TMG launches blockchain-powered media agency, Truth

Truth CEO Mary Keane Dawson and COO Adan
Hopkinson, flank Adam Graham, CEO of TMG

TMG (The Marketing Group Plc) has launched Truth, which it says will be the first media agency in the world to use blockchain smart contract technology to provide advertisers with 100 per cent transparency in a media industry labelled by P&G chief brand officer Mark Pritchard at the start of the year as “murky at best, and fraudulent at worst”. In addition, Truth says its proprietary media buying and planning platforms will ensure global best practice and complete GDPR compliance.

Truth will be headed up by Mary Keane-Dawson who joined TMG earlier in 2017, and Adam Hopkinson who joins as COO from 1 December. TMG said it has launched Truth in response to the erosion of trust between advertisers, media agencies and media owners, in an industry “where middlemen and the layers involved in media planning and buying can easily strip 80 per cent of the value between brands and media owners”.

As part of its launch activity, Truth commissioned a study, carried out by London Research, among CMOs and others with budget responsibility for programmatic advertising, in which 79 per cent of those questioned said they were concerned about the level of transparency in programmatic advertising and over one third rated their trust in their agency as medium or low. The full research report will be published “shortly”.

“By bringing blockchain technology into the media world we will build a cleaner media supply chain with 100 per cent transparency. We want to put the client first and believe this is the best way to do that,” Keane Dawson said.

Truth is launching with offices in London, San Francisco, Singapore and Sydney.