THEME FOR ACPP FORUM

ADVERTISE NOW. LEARN HOW. 

Architect's Guide to Permissible Advertising

 

We’re often asked to imagine life without people, life without buildings, even life without oil. But how about a world without architects?

 

Architecture is one of the most pioneered and respected profession all around the globe as it offers the unique and profound opportunity to shape the world around us. Architecture has had a great influence in shaping our lives and communities throughout the history. In fact, Architects design places that help us to slow down, look around and take in the view. And then, before we realize it, we’re no longer in the place but of it. Architects have the ability to design places that touch the soul. Architects design for the heart as well as the head. Architects work with a palette of possibility.

 

However, in most cases, the public is largely unaware of the work undertaken by architects. Sometimes, architects feel overlooked and underappreciated. Possibly the biggest global challenge to architects, is that their creativities and concerns on various aspects of building such as sustainable design are often neglected and considered of secondary importance.

 

Architects deserve better. Architects should communicate the value of architecture to the public in a way that they can understand. With today’s fast-changing business environment where it is bounded by different vehicles to reach out the public, advertisements are necessary for the reason that they help educate the public, create awareness regarding services of the professionals, and create an avenue for communication.

 

But, it has been said that advertising has no place in architecture – it’s a gentleman’s profession in which you don’t promote yourself or advertise. Hanging your shingle up and doing exceptional work should be enough. In this, we often encounter the question: Is it legal for architects to advertise their services? A different, yet related question in the back of architects' minds: Is it professional for architects to advertise their services?

 

Architects appear in TV programs and movies, and it's clear that the public admires architects, but there's little comprehension of the real value they bring to contemporary culture and society. Hence, the time is right to change the perception, or, simply create the perception --- that advertising is however a path we must take as architects. It has become apparent that we need to remind our architecture community of the required standard to advertise our profession and promote the benefit of well-design places and the value good architecture.

 

In this forum, participants are challenged to come up with solutions and standards, and perhaps a guide to permissible advertising  to recognize the importance of fair competition and the relevance of advertising as a vehicle to promote the architecture profession, to adhere and be responsible with the prevailing ethical standards and statutory laws and policies that provides balance between competitiveness and innovation, and to spearhead the promotion of truthful and honest advertising built with integrity.

 

With the changes in the media and advertising worlds expected to accelerate, and the confluence of numerous technological and business trends, it is high time that architects explore opportunities in advertising.