02/03/2010
Future Foundation puts its Front Foot forward
The Future Foundation today announced it is joining the Advertising Association’s (AA) Front Foot initiative as an active partner in kicking off the programme of thinking and research about the future of advertising.
Melanie Howard, Future Foundation’s Chair, is to act as Special Advisor to CREDOS, the AA’s Front Foot research faculty, which has been established to collate and disseminate research to support advertising’s positive role in Society.
The Future Foundation, a privately-owned consumer and social trends consultancy, looks at the changing world through a ‘consumer lens’ and is well-positioned to help in this important first phase of the AA’s Front Foot initiative. The AA is calling on its stakeholders to pull together the ammunition to support, buttress and prove advertising’s worth. The Future Foundation will work with CREDOS to create a challenging view of the consumer context for the future of advertising and explore the trends that will affect that in the short, medium and longer term. This will form the basis for engaging wider audiences in the debate about the issues and opportunities facing the industry.
“It is an interesting moment in the history of commercial communications and people’s views on it,” said Howard. “At the moment consumers are finely poised between being overwhelmed and cynical or feeling that properly used, communications can help them navigate complex choices. Whilst many people in more traditional advertising roles might feel that they are on the back foot, there is much to suggest that a new contract between brands, media owners and consumers is possible. But it is up to advertising to re-invent itself and lead the public intellectual debate on its future role in a healthy, functioning, democratic consumer society”.
Commenting on the Future Foundation’s contribution, Tim Lefroy, Chief Executive of the Advertising Association, added, “We need to understand consumers today, their environment, and their concerns; and see how advertising can contribute to their lives in a more meaningful way. Our aim is to restore confidence in advertising and, as we begin our campaign, we’re delighted the Future Foundation is on board with us and can give us valuable insight and clarity on current consumer sentiment.”
Future Foundation will present a “consumer lens” overview to the AA in April 2010.
James Best, Chairman of CREDOS, concluded, “CREDOS will analyse this, together with relevant academic studies, to provide the industry with a comprehensive picture of research available. Once we are able to map out what we have, we can commission research to fill the gaps and explore new horizons.”
For further information:
Melanie Howard melanieh@futurefoundation.net 020 3008 4889
Tim Lefroy tim.lefroy@adassoc.org.uk