The Real Media Collective’s merger with Visual Media Association symbolic of shared vision

The Real Media Collective New Zealand is merging with The Visual Media Association.

It’s a move that will allow the collective to benefit from the broader infrastructure, expertise, and industry influence of the VMA, ensuring the New Zealand industry gains access to an expanded suite of services, resources, and representation at both a local and trans-Tasman level.

As part of the transition, the TRMC NZ Board will restructure into an NZ Steering Committee under the VMA umbrella, ensuring local leadership remains in place to guide initiatives and advocacy specific to the New Zealand market.

The newly appointed Chair of the NZ Steering Committee, Robin Bowkett, General Manager of Webstar, will lead this effort, working closely with the VMA Chief Executive Officer, Kellie Northwood, to drive the industry forward.

“The New Zealand market has unique challenges and opportunities that require a dedicated focus, and the establishment of the NZ Steering Committee ensures that our members’ needs remain at the forefront of industry discussions and strategic deliverables,” says Bowkett.

Shared vision

The merger has commitments from the VMA to funding across local research, industry insight papers and building an industry code that aligns with achievements realised across Australia. This will further align with government engagement across COAG to strengthen both New Zealand and Australian government discussions relating to the print marketing, publishing and letterbox distribution sectors.

Both organisations share a vision of elevating the level of industry representation and engagement in New Zealand. By integrating into the VMA’s established framework, the TRMC NZ community will benefit from:

• Greater access to research and industry insights to highlight the efficacy of the channels.
• Improved advocacy and government engagement on issues affecting the sector, particularly across magazine publishing.
• Enhanced compliance frameworks to uphold best practices, particularly in Letterbox Marketing and Distribution.

Northwood says a key strength of the merger is the opportunity to align industry codes and standards across both markets, ensuring a consistent approach to industry advocacy, compliance, and promotional efforts which works best for trans-Tasman retailers and brands.

“In consolidating our strengths, we can reduce costs, share knowledge, and build documented and aligned industry codes that reflect the outstanding work our members achieve today across the media channels we represent. More importantly, this merger strengthens the critical role our media channels play in delivering effective marketing and communications across New Zealand and Australia.”

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