How a bold strategy saved Kiwi marketing association from extinction

That was in 2019. But it has turned around and today is a thriving organisation with a solid membership base of 9,000 marketers and projected 2024 revenue of US$2.5-million. This is despite there being no statutory requirement for membership. 

John Miles, CEO of the NZ Marketing Association, outlined its turnaround strategy and future plans to ensure its viability during a presentation titled ‘Helping your Marketing Association Grow and be Brilliant’ at the AMC Marketing Forum taking place in Mombasa, Kenya. The forum runs from 25-27 September. 

Miles told delegates how, not long after his appointment in 2019, Covid lockdowns were imposed in the country, and the association’s two main revenue streams – live events and live learning and development activities – immediately came to a halt. Worryingly, the organisation had no digital capability.  

While the conventional wisdom was to cut costs, Miles and his team decided to rather innovate. They had a database of marketers sitting at home, so the decision was made to offer them “something to do” and be entertained.  

The association reached out to Mark Ritson, an outspoken and well-known international brand consultant and marketing professor, to present a paid-for online marketing bootcamp that attracted 700 people. It was a decision that saved the organisation from bankruptcy. 

It also attracted attention from the country’s marketing community and engendered renewed interest and trust in it as an innovative representative of the profession. “If you can find success, it will breed success,” Miles explained, adding that you “have to constantly add value”. But to do this, you need a way forward. 

“With our board, we developed a clear strategy. Purpose: We enable marketers to be essential to creating value for New Zealand organisations. Aspiration: We deliver the best of local and global marketing nous and know-how to help build a nation of strong businesses and brands,” he told delegates. 

From this vision flowed a range of innovations that revitalised the New Zealand Marketing Association. Among them: 

• Created Professional Certification in partnership with the University of Canterbury. On completion, members are certified by the association and receive a University Qualification micro-credential. 

• Member workshops are constantly updated to meet demand. 

• All facilitators are industry professionals so that content is ‘real world’. 

• Introduced special deals on repayment of training so that members received good prices.  

• Created a Marketing Academy for senior marketers just below CMO level. Speakers to this group include CEOs, CMOs, CFOs and high-level international speakers. 

• Introduced ‘live at lunchtime’ online learning sessions, allowing the association to more easily reach out to marketers across the country. 

Miles emphasised that, while the NZ Marketing Association is a not-for-profit organisation, it is vital that avoids being a not-for-loss operation. Vigorously pursuing sales opportunities is therefore a key part of the strategy. 

The forum continues. Visit the African Marketing Confederation website and social media pages for AMC Marketing Forum updates from Mombasa.