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Aside from some fiery rhetoric in the immediate aftermath of the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA) transparency report, the overall response of agencies to the trade group’s findings has been fairly muted.
Read More AdExchanger: Two Indie Agencies Part Ways With The 4As
The advertising agency industry was rocked in late 2015 by allegations of improper actions being taken with advertiser dollars, especially — but not limited to — the media investments being handled by large multinational agencies/holding companies.
Facebook acknowledged last week that it overestimated average viewing times for video ads on its platform for two years. Commenting on that development this week, Interpublic Group CEO Michael Roth told an Advertising Week crowd that it was “not that big a deal.”
Read More MediaPost: Roth: Facebook Miscalculation ‘Not That Big A Deal’
Transparency is a major issue in digital advertising given the volume of ad space bought programmatically, as well as the amount of click fraud and maladvertising. For marketers it’s frustrating to see industry organizations at odds over such basic matters. The ANA issued a report this summer that found rampant rebates between agencies and publishers to the detriment of marketers buying ad space, a report that put the transparency argument front and center.
Read More Marketing Dive: Mediasmith withdraws from 4As over transparency clash
Dentsu Aegis’ local operation has sought to distance itself from the scandal engulfing its Japanese parent company as 200,000 digital transactions are investigated for evidence of overcharging clients.
Read More The Australian Business Review: Aegis Dentsu hit by overchargingclaims in Japan
Dentsu Inc. said it will pay an estimated ¥230 million back to customers, including Toyota Motor Corp., that it overcharged for internet advertisements in a case likely to stoke concern that digital media transactions have lacked transparency.
Read More The Japan Times: Dentsu to repay ¥230 million in advertising overcharges
Mediasmith, an independent digital agency based in San Francisco, has pulled out of the 4As, citing the trade association’s failure to support the Association of National Advertisers’ media-buying transparency recommendations.
Read More MediaPost: Mediasmith Drops 4As Membership, Issues ‘Client Bill Of Rights’
Agencies are calling for increased transparency around ad buys and time spent with media, following Facebook’s and Dentsu’s admission of miscalculation of metrics. Both apologized and are taking steps to correct the situation.
Read More MediaPost: Agencies Want Increased Transparency For Ad Metrics
Dentsu reported today that its ad scandal, first reported to have overcharged client Toyota, is much broader than that, affecting at least 111 clients and involving some 633 “suspicious” digital ad transactions.
Read More MediaPost: Dentsu Reports 633 ‘Suspicious’ Ad Transactions Affecting 111 Clients
Dentsu Inc. handled internet advertisements inappropriately and overcharged customers an estimated ¥230 million ($2.3 million) in a case that may stoke concern about the transparency of digital media transactions.
Read More The Japan Times: Dentsu internal probe reveals ad overcharges going back to 2012