General Association of Communications Agencies

The General Association of Communications Agencies (German: Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen GWA e. V.) is the trade and advocacy association for Germany's leading communications and advertising agencies, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It represents member agencies toward politics, business and the public, and works to make the function of brand communication and agencies in a market economy visible. Membership is selective: only agencies that meet defined quantitative and qualitative criteria — above all the ability to make substantial contributions to clients' brand management — can join, which the association says gives advertisers orientation in a crowded market. The GWA traces its origins to 1952, when the "Gesellschaft Werbeagenturen" was founded. In 1986 that body merged with the Wirtschaftsverband Deutscher Werbeagenturen (WDW) to form the Gesamtverband Werbeagenturen GWA. Since 2002 the association has carried its current name, Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen GWA — a change reflecting the industry's shift from pure advertising toward integrated communications as media digitized and fragmented. Around 160 agencies are members, including major German and international networks such as DDB (Germany), BBDO, Grey, Jung von Matt, McCann, Saatchi & Saatchi and Scholz & Friends. Beyond representation, the GWA supports agency management through agency-specific services and helps train and develop agency staff. Exchange among members takes place through various GWA platforms, which the association says also helps secure quality standards. Since 2017 the GWA has maintained an office in Berlin and has engaged in dialogue with policymakers on issues such as labor law and advertising regulation. It is a member of the Zentralverband der Deutschen Werbewirtschaft (ZAW), the central umbrella body of the German advertising industry. The association is also known for its awards and publications. Its best-known prize is the GWA Effie, awarded on the same criteria in more than forty countries, which recognizes demonstrably effective brand communication; the GWA Junior Agency Award targets students. Publications include the GWA Jahrbuch (yearbook) with portraits of members and the GWA Effiebuch presenting finalists and winners. The GWA also initiated a website for agency selection. Its managing director has been Ralf Nöcker since 2009, and the president of the board is Larissa Pohl of WPP.

The organization that became today's GWA was founded in 1952 as the "Gesellschaft Werbeagenturen" (Society of Advertising Agencies). At that time the abbreviation GWA stood for that original name. In 1986 the Gesellschaft Werbeagenturen merged with the Wirtschaftsverband Deutscher Werbeagenturen (WDW), the economic association of German advertising agencies, forming the Gesamtverband Werbeagenturen GWA — the General Association of Advertising Agencies. In 2002 the association adopted its current name, Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen GWA (General Association of Communications Agencies). The renaming reflected developments in the industry: as the media landscape digitized and differentiated, the tasks of advertising agencies shifted away from pure advertising toward holistic communication, making the broader "communications agencies" designation necessary. Ralf Nöcker has served as managing director (Geschäftsführer) of the GWA since 2009. Larissa Pohl of WPP is president of the board. The association has around 160 member agencies, among them leading German agencies such as DDB (Germany), BBDO, Grey, Jung von Matt, McCann, Saatchi & Saatchi and Scholz & Friends. Admission criteria laid down in the association's statutes determine whether an agency can be accepted as a member. Since 2017 the GWA has maintained an office in Berlin, and since then it has also been in dialogue with policymakers — for example on questions of labor law and advertising regulation. The GWA is a member of the Zentralverband der Deutschen Werbewirtschaft (ZAW), the central association of the German advertising industry. Across its history the association has combined representation and advocacy with services for its members. It supports agency management through agency-specific services and assists in the training and further education of agency staff; exchange among members takes place through various GWA platforms, which the association says also helps secure quality standards. It speaks for the agency sector toward politics, business and the public, and highlights the function of brand communication and agencies in a market economy. The GWA also runs its own awards, most prominently the GWA Effie — awarded on the same criteria in more than forty countries and recognizing demonstrably effective brand communication — and the GWA Junior Agency Award for students. Its publications include the GWA Jahrbuch, with portraits of its members, and the GWA Effiebuch, presenting the finalists and winners of the prize. The GWA is also the initiator of a website for agency selection.

• 2017

  Opened an office in Berlin and began dialogue with policymakers on labor law and advertising regulation.

• 2009

  Ralf Nöcker became managing director (Geschäftsführer).

• 2002

  Adopted the current name Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen GWA.

• 1986

  Merged with the Wirtschaftsverband Deutscher Werbeagenturen (WDW) to form the Gesamtverband Werbeagenturen GWA.

• 1952

  Founded as "Gesellschaft Werbeagenturen" (GWA).

Selective industry association representing Germany's leading communications and advertising agencies, providing orientation for advertisers and a voice for the agency sector toward politics, business and the public.

• GWA Effie

  The association's best-known award, presented on the same criteria in more than forty countries, recognizing demonstrably effective brand communication.

• GWA Junior Agency Award

  An award aimed at students.

• GWA Jahrbuch

  A yearbook with portraits of the association's members.

• GWA Effiebuch

  A book presenting the finalists and winners of the Effie award.

• Agency selection website

  An internet site initiated by the GWA to help with agency selection.

1. 1GWA - Deutschlands führende Agenturengwa.de
2. 2GWA - Über unsgwa.de
3. 3General Association of Communications Agencies - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org