3As director having frantic fun

By DITA DE BONI

Lynne Clifton says she's having as much fun "as is possible with clothes on."

The new executive director of the Advertising Agencies Association (3As) has been in the role fulltime only since last month, but the London-born, Taranaki-bred former Radio New Zealand executive is clearly both exhausted and exhilarated by her experience so far.

"I'm having fun, but also getting burnt up," she confesses. "I came from doing a number of projects and although I feel up to this new job, it's just daunting the number of things that have to be done and people to be seen."

After 20 years in radio, followed by employment as chief executive of Ireland's Communicorp Group in the late 90s and a stint of business consultancy, Ms Clifton has joined the 3As crew right in the middle of the restructure and rebranding of the association.

The new grape-and-grey coloured corporate offices - which clearly delight the new executive director - are in honour of the fact that next month the 3As becomes CAANZ, or the Communications Agencies Association of New Zealand.

In preparation for the launch of the repackaged association, the 3As announced this week a more independent media committee, to be followed by similar quasi-autonomous committees for interactive and direct marketing members.

The 3As has long promised to broaden its scope beyond representing the interests of traditional advertising agencies.

Ms Clifton, who is overseeing the process of broadening membership, acknowledges she might be confronted with old industry sores. "I have been told about some discord that has existed between the 3As and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

"The concern for the DMA is that they might lose some of their agencies when we open our doors to direct-marketers, but in some cases we will be offering different things and to some there will be benefits to belonging to both, I think."

While the DMA covers the interests of 500 agencies and advertisers involved in the area of direct marketing, Ms Clifton says the 3As will focus on agencies exclusively - either solely involved with the discipline, or involved in direct marketing as a function.

She also acknowledges the complaints that maverick agencies have occasionally aired over the value of joining an overarching body like the 3As in exchange for a levy on turnover.

"In answer to that: absolutely, we have to provide value. If the cost of belonging [to the 3As] is the cost of perhaps one fulltime staffer, we have to be able to offer more than the value of that person's work to our members.

"We are very focused on turning cost into value, with things like legal-advice services, education and development, events and lobbying."

With a solid background in sales, Ms Clifton says she is keen to quantify the work the association will offer, and has an advantage in knowing most of the agency people she needs to keep onside.

She says of 3As' 57 members: "It's like the advertising people from several years ago have been put in a bag and jumbled up and put into different agencies."

She finds the meet-and-greet aspect of her job the most enjoyable part.

The hardest part, she says, will be advocacy and lobbying for the industry, the strong suit of former executive director David Innes.

"That's the area I feel less competent in. My strengths are product development, marketing and things related to self-regulation. I'm very comfortable with that."

But the 3As is facing the possibility of a steaming pile of change from a Government intent on reviewing the self-regulatory process the industry has long sought to protect.

Ministers in the present Government have, from time to time, felt the need to stick a few tacks on the seats of advertising industry chairs, reminding them they may, in due course, revise advertising to children; they might, if advertisers don't watch themselves, revisit direct-to-consumer advertising and even, in fits of revenue-gathering pique, suggest a tax on advertising in general.

"There is no discordant voice [among our members] over the issue of self-regulation which underpins the industry in this country," she says.

"That is the one thing we will be united to try and preserve. In terms of direct marketing to children, for example, we have lots of codes and regulations that protect the public.

"We are responsible - we are not going to jeopardise self-regulation by stuffing it up."

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is another area where her personal opinions and those of the 3As align, she says.

"My experience is that that kind of advertising has reminded me to go and do things - have a checkup, a mammogram, a flu shot. The good effects of DTC advertising, like encouraging people to go and get help, are proven."

She's not buying the argument that self-interest is at work, and intends to ensure the Government is aware of that.

"The Government tends to see advertisers as a bit 'Business Roundtable-y' - not even a necessary evil, but fat cats with unbridled self-interest," she says.

"We have not traditionally been a group the Government has felt a need to cuddle up to.

"But we need to be taken more seriously than that. We have a job to do to articulate our thoughts and feelings."

In fact, advertisers have their own concerns about the Employment Relations Bill and levels of business confidence, she says.

"But although it would be wrong to say it's bullish out there, it's also inaccurate to say the ad environment is having a rough time at the moment.

"Our indications are that all the major agencies have a lot of activity going on right now.

"The worst message around is that there is a lack of business confidence. The agencies are concerned with how to stop the market being talked down any further."

In between trying to keep morale high and the Government onside, how does a busy executive director unwind from the stresses and strains of overseeing the needs of such a dynamic industry?

With sleep, at the moment - "most of the time I'm catatonic out of work" - and friends and a bottle of red wine.

Music is also a passion: Ms Clifton manages the career of singer-songwriter Greg Johnson.

And she leaves a lasting image of joie de vivre with a delightful pirouette as she confesses she will be going to see Robbie Williams in concert.