Trade body for influencer marketing launches with industry support
A group of senior marketers have united to form The Influencer Marketing Trade Body (IMTB), with Whalar, Ogilvy and The Fifth among its founding members.
Influencer Marketing Trade Body launches
Launched at the Influencer Marketing Show by consultant Scott Guthrie, the landmark body has been set up to institutionalize influencer marketing and promote its reputation within the industry and society.
Established for influencer marketing agencies and influencer marketing platforms, the IMTB will represent members to politicians, policymakers, publications and the public.
Takumi, Inca and Tagger make up the other founding members, while board members include Dafydd Woodward, global managing director at Inca; Hannah Monds, managing director at Tagger; Akua Appiah-Ampofo, chief people officer for Takumi; Emma Harman, chief client officer at Whalar; Oliver Lewis, group managing director at The Fifth; and Rahul Titus, EMEA head of influence at Ogilvy.
The body has introduced its own code of conduct, memorandum of association and byelaws. Its code dictates that members should act honestly, fairly, transparently and with integrity, safeguard confidentiality, demonstrate responsibility, accountability and competence.
The IMTB has put out a call to partner with adjacent industry bodies and regulators, as well as educators to share best practice.
First steps are to connect with similar bodies in other areas to share locally and globally relevant industry information and to draft a whitepaper that pertains to diversity, equity and inclusion.
In the group’s early iteration, its members have provided written evidence to the DCMS inquiry into influencer culture and advised the ISBA on its own influencer marketing code of conduct, which was launched in September.
Influencer marketing has come under fire in recent years from Unilever, which called out fraud within the ecosystem, and from the ASA naming and shaming high profile stars for flouting ad rules.