast Research Council and the publishing and outdoor media bodies to work towards the delivery of joint collaborative research in the interests of better, aligned and integrated data for all marketing and media stakeholders.
  • MASA was foundational in protecting the critical principle of self-regulation in advertising and communication for the marketing industry. With the regrettable demise of the Advertising Standards Authority, MASA worked closely with the Association of Communications Agencies, the IAB and other key role players to rapidly establish the new Advertising Regulatory Board, which has ensured the continuity of marketer's self-regulation.
  • MASA continues to work on the development of a more sustainable industry funding model to support self-regulation, media, products and brand marketing research, as well as other critical and future-proofing industry initiatives.
"MASA exists to elevate the professionalism of marketing and represent and protect the business interests of marketers," says Motsieloa. "It has a strong and clear strategy with well-defined goals and priorities for 2020 and beyond." 

"It is well placed to increase its impact and enhance its contribution to the marketing profession, and I call on marketers at both individual and corporate levels to become members and give MASA greater support," concludes Motsieloa.

For more information, visit www.marketingsa.co.za. You can also follow MASA on Facebook or on Twitter.