AICP is 30 years young! And I’ve had the privilege of being here for almost a third of that time. Ever since a small group of independent producers established the Association in 1972 to combat the powerful agencies that were determined to take production in-house, the AICP has taken bold sstands on critical issues that impact television commercial producers, and it has had a succession of victories to its credit.
At its core, an association is only as powerful as its members will allow it to be. While we as an organization can lay the railroad tracks connecting producers to government offices, other industry groups, and labor organizations, it is our members who drive the train. They are the ones who have the power to decide what the agenda will be. And AICP’s members are rational, proactive, progres-sive, and energetic – qualities they expect in their association as well. Many associations would not take positions that fly in the face of their members’ clients. AICP has not hesitated to get aggressive, but when we fight for producers’ rights, we do it with strength and logic with well-thought-out arguments that earn us more credibility, even with those on the other side of the issue. If we didn’t have substance behind our point of view, we’d be dismissed. Instead, AICP has muscled its way into the boardrooms and up to the tables where decisions are made, and we’ve done it using the brainpower and dedication of our members.
With support and encouragement, we’ve created valuable tools for our members to use in protecting themselves during negotiations with agencies and clients, as well as serving as a strong collective voice in those and other circles. The AICP Bidform was the first recognized achievement in 1984. It became so popular that all bidding documents became known "AICPs." Today, the bidform is usually a software program and private companies have added their own refinements, but clients still ask to see the AICPs. In those days our brand was the AICP Bidform.
Eleven years ago, we established the AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial, and our image changed. We were making a statement: The AICP was not just about business. We also held an immensely important position in the creative process. By creating a showcase for superior commercials and illustrating how we understood the collaborative efforts that are employed in commercial filmmaking, we moved from being the people with forms to being the people who bring you the AICP/MoMA Show. With each step forward, we’ve added to our brand associations. In championing the producers’ day-to-day needs, AICP made a name for itself as a strong advocate for our industry. We still develop forms and business tools. But we’re also a creative force. The AICP Show has grown to be an internationally recognized brand all by itself. We don’t lose the old skills; we just add to them. As AICP spreads its wings in the next 30 years, we expect to become an even more effective and recognized influence within the filmmaking and advertising communities, in governmental and labor circles, around the world.
With each step we’ve put the blocks in place and built the AICP brand. We are a respected entity, one whose voice will be heard as the industry is reshaped in the years to come and the place of the producer evolves and is redefined.
As you read these pages, you’ll hear words and see the visions of those who helped us grow, who helped establish the AICP brand – a brand that stands for strength and integrity. We thank SHOOT for once again being a great partner in helping to bring the message of the AICP to its readership, and for covering the production business with thoroughness, objectivity, and clarity. We are hon-ored to have the publication acknowledge our organization in this way and we hope you enjoy this special edition of SHOOT.
AICP is proud to be 30 years young and going strong. We look forward to the next 30 years, to the next stop along our journey. We may be over 30, but you can still trust us.
