IMAA announces new group deal arrangements for members
The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), the national, not-for-profit industry association for the independent media agency industry, has signed a series of group deal arrangements for its members, offering them savings on industry reporting, training and media tools.
The group deal arrangements, brokered by the IMAA, offer members access to reporting and training tools from several companies at a reduced group rate, allowing members to save up to 50% in some cases.
IMAA founders and leadership team
Current participants include Nielsen, Roy Morgan, WARC, Amobee, consumer data business Fonto and digital marketing training company, Digital Brief.
The group deal arrangements will be updated quarterly and offered to all new and existing members. IMAA general manager, Sam Buchanan, said: “Our members have told us these tools are invaluable for their businesses but are often priced out of reach. This latest group deals arrangement is an opportunity for indies to access those essential industry tools. It’s just another way we’re paving the way for independent agencies to effectively compete in the marketplace.”
The Media Store’s COO, and member of the IMAA leadership team, Jacquie Alley, helped to broker the group arrangements.
“This game changing offering to IMAA members goes a long way in democratising our industry data and systems which for too long have been commercially restrictive for many. It will not only clean up some murky data access but level the playing field for indies to offer clients the same gold standard tool suites,” Alley said.
“I am so proud of what we have already brokered for our members, with many more tech partners showing an appetite to come on board too. The offerings come with no kickbacks to the IMAA, are structured for both small and larger agencies and in many cases are a bespoke package, tailored specifically to the needs of indies.”
The IMAA has hosted a webinar for members to explain the arrangements with spokespeople from Nielsen, WARC and Roy Morgan.
Roy Morgan’s chief digital officer, Howard Seccombe, said: “Roy Morgan has a long history of working with Australia’s independent media agencies and we are pleased to extend this support to all IMAA members. As an independently owned Australian company ourselves, we feel a strong sense of connection to the independent agency sector. Roy Morgan has been the trusted source of media currency data for many years and is used by agencies and publishers as a source of truth to evaluate and plan media. We look forward to supporting IMAA members throughout their COVID-19 recovery and growth phase.”
Last week, the IMAA launched its own campaign to promote the benefits of indies to companies and marketers nationally.
The campaign follows the IMAA last month publicly calling for the NSW Government to update its expression of interest for its master media account, which is seeking a “single media agency supplier, or panel of agencies from one media agency holding group”, effectively ruling out any Australia-owned indie agencies.
The body also launched a trade credit insurance deal for members earlier this year, with “more group deals to be announced shortly”, according to a statement today.
The deals program comes off the back of the IMAA successfully negotiating a world-first trade credit insurance group deal for members. Trade credit insurance protects agencies from bad debts, including unpaid invoices, caused by client bankruptcy and receivership. The group deal, successfully brokered by the IMAA, will see its members save up to 75% in some cases.
In February last year, the IMAA launched a new, national industry association with 20 founding members including Hyland, Kaimera, Pearman Media, Sandbox Media and The Media Store.
The IMAA now has more than 80 members, who receive a range of benefits including connection to a formalised network of industry leaders, a code of conduct, staff training, pitch support, IMAA certification and membership of the independent agency network, The Network One.
