Championing the Creative Industries at the Conservative Party Conference

This week, our public affairs and comms team headed to Manchester to represent the advertising industry at the Conservative Party Conference.  As anticipation rises towards the next General Election, it was a brilliant opportunity to make the case for the creative sector to Ministers, MPs and political advisors, as well as catch up with our many members who were in attendance.

On Monday night, we led the sponsorship of the Industry Leaders’ Reception at the heart of conference, the Midland Hotel – alongside our members Channel 4, IAB UK and the NMA – organised by the Conservatives in Comms (CIC) and Digital Tories. Media Minister Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP (pictured above with our PA Director Lisa Hayley-Jones) offered a thoughtful keynote speech on the successes of the creative industries, hailing them as “one of the greatest strengths the UK has”. The role of the communications industries during an election is vital, Sir John added, reflecting on the power of those in the room who will be able to deliver the messages that are able to win an election. This was a theme the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, made clear in his speech to the same room the previous evening.

As usual, Fringe events provided an array of interesting topics for thought – from the future of public service broadcasting featuring our members YouTube and Channel 4, alongside Lords Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee Baroness Stowell MBE, to a global trade discussion with DBT Minister, Nusrat Ghani MP. The advertising industry is a world-leader in its £15bn worth of exports, second only to the USA, and maximising the advantages of trade deals such as the CPTPP and how any barriers for business can be alleviated, was top of that discussion.

AI was a key talking point for the conference, with many discussions focussing on the opportunities and challenges of regulating the fast-moving technology, while maintaining the most competitive environment for the UK to thrive on the global stage and upskill existing workforces. The recent launch of our AI Taskforce, drawing together co-chairs from Google and VCCP as well members from across the ad ecosystem, was timely and provided an excellent conversation starter to those interested in how the advertising industry is harnessing such technologies as well as thinking critically about the ethical implications.

Next stop is the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, where we will be hosting a reception with Politics Home – and look forward to putting forward the case for advertising’s economic and social contribution to the current Opposition.