The communication between publishers and vendors via the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) is facilitated by TCF registered CMPs. CMPs act as an intermediary between the publisher, end-user and vendors, providing transparency for end-users and communicating their preferences to the relevant parties.

Want to know how one CMP has successfully implemented v2.0 of the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF)? Then read our Q&A with Matthias Matthiesen, Senior Privacy Counsel from Quantcast, an audience intelligence and measurement company. Combining machine learning, a privacy-by-design approach, and live data drawn from more than 100 million online destinations, Quantcast provides software, information and advertising services for marketers, publishers and advertising agencies worldwide.

What has been Quantcast’s role in the TCF?

Quantcast has been involved in the creation of the TCF from the very beginning, since before TCF had its name. Later, we were one of the driving forces behind the solution, and one of the first companies to provide engineering and product resources to IAB Europe to help draft the TCF’s original technical specifications. When the TCF was launched, Quantcast was an early adopter and fully integrated as a vendor. Quantcast also began offering one of the first TCF-compliant CMPs, Quantcast Choice, to publishers and advertisers for free. We have continued our leadership in the TCF ever since, including in its first major update to v2.0.

Why should publishers transition to TCF v2.0 CMPs? 

TCF v2.0 is a major overhaul, which enables greater transparency and more granular control for everyone involved. It incorporates feedback from key stakeholders in the industry, including updated guidelines provided by various DPAs. If you want to ensure the CMP on your site is updated to the latest guidelines by DPAs and provides you with the most flexibility and controls, then you should start the transition to a TCF v2.0 CMP now.

What advice would you give to publishers who are concerned about the required work to make the transition?

You’re not on your own when upgrading to TCF v2.0. Quantcast Choice is designed to fully integrate with TCF v2.0, including all updates. We’ve worked diligently to test and refine an interface that presents the clearest message to end users, while following the requirements. For more information, you can visit quantcast.com/choice.

When did you start planning your TCF v2.0 switch over?

Quantcast started planning our TCF v2.0 switch over when the final specifications and policies were released in Q3 2019. We are on target to be fully integrated with TCF v2.0 by the time it launches at the end of Q1 2020. Quantcast Choice will support TCF v2.0 for our customers beginning April 1 and following the IAB’s switchover timeline.

Which teams should be involved in the switchover? 

Implementing TCF v2.0 is a project that requires a cross-functional group of teams spanning multiple product and engineering teams, as well as an organization’s legal team. We recommend publishers and vendors start cross-functional collaboration early.

How long does the transition process take? 

All in all, to complete the initial integration required to update to TCF v2.0 has taken Quantcast about six months. That is not to say that the work is done. Quantcast Choice will continue to evolve with focus on ease of use for our customers in an ever-changing privacy and regulatory landscape.

For publishers and vendors, the process will vary depending on resources, existing integrations with TCF v1.1, and any additional custom integrations. While it has taken us, as the CMP provider, six months, the integration work that needs to be done by a publisher can be as fast as 15 minutes if they have expert knowledge on TCF and plan to use Quantcast’s default set-up. Then the only work they would need to do is to set-up their site and put up a Choice v2.0 tag. Since TCF v2.0 is an overhaul and the signal is not backwards compatible, we recommend estimating time and effort based on your TCF v1.1 implementation process.

What are your top three pieces of advice about switching over to TCF v2.0?

• Involve your legal team early in the process. Understanding the policy and your company’s position are key components of the upgrade process.
• Start conversations with your vendors now. The TCF works because it’s the most adopted standard for the entire industry. To make the transition to v2.0 seamless, we need to make sure everyone is aware of and plans for the switchover.
• Make sure your CMP is IAB Europe-certified and compliant and to use your CMP’s TCF mode if it isn’t on by default. While the set-up for some CMPs is considered complicated, it’s worth the effort during implementation to ensure your CMP will be sending a TCF signal at all times and review the vendor set-up within the CMP.

In the first of a series covering the effect of the ongoing outbreak of the Covid-19 strain of coronavirus upon the advertising industry, ExchangeWire spoke to a variety of technology vendors and industry associations for their insight into how the sector can successfully adapt during such unprecedented times. IAB Europe's Chief Economist Daniel Knapp was one of the experts to share their views. Read his view below and access the full article on Exchangewire's website here.

A period of radical change

Many adtech and martech companies and platforms exist on narrow margins, so need the volume and diversity of their client base, including SMEs, to thrive. To support the industry ecosystem, new, flexible payment terms are going to be required whilst endemic issues, such as brand safety, will need to be addressed, as the surge in readership and news attention has not translated into increased publisher revenues. With these companies’ unique position, between message and end user, there is the opportunity to be altruistic and serve society by bringing socially-important, public service announcements to the people who need them.

However, it is apparent that this crisis will impact ad spend: with entire industry segments halting and retooling production lines for basic goods to combat the crisis comes a major lag in the ability of ad spend to recover. That being said, the impact will differ across the advertising world: structural shifts in how businesses operate will upend how people work and collaborate and accelerate trends in digital transformation. Companies will be forced to be more radical, throw off legacy structures and position themselves in a much leaner manner. This will inevitably, eventually, lead to more ad budgets moving into the digital domain. Those companies who navigate the recession, and survive this period of radical change, will come out stronger on the other side.

Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist, IAB Europe

IAB Europe, in partnership with IAB Tech Lab, announced on 21 August 2019 the launch of the second iteration of Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0. TCF v2.0 continues to support the overall drive of the TCF to increase user transparency and choice, management by digital properties of consent and compliance and industry collaboration that centers on standardisation. Under TCF v2.0, not only can the user give or withhold consent, but they can also exercise their ‘right to object’ to data being processed on the basis of legitimate interests. It also enables greater transparency for the user, through more detailed and more easily understandable descriptions of the purposes of data processing.   

Switch Over from TCF v1.1 to TCF v2.0

At the end of Q1 2020, TCF v1.1 will no longer operate. This is the official deadline for all registered TCF vendors and CMPs to be signed up to and operating TCF v2.0. 

Support Workshops for CMPs and Vendors

In the run up to the switch over deadline, IAB Europe hosted a series of workshops to offer full support and guidance to CMPs and Vendors. The workshops started in January 2020 and ran through till the end of March. Hosted in 1 hour-long webinar formats, TCF experts went through everything that is needed to fully implement TCF v2.0. All webinars featured Q&A sessions and have been recorded. 

Below you can access the slides and webinar recordings for all 10 workshops.

• For more information about the TCF, please visit: https://iabeurope.eu/tcf
• For more information about these workshops, please email framework@iabeurope.eu

IAB Europe, in partnership with IAB Tech Lab, announced on 21 August 2019 the launch of the second iteration of Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0. TCF v2.0 continues to support the overall drive of the TCF to increase user transparency and choice, management by digital properties of consent and compliance and industry collaboration that centers on standardisation.

At the end of Q2 2020, TCF v1.0 will no longer operate. This is the official deadline for all registered TCF vendors and CMPs to be signed up to and operating TCF v2.0.

Support Workshops for the Switchover to TCF v2.0

In the run up to the switch over deadline, IAB Europe has been running a series of workshops to offer full support and guidance to CMPs and Vendors. Presented by IAB Europe and IAB Tech Lab team members, they also feature insights and learnings from TCF Steering Group members.

Workshop 9 Recording & Slides - If You Don't Ask, You Don't Get! Q&A for Vendors

The final webinars in the TCF v2.0 switchover series were dedicated Q&A sessions. With thanks to key members of the TCF Steering Group featuring policy and technical experts, Vendors had the opportunity to ask questions relating to the switchover.

There were no slides for this session, just lots of questions! You can watch the recording here.

Want to catch up on the full series of workshop webinars? All recordings can be found here.

IAB Europe, in partnership with IAB Tech Lab, announced on 21 August 2019 the launch of the second iteration of Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0. TCF v2.0 continues to support the overall drive of the TCF to increase user transparency and choice, management by digital properties of consent and compliance and industry collaboration that centers on standardisation.

At the end of Q2 2020, TCF v1.0 will no longer operate. This is the official deadline for all registered TCF vendors and CMPs to be signed up to and operating TCF v2.0.

Support Workshops for the Switchover to TCF v2.0

In the run up to the switch over deadline, IAB Europe has been running a series of workshops to offer full support and guidance to CMPs and Vendors. Presented by IAB Europe and IAB Tech Lab team members, they also feature insights and learnings from TCF Steering Group members.

Workshop 9 Recording & Slides - If You Don't Ask, You Don't Get! Q&A for CMPs

The final webinars in the TCF v2.0 switchover series were dedicated Q&A sessions. With thanks to key members of the TCF Steering Group featuring policy and technical experts, CMPs had the opportunity to ask questions relating to the switchover.

There were no slides for this session, just lots of questions! You can watch the recording here.

Want to catch up on the full series of workshop webinars? All recordings can be found here.

IAB Europe, in partnership with IAB Tech Lab, announced on 21 August 2019 the launch of the second iteration of Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0. TCF v2.0 continues to support the overall drive of the TCF to increase user transparency and choice, management by digital properties of consent and compliance and industry collaboration that centers on standardisation.

At the end of Q2 2020, TCF v1.0 will no longer operate. This is the official deadline for all registered TCF vendors and CMPs to be signed up to and operating TCF v2.0.

Support Workshops for the Switchover to TCF v2.0

In the run up to the switch over deadline, IAB Europe has been running a series of workshops to offer full support and guidance to CMPs and Vendors. Presented by IAB Europe and IAB Tech Lab team members, they also feature insights and learnings from TCF Steering Group members.

Workshop 8 Recording & Slides - Ready for Launch? The Final Countdown to the Switchover 

This is your must watch webinar to find out all you need to know about switching over to TCF v2.0. Hosted by key members of the TCF Steering Group, the webinar features a summary of all previous support webinars from policy updates to technical implementation top tips.

The webinar slides can be viewed here and the recording can be watched here.

Want to catch up on the full series of workshop webinars? All recordings can be found here.

Given the current circumstances regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, IAB Europe has taken the decision to postpone its flagship annual event, Interact, until 2021 in Lisbon, and will instead be hosting a virtual event on the 3rd June.

Interact was scheduled to take place on 2-3 June 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal. In partnership with IAB Portugal, over 500 leaders from the digital advertising and marketing industry were expected to attend. With the health and well-being of our members being our utmost priority, it was felt that a face to face networking event would not be appropriate following the expert health and scientific advice from European Governments. The event will, therefore, be postponed until the following year, taking place around the same date and in the same location.

IAB Europe is known for hosting the best virtual events to bring people from across Europe together. Following on from our Virtual Programmatic Day, educational webinars and Economic Trends Forum - all delivered online - we want to continue to support and guide our members during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on what support and guidance is available to members and the wider industry, you can read our blog post here.

Interact Online - Join us Virtually!

IAB Europe will be hosting a free-to-attend virtual conference on the 3rd June 2020 to allow the digital advertising and marketing industry to interact online. The virtual event will kick off with IAB Europe’s Chief Economist Daniel Knapp presenting the AdEx Benchmark study - the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe, covering 28 markets. Within the two hour event, Interact Online will then feature a series of panel discussions and keynote speeches to discuss the accelerated change we are witnessing in our ecosystem impacting investment, roles and responsibilities across our value chain. The impact of COVID-19 on our industry will also be addressed. The full agenda with registration links will be shared shortly.

IAB Europe Awards are still open with an Extended Deadline - Get your digital advertising campaigns and research projects recognised!

Our 2020 Research Awards and MIXX Awards Europe competitions are still open for entries and given the current situation, we have extended the final deadline to 24th April 2020. We will be announcing the winners via our communication channels on 2nd June and ensuring all award winners still receive a trophy to display in their offices. The MIXX Awards Europe recognise and celebrate the best digital advertising campaigns and digital creativity and strategy of people in Europe. The IAB Europe Research Awards recognise and showcase great European digital research projects and digital researchers and the contribution they have made to the development of the digital advertising industry. Find out more about the awards here.

If the digital advertising industry is to increase investment from the buy-side and to continue to benefit consumers through personal, timely and relevant content, then maintaining transparency is critical.

As Matej Kolarosky, Head of GroupM Operations, comments: “for buy-side organisations in the advertising value chain, transparency has never been more important. Brands, agencies and buyers need to know that their ad spend will deliver results and help build the right relationship with customers. That means having complete visibility of fees and other key elements, such as how advertisers are refunded when cases of ad fraud come to light.”

To help create such an advertising environment, IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee created the Supply Chain Transparency Guide. Now in its third iteration, the guide provides a mechanism by which industry players can gain transparency in the key areas of data, cost and inventory source. Available in an interactive or PDF format, the guide lists the crucial questions stakeholders from each digital advertising category should ask at different stages of the supply chain.

David Goddard, Chair of IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee and Senior Business Development Director, EMEA at DoubleVerify, explains: “for this latest edition of the guide, we have reviewed our stakeholder questions to ensure they are as granular and exact as possible. Where necessary, we have also introduced wholly new sets of stakeholder questions, such as for Buyers to SSPs in the areas of cost/fees and inventory source, for example. The Committee’s work ensures that the guide reflects the shape of the industry today and is as complete as possible. We believe this best practice guide will help create a transparent industry for all and help companies ensure compliance with relevant privacy and fraud rules.”

Alex Phillips, Product Strategy Lead - Authorized Buyers Programme at Google notes: “in a privacy focused world, it is important that users, publishers, and advertisers have transparency, choice and control in the programmatic supply chain and are confident that their data is secure."

The issues of quality and transparency are absolutely central to the work of IAB Europe in 2020 and beyond. Under the auspices of IAB Europe’s Brand Advertising Committee, which sets out to drive brand investment into digital, the organisation has established a new Quality & Transparency Task Force. The role of the Task Force is to mitigate quality and transparency concerns among the stakeholder community and to work with the industry to boost consumer trust and encourage continued brand investment.

With the advertising sector increasingly complex and competitive, the need for transparency has become more pressing. As Lisa Kalyuzhny, Senior Director Advertising Solutions at PubMatic, explains: “the digital advertising industry requires clarity over the many processes and interactions that underpin digital advertising to ensure, among other things, seamless and effective programmatic delivery. Automation and data-driven advertising thrives when data and processes are open to view, predictable and robust.”

For Ben Geach, Senior Director Global Product Strategy at Oracle Data Cloud, transparency delivers critical insights into audience data: “it’s never been more important for all stakeholders in the ad industry to be able to see clearly whether data has been verified as compliant with key privacy regulations such as GDPR and to be able to demonstrate which the mechanism through which data consent has been sourced. Without this transparency there’s no way for digital advertisers to do business in a compliance-assured manner.”

IAB Europe members can join any of the aforementioned groups  - Programmatic Trading Committee, Brand Advertising Committee or Quality & Transparency Task Force. Please contact Marie-Clare (puffett [at] stg-iabeurope-iabeuropeold.kinsta.cloud) to find out more.

Access the Supply Chain Transparency Guide here.

Supply Chain Transparency Webinar

IAB Europe will be hosting a webinar to provide a deep dive into the guide and how it enables industry players to gain transparency in the key areas of data, cost and inventory source. Register here.

The Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) v2.0 provides increased transparency, control and accountability for consumers and publishers, and will bring benefits to everyone in the digital advertising market. The sooner we can get everyone up and running on the framework, the sooner these benefits can be realised. We’ve put together some key dates which show when Vendors should complete their v2.0 registration and when support for TCF v1.1 will end.

If you’re keen to register but need more information about what the process involves, then be sure to visit our webinar resources page. We have been running a series of workshops on the TCF 2.0 transition, which we have recorded and made available for all. 

We have also prepared a Q&A for vendors and CMPs, which contains full details and guidance on the registration and transition deadline.

So note those dates and register today!

The consumption of TV is changing as users become more connected and devices proliferate. As a result, brands and planners need to consider investing more time in understanding shifts in behaviour and plan their spend around opportunities that can help reach these audiences.

Xandr in association with IAB Europe aims to understand the buy-side drivers, challenges and adoption of Connected TV advertising as a media buying option in a changing TV landscape across Europe. 

The poll is open to advertisers, agencies, trading desks and DSPs. It should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete and asks about:

• Knowledge and understanding of Connected TV
• Drivers and barriers for Connected TV advertising investment
• Current and future Connected TV advertising investment levels

The deadline to participate has been extended to Friday 17th April!

Take the survey here

Supply Chain Transparency Guide Webinar - 26th March

If the digital advertising industry is to increase investment from the buy-side and to continue to benefit consumers through personal, timely and relevant content, then maintaining transparency is critical. To help maintain such transparency, IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee created the Supply Chain Transparency Guide. 

This webinar will provide a deep dive into the guide and how it enables industry players to gain transparency in the key areas of data, cost and inventory source. 

Register here

Economic Trends Forum - Connected TV Deep Dive - 21st April

The next Economic Trends Forum will take place on the  21st of April and will provide a deep dive into Connected TV and how strategies are developing across Europe. This session is a follow on from the Connected TV ETF that Daniel hosted in Q4, 2019. Expect more stats, more trends and more insights into the players that are shaping and leading this emerging channel.

The forum will be hosted by IAB Europe member FreeWheel at their office in London. The forum will start at 14.00 GMT with registration and coffee for members joining in person. For members joining virtually it will start at 15.30 CET / 14.30 GMT.After the Presentation from Daniel there will be a Q&A session at the end for members in person and online. The session will end with networking drinks for members attending in person.

Register here to join the live audience (Please note this is reserved for IAB Europe and National IAB members only. Spaces are limited so please reserve yours as soon as possible.)

Register here to join the virtual audience

Virtual Programmatic Day - 28th April

Europe’s must-attend programmatic event is returning on 28th April. 

The Virtual Programmatic Day (VPD) brings together industry experts and thought-leaders to explore the latest trends, drivers and barriers impacting programmatic trading in Europe. 

The next Virtual Programmatic Day will be co-hosted by Bloomberg Media Group and will take place on the afternoon of 28th April at their studios in central London. Attendees can join in-person or virtually.

For those members joining in person, Bloomberg Media Group will be kindly hosting a networking lunch before we kick off the event.

Register to join the live audience here (Please note this is reserved for IAB Europe members and advertisers only. Spaces are limited so please reserve yours as soon as possible.)

Register to join the virtual audience here.