For well over a year, advertising industry trade publications have published countless stories regarding the lack of transparency between agencies and their marketer clients. The coverage rose sharply this past June after the release of an ANA-commissioned independent study, which found that numerous non-transparent practices were “pervasive in the U.S. media ad-buying ecosystem.” In August, to address transparency concerns and guide the client/agency relationship, the ANA released detailed principles and recommendations to advertisers, including a contract template.

So it comes as a surprise that many clients still aren’t fully aware of the questionable media-buying practices widely publicized by the ANA, according to a survey my firm conducted in October. Perhaps more distressing, many marketers have yet to have a conversation on the topic with their agencies. Even when those conversations have taken place, the client side largely initiated them.

Read the full ANA article here.