The rise of principal media - research spotlight

The ANA's (US) latest report, "The Continued Acceleration of Principal Media", shows that principal buying has moved firmly into the mainstream. More than half of client-side marketers surveyed now use principal media, and a growing share expect to use it in the year ahead.

Yet internal controls are weakening, not strengthening. Only 57% of advertisers say they have company guidelines for using principal media, down from 62% in 2024, even as adoption rises. Nine in ten cite uncertainty over whether principal media is truly in their best interests as a top concern, and over one-third say their contracts either do not address principal media or they are unsure whether they do.

ISBA's (UK) new guidance, "Proprietary Media: Transparency, Governance and Effectiveness", responds directly to these concerns in the UK market. The report sets out ten practical steps advertisers can take to evaluate and manage principal media offers.

ISBA also encourages brands to consider caps on the proportion of spend running through proprietary models and to align marketing, procurement and finance around a shared approach.

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