CA ANZ launches campaign to entice young talent into accounting
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) – one of the region’s leading industry bodies – has launched a new media campaign to entice GenZ and Alpha talent into the profession.
The first component of the campaign sees the launch of what the association describes as an EPIC! advertisement to screen in 365 cinemas throughout Australia and New Zealand before the Deadpool & Wolverine blockbuster.
It coincides with the recent celebrations to mark CA ANZ membership milestones of a quarter of a century and more, including some of 70 years, who started their careers five decades before the first of the alpha cohort were even born.
“We are incredibly excited to announce the launch of our ‘Make Epic Things Happen’ campaign, which signals the next phase in our strategy,” the CA ANZ media team said of its latest effort to reshape old-school perceptions among today’s youth of the industry as being boring. “We want to reach new audiences and show how accounting is at the heart of every business.”
The movie trailer-like advert features a number of young adults staring into the distance, before attending a rock concert or sporting event or standing in a forest, with the stirring narrative stating, “Each and every one of you has the power to change the world, to bring people together, to change the game, to protect the planet, and become champions in a league of your own.”
Speaking to the next generation, CA ANZ chief Ainslie van Onselen adds, “You may not realise this, but behind every sporting team you support, brand you love and game you play there is a financial expert. Whether you’re interested in developing a new mobile app, organising live music events or changing the world with your own non-profit, accounting is a career that can open doors.”
The media blitz will also extend beyond cinemas, with the ‘Make Epic Things Happen’ campaign to be further supported through out-of-home, digital and social media to corner the targeted demographic where “they live, work and play”. A ten-minute YouTube video featuring a cool guy with a beard and tattoos wearing a beanie indoors discussing the profession has already gone live.
To be fair, the trendy guy – Andrew Van De Beek – is pretty cool, having kicked off his career with a five-year stint at KPMG before later founding Mornington-based accounting boutique Illumin8. In addition to running the 20-strong business, he also hosts the podcast “All Aussie Accounting Adventures’ alongside Adelaide-based All In Advisory founder and ex-PKF manager Aly Garret.
Skills shortage
On a more serious note, the new campaign aims to address the country’s critical shortfall in financial professionals, with university enrolments in accounting degrees having almost halved since 2018 at the same time as forecasts suggest that close to 60,000 new jobs will be required in the profession over the next ten years due to mandatory climate reporting and other developments.
“Ensuring the number of accountants, auditors and finance professionals meets increasing demand requires a strong pipeline of students, diverse pathways, and government education, skills and migration policies that recognise and value the profession’s contribution,” van Onselen concluded. “Economic headwinds also put a sharp focus on demand for accountants and auditors in crucial roles.”
