Industry Orgs Release Set of Guidelines for Diverse Suppliers

Three organizations have released guidelines for the advertising industry in support of diverse media suppliers. The collaboration between the 4A’s, the ANA, the AIMM follows the May 2022 release of similar guidelines in support of media buyers.

According to a release from the 4A’s, the guidelines are intended to, “help buyers (agencies and marketers) and diverse media suppliers improve their ways of working together.” The suppliers’ guidelines echo the May guidelines for buyers in the methodology used for their formulation. The organizations, “with input from our respective members, drafted the initial guidelines,” reads the 4A’s release. “We then reached out to diverse suppliers for input and improvement.”

Among the 16 recommendations in the guidelines are:

• Register Your Business On Marketer Supplier Portals
• Make Sure You Are On Industry Resource Lists
• Be Clear On Evaluation Criteria
• Push Back On Extended Payment Terms
• Take Advantage Of Marketers’ Supplier Development Plans
  
  

The August 2022 guidelines for diverse media suppliers can be found here.

The May 2022 guidelines for buyers (agencies and marketers) can be found here.

The three organizations added that the guidelines are intended to apply across the entire industry. “While this guidance has been developed with diverse media suppliers specifically in mind, much of it is also relevant for diverse suppliers in marketing/advertising overall.”

Rachel Nyswander Thomas, COO of the Trustworthy Accountability Group and Chairwoman of the BSI Advisory Board said, “Companies can’t fully live their brand safety values without ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their entire supply chains. I’m delighted that companies serious about doing just that now have a roadmap to guide their bold steps in the right direction.”

That need for companies to evolve their markets is a point the guidelines support with U.S. Census Bureau data. “Supplier diversity simply follows the consumer…The multicultural population increased from 36.3 percent in 2010 to 42.2 percent in 2020 and will be the majority in the not-too-distant future.”

BSO-in-Residence Louis Jones echoed the need for marketers to look ahead. “If you believe that consumer connectivity is the lifeblood of your brand relevancy—and your business—then you must start investing in your future with an increasing commitment to diverse media. Your future consumers are paying attention.”

For these and other guidelines and frameworks that can help you address brand safety issues, check out the Best Practice Guides page in the BSI’s Resource Library.