What to gather before a media audit
A media audit checks how advertising money was spent against what was agreed. The word audit covers several different jobs, so the first task is deciding which one you need. Then you can gather the records that match.
An industry association guide on agency audits describes five types: financial contract compliance and fee audits, media compliance and verification audits, media quality audits, media benchmark audits and production audits. Each looks at different records. A partner firm can help you choose, but a rough idea saves time.
Decide what you want answered
Pick the question that bothers you most:
- Did the agency bill what the contract allows?
- Did the ads run as planned and as invoiced?
- Were the placements of acceptable quality?
- Are the rates in line with others in the market?
- Were production costs billed correctly?
You can pick more than one. Write your questions in a few lines and include them with your request. [CONFIRM: a partner firm supplies and approves which audit types it offers]
Contracts and agreements
Collect every document that governs the relationship with an agency or media seller:
- The master services agreement and any renewals
- Statements of work and fee schedules
- Compensation terms, including commissions, markups and rebates
- Rules on how the agency may buy, such as principal or agent terms
- Audit rights clauses
- Termination terms
Pay attention to anything that says who owns the rebates, discounts and credits that media sellers give. Reviews often turn on that wording. [VERIFY: contract language on rebates and audit rights, reviewed by counsel]
Plans and orders
Plans show intent. Gather:
- Media plans by campaign, with channels, dates and budgets
- Insertion orders or equivalent buying documents
- Revisions and change approvals
- Client approvals of plans and estimates
If approvals happened by email, export those threads. A partner firm will compare plan to order to invoice.
Invoices and payment records
Gather, for the period under review:
- Agency invoices and estimates
- Media seller invoices, where you receive them
- Payment history by agency and by campaign
- Credit notes, make-goods and refunds
- Reconciliations your own team prepared
Keep invoices tied to campaigns using whatever job or PO number your team uses. The firm needs to match billing to activity.
Proof of delivery
Invoices state what was supposed to run. Proof shows what did. Depending on channels, that may include:
- Broadcast or streaming reports
- Digital platform reports and exports
- Publisher tear sheets or affidavits
- Outdoor installation records or photographs
- Third-party verification reports, if you commissioned any
Ask your agency for the raw platform data, not only a summary deck. If the agency will not provide it, record that fact. It tells the firm something.
Production costs
If production is in scope, add:
- Production estimates and approvals
- Vendor invoices passed through
- Statements showing markup or handling fees
- Usage rights and talent payment records
Internal contacts and known concerns
Name your marketing lead, the person who approves invoices and someone in finance. List any concerns that prompted the audit, such as a campaign that underperformed or a fee that rose without notice.
Agencies sometimes feel uneasy about audits, and findings can be contested. Plan how you will inform them. Read Keeping vendor relationships intact.
Checklist before you submit
- Write the questions you want answered.
- Collect contracts, amendments and fee schedules.
- Gather plans, orders and approvals.
- Export invoices and payment history.
- Request raw proof of delivery.
- Add production records if needed.
- Name your contacts.
Next steps
See Media audit for the service overview and Common media billing errors for patterns reviewers examine. Then use Request a professional. Fairview connects you with a partner firm. The firm performs the audit.
Sources
Tell us what you need reviewed. We match you by hand with an independent partner firm. You keep your existing vendors.Find out what you are overpaying.