ADVERTISING AGENCIES ASSOCIATION OF INDIA

Objectives:

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is the official, national organisation of
advertising agencies, formed to promote their interests so that they continue to make an essential
and ever-increasing contribution to the nation, by working towards the following objectives:

To benefit Indian consumers and to protect their interests by helping ensure that advertising is
honest and in good taste.

To benefit Indian advertisers by promoting their sales, increasing their sales and increasing
productivity & profitability, to stimulate business and industrial activity.

To benefit media by establishing sound business practices between advertisers and advertising
agencies and each of the various media owners.

To benefit the nation by harnessing advertising for the good of the country, its institutions, its
citizens; to co-operate with the Government in promoting its social objectives and in the task of
nation-building.

To question advertising that is wasteful and extravagant; to make it possible for the small
entrepreneur to grow through advertising and to compete with the biggest; to encourage market
and media research; to serve society by meeting its social responsibilities.

To encourage the interest of young individuals in the business of communication, to assist in

education and training programmes and to provide information of benefit to members. Non-
members are also provided this service for a fee.

To establish a common platform in building and sustaining the prestige of the advertising
profession and to serve as a spokesman against unwarranted attacks or restrictions on advertising.

To establish a forum where representatives of advertisers, advertising agencies, media owners and
Government can meet on mutual ground and examine problems of mutual concern.

To offer effective co-operation and liaison with Government officials and bodies for the purpose
of broadening their understanding of the role of advertisers, advertising and advertising agencies.

To co-operate with Government bodies in discussion of matters such as taxes, radio and TV
advertising, legislation, political campaign advertising, controls on pharmaceuticals, tobacco or
liquor advertising and other subjects of similar complexity and sensitivity.

The AAAI today is truly representative, with a very large number of small, medium and large-
sized agencies as its members, who together account for almost 80% of the advertising business
placed in the country. It is thus recognised at all forums -- advertisers, media owners and
associations, and even Government -- as the spokesperson for the advertising industry.
History of AAAI

On September 21, 1945, 60 years ago, Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) was
registered as a society in Calcutta. 4 agencies from Calcutta – D J Keymer, General Advertising
Agency, J Walter Thomson Co. and Press Syndicate – and 3 agencies from Bombay – Adarts,
Lintas and National Advertising Service – were the signatories in the registrar’s office doing the
honours. Initially the registered office of the Association was located at 37, Chowringhee,
Calcutta. Calcutta, under the British Raj, was a vibrant commercial city. In 1961, the AAAI office
was shifted to Bombay.
What was the size of the ad industry then? The Government’s own Press Commission in 1953
noted that the value of print advertising was Rs. 35 million. Other media spends were estimated at
another Rs. 15 million.

In such an era, these were some real bold men, who felt the need to create a platform to promote
advertising, as a professional activity!

We must also understand the background under which AAAI grew in stature. After India became
a Republic in 1950, our successive Governments promoted the policy of self-reliance and import
substitution. For three decades – from 1951 to 1980 – advertising in India had limited purpose to
play.

Till the 80’s, while the Government did not encourage competition, the Government did
grudgingly acknowledge the importance of communication in social aspects like in family
planning programmes, nutrition, education, the modernization of agriculture and ushering in the
green revolution. AAAI Members were called upon to provide support in the Government efforts
in some of these critical areas.

The Government also had a healthy respect for AAAI and always consulted it in matters of
consequence. For example, it was at AAAI instance that the Government permitted foreign equity
holding in ad agencies in the late 80’s.

Whenever required, AAAI has stepped in to protect its business interests to regulate orderliness in
the industry. It has been intrumental in restoring the 15% commission/trade discount for
Government business in Government owned media, or in lobbying for removal of tax on
advertising way back in 1965 and subsequently in 1978 and 1983, or during the most recent
Fringe Benefit Tax where advertising and promotion was included as Fringe Benefit!

AAAI’s contribution in regulating the industry is no less significant. In 1987 when TV sponsored
programmes became a reality, it determined how the income should be shared between the
placing agency and the creative agency. In 1988 and again in 1990, AAAI was actively involved
in determining the procedures and policies of the electronic media i.e Doordarshan.

In 1983, AAAI was involved in a serious dialogue with Indian Newspaper Society (INS) when
the credit period was proposed to be reduced from 75 to 45 days. Finally we agreed on 60 days,
with the rider that "no changes would be made in the Accreditation Rules without mutual
consultation and consent" of INS and AAAI. In 1991, when the proposal came to reduce this 60
days to 45 days, it was persuasively defended. Since then INS and AAAI meet regularly with
respect to matters that concern both bodies.
AAAI has been behind the National Readership Survey as a joint industry initiative in
collaboration with INS and ABC. Having felt the need for a self-regulating body in Advertising,
AAAI was highly supportive to the formation of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

Similarly, AAAI encouraged the formation of Indian Broadcasting Foundation so that it could
address the needs of TV channels. About 4 years back, AAAI signed a unique Agreement with
IBF, which codified the working relationship between the members of IBF and AAAI in the
matter of placing and paying for the ads. This initiative has been a resounding success for both
sides.

AAAI enjoys a healthy relationship with Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA). Time and again,
AAAI has been called upon by its members to resolve disputes with advertisers for which formal
Arbitration proceedings have been conducted. AAAI also assists our members to collect payment
from defaulting advertisers.

In summary, AAAI, over the last six decades, has stood by its members and have protected their
business interests, be it in dialogue with Government, media bodies or advertisers; AAAI has
regulated its members in the orderly conduct of their business affairs, whenever the need arose;
And last, but not the least, AAAI provided a platform for training of advertising professionals,
recognition of creative work through its coveted Triple-A Awards and honouring outstanding
advertising men through its AAAI-Premnarayen Award.

AAAI has thus come a long way from its humble beginnings 60 years ago. But as they say, the
future is always more exciting than the past.

AAAI is alive to the changes that the future holds out and the next decade would be a stimulating
period, ushering the advertising industry in newer challenges and opportunities.

Source: http://www.aaaindia.org

REASONS FOR HIRING AN AD AGENCY

Advertising is a highly complex business. It requires multifaceted expertise and experience. It

involves objectivity, huge investments and many other things. The following are the reasons why
advertisers hire agencies:

• Expertise and experience

• Objectivity and professionalism
• Cost effectiveness
• Specialized services
FULL SERVICE AGENCIES

These agencies offer all services to execute the client’s advertising campaign. The services they
offer include:

FUNCTIONS SERVICES DEPARTMENTS

Account management Account services Accounts department
Research function Research services Research department
Creative function Creative services Creative department
Media function Media services Media department

The medias ad agencies use for advertising the products or services:

1900- 1990s 1990s & beyond

Newspapers and magazines Electronic catalogues
Radio, TV, Cinema, Cable Online services
Direct mail E- mail
Outdoor media CD- ROM
Transit media Internet, interactive TV