Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies

What Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies does

The Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies of Belarus (АКМА / ACMA) is a private non-profit professional industry association founded in 2016 and headquartered in Minsk. It represents communication, advertising, branding, PR, and digital agencies operating in Belarus, providing industry representation, regulatory dialogue with government bodies (МАРТ, Ministry of Economy), professional development, and market intelligence. Its core deliverables are a portfolio of recurring products: the ADMA Awards (an annual effectiveness award running since 2016), the international White Square Creativity Festival, the LAMA Marketing and Advertising Festival, the 'Days of Marketing, Advertising and Branding' conference, the Young Creators competition, and four annual rankings covering agency effectiveness, brand effectiveness, agency creativity, and individual marketer effectiveness. ACMA also distributes content via its association.by website and a member blog network (blogs.association.by).

The association operates a member-driven revenue model built on three streams: recurring membership fees from 100+ member agencies, event participation fees from the international conferences and festivals it hosts, and competition entry fees for its awards and rankings. Distribution is direct (membership engagement plus on-site events in Minsk), and its international footprint is concentrated in its flagship White Square Festival (participants from 40+ countries) and the cross-Eurasia Eventiada Awards partnership. ACMA also participates in the CIS Coordinating Council on Advertising, hosting two of its recent meetings as part of its 'Days of Marketing' forum.

Underlying technology is minimal: ACMA is not a technology company. Its platform is a website-based content hub with member blog publishing, tender listings, festival calendars, and legislation resources. The association has no proprietary AI products, no patents, no disclosed software roadmap, and no API or developer platform; its 'technology' is the institutional infrastructure for organizing awards, rankings, and conferences, plus curated editorial coverage of marketing trends for its member base.

Name

Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies

Legal name

Ассоциация Коммуникационных и Маркетинговых Агентств Беларуси (Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies of Belarus)

Website

https://association.by

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies of Belarus (АКМА) is a private non-profit industry association founded in 2016 that represents 100+ communication and marketing agencies, organizing the ADMA Awards, White Square Festival, LAMA Festival, and annual industry rankings while engaging regulators on advertising policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Industry Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH)

Keywords

• Industry association membership
• Marketing effectiveness awards
• Advertising agency rankings
• Professional industry events
• Creative advertising festivals

Headquarters

HQ city

Minsk

HQ country

Belarus

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Association operates through membership fees from communication and marketing agencies in Belarus
2. Event Participation Fees: Revenue from organizing and hosting industry conferences, forums, and award ceremonies such as the International Conference 'Days of Marketing, Advertising and Branding', ADMA Awards, and various festivals
3. Competition Entry Fees: Fees collected for participation in professional competitions and rankings including ADMA Awards, Creativity Rankings, and Agency Effectiveness Rankings

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACMA is a professional industry association that represents communication and marketing agencies in Belarus, setting industry standards, providing training, and guiding client–agency relations. It sells recurring membership to agencies, runs flagship industry events such as the International Conference 'Days of Marketing, Advertising and Branding', the White Square International Creativity Festival, the LAMA Marketing and Advertising Festival, and the annual ADMA Awards, and publishes annual effectiveness rankings for agencies, brands, and individual marketers.

Product overview

The Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies of Belarus (АКМА) is a professional industry association that serves as a central hub for Belarus's marketing and communications sector. The organization operates a comprehensive portfolio of products including the prestigious ADMA AWARDS (premium for marketing effectiveness since 2016), the international White Square Forum and Festival (featuring the Young Creators competition), the LAMA Marketing and Advertising Festival, and multiple industry ratings (Agency Effectiveness, Brand Effectiveness, Agency Creativity, and Personal Marketer Effectiveness ratings). Additionally, АКМА conducts market research, maintains a blogs platform, festival calendar, tender listings, and provides industry legislation resources for its member agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ADMA Awards (Advertising & Marketing Awards) Prestigious professional award recognizing leading brands and projects in marketing and communications in Belarus based on their effectiveness, evaluated under international marketing effectiveness standards; for agencies and brands in Belarus and international participants.
• White Square International Creativity Festival and Forum

Quantifiable outcome

• International recognition of White Square Festival with participants from 40+ countries
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Communications and Marketing Associations Across Eurasia (Eventiada Awards)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International Eventiada Awards is structured as a partnership among multiple communications and marketing associations across Eurasia. The award was founded in 2011, headquartered by organizer Orta CG, and has received over 9,500 entries from 23 countries worldwide.
• Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of Belarus (МАРТ)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Regular meetings between ACMA Chairman Alena Ustinovich and Minister Artur Karpovich to discuss development of the advertising market in Belarus and regulatory alignment.
• Ministry of Economy of BelaruscoreOthers · 1 January 2026Meeting held May 13, 2026 between ACMA Chairman Alena Ustinovich and First Deputy Minister of Economy Ivan Vezhnovets to discuss development of the creative economy in Belarus.
• MastercardmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Mastercard served as General Partner of ADMA Awards 2025, the prestigious professional award in marketing effectiveness organized by ACMA. This partnership enhanced the award's credibility and provided additional visibility for the payment system's brand association with industry excellence.
• Alfa Bank BelarusmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Alfa Bank Belarus served as Partner of the 'Young Creators' competition within the White Square Festival 2025. The bank provided real briefs for young professionals to solve, demonstrating commitment to industry development and youth engagement.
• ITMS BelaruscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025ITMS Belarus was Special Partner of the International Conference 'Days of Marketing, Advertising and Branding. Summer Format' (June 2025), supporting the key industry event organized by ACMA.
• NT TechnologycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025NT Technology served as Special Partner of the International Conference 'Days of Marketing, Advertising and Branding. Summer Format' (June 2025). NT Technology is a technology company in digital advertising with its own programmatic platform.
• Coordinating Council on Advertising (КС по рекламе)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ACMA participates in the Coordinating Council on Advertising under the Interstate Council on Antimonopoly Policy of CIS countries. The association contributes to regulatory discussions on advertising law, AI usage in advertising, and cross-border advertising regulation.
• HostFly.byminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025HostFly.by (hosting provider) organized the 'Artificial Intelligence in Action' competition within the Bynet Ranking 2026 for the second consecutive year.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: The global benchmark festival for creative advertising, running the Cannes Lions awards and a year-round industry platform. Comparable to ACMA's White Square only at the festival product level; it operates without the membership/advocacy layer and is far larger and more international.

Direct peers

• Klub Kreatywnej Reklamy (Poland): Polish industry association for the creative advertising sector, organizing creative awards and serving as the collective voice for agencies. Closely comparable to ACMA in product mix (creative awards, agency rankings) and Central/Eastern European positioning.
• American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's): US trade association for advertising agencies, representing members on standards, advocacy and industry issues. Directly comparable to ACMA as a national trade body for advertising agencies, with a much broader member and partner base.
• IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, UK): UK trade body for advertising agencies and the broader advertising industry. Directly comparable to ACMA as a national industry association running agency-effectiveness programs, professional development and industry advocacy, with a far larger member base.
• The Advertising Association (UK): UK-wide industry body for the advertising and marketing communications sector, covering agencies, brands and media. Comparable to ACMA as a multi-stakeholder national industry association running awards, research and government engagement.
• AKAR (Association of Communication Agencies of Russia): National industry association for communication and advertising agencies in Russia. Directly comparable to ACMA in mission, structure and product mix (membership dues, industry ratings, annual festivals and awards), and the closest geographic/cultural peer given shared CIS context.

Broad incumbents

• International Advertising Association (IAA): Global trade association for the advertising industry with chapters in 40+ countries. Comparable to ACMA in advocacy and industry-development mission, but operates globally rather than focusing on a single national market.
• European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA): Pan-European trade association representing communications agencies and associations across multiple EU markets. Comparable to ACMA at a multi-country level, but broader in scope and serves as an umbrella body rather than a single-country operator.

Emerging players

• D&AD: UK-based organization running the globally recognized D&AD Awards and a creative-professional education program. Comparable to ACMA in the awards/education dimension, but more narrowly focused on creative craft and training than on broad industry advocacy.

Regional players

• Tashkent International Advertising Festival (TAF!): International creative advertising festival held annually in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, that explicitly courts agencies from Belarus and other CIS markets. Comparable to ACMA's White Square in product (international creative festival and awards) and in competing for the same regional entrant pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/association.by
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-communication-and-marketing-agencies-of-belarus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association of Communication and Marketing Agencies