New APPG launches to advocate for the advertising industry 

The three pillars of advertising, through the AA, IPA and ISBA, came together yesterday to launch a new APPG for the advertising industry in Parliament.  

The new APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) will raise the profile of advertising and share positive economic and social contributions with parliamentarians. Future meetings will showcase the successes of the industry in areas such as responsible advertising, jobs, regional investment, exports and AI. 

The first key speaker and Chair of the APPG was The Rt Hon Dame Karen Bradley DBE MP, who explained how both parliamentarians and the advertising industry can collaborate to understand the impact of Parliamentary decisions and regulation on both businesses and the hundreds of thousands employed by the industry.  

Paul Bainsfair, Director General of IPA, gave an insight into how advertising has evolved over the years, expanding the growth of brands and contribution to the economy. Paul  emphasised how advertising remains a key powerhouse behind the UK’s wider creative industries, as when advertising thrives the rest of the economy thrives. 

Rob Newman, Director of Public Affairs at ISBA, explained the key issues affecting brands, including Less Healthy Foods, as well as this year’s priorities for the trade body such as Representation, Climate Change and Accessibility.  

Parliamentarians who attended the launch included Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP, Rt Hon Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Rt Hon Baroness Morgan of Cotes, Rt Hon Bassam of Brighton, Dame Karen Bradley DBE MP and Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP. 

Senior industry leaders also attended, including Channel 4, Google, IAB UK, ITV, Meta, Outsmart, NMA, Radiocentre, Sky Media, Warner Bros Discovery and Yahoo!. 

Brand representatives were in attendance from Unilever, Nestlé, Heineken and Ferrero as well as agency heads from Adam&EveDDB, UMW, Kitchen, Weber Shandwick, BBH and WPP. 

Advertising Association CEO, Stephen Woodford, provided a welcome and conclusion to the event, emphasising how a partnership between industry and Government through the APPG will allow both to make the most of future opportunities. 

For more information about the APPG, please email: Florence.ridley@adassoc.org.uk.