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How are my membership dollars being spent at JCTA?

Monday, September 23, 2013
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Up until 2013 the majority of money was being spent on government lobbyists. The membership decided to go back to what the original intent was for the JCTA. This was to market the industry in a positive light. In 2012, the JCTA hired a social media company to give us a direction. The reason we hired this company is they were thinking outside the fishbowl we all live in as salon owners. They came up with a plan and the JCTA has been following this plan. Here is the short version of the 70 page report:

  1. Create a new look for the JCTA – more contemporary
  2. New Salon website – easier to use – more information – more product for members to use
  3. Create a new consumer website – create consumer confidence – www.TanResonsibly.ca .
  4. Create a fun social media campaign to educate and direct consumer to salon members (budget $3500 month for ads) The ads are generating about 15 million impressions a month and 5000 people are clicking into the TanResponsibly.ca website
  5. Cost for management of websites/ads/Facebook pages/eblasts is $4000.00 per month.
  6. Part of the campaign was to create both a salon and consumer Facebook page. TanNaked for consumers and JCTA.Canada for salons.
  7. In June of 2013 the TanNaked Facebook page started weekly lotion contest every month with the help of Lotion Industry Advocate Members. Ads to promote the contest cost $500 per week per month.
  8. Creation of a new member logo to promote the salon members and at the same time driving traffic to both the salon website and TanResponsibly.ca consumer site.
  9. 2 press releases every month to educate the public (cost $3300 for the year, plus management fee).
  10. The report also concluded that the JCTA had insufficient funds to go up against the CCS. The CCS would always over power the JCTA. There is always going to be people that want to sunbathe (according to the CDA, 7 out 10 Canadians still want to sunbathe), so market to the people that want to sunbathe. This is done in a lot of industries – examples; egg producers, beef industry, and alcoholic beverage industry. How many times do you see them fight the medical industry?

The JCTA continues on behalf of its members to have a political lobbyist that works mainly in Ontario and helps JCTA Board members (no cost, Board members are not paid, except expenses) in other provinces (cost $3500.00 a month). This amount has dropped from the $100,000 the JCTA spend per year in previous years.

The JCTA has had a paid part time Executive Director since it restarted in 2006 ($4500 consulting fee per month plus expenses). His duties have been to control the JCTA and report to the 8 non-paid Board Members. These duties include; oversee day to day operations, communication with members, media relations, government relations (travel when required), write government reports, control of the websites and Facebook pages, work with other tanning association from around the world, control of the finances of the association with board approval and sit on all committees.

Additional funds are used for funding other pro UV light advocates, like the Vitamin D Society.