Activate Group Australia has announced its country-wide launch, providing essential support services to retailers and client companies from a range of industries, including liquor.
The group first began in Brisbane in 1983 as the Australian Food Brokers Association, and then became the Association of Sales and Marketing Companies Australasia (ASMCA). Over its now 38 year history, the association has widened its scope to take in industries like pharmacy, hardware and liquor.
Throughout the years, the association members have provided activation across buyer presentations, product launches, in-store promotions and demonstrations, to assist unknown products becoming market leaders. As the growth in the level of services provided by ASMCA members continued to increase, its board expanded the association’s strategic plan until 2025, with a key part of this being to rebrand and relaunch as Activate Group.
Activate Group’s CEO, Keith Quigg, told National Liquor News about the association at present, and how its involved with the liquor industry.
“Activate Group Australia is the peak body representing the merchandising and marketing service providers across Australia. Collectively they employ more than 25,000 part time and casual employees whose role it is to maximise the exposure of leading and minor brands across the retail industry, including liquor. Effectively they are hours of assistance to retail stores in managing and promoting products,” Quigg said.
“Membership of Activate provides a very significant and valued voice in the industry. In the past years Activate has been a contributor to the development of supplier/retailer/service provider relationships and of the methods and protocols by which we all work.
“Membership allows individual companies to voice their concerns or preferences, to network with similar minded companies, to be involved in industry news and communications and to have access to otherwise private interviews and innovations. Members can also become board directors and be involved in strategy development as well as the one-on-one connections with leading executives.”
Membership is open to all parts of the industry, in order for Activate Group to continue on its strategy to provide value for members through a high level of cross-sector information and leadership about managing products and promotions.
Within the expanded strategy of the group is the always present goal to make the supply chain as efficient as possible, by supporting the teams of people in and around stores. One of the ways that Activate Group is currently doing this is working with retailers and government departments to get essential employees vaccinated, therefore keeping the supply chain safe, smooth and consistent.
Speaking about the rebranding in the relaunch and how it connects to these strategies, Quigg said: “Moving to ‘Activate’ as the logical group branding is simple. It shows that we are engaged in that part of the industry where the product and the consumer meet and where rapid activation, our members forte, is essential.”
The relaunch of Activate Group also includes the continuation of the Joe Berry Award, which is free for members to enter. Now in its 35th year, this talent development award brings together all sectors of retail, including liquor related businesses, to recognise excellence and nurture the careers of those in the industry.
“The award has survived for 35 years because it provides a clear window into the quality of talent available in the industry and the chance for anyone under 35 to expose their individual skills and expand their career opportunities,” Quigg said.