LETTERS: NABS; Below the line is supporting NABS

Your Hotline piece on NABS (Campaign, 20 October) emphasised the need

for a greater involvement and contribution from the below-the-line

industry.

Can I make the following observations. Firstly, the below-the-line

industry has dedicated itself to a higher commitment to NABS.

Indeed, a meeting took place earlier this year between NABS, the Sales

Promotion Consultants Association, Direct Marketing Association and

Institute of Sales Promotions to discuss a formal relaunch of NABS and

the ‘payroll giving scheme’ to respective members. We also hoped to

bring in the Public Relations Consultants Association and design

sector. This is reinforced by my statement featured in the recently

published NABS annual report.

It was agreed that the programme would await the conclusion of the NABS

identity review and advertising relaunch plan, currently being conducted

by Saatchi and Saatchi. Within this review, we expressed a desire for

NABS to be more broadly focused across the whole communications

industry.

I understand, however, that the new ad campaign is currently built

around major advertising personalities.

I do not believe that the new campaign and identity are dedicated to

just addressing the below-the-line issue. This is an important

consideration, but not the central one, which continues to be total

revenue generation.

As I understood it from NABS, while there has been a discrepancy between

below -the-line generated funds and funds dedicated to helping people

working below the line, it was not as high as you suggest. More like 6

per cent in versus 10 per cent out. Any discrepancy has to, and will be,

sorted out, but such exaggeration doesn’t help.

The ultimatum that NABS may have issued was a long while ago, and was

answered by the commitment of all the appropriate trade bodies to act

once the repositioning exercise was concluded and communicated to us.

Kerry O’Connor, SPCA, London EC1

This article was first published on Campaign