In 2024, after ten years of its major rebranding project, ICOM called on the International Committees to rethink their acronyms and propose more transparent, recognizable names—a step forward in becoming even more inclusive, accessible, and engaged in collaborative programming relevant to you. 

As a result, from May 1st, ICOM MPR is transitioning to COMMS—ICOM International Committee for Communications, Marketing, and Audience Engagement (Comité international pour la communication, le marketing et la participation du public / Comité internacional de Comunicación, Marketing y Participación del Público), a name suggested by our board member, Natia Khuluzauri, who received the most votes in a democratic, multilingual, and member-driven two-step voting, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity and dialogue. In the first round, we presented over a dozen options, and we were also open to suggestions. Then, on the shortlist, COMMS won 41% of the votes. Other candidates were PUBLIC (20%), COM (12%), PEOPLE (9%), and keeping MPR as it is (18%).  In addition to Natia, we are grateful to other members who participated in our summer campaign on social media: Diana Meyen, Germany (PUBLIC); Renata Beltrão, Brazil (PEOPLE); Peter Stohler, Switzerland (COM); and Luis Walias-Rivera, Spain (MPR).

Acronyms such as “MPR” are tricky. Sometimes they can act like a “keep out” sign. They mean something only to people who know what the letters stand for. We are the insiders. You are an outsider.

Although we are switching one acronym for another by popular choice, the result is significantly positive on our path to being a global voice and networking hub for museum communications professionals. While we honor that history, COMMS says: You belong here, whether you are a marketing specialist, digital curator, community builder, fund raiser, or strategist working on the frontlines of audience engagement.

Our acronym, which stands for Marketing and Public Relations (formerly Museum Public Relations), was created in September 1976. This was a pre-information era when branding or media management were quite distant concepts from most museums’ reality, and community engagement was just on the rise following the Roundtable of Santiago de Chile (1972). 

In the twenty-first century, MPR is not enough to portray the diversity of the professionals we serve. With COMMS, we become more inclusive.
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Names matter. Actions matter. While we wait for the full report, it is interesting to note that ICEE became ICOM EXHIBITIONS, ICOM-CC changed to ICOM CONSERVATION, ICMS to ICOM SECURITY, CIMCIM to ICOM MUSIC, CIDOC to ICOM DOCUMENTATION, and ICDAD to ICOM DESIGN.

In other International Committees, the proposal to change the acronym was not embraced with that enthusiasm. CECA, DEMHIST, ICME, ICOFOM, and UMAC chose to keep their acronym.

It is still early to get consistent data on increased engagement or benefits following the ICs’ renaming. Only ICMEMORHI finished the process so far, and they reported that they “have also gained members, both primary (voting) and those who list ICMEMORHI as a Committee of Interest”.