Alliance for Audited Media celebrates 100 years

The Alliance for Audited Media is celebrating its centennial this year. AAM was founded as the Audit Bureau of Circulations in 1914 to bring order, standards and credibility to the emerging advertising and mass media industry. Today, it remains a highly respected organization immersed in a media world in transformation, delivering a diverse range of print and digital audit services, information and expertise.

At the turn of the 20th century, newspaper and magazine publishers disclosed their own circulation, but the claims were dubious and confusing and went unverified. Advertising rates were consequently just as muddled, and advertisers were not confident in how their media budgets were spent. And in some cases – such as William Randolph Hearst's deadly rivalries with competing newspapers in Chicago – circulation wars were real. 

In 1914, a group of advertisers, led by the Association of National Advertising Managers (now the ANA), united with hundreds of advertising agencies and publishers to found the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The independent, tripartite auditing organization quickly brought transparency, trust and standards to advertising sales and became a model for other countries to follow. For 100 years, AAM's mission has remained consistent: provide independent, objective verification and information crucial to advertisers and the media they use.

"As media and advertising have evolved over the past century, the need for transparency and accountability is more important than ever," said Bob Liodice, president of the Association of National Advertisers. "On behalf of everyone affiliated with the ANA, we are enormously proud to have founded what is today known as the Alliance for Audited Media, we congratulate them on their century's worth of significant contributions to the advertising industry, and we continue to fully support their valuable mission."

Now just more than one year after rebranding in 2012, AAM is celebrating its history and future vision for the industry by hosting a series of member-focused events and sponsorships, launching a new advertising campaign, releasing new products and services, welcoming new members and honoring more than 200 charter members that have been a part of the organization since its inception. A new section of AAM's website is the hub for all centennial information, including an interactive timeline, historical facts, charter member list and more.

AAM's founding members in 1914 include such recognized names as the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Kraft Foods, Group M and Vogue. The organization's importance remains vital today and includes newer members like Adobe, Apple, Louis Vuitton and HGTV Magazine.

AAM has been a pioneer in bringing accountability to media over the past century and is responsible for a number of industry firsts. AAM was the first media auditor and paved the way for dozens of other media auditing organizations to form throughout North America and around the world. Additional background is available in this fact sheet.

AAM was founded to bring order in a time of uncertainty. With the emergence of new digital channels and myriad measurement organizations, many of the same issues in media still exist a century later. Today AAM helps its members to keep pace in the new world of media with a number of relevant initiatives aimed at a diverse cross-media marketplace, such as:  

• Deepening AAM's digital expertise with audits of publishing platforms such as the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite.
• Broadening membership by acquiring the Certified Audit of Circulations and allowing all publications – whether free or paid – to join AAM.
• Implementing a new phase of consolidated media reporting across all divisions. Newspapers are the first to begin filing more frequent circulation and digital engagement metrics. Business publications will follow suit in the first half of 2014.
• Building the AAM's Media Intelligence Center into the source for detailed cross-channel data available for 2,000 of North America's top media brands.   
• Launching a new member entitlement program for advertisers with the intention of adding 100 new advertisers to its member roster.

"AAM stands for accountability in a changing industry," said AAM President and Managing Director Mike Lavery. "In short, AAM provides the tools necessary for advertising to efficiently be bought and sold. And consequently, AAM's success is the success of all in the advertising and publishing industries. With our solid foundation, gold standard reputation, timeless mission, dedication to our tripartite membership and guidance from our world-class board of directors, AAM is positioned to be an industry leader in 2014 and beyond."