4A’s Support for Advertising Self- Regulation through New BBB National Programs Organization

As you know, the 4A’s works to advance the success of the advertising industry in part through our support and stewardship of advertising self-regulatory programs. For almost 50 years, the advertising industry has supported advertising self-regulatory programs that  have earned the well-deserved reputation as the “gold standard” for self-regulation and been recognized in the US and internationally for their impartiality, transparency, and accountability .[1] The 4A’s was a founding partner of the National Advertising Review Council, later renamed the Advertising Self-Regulatory Council (ASRC), which provides oversight for these programs and sets their policies and procedures. The ASRC currently does this in partnership with the Council of Better Business Bureau (CBBB), which administers the programs.

I am writing to inform you of an important organizational change that will improve the governance of these programs and provide a platform for even greater success.

As the next step in its own evolution, the CBBB is currently in the process of restructuring into two separate nonprofit organizations that will each have their own board of directors and staff. One of those organizations, BBB National Programs, Inc. (BBB NP), will be focused solely on self-regulation and dispute resolution programs currently administered by the CBBB, including the advertising self-regulatory programs.  In recognition of BBB NP’s singular focus on these programs, the ASRC has agreed to merge into the BBB NP effective June 1, 2019.  In order to continue the advertising industry’s support of advertising self-regulatory programs, BBB NP will include on its board of directors representatives of the ASRC’s four core associations  — the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the Association of American Advertising Agencies (4A’s), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Both the CBBB and ASRC boards of directors believe that the new BBB NP organization presents an opportunity to continue the growth and development of not only of our advertising self -regulation programs, but also business self-regulation in general. In particular, we believe that the new organization’s sharper focus on supporting existing national self-regulatory efforts and developing new programs will provide an opportunity for improved governance and growth while maintaining the quality and integrity of the existing programs. Be assured that the 4A’s will continue its participation in and support of advertising self -regulation through its designated seat on the new BBB NP board of directors as part of our continued work in support of the advertising industry.

Please feel free to contact Marla Kaplowitz (President & CEO) or Dick O’Brien (EVP, Government Relations) with any questions about these changes.

[1] These programs include the National Advertising Division (NAD), the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), the Electronic Retailing Self-Regulatory Program (ERSP) and the Online Interest Based Advertising Accountability Program (IBA)


[1] These programs include the National Advertising Division (NAD), the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), the Electronic Retailing Self-Regulatory Program (ERSP) and the Online Interest Based Advertising Accountability Program (IBA)