Letter to the editor: Self-congratulation instead of transparency

 
Letter to the editor Open letter to the board of the bsw leading swiss agencies. 
As an industry association, the bsw swiss leading agencies has the clearly defined task of representing its member agencies to the outside world, positioning them correctly and minimizing possible negative influences. Original excerpt from the statutes: "As the major advertising and communication agencies in Switzerland are represented in bsw leading swiss agencies, the association can perform its role as the professional organization of Swiss advertising and communication agencies from a position of strength. It represents the interests of its members vis-à-vis clients, the media, the public and the authorities. bsw leading swiss agencies is committed to working conditions and fees that enable outstanding advertising work and appropriate profitability. On the other hand, the association supports a strict media policy that focuses on customer benefit as its primary goal.
In principle, there is nothing to be said against creating an agency ranking on this basis. It helps the advertising industry to get a transparent picture of the current situation of the agencies. Transparency is an important message when it comes to correcting the image of an industry that is still tainted by a lack of transparency and rip-offs.
This is the crux of the matter. Not only is the published ranking not representative of the advertising industry, but even worse, it is not even representative of the association. If it were at least an internal ranking for the association - but no, this incomplete list is published on a broad scale.
Why this incompleteness? The advertising agencies of the two largest agency networks in the world were unable to participate in the Swiss agency ranking despite repeated requests. The reason: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applies to these agencies. Despite certain relaxations, it still does not permit the publication of business figures.
Let's assume that large and major advertising agencies such as
AY&R, Ogilvy & Mather, JWT+H+F, Grey, TBWA and the associated media agencies, internet agencies and direct marketing agencies are likely to publish their figures - this would cause a significant shift in the ranking. Consequently, the published ranking is not representative, a distorted picture of the advertising industry. And an act of uncollegiality. It is also stated in the statutes:
"Consequently, as a member of bsw leading swiss agencies, you can count on the solidarity of the other member agencies."
How does this go hand in hand with the branding of agencies that are not allowed to publish their figures, even if they would like to in the interests of transparency?
In this context, the official statement by bsw-leading swiss-agencies Managing Director Walter Merz in the press is particularly interesting: "The agency has refused to take part in the ranking and, following its publication, is now declaring itself to be a top 5 agency without any proof. This is unconventional, but also unfair. TBWA is clearly not a top 5 agency for the bsw, at least not until the agency creates transparency and provides the association with the relevant figures."
Unfair on the part of the agency? Rather, it is unfair on the part of bsw swiss leading agencies, which simply refuses to accept the fact that large agencies are not ranked for reasons beyond their control. In doing so, it is encouraging a blatant distortion of the market and putting a significant proportion of its members at a gross disadvantage.
The association's board and, in this case, its managing director would do well not to get caught up in any false arguments and only talk about transparency when they actually deliver it. After all, the published figures still leave enough room for skepticism and speculation.
This once again leaves a bland aftertaste and confirms a prejudice that our customers have always accused us of: Self-congratulation instead of transparency.
Remy Fabrikant, CEO JWT+H+F