IPG Mediabrands

33 Leading Execs Make Up Adweek’s First Mediaweek Council

March 23, 2021

Mediabrands

Thirty-three of the industry’s foremost media and marketing executives will make up the first class of the Mediaweek Council.

The council’s mission will be to amplify best practices and forward-thinking methods for the media-buying space. Brand safety, transparency, targeting and scalability across platforms will be top of mind for the council, who will also help guide Adweek’s own coverage of the rapidly changing business landscape.

“The next era of media must work harder to create a healthier advertising ecosystem for everyone, especially the people viewing it,” said Christian Juhl, Global CEO of WPP’s GroupM, who will serve as the council’s chair. “In reshaping the future of our industry, every part of the system is dependent upon each other to succeed. Working together allows us to find new solutions for the future. I’m looking forward to collaborating with some of the industry’s best and brightest to impact meaningful and lasting change to the way we do business.”

“Given the rapid pace of change, we realized there was a need for the ad-buying community to have a neutral space to explore best practices for the greater good and are excited to have such an incredible group of luminaries on this council,” said Lisa Granatstein, Chief Content Officer, Adweek.

The Mediaweek Council follows the recent announcement of the inaugural Mediaweek summit to be held next month. Here’s who will be making up the Council:

Brands

Minjae Ormes, CMO, Visible
Paolo Provinciali, vp, media and data US, Anheuser-Busch InBev
Lina Polimeni, Chief Media Officer, Eli Lilly
Marla Skiko, US and global head of media, Ford Motor Company
Alan Smith, svp of global media, lifecycle and marketing analytics, Peloton
Liz Salway, global digital center of competencies lead, Nestlé
Kate Stanford, managing director, global ads marketing, Google / YouTube
Danilo Tauro, global director of media, tech and data, P&G
Shyam Venugopal, svp, global media and commercial capabilities, PepsiCo

Consultancies

Derek Baker, CMO advisory leader, PwC
Marc Brodherson, partner and marketing & advertising practice lead, McKinsey & Co.
Scott Tieman, global lead, programmatic services, Accenture Interactive

Agencies

Dave Gaines, CEO, co-founder, Media by Mother
Christian Juhl, global CEO, GroupM
Daryl Lee, global CEO, Mediabrands
Cara Lewis, evp, head of US investment, dentsu
Helen Lin, chief digital officer, Publicis Groupe
Deirdre McGlashan, chief media officer, MDC Partners
Megan Pagliuca, chief activation officer, Omnicom Media Group
Jamie Seltzer, global managing director, mar tech and data strategy, Havas Media Group
Belinda Smith, CEO Americas, m/Six

TV

Dan Aversano, svp, data, analytics & advanced advertising, Univision
Danielle Brown, svp, data enablement and category strategy, Disney Advertising Sales
Mike Dean, svp, advanced advertising, ViacomCBS
Adam Gaynor, head of network partnerships and addressable, Vizio and OAR
Kim Kelleher, president of commercial revenue and partnerships, AMC Networks
Ryan McConville, evp, advertising platforms and operations, NBCUniversal

Media

Nadja Bellan-White, global CMO, Vice Media
Stephanie Layser, vp, advertising technology and operations, News Corp.
Rich Lehrfeld, svp, general manager, Walmart Connect
Ryan Pauley, CRO, Vox Media
Joy Robins, CRO, The Washington Post
Carlos Watson, co-founder and CEO, OZY Media

“Adweek has once again built upon its DNA to create not only the most anticipated event for the media and marketing communities, but also a council for ongoing dialogue on what matters most to ad buyers and sellers,” said Adweek CEO Jeffrey Litvack in a statement. “We are proud to be able to provide these platforms for the greater good of our community.”

View full article

IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA Unveils Day One of Its First-Ever Equity Upfront™

March 15, 2021

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, MAGNA, Mediabrands

Launched on Monday March 15th, the weeklong event and subsequent monthly Equity experiences will raise visibility for nearly 100 Black-owned and Black-targeted media businesses

New York, NY – March 15, 2021 – IPG Mediabrands and MAGNA today launched day one of a first-of-its-kind Equity Upfront™, an annual weeklong event during the week of March 15th, to raise visibility for Black-owned and Black-targeted media businesses. Day one of the event features Upfront presentations by Black-owned media partners including Entertainment Studios’ The Grio, Essence Communications, Inc., Revolt and Urban One, as well as Black-targeted networks BET and OWN. Later in the week, the event will share presentations from more Black-owned media partners including Blavity, Black Enterprise, Ebony & Jet, Mirror Digital, National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (“NABOB”), American Urban Radio Networks, Central City Productions TV, NuTime Media, The Source and ReachTV.

Led by Mediabrands entity MAGNA, the leading global media investment and intelligence company, the first day of the Equity Upfront™ kicked off with an introduction from the MAGNA team highlighting insights on the Black audience and Black media consumption, followed by six scheduled Black-owned and Black-targeted media partner presentations. The rest of the week will feature additional media partner presentations. The goal of these presentations is twofold: giving the partners the opportunity and access to Mediabrands clients and learning about how to market to them. For clients, it provides the opportunity to understand the importance of Black audiences and why they should target them in their media investment strategies.

MAGNA plans to host subsequent monthly Equity experiences focusing on specific media channels and has already earmarked April to focus on Black audio and podcast media properties. The Equity Upfront™ will initially focus on partnerships with Black-owned and Black-targeted media businesses, with future efforts expanding to include other underrepresented media platforms including, but not limited to, the Latinx, Asian and LGBTQIA+ audiences.

“We are excited to host the kickoff of our Equity Upfront™ initiative by welcoming Black-owned and Black-targeted media partners to present to our clients,” said Joy Profet, EVP, Head of Growth & Operations, MAGNA. “This event is one tactic in a bigger strategy to build deeper partnerships with and access for platforms that create engaging and responsible content for valuable and influential Black audiences. We hope to add even more media partners as the Equity Upfront™ gains increased industry recognition.”

“We must take accountable steps forward to address the inequities in how we invest, said Dani Benowitz, President, U.S., MAGNA. “This is the start of MAGNA and Mediabrands’ work, focusing on giving access to media partners across BIPOC audiences and helping to gear investment strategies toward multicultural consumers. MAGNA intelligence was critical in revealing growing media consumption habits and the ever-increasing buying power of these important audiences. It’s a logical step to educate our clients and agency partners so they can include them in this year’s media strategy.”

For more information please contact [email protected].

ABOUT MEDIABRANDS:

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). Mediabrands manages approximately $40 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients and provides strategic services and solutions across its award-winning, full-service agency networks UM and Initiative, and through its innovative marketing specialist companies Reprise, Magna, Orion, Rapport, Healix, Mediabrands Content Studio and the IPG Media Lab. Mediabrands’ clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors. The company employs more than 13,000 marketing experts in more than 130 countries, representing the full diversity of humanity. For more information, please visit our website: www.ipgmediabrands.com and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

ABOUT MAGNA:

MAGNA is the leading global media investment and intelligence company. Our trusted insights, proprietary trials offerings, industry-leading negotiation and unparalleled consultative solutions deliver an actionable marketplace advantage for our clients and subscribers.

We are a team of experts driven by results, integrity and inquisitiveness. We operate across five key competencies, supporting clients and cross-functional teams through partnership, education, accountability, connectivity and enablement. For more information, please visit our website: https://magnaglobal.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

View full article

Interpublic Group Plans Upfront Sessions for Media Focused on Black Consumers (EXCLUSIVE)

March 2, 2021

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, MAGNA, Mediabrands

TV companies have found a way to get an early crack at Madison Avenue billions. Now one of the nation’s biggest media buyers hopes to do the same for media businesses focused on Black consumers.

Each Spring, the nation’s biggest TV companies work for millions of dollars as part of a process known as the “upfront.” Now, Interpublic Group’s large IPG Mediabrands unit will during the week of March 15 kick off what it calls an “Equity Upfront” — a different version of the big sales sessions that help set up advance ad deals for TV and digital media — that seeks to match Black-owned media as well as media outlets that aim for Black audiences with some of the company’s clients.

The big ad-buying operation, which manages some $40 billion in ad spending around the world, will bring together more than 20 media companies such as Entertainment Studios’ The Grio, ViacomCBS’ BET, Essence Communications and Urban One with advertisers that include Aetna/CVS, American Express, Johnson & Johnson and BMW.

“This is the first of its kind, but it is definitely not meant to be a one-off event,” says Joy Profet, executive vice president and chief growth officer of Magna, Mediabrands’ media-intelligence unit, in an interview. “There is the expectation this will grow into an industry standard,” and plans are in development to spur discussions between advertisers and Latino, Asian and LGTBQ+ media as well.

Media outlets focused on Black audiences typically have not gotten the largest share of Madison Avenue’s purse. BET, for example, took in an estimated $203 million in 2020, according to Kagan, a market-research firm that is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Urban One’s TV One won around $70 million. CNN, meanwhile, secured $715.4 million.

To be certain, the outlets focused on such audiences are smaller than their general-market counterparts. But some big advertisers have shown definite interest in reaching Black consumers. In 2018, consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble struck a pact with ABC that made it part of the central storyline in an episode of the comedy “Black-ish.” P&G has over the years devised other initiatives aimed directly at Black consumers.

The “Equity Upfront” will take place just as many TV and digital outlets start making outreach to advertisers as part of a decades-old cycle that gives them price incentives to buy commercial inventory several months in advance of when they might need it. Over the years, others have tried to emulate the idea. A host of large digital companies take part in a series of presentations known as “NewFronts” each year. In 1999, Hearst’s “O: The Oprah Magazine” held an “upfront” in a bid to get marketers to consider running ads in the periodical’s pages before it launched in 2000.

Executives at IPG Mediabrands were spurred to consider the idea after examining both consumer data as well as last year’s protests around the death of George Floyd while in custody of police in Minneapolis. “We definitely wanted to make ourselves more accountable, make sure our clients truly recognized the importance of this audience,” says Dani Benowitz, U.S. president of Magna, in an interview.

Madison Avenue’s treatment of minorities has come under scrutiny multiple times in the past, with advocacy groups and others scrutinizing the number of people of color employed by major ad agencies. This has surfaced even though many advertising executives acknowledge the growing influence of those very same groups of consumers.

According to Mediabrands research, Black consumers wield $1.4 trillion in spending. And yet, says Profet, more than half don’t feel represented when they see many mainstream commercials. ”We know that when brands represent them from a cultural perspective or an identity perspective, this audience will respond,” she says.

Because some of these media outlets are often smaller, they don’t always get consideration from large media buyers. This event may help to change that. “They don’t necessarily have the scale that others do to get access to our clients,” says Benowitz. “This is going to help them put together better opportunities.”

Executives hope to hold monthly sessions, and, over time, expand their efforts. There are even some hopes that some of Mediabrands’ competitors might join. “It is a long-term initiative for us,” says Profet.

View full article

IPG Mediabrands Unveils Industry-First Equity Upfront™ to Raise Visibility and Receptivity of Black-Owned Media Businesses

March 2, 2021

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The weeklong event will highlight Black-owned and targeted media businesses across all platforms to create opportunity for equity and economic progress

New York, NY – March 2, 2021 – IPG Mediabrands today announced it is introducing a first-of-its-kind Equity Upfront™, an annual weeklong event during the week of March 15^th, to raise visibility and receptivity of Black-owned and targeted media businesses. Led by Mediabrands entity MAGNA, the leading global media investment and intelligence company, the Equity Upfront™ will highlight entities across all media (i.e., linear, video/streaming, digital, radio and print). Among the confirmed media partners are Allen Media Group/Entertainment Studios, BET Network, Essence Communications and Urban One. Confirmed Mediabrands clients participating include American Express, BMW, CVS Health/Aetna, Johnson & Johnson, to name a few.

“As we reviewed our media partnerships at Mediabrands, we saw the need to be more inclusive in our media investment strategies with Black audiences,” said Daryl Lee, Mediabrands Global CEO. “The Equity Upfront™ is an opportunity to enact real change by increasing investment in often underrepresented media businesses that reflect the significant influence of Black consumers and trendsetters in the economy.”

MAGNA and Mediabrands used an equity and equality strategic investment (EESI) approach designed to measure and increase sustained investment and support of Black-owned and targeted media businesses.

“Our mission with the Equity Upfront™ is to move beyond intent and into actionable steps with minority and Black media partnerships,” said Dani Benowitz, President, U.S., MAGNA. “The minority consumer’s consumption patterns are influential across all media and we must take accountable steps forward to address the inequities in how we invest. I have no doubt this critical initiative will urge other industry partners to see where there are gaps in their media approach and how they’re contributing to BIPOC media partner oversight.”

“I am thrilled to be a part of an effort that is increasing sustained investment and support of Black-owned and targeted media businesses,” said Joy Profet, EVP, Head of Growth & Operations, MAGNA. “I have a passion for creating opportunity for audiences of color growing in influence, and I look forward to partnering with our media partners to help level the playing field for clients to access their audiences.”

While the inaugural 2021 Equity Upfront™ will focus on partnerships with Black-owned and targeted media businesses, Mediabrands will expand partnership efforts with other multicultural platforms including but not limited to the Latinx, Asian and LGBTQIA+ audiences.

ABOUT MEDIABRANDS:

ABOUT MAGNA:

MAGNA is the leading global media investment and intelligence company. Our trusted insights, proprietary trials offerings, industry-leading negotiation and unparalleled consultative solutions deliver actionable marketplace advantage for our clients and subscribers.

We are a team of experts driven by results, integrity and inquisitiveness. We operate across five key competencies, supporting clients and cross-functional teams through partnership, education, accountability, connectivity and enablement, also known as “PEACE.” For more information, please visit our website: https://magnaglobal.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

View full article

Mediabrands’ Rapport Debuts Eco-Friendly OOH Signage

February 23, 2021

Rapport, Sustainability and Purpose

Mediabrands’ out-of-home agency Rapport claims to be the first media agency to offer all U.S. clients sustainable eco-friendly signage designed to purify the air.

The “Rapport Beyond” initiative uses a special coating of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) affixed to printed materials like billboards and related media products to remove NOx gases such as carbon emissions and other industrial pollutants from the air while the ad is posted.

The coating supposedly uses sunlight to attract greenhouse gases and smog which then operate like millions of microscopic sponges to soak up carbon. These harmful gases are then neutralized, turning them into harmless nitrates and purifying the air.

The agency also says this technology works to eliminate a wide range of substances including viruses, bacteria, molds, and allergens.

Agency leaders first began testing sustainable OOH print ads in the spring of 2017, working with partners and vendors to perfect the technology for various outdoor environments. Eighteen advertisers participated in a soft launch utilizing the new coating, spanning categories such as CPG, food and beverage, sports and entertainment. The beneficial environmental effect, according to the agency, was like planting 20 acres of trees.

While leaders understand skeptics questioning whether this move amounts to so much “greenwashing,” The agency counters that the product’s photocatalytic materials are tested using a procedure sanctioned by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO Test Standard 22197). This test protocol specifically addresses a product’s ability to affect air pollution. The testing was done over the course of many years — not by Rapport — but by its preferred partners and their manufacturers, states an agency spokesperson.

Concurrently, Rapport’s UK unit is introducing a digital version of Rapport Beyond that offsets greenhouse gas emissions arising through DOOH advertising. This carbon offsetting initiative uses the shop’s verification technology named Rapportal to track the number of DOOH ads that are played on screens and for how long. The agency will then calculate the amount of electricity used to display these ads per client. “We do this using our carbon calculator, that has energy consumption data supplied by media owners,” explains the representative. “Once we worked out the energy consumption, we will convert this to CO2 using a formula provided by the environmental consultant Green Element.”

Rapport offsets the relevant amount of CO2 — covering all emissions generated by client campaigns — by buying carbon offsetting credits from the United Nations accredited Gold Standard VCS schemes.

“We are excited to be scaling a new green technology for outdoor advertising that will demonstrably improve the environment and help us support and propel our clients’ sustainability goals,” said Daryl Lee, global CEO, IPG Mediabrands. “A single Rapport Beyond billboard has the capacity to offset twelve cars averaging 10,000 miles per year, the equivalent of planting 88 trees. Imagine the environmental impact when this becomes the new standard.”

View full article

Rapport Becomes First Media Agency to Offer All U.S. Clients Sustainable Out-of-Home Ad Products That Purify the Air

February 23, 2021

Rapport, Sustainability and Purpose, Uncategorized

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rapport, the global out-of-home (OOH) media buying and planning agency arm of IPG Mediabrands, today announced the launch of their newest offering for U.S. clients: Rapport Beyond —billboards and related media products that effectively offset carbon emissions and purify the air. The latest initiative in Rapport’s long-term commitment to sustainability, Rapport Beyond gives brands the power to reach consumers while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of their advertising campaigns.

“We are excited to be scaling a new green technology for outdoor advertising that will demonstrably improve the environment and help us support and propel our clients’ sustainability goals,” said IPG Mediabrands Global CEO, Daryl Lee. “A single Rapport Beyond billboard has the capacity to offset twelve cars averaging 10,000 miles per year, the equivalent of planting 88 trees. Imagine the environmental impact when this becomes the new standard.”

Rapport began testing sustainable OOH print ads in the spring of 2017, working with partners and vendors to perfect the technology for various outdoor environments. A special coating of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is applied to printed materials that removes NOx gases such as carbon emissions and other industrial pollutants from the air while the ad is posted. The coating uses sunlight to attract greenhouse gases, smog and more, operating like millions of microscopic sponges to soak up carbon. The harmful gases are then neutralized, turning them into harmless nitrates and purifying the air. The technology even works on organic matter transmitted in the air, destroying a wide range of substances including volatile organic compounds, viruses, bacteria, molds, allergens and more. Eighteen of the world’s most prolific advertisers participated in the soft launch, spanning industries such as CPG, food and beverage, sports and entertainment. The work Rapport did with those advertisers is equivalent to planting 20 acres of trees.

“As an industry being challenged by a pandemic lockdown, we have a responsibility to drive innovation in OOH in ways that deliver new value to our clients,” said Chris Olsen, President US, Rapport. “Our goal is to print 2.5 million square feet of material with the air purifying coating in 2021, and this launch is a significant step towards achieving that. Rapport Beyond ads can actually help cleanse the air simply by existing in a physical space, something the world needs now more than ever.”

Though applying the air purifying coating to billboards in high traffic areas is extremely effective for combatting emissions, it can also be used on many different printed materials and surfaces for purifying benefits such as facades of buildings, retail signage, in-stadium surfaces and more. Rapport’s UK unit recently launched a digital version of Rapport Beyond that offsets greenhouse gas emissions arising through DOOH advertising, providing a net positive contribution across activity that is already using renewable energy.

For more information on Rapport’s commitment to sustainability, please visit: https://rapportww.com/beyond/.

ABOUT RAPPORT

Rapport is the out-of-home (OOH) media buying and planning agency of IPG Mediabrands. Best known for the strength of its relationships, and rewarding connections, Rapport is a collaborative and forward-thinking agency that delivers valuable results for both clients and partners. As OOH becomes more engaging, interactive and content-driven, Rapport can seamlessly navigate through the ever-evolving media landscape.

View full article

IPG Mediabrands Names New Global Communications Head

February 16, 2021

Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands is appointing Rahel Rasu as Global Chief Communications Officer to manage all internal and external communications strategy for the global media agency network. Her responsibilities include corporate brand and reputation management, thought leadership, media relations and social media as well as analyst and influencer relations, employee communications and corporate social responsibility.

Based in New York City, she reports directly to IPG Mediabrands Global CEO Daryl Lee.

Rasu is a familiar face within the organization. Although she most recently worked as head of global communications at DDB Worldwide, she previously served as SVP, global communications at IPG’s McCann Worldgroup where she collaborated with leadership to create opportunities for McCann’s brand, executives and clients.

Earlier in her career Rasu worked in research at Ad Age’s DataCenter where she worked with leading agency and brand sources to help gather, verify and assess data across multiple disciplines.

“It is exciting to have Rahel onboard to help us raise our voice as a global media network with a strong perspective on the world. Rahel understands the power of culture and believes in communications that support our people, our clients, our brands and our values,” said Lee. “Her partnership across the organization will be invaluable as we continue to share our vision for a tech-supported but humanity-centered media future.”

View full article

IPG Mediabrands’ Latest Media Responsibility Index Proves Top Platforms Have Responded Favorably to Network’s Media Responsibility Push

February 8, 2021

Media Responsibility, Mediabrands, Reprise

Media Responsibility Principles Officially Adopted by the 4As and Media Responsibility Index Endorsed by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), Continuing the Initiative’s Success

New York, NY – February 8, 2021 – IPG Mediabrands today released its latest Media Responsibility Index, a quantitative report that strives to raise industry standards around brand safety and media responsibility in advertising. This latest Index, led by Mediabrands agency Reprise and based on a 2H 2020 assessment, found that top social platforms’ adherence to media responsibility has improved significantly across nearly all 10 Media Responsibility Principles (MRPs), with platforms delivering an average lift of 11 percentage points across the assessment. The largest increases were seen in the agency network’s Promote Respect and Accountability principles, as well as many platforms improving their efforts to reduce Hate Speech and Misinformation/Disinformation. As further confirmation of the need for a common set of standards, the Mediabrands MRPs have officially been adopted by the 4As and the Index has been endorsed by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), the leading global industry body on media responsibility governance.

“We created the Media Responsibility Index with the belief that social platforms would welcome our Index as a helpful tool, rather than being perceived as another ranking. This current Index shows that the platforms heard our call to action and moved swiftly to work together to be better and contribute to a more positive future for advertising and our world,” said Elijah Harris, Global Head of Social, Mediabrands’ agency Reprise. “As an agency partner to both platforms and brands, we have a unique opportunity to provide data and insights that empower the larger industry to look out for one another when it comes to the communities a brand serves and the content they see.”

This latest iteration of the Media Responsibility Index comes on the heels of the 1H 2020 Media Responsibility assessment that was issued last August, as a first-of-its-kind assessment on Media Responsibility in the advertising industry. The platforms invited to participate – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube – encompass the majority of users globally who are active in a social media community. Each platform was scored against key dimensions that provide deeper contextual insights across MRP reporting, and the insights were gathered throughout Q3 2020. And, the current Media Responsibility Index reveals that these platforms are seeing the need to improve their media responsibility efforts in order to protect the communities they serve, as well as take accountability for their actions.

Our Media Responsibility Principles are designed to be a guiding way forward for the industry. In light of ongoing broader conversations around social media and its role in society, it is encouraging that the latest Index indicates improvements by Reddit, Snap, TikTok, Twitch and YouTube against the Promote Respect principle, as well as movement by Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter on the principle of No Mis/Disinformation.

Key findings of the Media Responsibility Index include:

The platforms with the most gaps with MRP in 1H 2020 had the greatest opportunity to improve and have – most notably, TikTok: TikTok was the most improved platform since the previous Index. As TikTok’s growth surged in 2020, the platform demonstrated an ability to take a forward-looking approach to building its platform with the Index’s key principles in mind, and 2H 2020 assessment results reflect a marked pivot toward enhanced third-party brand safety partnerships. The latest Index results newly introduce TikTok’s increased focus on principle 3: Diverse and Representative — a principle they were not able to provide substantial public data for in 1H 2020. TikTok also saw substantial shifts in their third-party brand safety partnerships and policy enforcement approaches.
All platforms took meaningful steps forward in policy enforcement: Misinformation, Election Integrity and Health emerge as major themes where platforms stepped up to the plate. In the battle against misinformation, platforms did the advance work to ensure their policies were transparent, principle-based and enforceable in a consistent manner by leveraging controls and features that felt native to each platform, all while contentious broader public discourse continued and sizable portions of the U.S. still challenged the election results.
Enabling more control over Feed environments and UGC is a goal of many platforms: We engaged with platforms about their approach to and products under development to answer for this demand. At the time surveyed, Snap and YouTube shared that they expect further improvements to UGC controls in early 2021, and other platforms committed to paying more attention to putting into effect more UGC controls and tools for 2021.
Platforms generally want to do better and are committed to media responsibility: All of the platforms voluntarily participated in the assessment and expressed continued interest in ongoing collaborative efforts and solutions for the industry. And, each platform made significant strides and demonstrated minor to considerable individual improvement throughout the year.
Applying pressure and creating a culture of accountability works, but there’s more work to do: While the scrutiny these platforms face may sometimes seem insurmountable, events throughout the past year have proven that holding partners accountable in the stratum of media responsibility can yield positive results. Consumers, advertisers and regulators alike have advocated for more leverage and transparency in their transactions with many large social platforms. The latest results indicate that while platform improvements and enhancements have been made, many stakeholders are still seeking additional leverage and transparency to align marketing efforts with media principles.

“The 4A’s and its Advertiser Protection Bureau (APB) continue to support the application of the Media Responsibility Principles and applauds the impact as measured through the Index that the efforts of Mediabrands and the broader industry have had to ensure a safer and more responsible ecosystem for advertisers and more importantly, consumers,” said Marla Kaplowitz, President and CEO, 4A’s.

“It goes without saying that our Media Responsibility efforts, which were the first in our industry, have made a significant impact on how the platforms are operating,” said Joshua Lowcock, Chief Digital Officer, UM, and Global Brand Safety Officer, Mediabrands. “The fact that we have the support of the 4As and other industry bodies, shows that Mediabrands is at the forefront of advancing policy on media responsibility and brand safety in order to protect our society from harm.”

Platforms were required to provide information touching on the MRPs, broken down by the five key dimensions of: Policy, Enforcement, Advertising Controls, User Controls, and Reporting. Scores were compared to provide analysis around how platforms are acting on and evolving towards the principles. Notably, the Index has added Key Themes as part of the assessment moving forward, as well as a Dimensions category.

For more information about the latest Media Responsibility Index please contact: [email protected]. In 2021 the Media Responsibility Index will be released bi-annually.

ABOUT MEDIABRANDS:

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). Mediabrands manages approximately $40 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients and provides strategic services and solutions across its award-winning, full-service agency networks UM and Initiative and through its innovative marketing specialist companies Reprise, Magna, Orion, Rapport, Healix, Mediabrands Content Studio and the IPG Media Lab. Mediabrands clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors. The company employs more than 13,000 marketing experts in more than 130 countries representing the full diversity of humanity. For more information, please visit our website: www.ipgmediabrands.com and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

ABOUT REPRISE:

Reprise is one of the world’s largest performance marketing networks, with over 3,000 experts across 68 offices in 48 markets. We offer a complete suite customer-centric performance marketing services including, but not limited to, Strategy, SEO, Paid Search, Social, eCommerce and Creative. Part of the Mediabrands division of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), Reprise is headquartered in New York. To learn more about how we can empower your business, visit www.reprisedigital.com now.

View full article

Should social media platforms need a license to operate?

January 27, 2021

Media Responsibility, Mediabrands

A license to operate would convey our commitment to holding powerful engines in our society responsible for our collective safety.

The events of this past year have raised important questions about media in the 21st century.

For many of us in the media business, it’s been a much-needed wake-up call, reminding us that our profession has enormous power to do good and harm — in equal measure. No one can wonder if there is a question of moral responsibility in the media business anymore.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on social media, which plays such a dominant role in culture as well as marketing budgets. This year, social media has been used as a powerful weapon in the culture wars and as a divisive political vehicle.

Last summer, our response was to introduce 10 Media Responsibility Principles to guide us and our clients in approaching hate speech, misinformation and disinformation and data privacy for children and adults. They are concrete policies we can enforce and use to report on violations. We’ve used them to assess the platforms and identify best practices that set the bar across all of them. And we’re seeing many clients adapt them to match their CSR practices.

But while the platforms all take their responsibility seriously, their responses differ dramatically. That makes it difficult to compare progress and creates a patchwork we need to monitor almost daily — none of which helps anyone.

It begs the question: Is it even possible to establish common social media responsibility standards? If so, how exactly would we do it?

One option is by using collective action. For example, we are working with industry bodies, including the 4A’s and the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, to adapt our principles for use across the industry.

We can also rely on the platforms to collaborate on a set of standards that hold each other accountable. That’s possibly the best solution, albeit the most unlikely, considering the personalities involved. (To its credit, TikTok recently proposed something similar.)

A third route is to create a licensing process, similar to the way TV stations — all fiercely independent and competitive entities — must adhere to the same standards around media responsibility.

Broadcast TV standards are set by the FCC, and stations must renew their licenses every year by proving they meet the minimum requirements of serving the public interest; not committing serious violations of the Communications Act or the FCC’s rules; and steering clear of any other violations that constitute a pattern of abuse.

However imperfect, this annual requirement forces us to review media responsibility against shared standards. It requires media owners to balance growth with social implications, and ensures they meet responsibilities around data protections, privacy, content moderation, anti-bullying and the protection of children.

Licensing social media platforms won’t be politically easy, but has advantages over the other path being considered: revising or rescinding section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which requires bipartisan alignment in Congress. A license could keep existing protections for social media platforms in place while holding platforms to shared basic standards.

It would also be easy to implement with clear standards designed by the FCC and the industry, and the requirement that platforms meet those standards annually. It could follow established protocols and wouldn’t require new processes or infrastructure. And it’s easy to understand. Licensing requirement thresholds could be determined by user numbers, revenue and scale.

Finally, fees from the licensing program could support a Digital Literacy Fund — because clearly, raising awareness around reality and manipulation on social media is crucial.

I often hear from social media platforms that they are bombarded by requests to adhere to different media responsibility paradigms from agencies and clients. They want consistency, and they have a valid point.

A license to operate is not just a simple, tried and true solution. It would also convey our commitment to holding powerful engines in our society responsible for our collective safety.

Daryl Lee is global CEO of IPG Mediabrands.

View full article

IPG Mediabrands Launches Development and Entertainment Company Traverse32

December 17, 2020

Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands, the agency behind IFC’s new documentary “Dear Santa,” is launching Traverse32, a development and entertainment company aimed at flipping the script on traditional branded content.

Much like “Dear Santa,” which was supported by the U.S. Postal Service, Traverse32 will develop, produce and distribute entertainment content in partnership with influential brands.

Other notable projects from Mediabrands’ UM Studios in recent years include the 2018 AIDS documentary “5B,” the first brand-funded film to play at the Cannes Film Festival, and the 2020 release, “OSO: History of an Icon,” which premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival and is now available on Amazon Prime Video.

Traverse32 co-founder Brendan Gaul, Mediabrands’ recently appointed first-ever Global Chief Content Officer, will simultaneously serve as its Global President.

“Our goal is to open the door for brands to participate in the monetization of what they create, while also giving them meaningful opportunities to interact with consumer audiences as they never have before,” Gaul said. “Through Traverse32, we look forward to successfully reinventing the entertainment model by bridging the gap between media and storytelling in new and innovative ways.”

Gaul will be responsible for creative development, acquisitions, and distribution of original narrative and unscripted projects for the new entity. He will be joined by longtime producing partner Brett Henenberg who also serves as Co-Founder and Global Head of Production for Traverse32. Upcoming projects include a narrative feature film, several documentaries and scripted/non-scripted TV formats.

“Dear Santa,” which currently has a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, was directed by Dana Nachman (“Batkid Begins,” “Pick of the Litter”) and shines a light on the 100-year-old Operation Santa program of the United States Postal Service. It recently opened in theaters nationwide and is available on-demand.

“Brendan and Brett have been able to develop projects that actually work for distributors, which is not so easy,” said Josh Braun, who repped “Dear Santa” for Submarine Entertainment. “The fact that a project received some brand funding doesn’t matter when the end result is high quality entertainment that doesn’t smell like a commercial.”