The International Advertising Association (IAA) has declared October 3 every year as World Marketing and Communications Day.

The day will recognize and celebrate the world of marketing and communications, its players, practices, history and achievements.

It is also a day when the IAA will lead the rest of the marketing communications world to recognize and celebrate purpose-led communications or marketing for good.

For this year's inaugural celebration, the focus is on Covid 19 and showing compassion to all who have been affected by this pandemic in anyway.

To commemorate the day, the IAA is launching the 'Bring Compassion Back' campaign, which encourages people across the world to show acts of compassion and also celebrate individuals who have contributed to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The campaign hashtags are #BringBackCompassion and #IAACares.

Speaking at a virtual global inauguration ceremony, the World President and Chairman of the IAA, Joel E. Nettey, said: "Setting aside a day on the calendar every year to rally all brands, marketeers and agencies around the world to focus on 'marketing for good' is an initiative the IAA is very proud of and is very much in keeping with our positioning as 'the global compass of marketing communications'.

It is our hope that over time organizations such as the UN will adopt it as well and encourage the whole world to recognize and celebrate brands and people who make the world a little brighter."

Joel E. Nettey further encouraged marketing, advertising and communications professionals around the world to change their email sign-offs to "Compassionately Yours" for the month of October and to make a conscious effort to show compassion to people they come into contact with everywhere.

Sasan Saeidi, Senior Vice President of the IAA, commented: "There has never been a more important time for us to ensure our marketing and communication is healing divides, healing hearts and bringing the world together. This is where purposeful communication comes to stage".

The IAA's Managing Director, Dagmara Szulce, added: "Consumers are moving faster than our industry rewarding brands focused on sustainability, community and governance. It's time to expedite progress on our side of the table and create a behavioral change for good."

World Marketing and Communications Day will be celebrated on October 3 every year with focus areas for the year announced by the IAA.