Downsized from a cumbersome 15 syllables to seven, "Pacific Community" was adopted during 2015 consultations over SPC's new Strategic Plan 2016-2020. It was approved by its governing body, the Conference of the Pacific Community, in Niue in November.
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While the familiar SPC/CPS acronym is now technically deprecated, its continued use reflects common usage and retains an historic link to its origin in 1947 as the South Pacific Commission. The release quotes Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga:
“'Pacific Community' has actually been SPC's legal name since 1997, when its members moved to formally retire the ‘South Pacific Commission’ title... we’re essentially going back to the future."
An SPC spokesperson said that reverting to the legal name actually "rectifies the informal practice" of calling it ‘the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’:
"...the Pacific Community (‘la Communauté du Pacifique’) refers to the members and secretariat as a whole, as does the abbreviation, ‘SPC’ (‘CPS’), which we will retain."
The change has allowed SPC to also rationalise its logo suite from six versions to just one bilingual version. Key digital assets also remain wedded to the "SPC" acronym, with the website address staying put at www.spc.int and the official twitter handle still @spc_cps.
The branding makeover reflects the broader policy push for more "regionalism" and integration. SPC's Julie Marks said the new/old name reflects a "sharper focus" for the body which is governed by 22 Pacific island member states and territories and four development partners, and which promotes regional "peace, harmony, security, social inclusion" through programs of technical assistance, policy advice, training and research.