Paul served as a National Committee member at the AAAA (4A's American Association of Advertising Agencies) for several years between 1997 and 2003. During his tenure he worked on (among other things) the establishment of a number of initiatives and papers focusing on how agencies and clients should engage during the new business process. This work led to the development of the first of many editions of the 4A’s Guidelines for Agency Search. Which became the standard in the industry and is in publication still today.
At the time O. Burtch Drake, president and CEO of AAAA, addressing the 2003 AAAA New Business Summit said of the challenges agencies face when entering a new business pitch: "The problem is, that gunning to win business at any cost creates an environment where agencies allow themselves to be walked all over. And some clients and consultants are more than happy to oblige. Over the last several years, the 4As has taken a number of steps to curtail abuses of the new-business process." he continued that the research and resulting guidelines was "very important and can - and should - be used to push back at consultants and advertisers that go over the line in their requests."
Click here to download the latest version of the ANA/4A’s Guidelines for Agency Search.
1: Taken from the transcript of the 06/09/2003 General Session Address given by: O. Burtch Drake, president and CEO, AAAA presented at the AAAA New Business Summit, New York City