FROM THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT

2008 is another year of evolution for the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.

Among other initiatives, and as the result of significant research into the RAIA ‘brand’, we will embark on a public education campaign to promote the role and contribution of architects. We will also introduce new visual material to identify the organisation – and a new name.

The background to this initiative is that we decided, in 2005, to evaluate the organisation’s relevance, and how various stakeholders - including government, the building sector, other associations, and the public – perceived the Institute. We also evaluated what we stood for and what we should be delivering, and sought the views of many stakeholders in our industry and members.

As part of the process, we examined the RAIA corporate identity and the impact it did, or didn’t have with members and the broader marketplace.

After conducting significant market research and analysis it was clear from the findings that, among other things, there was a real call for the Institute to undertake a targeted educative campaign about the benefits of using an architect. The strongest message, overall, was that we needed the communities we serve to have a much greater understanding of the value of our profession.

The National Council developed with senior staff and expert advisors a strategy for the public education campaign. At the same time the current corporate identity was reassessed and options for a new corporate identity reviewed. The outcome was to commission Emery Studio to design a new suite of corporate identity materials for the Institute.

Following months of development and market testing by the SMART Communications Agency, a campaign will commence on July 1 to convey a number of key messages that promote the benefits of ‘using an architect’ and strive to better educate the community about the profession.

An important outcome of the market research and analysis is that National Council decided that from July 1 the RAIA will trade as 'Australian Institute of Architects'. This new brand will be used on all collateral.

While there has been much discussion about ‘the name’ over the years, the research findings clearly showed that it was critical to retain the word Institute as it reflects the authority that comes from a learned organisation. The word ‘Royal’ was seen by the majority of those surveyed to be out of touch and not of contemporary relevance.

I hope as you consider the public education campaign and our new corporate identity you share the enthusiasm we have for this completely fresh initiative by the Institute. In its 78-year history, the Institute has made similar substantial changes to its corporate identity on relatively few other occasions, each undoubtedly attracting worthwhile further debate and perhaps even controversy. There has never before been to my knowledge a public education campaign at the scale envisaged by our current plans.

I look forward to hearing your views in the months ahead.

Best regards,

Alec Tzannes
National President