The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) investigation into rebates has exposed a worrying imbalance between the murky levels of governance, accountability and oversight applied to media budgets. The pressure is now on senior marketers to wrestle back some control of media management from the media agency.
The Drum: WPP, Publicis and IPG slam ‘sensational’ and ‘inflammatory’ ANA report
“Short-sighted”, “inflammatory” and “unsubstantiated” – the world’s largest holding companies have some strong words for Association of National Advertisers (ANA) as they try to distance themselves from the damming 58-page report into the long-running issue of agency rebates.
Read More The Drum: WPP, Publicis and IPG slam ‘sensational’ and ‘inflammatory’ ANA report
AdAge: Q&A With Investigator Behind ANA Media Rebate Report
Rich Plansky, exec managing director of K2 Intelligence, led the ANA’s investigation into agencies’ alleged collection of media rebates in the U.S. He talks to Ad Age about the process, and what was unique compared to K2’s other investigations.
Read More AdAge: Q&A With Investigator Behind ANA Media Rebate Report
AdAge: Agency Groups Attack ANA Report Alleging U.S. Rebate Collection
Agency groups are disputing claims in a new report from the Association of National Advertisers that they’re collecting rebates, including “cash rebates,” and that “other non-transparent practices” are pervasive in the U.S., at least within their own organizations.
Read More AdAge: Agency Groups Attack ANA Report Alleging U.S. Rebate Collection
MediaPost: Empower ‘Suspends’ 4As Membership, Cites Transparency
While the big agency holding companies are pretty much uniform in their denouncements of the ANA-K2 study, at least one agency is disappointed with the 4As’ “prioritizing the holding companies” in the formation of its own transparency principles and with the group’s inability to work better with the ANA to find common ground on the issue.
Read More MediaPost: Empower ‘Suspends’ 4As Membership, Cites Transparency
Campaign: ANA Report Finds ‘Numerous Non-Transparent’ Practices at US Media Agencies
The ANA said last October that it had commissioned K2 Intelligence, which was founded by forensic corporate investigators Jules and Jeremy Kroll, to investigate whether US agencies have been accepting rebates from media owners without informing clients and other transparency issues. Rebates are banned in America.
Read More Campaign: ANA Report Finds ‘Numerous Non-Transparent’ Practices at US Media Agencies
ANA: Media Transparency Initiative – Marketer Action Steps
The ANA commissioned Ebiquity and FirmDecisions to develop guidelines and recommendations for ANA members to consider based on K2 Intelligence’s findings.
Read More ANA: Media Transparency Initiative – Marketer Action Steps
ANA: ANA Independent Study Finds Rebates and Other Non-Transparent Practices to be Pervasive in U.S. Media Ad-Buying Ecosystem
Numerous non-transparent business practices, including cash rebates to media agencies, were found to be pervasive in a sample of the U.S. media ad-buying ecosystem, according to a study commissioned by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers).
Crain’s: Advertisers Allege Agencies Pocketed Kickbacks, Creating Conflict on Madison Avenue
Years of simmering ill will in the $600 billion global ad market just broke into open conflict: America’s top advertisers have accused Madison Avenue’s biggest agencies of secretly pocketing rebates from media outlets, with ad firms striking back harshly at what they called a flawed and unproductive attack.
MediaPost: Agencies React To Finger-Pointing, 4As Calls ANA Report Anonymous, One-Sided
After months of anticipation, the Association of National Advertisers finally released its study of the media-buying ecosystem. While the study, conducted by K2 Intelligence concluded that so-called “non-transparent” activity was “pervasive” throughout the process, a couple of things are certain: No criminal probes have been launched and nobody is going to jail. The full report can be downloaded here.
Read More MediaPost: Agencies React To Finger-Pointing, 4As Calls ANA Report Anonymous, One-Sided