The Small Business Advertising Agency Code of Conduct

Before hiring an advertising agency or marketing firm for your small business, ask if they honor the advertising agency code of conduct.

Why the need for an advertising agency code of conduct? A code sets of rules, outlining the norms, rules and responsibilities of, and proper practices for an individual or members of a group or organization. A code has value as both an internal guideline and an external statement of corporate values and commitments.

In this case, we apply these rules and norms to any small business ad agency or marketing company in Kansas City and beyond. We’ve added “small business” because a good code of conduct should resonate both internally and externally for the small business leader, who often adheres to his or her personal or industry’s own code of conduct.

Often, a code of conduct is written in first person. For example, the first rule for The Code of Conduct for the United States military reads, “I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life.”

For our advertising agency code of conduct, we speak in the collective “we” first person voice.

The Advertising Agency Code of Conduct

1. We represent our advertising client’s business and brand with the utmost respect for all those employed, served and impacted by the company’s products and services.
2. We always honor the history of the client’s company and brand, regardless of past performance.
3. We protect our advertising agency client’s assets as if they were our own. A dollar saved is a dollar earned.
4. We creatively represent our client’s brand with advertising and marketing that benefits the company, not our creative egos.
5. We use media and technology to help our client with brand promotion via great advertising and marketing, not for any other reason.
6. We will always use contemporary best practices in advertising and marketing, even if it means investing in our own continuous education.
7. We will retain and protect our client’s intellectual property in our advertising products and creative development.
8. We will protect our client from cyber risks by using contemporary technology to secure all advertising and marketing assets.
9. We will protect our client from delays, costs and interruptions caused by employee turnover by creating a dynamic advertising agency and workforce.
10. We will admit and own our failures, hold ourselves accountable and accept responsibility, despite any cost.

The code of conduct is common sense and a fair way to conduct business, but unlike other small business partners, an advertising agency or marketing firm has a unique set of obligations to its clients because brands are at stake. Whether you are Kansas City small business owner or a Kansas City area advertising agency, take a minute to read the code of conduct and think about how it affects pretty much every aspect of the relationship between you and your clients.