Brussels, 1 January 2014: Greece took  over the European Council Presidency from Lithuania and will be leading the Council until the end of June 2014.
Under the motto Europe: Our Common Quest, the Presidency has set forth the following priorities:
- Enhancing civic and society engagement in the EU, through policies and initiatives in response to citizens’ everyday problems, concerns and insecurities. Therefore, the effort will focus in the areas of economic recovery, employment, cohesion, mobility of Union citizens and European security, internal and external.
- Deepening the Union, especially the European Monetary Union, by promoting policies and actions to improve initial deficiencies in the Euro area architecture.
- Reinforcing EU democratic legitimacy and accountability, as well as in constructing European democracy and in expanding civil rights.
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Brussels, 22 January 2014: the European Parliament  Environment, Pub lic Health and Food Safety Committee adopted the Tobacco Products Directive proposal as negotiated with the European Council in December 2013.
Among the provisions are:
- Combined health warnings for tobacco for smoking: all cigarette packs should carry a health warning covering 65% of their surface.
- E-cigarettes: for e-cigarettes that do not fall under the definition of medicinal products of Directive 2001/83/EC, new rules make health warnings and information leaflets obligatory and introduce a ban on advertising.
The agreed text will be debated and put to a plenary vote, either during the 24-27 February session or the 10-13 March one.
To read the voted text, please click here.
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European Commission approves Publicis - Omnicom merger
Brussels, 9 January 2014: the European Commission  authorised the €26 billion merger between Publicis and Omnicom, which will create the world's largest advertising agency by revenues.
Following a relatively short merger review process, the Commission cleared the merger without remedies or commitments. According to the Commission, the merged agency will be facing competition from large advertising firms such as WPP, Dentsu-Aegis, IPG and Havas.
“The bidding nature of the markets, the presence of other large competitors, the relatively low barriers to entry, and the significant countervailing power of media vendors will ensure a level playing field in all the affected markets after the merger.†– stated the Commission.
To read the full press release of the European Commission, please click here.
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European Commission Consultation on Copyright
Brussels, January 2014: the European Commission  has started a public consultation in order to examine the views of participants on how the EU copyright rules should be developed.
All interested parties - including individuals and NGOs – are invited to contribute during the consultation which is containing 80 open questions. The answers will be taken into account when the Commission decides on whether to start a legislative initiative for copyright reform.
The consultation addresses issues such as:
- Limitations and exceptions to copyright in the digital age,
- Fragmentation of the EU copyright market, and
- How to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement while underpinning its legitimacy in the wider context of copyright reform.
The deadline for submitting contributions is 5 March 2014. To download the consultation document, please click here.
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New European Commission Calls for Tender for Communications Agencies
The European Commission has published new calls for tender  in its recently launched digital system under the auspices of Directorate General for Communication. Current calls of relevance to the communications sector such as:
1. Promotion of self-care systems in the European Union - the
contractor must produce:
- A guideline for promotion of self-care
- A guideline for the development and production of communication tool
- A report proposing policy actions on self-care at EU level
- A closing/concluding conference in Brussels, Belgium
2. Video coverage of EU current affairs: production of news reports and thematic video files of EU
news for use by television and radio stations, social media and Web portals. In view of the
services required and the geographical areas to be covered, the contract is divided into 6 lots.
(Contract notice OJ 2013/S 233-403571)
3. Online video advertising: preparation and implementation of online advertising campaigns to
promote audiovisual material and online platforms (i.e. websites, social media) containing
audiovisual material, in one or several European Union Member States ( OJ 2013/S 215-373188).
For more information and to see the full list of calls for tenders, please click here.
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Brussels, 6 January 2014: Patrick Hanson-Lowe, CMO of  Publicis, has been elected to chair the International Agencies’ Council of the European Association of Communication Agencies (EACA).
This comprises the pan-European operations of DDB Europe, Grey EMEA, Innocean Worldwide Europe, JWT, Leo Burnett, M&C Saatchi, McCann WorldGroup, Media Consulta, Ogilvy & Mather EAME, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, TBWA\ and Y&R Brands.
Based in Brussels, the EACA is the only organisation that represents advertising and media agencies on a pan-European basis and its membership covers the EU and beyond. EACA promotes the value of advertising in society and the relevance of agencies, the contribution of advertising in a free market economy, and encourages close co-operation between agencies, advertisers and media in European advertising bodies.
For more information, click here.
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The exam for the European Advertising Certificate, the only  consistent, European-wide foundation-level qualification for young agency personnel, is open for registrations.
In order to receive their European Advertising Certificate, professionals will sit a three-hour written examination which will take place on 10 April 2014 in participating countries around Europe, Middle East and Africa. The examination costs € 220 per person.
For more information on how to register for the exam, visit: http://certificate.eaca.be/exam.aspx or contact certificate@eaca.be.
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Brussels, January 2014: the European Institute for  Commercial Communications Education – edcom – has launched the CALL FOR PAPERS for its 8th Commercial Communications Education Conference which will take place at IESE Business School in Barcelona on 9 May 2014.
Under the title “Life in the Cloud - What does real-time connectivity mean for brands?â€, this year’s edcom Annual Conference invites researchers and students to discuss and analyse opportunities and challenges for the future of brands in a technology-driven reality, defined through increasing media convergence and connectivity.
Papers may examine:
- “The Facebook of Things†– objects and devices (smartphones, tablets, Connected TV) are becoming connected and aware of other devices around them. Papers may examine the new potential and challenges for joined-up advertising in a connected world;
- Seamless advertising? – in a world of connectivity and media convergence, can/should brands deliver a seamless consumer experience?;
- High-performance Creativity – in a world of media convergence and real-time data;
- Brands of tomorrow – how is real-time reaction changing the way we advertise?
For more details, please click here. |
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Applications for the fifth EACA International Advertising  Summer School are open for students and young professionals.
Between 7-11 July 2014, participants will attend workshops by leading advertising practitioners at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Dipartimento Architettura, in Rome, Italy. During the week, they will learn how the different communications disciplines fit together to create a complete campaign and work in international teams on a single real client brief.
The School offers a wide range of workshops, among which are:
- Strategic Planning and Storytelling
- Creative Idea Generation
- The Future of Digital
- Behavioural Economics
- Presentation and Pitching Skills.
Deadline for applications: 4 April 2014. To find out more about the Summer School, please click here. |
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The EACA Euro Effie® Awards 2014 call for entries are now  open until 18 April 2014.
To be considered for a Euro Effie, campaigns must offer proof of having met or exceeded clearly stated objectives. Judging procedures are primarily based on objective evidence of performance against goals.
The EACA Euro Effies® are the Gold Standard in Commercial Communications Effectiveness and recognise excellence in commercial communications for campaigns that have run and can prove effectiveness in at least two European countries.
For more information on the Awards, please visit: www.euro-effie.com
Find the Euro Effies on Facebook for all updates: www.facebook.com/EuroEffieAwards |
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Brussels, 22 January 2014: The European Association of  Communications Agencies (EACA) has launched the call for entries for the EACA Care Awards 2014 with the support of Finnish MEP Hannu Takkula (ALDE), who replaces Heinz Becker (EPP) as jury chairman.
These Awards for European Social Marketing Campaigns recognise excellence in promoting care for people, resources and the environment and are judged by a panel of MEPs. They are part of the EACA’s overall commitment to promote Corporate Social Responsibility and are linked to the ACT Responsible Online Gallery and the ACT Responsible World Tour.
The EACA Care Awards 2014 are now open for entries until 4 April 2014.
For more information on the Awards, please visit: www.careawards.eu.
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London, January 2014: following the success of the inaugural  edition of Advertising Week Europe, the Week will return to London from 31 March to 4 April 2014.
Advertising Week Europe is a week-long celebration of inspiration. The Week is grounded in thought leadership uniting a broad cross-section of industry leaders from the client, creative and media community with the world of popular culture.
During this year’s programme, EACA will be organising:
- A panel on the theme of innovation-driven futures for Europe, to discuss what advertising and new technologies can contribute to European recovery
- A panel of European creative directors looking at creative trends in Europe
- A showcase of the best European creative campaigns of the last 12 months.
Don’t miss out on special prices for EACA members! For more information, please contact dominic.lyle@eaca.be.
For more information and to register for the event, please click here. |
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Italy: New Board of Directors elected in ASSOCOM Italy
Milan, January 2014: the Italian Advertising Agencies  Association (ASSOCOM) General Assembly met to elect the new Board of Directors to lead the association for the next three years, which according to the recently reformed statutory rules, is composed of 9 members.
The assembly also elected Marco Testa of Armando Testa as the new President of ASSOCOM. Testa previously held the Presidency of ASSOCOM between 2006 and 2008. Marco Testa’s nomination has been perceived as a strong commitment to return ASSOCOM to the centre of the communications sector and has enjoyed wide national press coverage and enthusiastic reaction from the UPA (Italian Advertisers' Association).
The new Board is engaged in outlining an action plan and forming several groups of interest on main industry topics such as:
- Creativity
- Remuneration
- Transparency
- Digital agenda
- Communications re-launch of Italy.
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First year of EDAA
Brussels, 27 January 2014: the European Interactive Digital  Advertising Alliance is celebrating its one-year anniversary in successfully providing transparency and user control in digital advertising.
The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) is a non-profit organisation based in Brussels and is responsible for enacting key aspects of the self-regulatory initiative for Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA) across Europe.
Among EDAA’s achievements in its first year are:
- Making the OBA icon a recognised symbol across Europe in order to provide more information about the online behavioural advertising practices associated with webpages or advertisements.
- Introducing the “Consumer Choice Platform†at youronlinechoices.eu, which is providing consumers with the option to ‘turn off’ (or turn back on) the data collection by companies involved in the collection and use of data for OBA purposes.
- Launching the pan-European Consumer Awareness Campaign in order to help empower EU citizens to make their own choices about online advertising. The campaign provides information about the OBA Icon and youronlinechoices.eu to the general public, to provide better understanding of the programme.
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IPA News
IPA/APA launch interactive production guidelines
London, 21 January 2014: the IPA and APA (Advertising  Producers Association) have launched the industry’s first set of guidelines for interactive advertising design development.
Entitled “IPA/APA Interactive Framework for Producing Interactive Projects in Advertisingâ€, it takes individuals through the entire process of producing interactive work from the initial brief to maintenance of the finished project. It is the result of 18 months’ work by a team of digital specialists drawn from both agencies and production companies.
The recommendations were unveiled at a special presentation to the industry held at the Moving Picture Company. Download the framework here.
New Creative Industries website launched
London, 17 January 2014: the Creative Industries Council launched an innovative new digital approach to promote the UK creative industry on the global stage, predicting that the UK will become the global ‘creative services hub’ by 2025. New statistics published this week revealed that the creative industries generate a staggering £8 million an hour for the UK economy.
The new website – www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk - launched at the IPA, will for the first time provide a central digital hub linking the industry, UKTI and the FCO as they focus on promoting the sector and driving growth and investment in 200 countries worldwide.
To read more, please click here.
2014 IPA Effectiveness Awards pre-registration deadline approaching
London, 8 January 2014: the 2014 IPA Effectiveness Awards is open for entry, with the pre-registration deadline of 31st January 2014 fast approaching.
The deadline for entries is 30th April 2014, however, those who pre-register before 31st January 2014 will receive 25% off the final cost of entry, and will be eligible to make use of the Awards Advisory Service.
To read more and to see the list of special prizes, please click here.
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WARC News
Global adspend growth forecast to rise 5.2% in 2014
London, 15 January 2014: the latest consensus ad forecast  from Warc, the marketing intelligence service, indicates that global advertising expenditure will increase by 5.2% in 2014. This represents a significant improvement on the 3.2% growth predicted for 2013.
Warc's Consensus Ad Forecast is based on a weighted average of adspend predictions at current prices from ad agencies, media monitoring companies, analysts, Warc's own team and other industry bodies.
Of the 13 markets covered in the report, 12 are forecast net growth in adspend in 2014. The rate of growth has been revised upwards for four countries since our previous forecast in June 2013, with the UK demonstrating the greatest single rise (up 1.7pp). Forecasts for eight countries have been cut. It should be noted that total global adspend has also seen a 0.2pp dip in expectations from last year.
All media, barring newspapers and magazines, are predicted to record year-on-year growth in 2014, with internet up the most, on 14.1%. Internet is the only channel for which forecasts have upgraded since the previous forecast.
More information can be found here.
Marketing industry sentiment stays buoyant in 2014
London, 23 January 2014: marketers remained generally optimistic in January, according to the latest data from Warc’s Global Marketing Index.
Across all featured regions, the headline GMI measure - which takes into account marketers’ expectations for trading conditions and staffing levels as well as marketing budgets - recorded a reading of 57.9 in January’s count, a drop of 0.7 points from December.
Suzy Young, Data and Journals Director at Warc, said: "The latest data are encouraging for the global marketing industry --- particularly with regard to Europe and Asia Pacific. Positivity is also pronounced in the Americas, making for a bright 2014."
Warc is recruiting for the Global Marketing Index panel. For more details, please visit: http://www.warc.com/gmi
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Subscribe to Admap
Admap is Warc’s lively monthly magazine, written by expert  practitioners around the globe.
“Get yourself an Admap subscription. Why? Because not only are the articles stimulating and useful but the competitors you fear most are already reading it.“ - Mark Earls, author of Herd.
In the increasingly complex world of marketing, Admap will provide you with:
- A trusted source of ideas, written by industry experts;
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- Inspiration supported by research, understanding and experience; and
- Information to keep you ahead of your competitors and up-to-date with the latest thinking.
Admap talks your language and each issue is packed with practical, usable information. Designed for advertisers, agencies, media owners and research firms, Admap provides the ideas and evidence for successful marketing strategies.
Subscribe NOW to receive 20% off your annual subscription, and stay up-to-date with new thinking and cutting-edge practice! www.warc.com/admapeacaoffer, subscriptions@marston.co.uk .
For more information visit http://www.warc.com/AboutAdmap.info or send an e-mail to subscriptions@marston.co.uk.
When ordering by email or telephone quote special discount code ADM2082 EACA Offer.
Special discount available to new Admap subscribers only.
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Advertising Agencies) together with the Club des Annonceurs (Club of Advertisers) and UDECAM (Union des Entreprises de Conseil et Achat Media) presented a new integrated communications experience at the Laboratoire (a contemporary art and design centre in Paris), in partnership with Stratégies.
