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Unruly unites advertisers and agencies in bid to ‘clean up’ digital marketing

Major advertisers and agencies have come together in a new organisation to clean up digital marketing and to build a “higher standard of openness and honesty”.

The U7 is the creation of News Corp-owned Unruly which said brands have been force-fed solutions from adtech firms.

A “client-powered” independent council includes senor executives from Diageo, Samsung, Nestle, Unilever, L’Oreal, GSK, American Express and IHG. Agencies on the council include WPP agency Wavemaker, Havas and Dentsu.

It met for the first time this week.

“We want to prove that adtech can live up to a higher standard of openness and honest,” Unruly chief executive Norm Johnston said. “For too long clients have had to put up with solutions forced upon them from adtech companies.

“The U7 puts brands and agencies in the driving seat. We’re bringing clients inside every team of Unruly from product development to business practices, and we’ve brought together an incredible bunch of people for some provocative and inspiring discussion.”

Unruly said the purpose of the U7 is to create dialogue between agencies and advertisers to ensure brands play an “active role in the future of digital marketing”.

Unilever EVP global media Luis Di Como said the company has previously stressed the need to rebuild trust in digital media.

“Back in February we said we needed to collectively rebuild trust into our digital systems and wider society,” he said. “Unilever committed to not investing in platforms that do not protect children or create division in society, creating responsible content and only partnering with organisations who are committed to creating a better digital infrastructure.

“Scaling this digital responsibility framework across the industry is the action we need which is why I am very excited to join the U7 council and to collaborate with like-minded advertisers.”

 

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