The Association of Communications and Advertising (ACA), the self-regulatory body of the South African advertising and communications sector, has imposed severe penalties on MetropolitanRepublic following its disqualification from the Loeries 2013. This includes the suspension, with immediate effect, of its membership of the ACA for a period of twelve months. As a result the agency’s representatives must resign from the ACA Board and its various operations committees.
The ACA will also issue a written reprimand to MetropolitanRepublic, regarding the agency’s transgression of the ACA Code of Conduct. 
MetropolitanRepublic is to provide the ACA with a formal undertaking regarding the agency’s future conduct and support of the ACA’s Code of Conduct. Finally MetropolitanRepublic will be levied the maximum fine allowable in terms of the ACA’s Articles of Association.
According to the ACA, of which MetropolitanRepublic is a member, it received a written complaint regarding MetropolitanRepublic’s actions and had convened a Special Board meeting to consider the matter. The Special Board meeting found that actions by MetropolitanRepublic to be a “profoundly serious transgression of the ACA Code of Conduct. Their actions had brought the ACA and its members into disrepute.”
“MetropolitanRepublic has the right of appeal against the sanctions imposed,” according to the ACA statement. “Failing any appeal, MetropolitanRepublic’s membership with the ACA may be reinstated after the suspension period, subject to a review of the agency’s compliance with the ACA Code of Conduct during their suspension.”
The ACA indicated that Alison Deeb, Chief Executive Officer of MetropolitanRepublic, presented a formal and unequivocal apology for the manner in which the agency won and subsequently withdrew their 2013 Loerie Awards for the ‘Project Uganda’ entry. The agency also formally apologised to the Association and admitted culpability for failing to protect and uphold the ACA Code of Conduct, after calling into question the integrity and ethics of the ACA and its member agencies.
At the time of writing it was still unclear if the agency would appeal the sanctions imposed on it.
Update: The agency has confirmed it will not appeal the ACA sanctions.
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