Industry moves to bridge growing consumer gap.(Brief article)

Agencies and clients get guidance on how to boost communication effectiveness.

Britain's marketing communications bodies this week launched new guidance to their members to address concerns about engaging with hard-to-reach consumers.

The new joint publication comes after a survey suggested that six out of every ten agencies and clients agree that it is harder to reach consumers than ever before.

Now, the IPA, ISBA, the Marketing Communications Consultants Association and the Public Relations Consultants Association have combined to produce a guide explaining what makes a good communication strategy. Hamish Pringle, the IPA director-general, hailed it as 'one of the most important projects the IPA has been involved in'.

The guide is a response to what its authors describe as increasingly fragmented media, shorter attention spans by consumers, the internet explosion, the emergence of new communication channels and the relentless downward pressure on media budgets.

Guy Murphy, JWT's worldwide planning director and the guide's primary author, said: 'The hottest ...