Blog

In a comprehensive new series titled the 2016 Guide to Media Transparency, the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) talks to leaders from all sides of the industry to better understand the issues and how to build more accountability and transparency between parties for the long-term success of digital media. AAM has been sharing tips with ACA readers on solving problems with viewability, adblocking and general transparency. In Joan Brehl’s previous columns, she shared four tips for advertisers to root out digital ad fraud and three steps advertisers can take to clear up the confusion in programmatic buying. This column focuses on the viewable impression and how the industry can improve and better define the baseline standards.

Five years ago the term “viewability” started to take root in the digital advertising world. Media buyers began questioning whether their ads were being seen by humans. Flash forward to 2013. The topic of viewability dominated headlines and stirred discussions= on all sides of the industry about the possibility of transacting on a new currency—viewable ad impressions.

Now, while the industry has made significant strides in defining a viewable ad impression, the question of whether it is a viable form of currency is still up for debate. The lingering issues rest on the dichotomy between measurement and expectations.

Measurement

First, the industry set standards around what is considered “in view.” Then, new companies entered the market to measure ads to the standards, each with their own methodology.

“We have industry definitions of viewability. However, there are multiple vendors for viewability,” explained Jeff Holecko, senior brand manager for Kimberly-Clark North America. “We even have agencies creating their own viewable standards. That’s creating issues. We need a single standard that buyers and sellers agree to, plan on and reconcile against.”

Expectations

The industry is working to standardize how buyers and sellers transact on viewable ad impressions. But paying for viewable ad impressions means different things to different sides of the industry.

“There are still disparate points of view as to how long an ad should be on the page before it’s deemed viewable,” explained Ted Boyd, CEO of ad agency Brandworks International. “The biggest opportunity is to continue to hammer out what, from a user’s point of view, constitutes a viewable impression of any kind of media.”

How Industry Standards Measure Up

In 2014, the MRC implemented interim guidelines stating that display ads have to be at least 50 percent in view for at least one second to be considered “viewable.” Two versions of the guidelines and one iteration for mobile later, many media buyers are demanding stricter standards, including 100 percent viewability, a movement championed by GroupM and supported by Canadian advertisers like L’Oréal.

“I find the definition of viewability pretty weak,” explained Khoi Truong, director of media and data optimization at L’Oréal Canada. “The MRC baseline standard is 50 percent of the ad in view for one second for display and two seconds for video. That’s not very impactful.

“I know GroupM has a new definition for viewability which set the standard higher to 100 percent of pixels in view. This is a much stronger definition and I believe the industry has to put the higher standard in place for viewability. A stronger definition means the challenge becomes finding the right inventory.”

There are steps you can take now to improve viewability while the industry continues to work toward an agreed-upon definition.

3 Ways to Improve Viewability

1. Know your partners
   Industry certifications bring transparency to measurement procedures and build trust into media transactions. Working with certified media partners not only ensures proper measurement procedures, but also guarantees buyers that their money is in good hands.

   Certifications come in many forms. Ad tech vendors have the option of becoming certified to industry guidelines and standards published by organizations such as the MRC and IAB. Publishers can also become part of the solution be agreeing to use certified vendors.

   “Marketers need to demand more accountability to be on part with what they require in traditional media,” said Steve Guenther, vice president of digital auditing services at the Alliance for Audited Media. “If a company is compliant with industry guidelines and best practices and goes through the certification process, they’re committed to being good stewards of the advertiser’s dollar.”

2. Support the companies and associations focused on transparency
   How can buyers and publishers work together to bring trust and transparency to transacting on viewable ad impressions?
   For many buyers and publishers, the answer starts with true collaboration.

   “It’s going to take a collective effort to solve these issues, starting with the ANA, 4A’s, IAB, TAG, MRC and the AAM,” Holecko said. “It shouldn’t exclude other associations because everyone sells digital regardless of your legacy media. One group isn’t going to be able to tackle it alone.”

3. Keep tabs on the industry’s evolving standards
   It’s clear that many in the industry believe that the standards around viewability are going to continue to evolve. Be an advocate for standards that better reflect the realities of the industry. You can start doing this by following the IAB and their work under 3MS, as well as the MMA and MRC. These organizations, along with AAM, are constantly evaluating and evolving the current standards.

   Some, like MediaCom Canada’s Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy Dominik Majka, believe the industry may need to adjust its expectations.

   “The industry says we’re all on the same page, but we have clashing objectives because publishers need to monetize their websites and not all of the websites are exclusively represented,” said Majka. “It’s impossible to have high viewability at the current pricing model. They need to redefine how to price based on viewability and allow publishers to actually run their business.”

   Boyd agrees that more work needs to be done.

   “We need to continue to force the conversations on viewability to a conclusion where everybody’s not quite happy,” he added. “If one group is happy and another one isn’t, that’s not a perfect deal. But if everyone comes away from the negotiating table a little bit unhappy, we’re probably pretty close to something that works.”

To take a closer look at viewability by the numbers and get a behind-the-scenes take at how an audit measures ads that are in view, read the full white paper: Addressing the Dichotomy of Ad Viewability. You can also sign up to receive the entire series delivered to your inbox.

Joan Brehl is vice president and general manager for AAM’s Canadian services. As such, she develops new strategic business opportunities in print, digital, mobile and other media channels to promote AAM Canada and its clients. You can reach her at .