Proudly Celebrating 60 Years

Association celebrates excellence and innovation

"Our industry has so much to be proud of … and yet we have never publicly paid tribute to those whose contributions have been significant to the industry and its products as we know them today. We will tonight begin to correct that sin of omission." - Past President Lindsay Showyin speaking at the first Aerosol Industry Awards in 1994. The Awards seek to promote the potential of the aerosol package and encourage innovation in the industry and the Association's initiative  has since been followed by several aerosol bodies around the world.

Promoting the aerosol still remains a priority

Promoting the aerosol package has been an important priority of the Association since its inception … and this still holds true today. Launching its promotional endeavours in the 1970s and 1980s, the Association's 'Aerosol Information Service' played an important role in providing a balanced debate about aerosols and the environment.

The Association’s ad campaigns were the envy of other aerosol associations around the world

When it comes to protecting and promoting the aerosol and the Australian industry, the Association has a proud track record of fronting up to the task with professionalism and vigour. Working with some of Australia's best creative minds, the Association’s advertising and public relations campaigns of the late 1980s and 1990s promoted the message that the industry was phasing out the use of CFCs, and followed that achievement up with a series of campaigns that communicated key messages about ‘no CFCs’ and recycling.

Aerosol safety is central to the Association’s mission

The Association played a central role (from 1976 onwards) in the development of Aerosol Standard AS2278, which was to become an important tool to ensure the safety of aerosol products, providing guidance on the selection of the appropriate container, its flammability classification and labelling.

In October 1998, during its Annual Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, the European Aerosol Federation’s Assembly of Delegates formally approved the Association’s application to become a Corresponding Member. The Association’s links with the FEA are based on active participation in its activities and a commitment to the shared objectives of working towards a sustainable aerosol industry by focusing on social and environmental responsibilities.

Association supports $2.5m Steel Can Recycling Campaign

In March 1997, the Association became a foundation member – and funder – of the Steel Can Recycling Council (SCRC), a body which brought together representatives of the major users of steel packaging, along with BlueScope Steel, the (then) local manufacturer of steel for packaging, to fund and manage educational campaigns to promote steel can recycling. Over the next 11 years, the SCRC ran a number of highly successful campaigns to promote awareness of steel can recycling which tripled the number of local councils recycling steel cans (including aerosols), and saw the recycling rate for steel cans rise from 24% to over 50%.

Association radio commercials win Silver WorldMedal^® at New York Festivals^®

In May 1999, the Association’s radio advertising campaign, created by the John Bevins agency, won a Silver WorldMedal® in the International Competition for Radio Advertising and Programming in New York. Judged by senior creative directors from over 60 countries, the radio advertisements promoted the ‘It's OK to Spray’ message that was central to the Association’s promotional efforts at the time. These advertisements were also so effective at changing consumer attitudes that they featured in a radio and print campaign by the Radio Marketing Bureau, which highlighted the power of radio advertising.

Association adopts ‘It’s OK to Spray’ logo in 1996

In June 1996, the Association set out to trade mark a new logo, ‘It’s OK to Spray’. This logo replaced the ‘Aerosols Changing for the Better’ logo, which had been developed as part of the Association’s earlier advertising campaigns. The ‘It’s OK to Spray’ message had been the theme of the Association’s TV campaign developed in 1994 and reflected a new positivity from the industry. ‘It’s OK to Spray’ went on to become the slogan for campaigns to promote the aerosol package around the world, and was adopted by industry bodies keen to promote the ‘aerosol advantage’, including in New Zealand, Europe, the United States and South Africa.