Executive Summary:
Proprietary media solutions are becoming increasingly common as Canadian advertisers seek improved outcomes from their media investment. As these solutions expand across most media channels, it is important for advertisers to consider how they should be governed. This paper brings together insights from ACA member organizations, industry consultancies, and global advertiser associations to help Canadian advertisers independently assess the value propositions being presented.
Proprietary media should also be understood in the context of how the media marketplace itself has evolved. Over the past decade, agency remuneration models have shifted significantly.
Service fees declined while expectations for data, technology, and performance measurement increased. In response, many agency holding companies expanded proprietary media solutions that combine buying power, inventory commitments, technology, and data into new commercial models. These arrangements can offer pricing certainty or access to certain inventory, but they also change the commercial role of the agency from advisor to seller. For advertisers, the question is therefore not simply whether proprietary media exists, but how and when it should be used, what transparency is required, and whether it ultimately delivers stronger marketing outcomes.
Principal trading models are not new. Versions of these arrangements have existed in the media industry for many years through bulk inventory commitments, rebate structures, and agency trading desks. What has changed is the scale, formalization, and range of media channels involved. As a result, advertisers today encounter proprietary media propositions more frequently and across a broader set of media investments.
This paper therefore focuses on three areas for advertisers to understand: how proprietary media works, what governance is required, and how advertisers can evaluate whether these arrangements deliver real marketing value.
Important Notice: This document is provided as guidance only. There is no obligation on ACA members to follow the advice contained herein. Every member organization should evaluate their own circumstances and negotiate whatever terms they deem appropriate with their agency partners. This document is guidance for Canadian advertisers adapted with permission from ISBA (UK), February 2026.
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