The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), the national body representing advertisers across India, launched its media charter on 2 August in Mumbai.  

With this charter, the advertising body aims to ensure fair and transparent practices while safeguarding the interests of brands.

It addresses focus areas that are crucial for building a robust and ethical advertising ecosystem. 

Among the highlights is the introduction of the ISA model media agency agreement, a detailed framework that fosters personalised agreements between advertisers and media agencies, accounting for the complexities of the media ecosystem.

An essential component of the charter is to spotlight its commitment to zero tolerance towards ad fraud, condemning fraudulent practices and adopting stringent measures to eliminate them. 

The initiative also focuses on ensuring brand safety by showcasing brands in secure environments, free from any content that may harm their reputation.

In response to the challenges posed by digital advancements, the ISA media charter strives to emphasise genuine ad viewability to ensure ads reach their intended target audience effectively. 

The charter additionally seeks to establish criteria for the responsible collection and usage of first-party consumer data, prioritising consumer privacy.

Recognising the importance of unified measurement standards, the charter also aspires to develop cross-screen measurement guidelines for both TV and digital platforms, enhancing advertisers' ability to gauge their campaigns' success across various media channels.

The template for the model media agreement serves as an initial framework to facilitate personalised agreements tailored to individual media agencies. 

During the press conference, ISA stated that since every negotiation is unique, modifications to the template's terms are expected. 

Sunil Kataria, chairperson, ISA and CEO - lifestyle business, Raymond, said, "With an illustrious history spanning over 70 years, 15A has been the unwavering voice of advertisers, championing education, representation, protection, and support for its esteemed members The ISA media charter is a groundbreaking milestone in the organisation's ongoing efforts to shape an efficient and effective advertising landscape in India. As India's advertising media spending continues to surge, it becomes essential to have a clear and equitable framework that protects the interests of brands and fosters healthy relationships between advertisers and media agencies. The 15A media charter encompasses six crucial areas that are of paramount concern to advertisers- this emphasises our commitment to a transparent and consumer-centric media ecosystem."

Tejas Apte, ISA media forum head and general manager - media, South Asia, Unilever, said, said, "The ISA media charter outlines the priorities that all advertisers have on top of the mind. The charter focuses on creating a fair and transparent media ecosystem with agencies and publishers while keeping the consumer's interest at the heart of it. As the digital ecosystem evolves, the challenges to brand safety and viewability will get more acute and the same need to be addressed. The media charter will evolve a common minimum standard on first-party data collection and usage to safeguard consumer privacy. The other important aspect of the media charter is to evolve a cross-screen measurement for TV and digital."

Ankit Desai, ISA, media forum co-chair and head -media, digital marketing and brand PR (India and Global Centre of Excellence), said, "The Indian Society of Advertisers is committed to promoting best practices and standards. The launch of the ISA media charter is a testament to our dedication to creating a transparent and mutually beneficial ecosystem for advertisers, media agencies and media partners. We believe this initiative will pave the way for collaborative partnerships that drive innovation, efficiency, and growth."

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Source: Campaign India