Anthony Kang (pictured), the newly re-elected president of the 4As, said he wants to introduce an advisory list of clients with a poor track record of paying their agencies within his third term running the Singaporean advertising body (Media 2 May).
He said the 4As would also look at challenging an arrangement with media owners whereby agencies have to pay a bank guarantee for their clients when they buy media.
"Singapore is one of a few countries in which agencies must pay a bank guarantee. Agencies are effectively bankers for their clients, and if a client suddenly folds, agencies have to bear the cost," Kang said.
"In the last few years, a number of agencies have closed because their clients have folded," he added.
"Media owners should shoulder some of the responsibility."
Meanwhile, Singapore's long courtship with pitch fees is unlikely to bear fruit within Kang's tenure. He said: "There's been lots of talk about pitch fees, but I'm not sure they are necessary. The government calls for tenders without pitch fees, and it is unlikely that other clients will follow suit."
