Advertisement Business and 4 A’s

Currently, in the age of digital media and consumerism, advertising campaigns play an essential role in the company’s and a new product’s success. In 2014, Always launched a campaign called “#LikeAGirl,” whose main aim was to change how people perceive the phrase and to increase confidence among girls who reached puberty. The campaign created cultural change, as, after its end, 70% of female and 60% of male respondents revealed that now they see the phrase positively (“Case study: Always #LikeAGirl,” 2015). Moreover, it increased brand popularity, drove emotional connection to Always, and ignited social media engagement. In 2017, Pepsi, on the contrary, launched a controversial commercial with a TV star Kendall Jenner that lead to outrage. The drink giant was criticized for trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement and for the ad’s controversial message. The main reason for the failure is that protest and counterculture movements are often too sensitive topics to address.

American Association of Advertising Agencies (4 A’s) is a trade institution for advertising agencies that was founded in 1917. Marketing communication companies were also welcomed to join the management-oriented organization in 1998 due to industry changes. Currently, more than 700 agencies are members of 4 A’s, which are responsible for more than 85% of the total advertising volume produced in the US (“Our mission,” n.d.). Members receive a wide range of services such as consultation, advocacy, expertise, training, and support what helps them advance in the advertising business. The purpose of 4 A’s is to provide access to training, people, tools, and information. In general, 4 A’s mission is to help its members to improve in the creation, distribution, and maintenance of insightful marketing and advertising. The organization enhances creativity and cultural change to ensure advertising business growth.

Standards of Practice statement presents leading principles to which its members are obliged to adhere. The document, which was revised in 2016, prohibits monopoly and encourages sound competition between advertising agencies because it is in the nature of the US business (“4A’s Standards of Practice,” 2016). It praises contract compliance, trust, and transparency as the main principles which should regulate the relationship between agencies and their clients. Agencies are banned from using tricky approaches to discredit a competitor organization to get an advantage. Standards of Practice also bind the members to follow standards of conduct devised by the organization. The document especially excludes misleading testimonials, exaggerated statements, minority offensive claims, and other advertising practices that are against 4 A’s ethical grounds.

References

Case study: Always #LikeAGirl (2015). Campaign. Web.

Our Mission: Making Agencies Matter in 2020 and beyond (n.d.) 4 A’s. Web.

4A’s Standards of Practice (2016). 4 A’s. Web.