Advertising agencies allegedly offering unauthorized discounts on INS member publications' ad inventory

Unfair business practices by advertising agencies raise concerns as the INS (Indian Newspaper Society claims to have received complaints about agencies offering to sell print inventory at deep discounts not authorized by the publications.

Mary Paul, secretary of the INS wrote to all accredited agencies and member publications on Monday about the same.

“Once again, it has been brought to the notice of IANS that some advertising agencies are indulging in unfair business practices and pitching for clients by giving heavily discounted rates on behalf of member publications of INS without obtaining approvals from the publications concerned’.

The practice is viewed as both untoward and detrimental to healthy business relationships within the industry. As per the letter, it is also a direct contravention of the provisions of the agreement executed by agencies in terms of rules and regulations governing accreditation of advertising agencies and media services agencies.

“All the agencies are there for once again advised to refrain from indulging in such practices, failing which the society shall be constrained to take strong action, not limited to issuing a Notice of Disaccreditation, for which the agencies concerned will be responsible for all the consequences thereof,” read the letter.