The American Association of Advertising Agencies is an organization that is charged with regulating the advertising industry in the US. This paper analyses the organization providing its history. The services and purpose of the organization are also discussed in detail within the paper. Finally, some of the controversial issues faced within the advertising industry are provided and information on how the organization can assist is provided.
American Association of Advertising Agencies was founded in 1917 as national trade association in the United States that represents advertising agency business the American Association of Advertising Agencies, 2013a ()
The association is management-oriented, and it offers expertise, broad services, and information to its members in regards to advertising agency business. Its members contribute an approximate of 80% in the total advertising agencies revenue worldwide. Not all the larger multinational advertising agencies are members of the 4A, but their members have a billing of less than $10 million per year. Since it is a national trade association, it is bound by its own by-laws and constitution, which strengthen the association. The association has been credited with been one of the associations that helped in regulating advertising in the United States. The association has its headquarters in New York City.
Membership to the association is by election after interested members fill in application forms. Any advertising agency that is deemed to be unethical in conducting business is denied membership automatically. The association is represented in three regions Central, Western, and Eastern. It functions as a force for improving agency business standards and monitoring advertising practices. The association is the representative of the advertising agency business at the public service works of the advertising council. It also sponsors an educational foundation that offers grant and fellowship programs for graduate schools. AAAA operates as a group pension and insurance plan for its members. It also has a profit sharing plan that benefits the personnel in member agencies.
Purpose
The association's purpose is to strengthen and improve advertising agency business in the U.S. This is done by counseling its members in matters of management and operation, by providing a collective experience of its members. The association also fosters professional development through encouragement of the highest business and creative standards. The association is also charged with attracting excellent people to the advertising agency business. This is done by providing grants to graduate schools. The association also issues awards to the best performing agencies, which encourages competition amongst its members while maintaining the association's standards and by-laws.
The association also regulates advertising in the United States thus, ensuring that all the advertising agencies adhere to the regulations in regards to advertising. Members are required to be ethical in all their dealings, which promotes ethics as failure to do this would result in membership termination. The association is also charged with providing advice and information regarding advertising to its members. The organization is required to work with the Federal government to assist in influencing public policy and resisting unfair regulations and legislations. The association conducts research regarding the effects of advertising on society and the economy. The results of these studies are provided to appropriate members and audiences.
Services
The association provides the following services to its members. Consultancy and advisory services regarding management, agency compensation, and new business is one of the service provided by AAAA. This is a service provided to all members of AAAA and is based on industry knowledge and accumulated wisdom. New members have the opportunity to receive information regarding how they can better manage their agency, by having access to operation information, financial advice and new business acquisition.
The association also conducts professional development and training programs, which assist members to acquire new knowledge regarding advertising. This training is geared towards all agency employees including fresh graduates The American Association of Advertising Agencies, 2013b ()
. The training is normally conducted online or through development seminars regionally. AAAA also offers its members insurance and employee benefits like saving plans, workers' compensation, and retirement benefits. This service allows member agencies to concentrate on their advertising business and not has to worry about their employees' benefits and insurance as that is handled by the association. The association also offer tailor made services that suit each agency depending on its size.
AAAA has an office in Washington, DC that is tasked with protecting the agency businesses from legislations and taxations that are burdensome. This office fights for the agency business by lobbying for legislations that will benefit the members and not add to their worries. The association also provides services to the Federal government by advising the state on how best to handle the advertising agency business.
Contemporary issues
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