Past and Present

The North East Publicity Association

NEPA Mission Statement

To promote and celebrate the North East's advertising, design, PR, print, broadcast media and related industries.

Our Values

    •    To promote best practice within the industry
    •    To provide opportunities for members to network effectively
    •    To be ambassadors for the North East
    •    To encourage creativity - nurturing and retaining talent in the region
    •    To support and develop education and training centres of excellence


What We Do

NEPA, the North East Publicity Association can trace its roots back to being established as the Newcastle Publicity Club in 1924 to bring together those working at the time in the region's fledgling media and advertising industries.
NEPA's many social and business events are well attended and over the years have ranged from business lunches featuring high profile speakers from some of the world's biggest ad agencies such as Saatchi and Saatchi to the more informal River Tyne boat cruises and discos in tents!
For the more energetic NEPA members there is a great range of sporting activities on offer, including a five-a-side league, karting nights, golf tournament, ten-pin bowling leagues and pool nights. In the past we’ve put on cricket matches, white water raft races, paintball battles and the notorious curry runs.
NEPA also supports the annual Creative, Media and Digital FRESH awards which highlight the best of the region's talent. We want the region to be recognised as the centre of creative excellence it certainly is.
In addition NEPA feels it is important to support the young talent of tomorrow and works closely with students at a number of the region's universities and colleges.
NEPA News, our award-winning full colour newsletter, is printed every month (except January). It is distributed free to every member company. If you’d like a copy to pass on to potential new members please just ask and we’ll send out our introductory pack outlining the benefits and requirements of membership.
NEPA prides itself on promoting the North East as a great place to work and live and celebrates the diversity of its member companies.
NEPA has been going for many years. The Chairman's chain of office (yes it's that official) has some well known names on it, starting from 1946, but let's focus on more recent history:


NEPA in the 1980s

    •    1983 - NEPA news launched in magazine format
    •    1984 - NEPA diamond jubilee year
    •    1985 - NEPA sporting competitions are launched
    •    1988 - NEPA Business Lunches Programme launched
    •    1989 - NEPA Creative Review launched
    •    1989 - NEPA News goes full colour


NEPA in the 1990s

    •    1992 - NEPA Creative Awards launched
    •    1995 - NEPA Creative Circle launched
    •    1996 - first NEPA Summer Ball
    •    1997 - First NEPA website launched
    •    1999 - NEPA News wins Cream Gold for Best Newsletter


NEPA in the new millennium

    •    2000 - Launch of new logo and second website
    •    2000 - 'The Voice' a one-off creative magazine
    •    2002 - Re-launch of NEPA website
    •    2004 - NEPA Ball moves to the Hilton
    •    2004 - Major website overhaul
    •    2005 - CIPR awards
    •    2006 - NEPA LAB launched
    •    2007 - NEPA Vibe launched
    •    2008 - New logo and CMS website launched atwww.nepanews.net
    •    2008 - NEPA News changes to A5 format
    •    2009 - NEPA reaches 80!