ACA suspends member agenciesThe Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) has exercised its rights in accordance with its MOI and the process laid down in the ACA's Internal Enquiry Framework, after it found its member agencies DDB South Africa, Ireland-Davenport and Wunderman guilty of transgressing its Code of Conduct governing tenders and pitches. Sanctions to be imposedThe ACA Exco and Board discussed the circumstances pertaining to the Telkom pitch (in which the above-mentioned agencies were involved) at length, considered statements made by representatives from each agency and agreed that in the interest of self-regulation and in accordance with its MOI, the following sanctions were to be imposed:
The agencies’ membership may be reinstated after the suspension period, on the proviso that they do not commit any further transgressions of the Code of Conduct during their suspension. Odette van der Haar “The ACA is about maintaining the health and well-being of the industry and sets the highest standards for integrity and professionalism amongst its member agencies. In the interest of upholding our commitment to self-regulation, it was decided that sanctions be imposed on DDB South Africa, Ireland-Davenport and Wunderman,” says Odette van der Haar, CEO ACA. Telkom and the professional integrity of the advertising and communications industry The ACA is deeply concerned that the Telkom ad agency pitch process did not comply with the ACA’s Code of Conduct that governs tenders and pitches. This Code was put in place some years ago to encourage fair, equitable and healthy competition, transformation, a level playing field, good ethics and conduct during new business acquisition and protection of agencies’ intellectual property. The Code also mitigates risk and wasteful expenditure on the part of agencies and clients. There is therefore no reason not to adhere to the Code, which supports a mutually fair and robust pitch process. According to Odette van der Haar, CEO of the ACA: “The biggest threat to our industry is that more and more clients behave unfairly towards agencies during pitches. It is paramount to the sustainability of the profession that agencies stand united against these unfair practices in order to maintain the value and currency of the profession.” The ACA’s concerns with the Telkom pitch are as follows:
The ACA is the official, representative body for the Communications and Advertising profession in South Africa, representing agencies in the profession (who at present contribute approximately 95% of South Africa’s measured ad spend) to government, media and the public. The ACA is a voluntary body formed by and for the industry, focused on and committed to self-regulation and to defending the highest standards of ethical practice. |