Trade bodies trigger merger speculation

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), the Marketing Communication Consultants Association (MCCA) and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) have commissioned a consultant to look at the future mould of the three trade associations.

One of the key areas to be looked at is the possibility of two or all three associations merging to become one.

Mark Boleat of Boleat Consulting has been commissioned to look at a number of other issues and possibilities facing the three associations. These include closer co-operation on key issues and projects, and creating a federation that contains a number of trade associations.

The move follows years of speculation that the MCCA, formerly known as the Sales Promotion Consultants Association (SPCA), was plotting to merge with the IPA.

MCCA chairman Matthew Hooper says the initiative reflects the fact that the three trade bodies are “duplicating themselves”.

Hooper adds: “This report is a clear, blank piece of paper and will answer some questions once and for all. We also recognise that in these times it is expensive to have so many trade bodies and we could all collaborate more.”