Advertising Association Honours Tess Alps With Mackintosh Medal

The rare award is for those who have given outstanding service to the advertising industry over the course of their career.

Tess Alps, Chair of Thinkbox, has been named the newest recipient of the Advertising Association’s Mackintosh Medal, which recognises outstanding personal and public service to advertising. The medal has been awarded only 10 times since 1980 with Richard Eyre, Chairman of the Internet Advertising Bureau and former Chief Executive of ITV, being the last recipient in 2013. Other past recipients of the medal include such renowned industry figures as Jeremy Bullmore, Ron Miller, and David Bernstein. Tess will be presented with the medal at the Advertising Association President’s Reception on 28 June 2018.

Tess Alps is the Chair of Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, representing over 99% of TV advertising revenue. She was appointed its first Chief Executive in 2006 with a remit to prove TV’s enduring effectiveness, to explain its dynamic future via all technologies, and to champion creativity.

Before joining Thinkbox, she was the Chair of the PHD Group in the UK. In her 13 years with PHD she played many roles including six years running Drum, the content division of the group where she pioneered the concept of brand content. Before she joined PHD, Tess worked at several ITV companies and was one of the few women to reach the level of Sales Director.

Tess is a member of many industry organisations, including an Emeritus member of the MGGB, and a Fellow of the Marketing Society.  She is also a familiar figure in the world of TV; she is a BAFTA member and a Fellow of the Royal Television Society. In 2007 she was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by Women in Film and TV and in 2013 was voted Media Leader of the Decade by the readers of Haymarket’s brand titles.   Last year, she became a Council Member of the Advertising Standards Authority.

Tess has been involved in a variety of charitable projects in our industry.  She is a Past President and Honorary member of WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications, London) where she has long been a champion of equality and diversity. In 1996, she was part of the team that launched WACL’s annual conference for upcoming women, now called Gather.  During her Presidential year, in 2004, she launched the Future Leaders Awards which gives bursaries to promising women for leadership training.  Tess was a trustee of NABS for 3 years and is now a Patron.  She most recently helped to create the timeTo initiative, which aims to address the problem of sexual harassment within the sector.

The Mackintosh Medal is named after the late Viscount Mackintosh of Halifax, who was President of the Advertising Association from 1942 until 1946 and was the first recipient of the award in recognition of his work in organising the International Advertising Conference of July 1951. Viscount Mackintosh was the owner of the confectionery business of John Mackintosh & Sons Ltd from 1920, famous for its eponymous toffee, as well as for introducing brands such as Quality Street, Rolo, Caramac, and Toffee Crisp. A true public servant, he was Chairman of the National Savings Committee from 1943, becoming President in 1958. In 1956, under his leadership, National Savings introduced Premium Bonds. He also served as Chancellor of the University of East Anglia between 1962 and 1964.

Stephen Woodford, Chief Executive, Advertising Association commented:

“The award of the Mackintosh Medal is a rare honour, bestowed to those who have made a truly outstanding mark on our industry. I have to say that, in my experience, Tess is unique in her unparalleled contribution to advertising. Her contribution is distinctive in so many ways and over many years, including through her leadership of Thinkbox as a powerful body for the TV industry, as well as through her CSR activities to make advertising a better place to work. She is truly one of a kind and it is right that she takes her place in an august group of celebrated figures who have made advertising the economic and creative powerhouse it is today.”

Tess Alps commented:

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Mackintosh Medal and extremely grateful to the Advertising Association for the recognition and to the many people who have helped me along the way.  After working in the industry for more than 40 years, I am more convinced than ever about its contribution to our economy.  I am also excited about the possibilities that future technologies bring, though I will never stop urging us all to use advertising ethically and responsibly.  Advertising works best when it is trusted and enjoyed.  We seem to have reached turning points on many issues – both regarding advertising’s relationship with consumers and behaviour within our industry – that give me reasons to be optimistic.  Thank you; I will endeavour to live up to what the Mackintosh Medal represents.”

For further information, please contact:
Matt Bourn, Director of Communications

Matt.Bourn@adassoc.org.uk

Matthew Evans, Communications Manager
Matthew.Evans@adassoc.org.uk

Tel: 020 7340 1100