Mediacom audit: Media Federation says there are no wider industry problems and no need for tighter regulation
Madden
The boss of the Media Federation says the media agency trade body has no plans to issue its members with a tightened code of behaviour in the wake of Mediacom’s revelations that some clients were misled on campaign performance.
“We are not a regulator,” Sophie Madden, CEO of the MFA told Mumbrella. “This is a highly competitive industry, we are not a regulator but we take the code seriously and we believe our members take them seriously.”
The MFA’s code of behaviour – shown in full below – sticks to general principles such as “do the right thing”.
Sophie has an opportunity to drive the industry in a better direction with increased transparency and regulation. Instead they decide to keep their head in the sand and continue with the smoke and mirrors and deny there maybe anything wrong.
Weak response… as if nothing happened.
Given the fact this story was published at midday today, I am amazed that there has been only one comment in the two hours since it was posted.
Sophie has just demonstrated what a joke the MFA code of behavior is.
Given that Group M has just undergone an audit of all of their agencies, wouldn’t every other agency also want to stand up and undergo the same scrutiny just to further validate the claims being made by the MFA?
Well done to John Steedman for standing up and bringing an external party in to verify this was an isolated instance.
To me the, the silence is deafening as to what could lie beneath. The fact we haven’t seen a public statement by any other agency to say yes we will do the same for the credibility of the industry.
If nothing further happens independently, I would suggest revising the code to require a level of external audit across all members each year, It would be very interesting to see who stays a member and who cites some flippant excuse to hand in their membership.
I think the MFA is too scared to ask the question every client wants reassurance on.
What really lies beneath.
My comments were made at 1.00pm and 1.02pm but apparently are still under moderation…….too inflammatory perhaps for this forum?
Perhaps I should copy and paste all to LinkedIn?
Nothing to see here……move on…..
I beg to differ Sage Observer, this whole thing is a massive car crash that was waiting to happen.
Now it has, some of the industry are expressing shock, disgust and horror, the rest are turning their heads away and hope that it hasn’t happened.
The recriminations of this are very serious and could threaten the entire existence of the largest media buying group in Australia, hundreds of jobs, and the long & hard earned reputations of some the industry heavyweights.
I can’t believe Martin Sorrell isn’t involved in this yet, although knowing him he probably is behind closed doors….
Paddy, chillax!
I was inferring in my 3;22pm post that that was the MFA’s attitude to the events that have unfolded.
Clear now?
Then we are in complete agreement Sage Observer. My apologies for having missed your subtle inference.
To think that this stuff has only gone on at Group M is, to my way of thinking, naïve in the extreme.
In the same way, do you really think that the deplorable acts being uncovered at Knox Grammar are isolated to Knox? Highly unlikely.
“The Media Federation says there are no wider industry problems and no need for tighter regulation”.
What a disgrace.
Sophie, this is really disappointing. Perhaps the wettest and floppy reply you could have possibly given. Media and media agencies are completely on the nose. They need strong leadership to help them – not this kind of drivel.
A pathetic response from the MFA, though maybe it’s due to the pressure from some on the board that are terrified of the spotlight being turned onto their own agency. Everyone in the industry knows this goes on, along with a host of other questionable activities that clients in the vast majority, have no idea is going on. At some point it’s all going to come crashing down. Those who know they should be doing more are just hoping they get out before it blows up.
Hey Paddy…. you have commented on every single Mediacom article.
I think you need 5mins on the bench!
Reading this statement from the MFA, I am reminded of “Comical Ali”, the Baath Party media spokesman from the first Gulf War.
Lazy and subservient
Bypass MFA. The agency that gains and services the account in its terms of business includes the facility for the client to see an independent media auditor’s compliance report, funded by the agency, every quarter.
Its like a rego check for media operators. And a big bloody stick.
if it walks like a duck, squawks and preens like a parrot in a gilded cage, then it’s probably a f@#$%d up bird – sounds like some of these media agencies.