Notes To Supporters

Hi everyone

This is to update you on the progress we've been making since launching the Advertising: Who Cares? movement in April.

We are now up to almost 200 supporters. It's worth making the point that all have volunteered - we are yet to start really pushing our case, although as you'll see we now have the tools (and the story) to do so.

First, thanks to Jenny Biggam, Anuschka Clarke and team at the7stars for designing us a logo. It comes in different colours and formats; you can obviously cut and paste either of these from the site, or if you need a higher quality version let me know, we have various versions available.

Next, courtesy of a lot of work by Graeme Blake and team at Blutui, Adland’s universal digital delivery platform, we now have a website: www.advertisingwhocares.org 

Graeme and team have done a great job, so do check it out. You can volunteer to join a workstream of the greatest interest to you, and (eventually) to book tickets for the event we're planning in September in London from the site.

On the workstreams, we have now confirmed all 5, and have committed leaders on all. We are very grateful to them for doing this:

• Trading, Transparency and Trust - Jenny Biggam, Founder, the7stars

• Business Models - Michael Farmer, Consultant and Author ('Madison Avenue Makeover' and 'Madison Avenue Manslaughter')

• Measurement and Accountability - Denise Turner, CEO, Route

• Recruitment and Well-Being - Crispin Reed, Founder, Skyscraper Consulting

• Brands and Journalism - Ruben Schreurs, CSO, Ebiquity

Do please volunteer to join one or more of these so that your views are heard and can be represented. it is straightforward to join from the site; or if you have any problems you can mail me and I'll pass your details along to the relevant leader. Thanks to those who have already volunteered; we are putting you in touch with the appropriate workstream leader.

We have now booked the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in John Adam Street, London on the afternoon of September 12th. All details are on our site, where you will also be able to book tickets. We are not professional conference organisers and so we are having a fun time coming to terms with the intricacies of the Eventbrite site! Bear with us; we will issue another mail once the ticket sales are live.

The day will run as follows:

• Registration from 130pm (we won't be providing lunch, so be sure to eat first!)

• Formal presentations and discussion (specific speaker details and order to follow) 2pm - 6pm

• Bowl food and drinks 6pm - 8pm

This is an event without sponsors, underwritten by myself and Nick and funded entirely from ticket sales. We are doing it this way to encourage an event free from any sponsor distractions or pressures. We will sell a maximum of 140 tickets which will include a networking food and drink period after the formal presentations and discussions. We think this is important, we want to encourage a positive and open discussion in which all voices can be heard and everyone can participate.

If the number of queries we've had over the last couple of weeks is anything to go bywe suspect these will go quickly. We will start a waiting list in case any places open up. We are unable to offer any refunds but if you buy a ticket and are unable to attend you can pass your ticket on to a colleague, as long as you let us know.

If we make any surplus on the day we will make a contribution to NABS, the advertising charity.

We realise that many would like to attend but cannot for reasons of distance or possibly politics. We are going to record the whole event and are looking into the practicalities of live streaming it as well.

Speakers will be the five workstream leads, plus a few high profile additional speakers. We will be announcing who these are in due course.

It would be very helpful if you could start publicising the Who Cares? movement to your networks, and to encourage people to join us, and (even better) to buy tickets when they go on sale.

Thanks again for all your help!

More soon.

All the best.

BRIAN