• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, July 18, 2016

The Association of National Advertisers is poised to release an “extensive set of recommendations designed to address non-transparent business practices” in the U.S. media-buying industry.

The recommendations, which will be published as part of a report the ANA commissioned Ebiquity/Firm Decisions to conduct, will be released at noon today, and the findings were characterized as intended to “elevate trust and restore confidence in the client/agency partnership.”

The relationship between agencies and their clients hit a low following last month’s release of an ANA report conducted by consultant K2 Intelligence, which characterized non-transparent practices, including agency kick-backs from the media, as being blatant and systemic.

Some critics, including members of the 4As, criticized the K2 report for citing anonymous sources and questioned its representativeness.