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World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)

Website:

wfanet.org/
Type:

Global membership association
Formation:

1953
Executive Director:

Stephan Loerke
Headquarters:

7th Floor, 140 Avenue Louise
Location:

Brussels, Belgium

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World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is a Brussels-based 1 federation that claims to represent client-side marketers 2 that account for 90 percent of the world’s annual marketing communications spending. 3

WFA runs a critical race theory-influenced “diversity and inclusion hub,” 4 has produced a guide to “progressive gender portrayals in advertising,” 5 and suggests that its members reach out to LGBT advocacy organizations including GLAAD. 6 In 2020, WFA called for firms to stop using the terms “blacklist” and “whitelist” in media and advertising campaigns, claiming they were racially charged. 7

WFA has worked with global organizations such as the World Economic Forum (WEF)­­­­­­, World Health Organization, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to identify what it calls “best practice standards” for marketing. 8

History and Leadership

World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) was founded by Metello Rossi di Montelera in 1953 when he convened different advertising associations from Italy, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland in Stresa, Italy. 9

Stephan Loerke has been the chief executive officer of WFA since 2003. Lorke has said that WFA has a responsibility to make advertising more diverse and inclusive as a “measure of common progress.” 10 Prior to joining WFA, Loerke worked at United Nations headquarters in New York City. 11

WFA is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and has an office in London, England. 12

Activities and Funding

World Federation of Advertisers is an international organization that represents client-side marketers, not agencies, media owners, or vendors. 13 WFA’s member organizations represent 90 percent of the world’s annual marketing communications spend, equivalent to approximately $900 billion each year. Its American members include Association of National Advertisers (ANA), 14 Bank of America, CVS, General Motors, IBM Corporation, Mastercard, McDonalds, Microsoft, Nike, Coca Cola Company, The Walt Disney Company, Visa, Walmart, and others. 15

WFA hosts working groups on marketing capabilities, agency management, in-house advertising work, media sourcing, insight, the critical race theory-influenced concepts of diversity and inclusion, digital governance, policy action, responsible advertising and children, and others. 16 WFA offers marketing benchmarking and matchmaking services, hosts Digital Governance Exchange, 17 and conducts research based on survey responses for its members, often with the intent to raise global industry standards on media and marketing issues. 18

WFA also works with international organizations including the World Economic Forum (WEF)­­­­­­, World Health Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to define what WFA identifies as “best practice standards” for marketing. 19

In 2019, WFA and the U.S. Association of National Advertisers launched the left-of-center Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM). 20 In 2023, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) subpoenaed records from GARM lead and co-founder Robert Rakowitz and WFA president Raja Rajamannar regarding GARM’s efforts to eliminate disfavored content online. 21

Activism

World Federation of Advertisers operates a critical race theory-influenced “diversity and inclusion hub” 22 and a diversity and inclusion Task Force to accelerate increased diversity efforts in the advertising industry. Its diversity taskforce members include Hilton Hotels, McDonalds, Merck, P&G, Visa, Walmart, Walt Disney Company, World Economic Forum (WEF)­­­­­­, and United Nations Women. 23

In 2023, WFA conducted its “Global DEI Census,” which measured responses to critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in 33 different advertising markets, including the United States. Partners and supporters of the survey included WFA, Adweek, the Walt Disney Company, ANA, and others. 24 WFA first conducted its DEI Census in 2021. 25 In 2020, WFA shared the results of a study that claimed consumers wanted to see brands support critical race theory-influenced social justice causes including “anti-racist” education for employees and support for the far-left Black Lives Matter movement. 26

WFA has global resources to focus on gender, race, disability, and orientation to impact local-level ad decisions. 27 The organization has produced a guide to “progressive gender portrayals in advertising,” 28 supports the left-of-center concept of pay equity, 29 and suggests that its members reach out to LGBT advocacy organizations, including left-of-center GLAAD in the United States. 30 WFA has also claimed that a changing climate is a “defining challenge faced by humanity today,” stating that it believes all organizations have a role to play in reducing carbon emissions across their entire business operations. 31

In 2020, WFA called to immediately cease the use of terms that WFA deemed racially charged, including “blacklist” and “whitelist” when referring to content and sites they want excluded or included in media campaigns. 32

Global Media Board

World Federation of Advertisers’ Global Media Board is designed to shape advertising perspectives in the global media ecosystem and steer its own media activities. The board has helped develop WFA’s Global Media Charter and works to implement left-of-center ESG activism agenda items in the media. 33

The charter calls for a critical race theory-influenced “equitable media ecosystem” and supports censorship under the guise of containing the legally undefined terms of disinformation and hate speech. It also calls for actions to address a changing climate, and more diverse hiring practices across the advertising industry. 34

Funding

World Federation of Advertisers receives its funding from membership dues and other program service fees. 35

References

  1. “Contact.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/contact.
  2. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  3. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  4. “Diversity & Inclusion Hub.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/wfa-diversity-and-inclusion-hub.
  5. “A guide to progressive gender portrayals in advertising.” World Federation of Advertisers. May 14, 2018. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2018/05/14/A-guide-to-progressive-gender-portrayals-in-advertising.
  6. “Empowering people to be LGBTQ+ allies and role models.” World Federation of Advertisers. June 16, 2022. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/item/2022/06/16/Empowering-people-to-be-LGBTQ-allies-and-role-models.
  7. Loerke, Stephan. “Putting an end to racially-loaded terms in marketing.” World Federation of Advertisers. July 15, 2020. Accessed May 27, 2023 https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2020/07/15/Putting-an-end-to-racially-loaded-terms-in-marketing.
  8. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  9. “Annual Report 2022.” World Federation of Advertisers. April 2023. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/l/library/download/urn:uuid:b06f79e0-ef48-4a47-9918-dada426aea4c/wfa_annual-report_2022.pdf?redirected=1685193040.
  10. “First-ever DEI Census reveals major challenges around family status, age, gender, ethnicity, and disability.” World Federation of Advertisers. October18, 2021. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2021/10/18/First-ever-DEI-Census-reveals-major-challenges-around-family-status-age-gender-ethnicity-and-disability.
  11. “Stephan Loerke.” European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://edaa.eu/?team=stephan-loerke.
  12. “Contact.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/contact.
  13. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  14. “National Associations.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-members/national-associations?formdata%5BisSubmitted_public_relation_list_search%5D=ff_1838&return_uri=%2Fabout-wfa%2Four-members%2Fglobal-brands&formdata%5Btoggle-filter%5D%5Bdmy%5D=1&formdata%5BsearchString%5D=&formdata%5Btoggle-filter%5D%5Bvalue%5D=1&formdata%5Bff_1838%5D=1.
  15.  “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  16. “Digital Governance Exchange.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/services/connect-to-your-peers/digital-governance-exchange/overview.
  17. “Digital Governance Exchange.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/services/connect-to-your-peers/digital-governance-exchange/overview.
  18. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  19. “Our Priorities.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-priorities/intro.
  20. “The Global Alliance is creating a safe media ecosystem.” World Economic Forum. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/impact/media-alliance-scales-up/.
  21. Chaitin, Daniel. “Jordan’s House Panel Takes Aim At WEF-Backed Scheme To Censor ‘Harmful’ Online Content.” U.S. House Judiciary Committee. May 5, 2023. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/media/in-the-news/jordans-house-panel-takes-aim-wef-backed-scheme-censor-harmful-online-content.
  22. “Diversity & Inclusion Hub.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/wfa-diversity-and-inclusion-hub.
  23. “About the Task Force.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/di-taskforce.
  24. “The Global DEI Census 2023.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/the-global-dei-census/2023.
  25. “First-ever DEI Census reveals major challenges around family status, age, gender, ethnicity, and disability.” World Federation of Advertisers. October18, 2021. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2021/10/18/First-ever-DEI-Census-reveals-major-challenges-around-family-status-age-gender-ethnicity-and-disability.
  26. “Study: Consumers demand actions from brands to fight racism and hatred.” World Federation of Advertisers. June 29, 2020. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/item/2020/06/29/Study-Consumers-demand-actions-from-brands-to-fight-racism-and-hatred.
  27. Radhakrishnan, Ranjay. “Making the numbers count.” World Federation of Advertisers. March 7, 2023. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2023/03/07/Making-the-numbers-count.
  28.  “A guide to progressive gender portrayals in advertising.” World Federation of Advertisers. May 14, 2018. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2018/05/14/A-guide-to-progressive-gender-portrayals-in-advertising.
  29. Prota, Michele. “Putting wages on an equal footing.” World Federation of Advertisers. December 5, 2022. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2022/12/05/Putting-wages-on-an-equal-footing.
  30. “Empowering people to be LGBTQ+ allies and role models.” World Federation of Advertisers. June 16, 2022. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/knowledge/diversity-and-inclusion/item/2022/06/16/Empowering-people-to-be-LGBTQ-allies-and-role-models.
  31. “Global Media Charter.” World Federation of Advertisers. April 2023. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/l/library/download/urn:uuid:dd31399f-7492-4fb3-a736-1a201fc8f715/global_media_charter_2023+_+25april2023.pdf.
  32. Loerke, Stephan. “Putting an end to racially-loaded terms in marketing.” World Federation of Advertisers. July 15, 2020. Accessed May 27, 2023 https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2020/07/15/Putting-an-end-to-racially-loaded-terms-in-marketing.
  33. “Global Media Board.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/about-wfa/our-boards/global-media-board.
  34. “Global Media Charter.” World Federation of Advertisers. April 2023. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/l/library/download/urn:uuid:dd31399f-7492-4fb3-a736-1a201fc8f715/global_media_charter_2023+_+25april2023.pdf.
  35. “Membership Contact.” World Federation of Advertisers. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://wfanet.org/membership/contact.
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