Trendsetters: Angela Saferite Shares Advertisers' Top 10 Rules for Media Transparency

Angela Saferite spent a 25-year career at Anheuser Busch InBev in financial and control roles, as well as in positions that directed media operations and governance, including Director of Operations for Media, Sports & Entertainment Marketing. In that role, she was responsible for managing in-house media operations and managing a budget of more than $1 billion.

Today, she is a sought-after specialist is marketing operations and provides guidelines and advice in agency transitions and governance, media audits, business process studies, compliance, advertising production and budget management.

At a recent Internationalist Think Tank on organizing for media transparency in a global world, Angela Saferite shared her personal Top 10 List of things advertisers should do if they are serious about complying with today's new rules for media transparency. A realist with long and varied professional experience, her advice may initially surprise some. Yet, upon understanding her complete perspective, one realizes the value of her step-by-step approach. For example, she often recommends against starting with an audit—interesting advice from someone who began her career as a Deloitte & Touche auditor. Instead, her approach is to learn and gather key facts and KPIs first, then consider the right type of audit later.

Following the ANA's Report on Media Transparency and the new goals of ANA Chairman Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at Procter & Gamble, more marketers want to better understand the mechanisms that drive greater media transparency. They also need to espouse global best practice and provide clear guidelines to their agencies.

Angela Saferite's Top 10 List is deceptively simple; however, the insights, nuances and broad knowledge she brings to each element builds a framework that works for all manner and size of marketer in every category. Her list follows, in chronological focus:

1. Complete an assessment of the current environment
2. Understand the business planning cycle, marketing strategy, modeling, campaigns, IMC process, briefing, etc.
3. Analyze and understand the media spend
4. Review the metrics and KPI's determining performance
5. Collaborate with Procurement and Legal to understand and review contracts
6. Partner with Audit and Risk Management Departments
7. Establish or improve “Marketing Operations”
8. Implement media governance best practices
9. Perform appropriate types of audits and contract reviews
10. Educate, train and develop media core competencies with internal team members

You can read a more detailed approach to Angela Saferite's thinking in the next edition of The Internationalist magazine — online or in print.

Angela shared the stage at the Media Transparency Think Tank with P.J. Leary and Tom Denford. P.J. Leary, now founder of PJL Media, is the recent Chairman, North America & Executive Director, Media Value Measurement of Ebiquity. He played an instrumental role in the ANA Media Transparency Study. Tom Denford is the Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of media change consultancy, ID Comms. Tom is one of the world's most trusted advisors to senior marketing and procurement leaders on navigating media and digital transformation.

Angela Saferite has a foundation in audit and control as she began her career with Deloitte & Touche and her first position at AB InBev was in the audit role. That discipline and skill set served her well as she transitioned into the business side and focused on Marketing and Media.

Prior to her operations role in marketing, Angela directed the Planning and Performance Management Team responsible for implementing zero based budgeting with the AB InBev transition, financial projections, delivering savings and implementing global policies and procedures.

Her most recent position was Director of Operations for Media, Sports & Entertainment Marketing where she managed in house media operations and a budget of $1 billion.

She has served on the Association of National Advertisers Financial Management Committee and judged the North American Effie Awards recognizing efficient marketing campaigns.