4A's Surveys and Reports

The 4A’s strives to support your business and operational requirements, and to identify opportunities to reinforce the dynamics of a strong agency/marketer relationship. One way we deliver this is through the creation, design, and development of benchmarking studies to provide invaluable insight and data.

A complete list of our recent surveys is provided below as well as what’s in development this year. The list provides links to learn more of each completed study as well as the opportunity to request copies of each report and access to the digital dashboard where available. Please note that access to 4A’s survey data may be limited to specific individuals/roles in the agency.

Thank you for your continued support and participation in sharing data to ensure the surveys are substantive, informative, and, most importantly, timely.

Surveys and Member Information Exchanges (MIEs)

Major-Market Surveys – 2024

Name: Practice Area: Month of Release: Completion Status:
Analysis of Agency Costs Finance In Development In the Field
Media Compensation Survey Finance In Development In Development
Employee Compensation Survey HR In Development In Development
Employee Benefits Overview HR In Development In Development
2025 Planned and 2024 Actual Salary Increases Finance In Development In Development

Major-Market Surveys – 2023

Name: Practice Area: Month of Release: Completion Status:
New Business Activities & Resources New Business Feb 2023 Completed
Diversity Survey Human Resources June 2023 Completed
Billing Rate Benchmark Survey (a.k.a LBR) Finance October 2023 Completed
2023 Employee Compensation (a.k.a Salary Survey) Agency Management November 2023 Completed
2024 Planned & 2023 Actual Salary Increases Agency Management December 2023 Completed

Major-Market Surveys – 2022

Name: Practice Area: Month of Release: Completion Status:
2023 Planned & 2022 Actual Salary Increases Finance Dec 2022 Completed
2022 Employee Compensation (a.k.a. Salary Survey) Agency Management Nov 2022 Completed
2022 Employee
Benefits Overview
Human Resources July 2022 Completed

Major-Market Surveys – 2021

Name: Practice Area: Month of Release (2021): Completion Status:
Training within 4A’s Member Agencies* Human Resources April 2021  Completed
Labor Billing Rates  Finance  August 2021  Completed
Health Plans within 4A’s Member Agencies*  Human Resources October 2021  Completed
Return to Office Agency Management  November 2021  Completed
Employee Compensation (Salary)  Human Resources  November 2021 Completed
Planned Salary Increases for 2022 and Actual Increase 2021* Finance December 2021  Completed
Diversity in Agencies* Human Resources December 2021  Completed

*For those surveys with no links provided, please contact Helen Miranda for further information.

Major-Market Surveys – 2020

Name: Practice Area: Month of Release (2020): Completion Status:
Employee Benefits Overview Human Resources March Completed
 Analysis of Agency Costs  Finance  June  Completed
 Employee Compensation (Salary)  Human Resources  November  Completed
 Management Benchmarks  Finance  December  Completed
Diversity Survey Human Resources September Completed
 Return to Office  Agency Mgt.  September  Completed
 Agency Growth Agency Mgt.  September  Completed
 Organizational Design  Agency Mgt.  October  Completed

 

Member Information Exchanges (MIEs)

MIEs are quick-turnaround surveys/polls that are typically initiated at the request of 4A’s members on topics of interest. Each MIE consists of a limited number of questions and are designed to provide a response to members within a 2-week period.

 

To purchase archived survey reports from past years,
please contact Helen Miranda.

4A’s Digital Operations and Compensation Survey – Phase I |

This survey provides important information about agency digital operations including revenue sources, relationship structures, monetization of I.P., and digital services agreements.

4A’s Media Compensation Survey |

Survey on Media Compensation Methodologies and Equivalent / Effective Commission Ratios. The survey requested information pertaining to methods of compensation relating solely to compensation for media services. Survey participants were asked to report “equivalent/effective commission rates” used for various media buying and planning services, regardless of the methods of compensation in use at their agencies. […]

4A’s Agency Billing Practices and Client Payment Terms Survey |

This report provides information on the billing and payment arrangements of 4A’s members for Network TV, Production, Agency Compensation and other paid media channels, for their ten largest clients.

4A’s Agency Performance Incentive Compensation Survey Report |

This survey report features results from 168 member agencies, representing 600 client relationships and provides information on many aspects of incentive compensation including prevalence, structure, and amount; correlation with business relationship and base compensation; agency/client relationship management; and performance incentive criteria.

4A’s New Business Activity and Process Adherence Survey

The intent of the 4A’s New Business Activity & Process Adherence Survey was to gather information about: (1) levels of new business activity and (2) review process dynamics. Please contact Sal Conte at [email protected] for a copy of the survey.

New Business Surveys

4A’s/ANA Agency/Advertiser Value Survey In the late spring of 2007, the 4A’s and the Association of National Advertisers conducted parallel surveys designed to assess agency and client attitudes and activities in four areas: How agencies add value to the client’s business How advertisers add value to the agency/client relationship The degree of interest in value-based […]