ADMA’s parent company, the Australian Computer Society (ACS), has confirmed it is in talks to sell the 60-year-old marketing association to the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), with the two bodies proposing to merge under a new name: the Marketing Association of Australia.
ACS CEO Dr Prins Ralston confirmed the plans in an internal staff email on 9 June, sighted by Mi3. If a deal is reached, ADMA’s roughly 600 corporate members would transition to the newly merged entity.
The AANA registered the name Marketing Association of Australia in late March, suggesting talks began earlier this year.
Dr Prins Ralston
In a statement to Mediaweek, Steve Brennen, Deputy Chair of the ADMA Advisory Committee, said the organisation was navigating a period of change.
“ADMA is undergoing a period of operational change. It is in discussions with AANA about how its valued capabilities and resources can best continue to support the marketing industry. Members will be contacted directly about what this means for their services, and we expect to share a full update as soon as more information is available,” Brennen said.
Steve Brennen
In a second statement to Mediaweek, AANA said the two organisations were “in early discussions to explore uniting their capabilities to better support the future of marketing in Australia.”
The future of long-serving CEO Andrea Martens, who has led the organisation for more than seven years, has not been confirmed.