SHELTON, Connecticut and LISLE, Illinois.—The two nonprofit media auditing organizations, the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) and BPA Worldwide, unanimously approved a proposed merger in January.
The AAM was founded in 1914 by the Association of National Advertisers to help ensure media transparency and trust between advertisers and media companies.. BPA is an accredited third-party auditor of compliance with established guidelines across the global events industry. Its audience and exhibitor reports are used by trade and consumer shows, and it is a member of International Exhibitions and Events Association (IAEE) and an approved auditor for UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry.
The goals of the combined organization will be to maintain the same high level of service at a low cost as a nonprofit; streamline media buying and selling through a single data destination; and offer a suite of assurance services, enabling buyers to maximize the return on their media investments across all channels (websites, newsletters, events, print, out-of-home, podcasts and ad tech) and across a variety of compliance areas, from advertising to privacy to sustainability.
Related. BPA Acquires Global Data Platform VSef
Richard Murphy, president and CEO of BPA Worldwide, said the combined organization plans to expand its support to its trade show, exhibition and industry partners. “Globally, we are working with organizations to audit their exhibition data to achieveUFI Approved Eventstatus. Through the acquisition ofVSef“With the development of the Reporting Standards for Digital Events (RSDE) and the complementary development of the Reporting Standards for Digital Events (RSDE), we are helping the industry develop common data structures and definitions to accelerate information sharing and digital commerce. And we will continue to work with key industry partners, such as the Events Industry Council, to increase awareness and compliance with ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards in the events industry,” Murphy said.
AAM and BPA members will vote on the merger in January. Subject to member and regulatory approval, the merger is expected to close next spring. AAM CEO and Managing Director Tom Drouillard will serve as CEO and Murphy as President.
More information is available in the AAM/BPA Merger Resource Center.
Contact Richard Murphy at (203) 447-2800 or RMurphy@bpaww.com