Media and advertising agencies thrive on partnerships. When they work well together, brands flourish, campaigns dazzle, and audiences engage. However, when these partnerships slip into collusion, the results are far from progressive, ethical, or transparent.

In an industry where numbers rule, bigger campaigns are often mistaken for better ones. Shrinking margins push agencies and media houses to prioritise scale over substance. Senior talent costs soar, adding more pressure to deliver results while justifying their roles. This relentless pursuit of revenue leaves little room for ethical considerations. Something has to give. And often, it's morality and fair practice.

The industry’s unspoken secrets: Most players in the media and advertising business know that the system isn't perfect. Audits are rare, monitoring is patchy, and reporting standards are inconsistent. When scrutiny is weak, the temptation to take shortcuts grows. It’s not to say that malpractice doesn’t happen under watchful eyes, but lax oversight certainly makes it easier.

The recent Competition Commission of India (CCI) raids on major media agencies—GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu, Interpublic Group (IPG), Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), and the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA)........

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