IAB tackles online ad criticism

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK is mounting a major defence of the digital advertising industry by launching a week-long campaign clarifying its position on each of the five biggest concerns facing the sector.
The five issues being covered in successive days are brand safety, viewability, fraud, (ad verification issues) then ad blocking and privacy (consumer-led issues).
Dubbed “IAB Believes”, the initiative is in response to mounting criticism about the industry.
Digital advertising may well be the fastest-growing ad medium in the UK – worth £7.2bn, up 14% year-on-year. But, despite the fact that it accounts for nearly 39% of the total UK ad market, there are growing concerns about billions of pounds’ worth of spend being wasted.
According to a new report from PageFair and Adobe published this week, ad blockers are expected to wipe out nearly £50bn worth of global online advertising over the next 12 months.
While recent study by European ad verification company Meetrics, £485m worth of online ads have never even been seen.
IAB UK chief executive Guy Phillipson reckons that the increasing role of data and automated technologies in the online ad trading process means ad verification – be it viewability, ad fraud or brand safety – and privacy, has rightly come under increasing scrutiny.
However, he believes: “It’s time to turn up the volume on the solid progress we’re making in tackling these issues in collaboration with partner trade bodies – domestically and overseas – and technology vendors.”
Each statement will set out a concise industry position, the direction for each challenge and demonstrates how they are being tackled.
Phillipson added: “I’m confident that in 12 months’ time issues such as viewability, ad fraud and brand safety will be simple, straightforward hygiene factors for display advertising – as long as all those in the industry follow guidelines.”