Question 1

What is a media audit and why do I need one?

Accepted Answer

A media audit is an independent, comprehensive review of your advertising spend, media buying practices, and agency relationships. It examines whether you're getting fair value for your investment, identifies hidden costs, and uncovers optimisation opportunities. You need one because most businesses lack the specialist knowledge to scrutinise complex media contracts and buying practices effectively. Our audits save clients an average of 17% of annual media spend, uncovering hidden rebates, undisclosed agency fees, audience overlap, and suboptimal channel allocation. Even well-run campaigns benefit from an objective external review. Think of it as a financial health check for your marketing budget, essential for ensuring every pound is working as hard as possible to deliver results for your business.

Question 2

How long does a media audit take?

Accepted Answer

The timeline depends on the audit scope and complexity of your media arrangements. A digital media audit typically takes 4-6 weeks, a full advertising audit 6-8 weeks and a holistic audit of every channel and agency 8-10 weeks, from initiation to final presentation. The process involves initial data gathering (1-2 weeks), detailed analysis (2-4 weeks), findings validation (1 week), and report preparation with recommendations (1 week). We work efficiently to minimise disruption whilst ensuring thoroughness. Throughout the process, we maintain regular communication and provide progress updates. If you have urgent concerns or specific deadlines, we can often expedite certain elements. The investment of time is modest compared to the long-term value gained.

Question 3

How much does a media audit cost?

Accepted Answer

Our fees are project-based and tailored to your specific requirements, media spend levels, and audit scope. For most mid-market companies, a comprehensive audit ranges from £15,000 to £45,000. This represents excellent value when you consider the average client saves 17% of their annual advertising budget, with many achieving even greater returns. In most cases, the savings identified in the first year substantially exceed our fee, often by a factor of five to ten. We provide transparent, fixed-price quotes with no hidden costs or ongoing commitments. During your initial consultation, we'll discuss your needs and provide a detailed proposal. We also offer flexible payment terms and can structure engagements to suit your budget cycles. The investment pays for itself many times over.

Question 4

What's included in your audit process?

Accepted Answer

Our audit is comprehensive and examines every aspect of your media investment. We review all contracts and commercial terms, analyse buying practices and cost structures, evaluate media plans against your objectives, assess targeting accuracy and audience quality, examine performance data across channels, investigate rebate arrangements and hidden fees, benchmark your costs against industry standards, review agency processes and governance, check compliance with brand safety requirements, and assess attribution models and measurement frameworks. You receive a detailed written report with findings prioritised by impact, actionable recommendations with implementation roadmaps, benchmarking data showing how you compare to peers, contract review with specific negotiation points, and strategic guidance for improving ROI. We also offer a presentation to your stakeholders and follow-up support to help implement recommendations effectively.

Question 5

Will this damage my relationship with my current agency?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. Quite the opposite. Professional agencies understand that audits are a normal part of good governance and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate their value. We approach audits collaboratively, not confrontationally. Many agencies actually request regular audits because independent validation strengthens client relationships and provides useful feedback for improving their service. We're experienced in facilitating productive dialogue between clients and agencies. Our goal isn't to find fault but to identify opportunities for optimisation that benefit everyone. In fact, agencies often implement our recommendations enthusiastically because they lead to better campaign performance. If an agency reacts negatively to a reasonable audit request, that itself tells you something important. Strong partnerships are built on transparency and trust; an audit reinforces both. Most importantly, you have every right to understand how your money is being spent.

Question 6

How is your audit different from an agency self-audit?

Accepted Answer

Agency self-audits suffer from an inherent conflict of interest: it's like asking students to mark their own exams. Whilst agencies may conduct internal reviews, they can't provide the objectivity and independence that external scrutiny delivers. We have no vested interest in maintaining the status quo or protecting existing arrangements. Our analysis examines areas agencies are unlikely to critique honestly, such as fee structures, rebate arrangements, buying practices, and contract terms. We benchmark against genuinely independent industry data, not selective comparisons. We identify systemic issues and market inefficiencies that agencies may not recognise or may benefit from. Our expertise spans multiple agencies and buying models, giving us comparative insights no single agency possesses. Most importantly, we work exclusively for you, with your interests as our sole priority. The investment in independent audit typically uncovers issues worth multiples of the audit fee, issues self-audits simply won't reveal.

Question 7

What results can I expect from an audit?

Accepted Answer

Most clients achieve significant measurable improvements across multiple dimensions. Financial savings average 17% of annual media spend, though many clients achieve 25-35% through better contract terms, elimination of hidden fees, improved buying efficiency, and more effective channel allocation. Beyond direct cost savings, you'll benefit from enhanced campaign performance through better targeting, improved attribution and measurement frameworks, stronger governance and transparency, clearer agency accountability, optimised media mix based on your specific objectives, and strategic recommendations for future growth. We prioritise recommendations by impact and feasibility, creating a clear implementation roadmap. Some improvements deliver immediate results, whilst others build value over time. Importantly, you'll gain peace of mind knowing your media investment is being managed effectively and transparently. The knowledge and frameworks we provide continue delivering value long after the audit concludes.

Question 8

What happens after the audit is complete?

Accepted Answer

You receive a comprehensive report detailing all findings, with recommendations prioritised by potential impact and ease of implementation. We present our findings to your key stakeholders, ensuring everyone understands the opportunities and next steps. The report includes specific action points with clear implementation guidance, contract negotiation strategies with suggested language and terms, performance improvement roadmaps, and governance framework recommendations. Many clients engage us for implementation support, where we help negotiate improved contract terms, facilitate discussions with agencies, assist with RFPs if agency changes are warranted, provide ongoing monitoring and optimisation advice, and deliver training to build internal capability. However, there's no obligation; the audit stands alone as a valuable deliverable. Some clients implement recommendations independently, whilst others prefer our continued involvement. We remain available for questions and guidance. The audit creates a foundation for sustained improvement in your media investment effectiveness.

Question 9

What information do you need from me?

Accepted Answer

We require access to several key information sources, but we make the process as straightforward as possible. You'll need to provide media contracts and commercial agreements, recent billing statements (typically 12 months), campaign plans and media schedules, performance reports and analytics data, agency correspondence regarding strategy and recommendations, information about your business objectives and target audiences, and details of any specific concerns or focus areas. We provide a comprehensive checklist during onboarding and work flexibly around your data availability. Everything is handled under strict confidentiality agreements with secure file transfer protocols. We understand you're busy, so we minimise the data burden, as most information is already compiled for business purposes. If certain data is difficult to access, we'll work with what's available and note any limitations. Our team handles all analysis, so there's minimal ongoing time commitment required from you.

Question 10

How do you ensure confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality is absolutely paramount in our work. We maintain bank-grade security protocols for all client data, using encrypted file transfer systems and secure cloud storage with multi-factor authentication. All team members sign comprehensive non-disclosure agreements before accessing any client information. We never share client data, findings, or even the fact you're a client without explicit written permission. We handle personal data in line with UK GDPR. Data is retained only as long as necessary for the engagement, then securely destroyed. We keep strict information barriers between clients, even in the same sector. Our professional indemnity insurance provides additional protection. Many clients in sensitive sectors (finance, pharmaceuticals, government) trust us with highly confidential information. We can accommodate additional security requirements such as on-premises analysis or air-gapped systems if needed. Your trust is our most valuable asset, and we protect it rigorously.

Question 11

Do you work with specific industries?

Accepted Answer

We work across all sectors and industries, from retail and e-commerce to financial services, healthcare, professional services, consumer goods, education, and public sector organisations. Our methodology is sector-agnostic whilst our expertise allows us to understand industry-specific nuances such as regulatory constraints, seasonal patterns, customer lifetime values, and competitive dynamics. This breadth of experience is actually an advantage: we bring cross-sector insights and best practices that clients in any single industry might not discover independently. Whether you're B2B or B2C, direct response or brand-building, digital-first or omnichannel, we have relevant experience. We've audited media spends ranging from £500,000 to £50 million+ annually. If your industry has specific compliance requirements (financial services regulations, pharmaceutical advertising codes, etc.), we ensure our audit addresses these appropriately. The fundamental principles of media efficiency and effectiveness apply universally.

Question 12

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Getting started is straightforward and commitment-free. First, request a free contract review through our website or contact us directly. We'll schedule an initial consultation (typically 30-45 minutes) to understand your situation, media spend, current arrangements, specific concerns or objectives, and desired outcomes. This conversation is confidential and consultative; there's no hard sell. If an audit seems valuable, we'll provide a detailed proposal outlining scope, methodology, timeline, deliverables, and fixed-price fee. You can take time to review and discuss internally. Once you're ready to proceed, we execute confidentiality agreements and provide a data checklist. Our team begins work immediately upon receiving initial information. Throughout the engagement, you'll have a dedicated audit director as your primary contact. Most clients wish they'd started sooner: the insights and savings justify the modest time investment many times over. Contact us today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Media Audits

Working Relationships

Results & Expectations

Practical Considerations

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