The 45th edition of the International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress is scheduled to be held in Penang from 06 to 08 March 2024 with the expected arrival of 2,000 delegates from 26 countries.
Since 1938, the Association has built a strong global presence of over 4,000 members, advocating key missions that among others, anchor on the promotion of commercial speech freedom, challenging unwarranted regulations and creating industry forums to tackle issues with a single global voice.
These objectives are also championed by UNESCO and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and by IAA’s Global Compass members such as Google, Facebook, Tik Tok, CNN and BBC.
‘’Brand ReCode : Createch for Better Lives, Better World’ has been chosen as theme for IAA’s 2024 World Congress, embodies the challenging times we live in and calls on brands and businesses to fuse creativity and technology for good to create better lives and a better world for all.
The theme aims to rewire brands, people and businesses through creativity and technology in the areas of trade and industry, sustainable healthy living, experiential tourism and education; with programmes curated around a panel of prominent speakers to deliver impactful conference content, tech expos, board meetings and team buildings, award shows and master classes.
The 3-day event will also see an agenda of pre-Congress activities. “I am certain that this 3-day event with the wealth of knowledge from its distinguished speakers will spark an impetus to recalibrate and re-strategise opportunities for more job creations and employments locally.,” said Yeoh Soon Hin, the state executive councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy.
Hosting the IAA World Congress in Penang will be a step in a new direction the State is moving towards – in attracting events that are of high value and high impact, going beyond their legacies.
“The Penang Exhibition and Convention Bureau will be selective in the bidding and selection processes of future events, through which mutual benefits are gained by event organisers and the host destination, with the shared intent of creating high value and high impact events.,” said CEO Ashwin Gunasekaran.
The IAA World Congress is projected to generate RM12.553million of Estimated Economic Impact to Penang, with an estimated RM1.5million in Room Fees to be collected over the course of the event.
“It took over four years of intense effort against other more globally famous destinations and pandemic disruptions before IAA Malaysia emerged victorious in the decision to host the congress in Penang, Malaysia. It proves that the world is growing to recognise Malaysia and Penang as destinations that are not only attractive in thousands of ways, more importantly, are well equipped in all avenues to host events of world-class stature”, said John Doody Chacko, Chairman of the 45th IAA World Congress and President of IAA Malaysia.
To complement its Malaysia Chapter, IAA aims to establish a Penang Chapter with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow as its patron, to strengthen its presence through local and regional events with strong support from the State Government, universities and local industries.