IPA's Pringle claims agencies under pressure from Government to work for free
Hamish Pringle, director general of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has claimed that the Government is attempting to pressurise advertising agencies into working for free.
The Government, which has implemented a freeze on advertising spend until next year as part of public sector cost cutting measures, is apparently asking agencies to continue to work on its campaign for nothing says Pringle.
Speaking to The Guardian, Pringle said: "We know that at least two agencies have been leant on very heavily by the Cabinet Office through the Central Office of Information, to make concessions, in terms of remuneration, in a way we think is disproportionate and unjustified.”
"Some are being asked to do additional work without being paid for it. So, if an agency has produced a campaign, they are asked to carry on with it, for no more money."
He added the agencies are facing pressure to stand aside from implementing its intellectual property rights on campaigns they have devised also, but added that he was unaware of any agency to repay the COI.
"The crux of the matter is that these agencies have fought to get on the COI roster, it is a fantastic badge of honour," he said. "The pressures stem back to the formation of the coalition government in May and its attack on government advertising and marketing. My own belief is that we have been used as a stalking horse,” he continued.
"We are not sitting here saying there don't need to be cuts in public spending but we object to the lack of credence that the Cabinet Office has given to the quality of work done by agencies and the COI. We do absolutely think the UK needs to take a marketing approach to its problems, and that the creative industries are an important lubricant to the economy. If it makes cuts to the COI it should do so with regret. Instead, it's all been a waste of money."
The Drum is waiting on a response from the COI in relation to Pringle’s claims.