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Advertising academic gains Order of Merit
University of the Sunshine Coast adjunct professor Glen Wiggs will receive a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit medal tomorrow (Thursday 29 April) for his services to advertising.
Mr Wiggs, of Wellington, was named in his country’s New Year Honours List and will receive the award from New Zealand’s Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand at a special investiture ceremony at Premier House in Wellington.
The award recognises Mr Wiggs’ work from 1990 to 2004 as the founding executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, an independent, self-regulating system that deals with complaints about false, misleading and offensive advertising.
Mr Wiggs is currently the director of the Foundation for Advertising Research, which provides research, information and advice relating to advertising and marketing.
He is also very active in his role as an Adjunct Professor of Advertising Regulation at USC, which involves assisting the University with research into advertising issues and in attracting further research funds.
His key areas of interest for research are alcohol advertising, children’s advertising, advertising of prescription medicines and food advertising.
Mr Wiggs, who has a background in law and marketing, said he was delighted about receiving the MNZM, the award that has replaced the MBE (Member of the British Empire).
“I am proud that it is associated with my work on advertising regulation at the University of the Sunshine Coast,” he said. “USC is held in high regard internationally in the area of advertising regulation.
“The advertising industry press in New Zealand picked up that this was certainly the first honour for services to advertising this century … and probably ever.
“Consequently, I received a special industry award at the recent 2010 Fairfax Admedia Agency of the Year Awards.”
— Terry Walsh