December may be in full swing with the end of the year in sight, but we still have a few more virtual events for you to join, to keep you merry, and full of insight!
From understanding streaming behaviour with Samsung ads and our Latest State of the Nation with our Chief Economist Daniel Knapp to a dedicated DSA Town Hall on the latest Tech Lab Specifications, we have a whole host of industry information sessions ready for you to dive into.
All our events are free and can be joined virtually, so why not check them out below and register to secure your place today?
7th December | 15:00 CET
Join us as Samsung Ads reveal their latest analysis of Smart TV behaviours. Based on first-party data from nearly 9 Million Samsung TVs in the UK, discover how the increased ease of discoverability and app “surfing” is driving new Smart TV behaviours.
Following the report overview, our Chief Economist, Daniel Knapp, will dive straight into a fireside discussion with Kasia Jablonska, Director of Digital and OnDemand at BBC Studios, and Jenn Batty, Head of Content at Samsung TV Plus on the streaming ecosystem and the rapid rise of FAST. Check out the event here and register below.
11th December | 17:00 CET
Join us for our latest Digital Services Act (DSA) Town Hall as we discuss the recent release of the technical specifications for the DSA Ads Transparency Solution Approach by IAB Tech Lab, in collaboration with IAB Europe. This session is a must-attend for anyone in the industry who would like to know more about the recently released technical specifications and how they can be applied.
Digital advertising in Europe is both exposed to cyclical forces of economic uncertainty and structural forces of industry change.
As the season of 2024 predictions inevitably begins, this webinar takes an empirical, evidence-driven look at the future by analysing 10 forces shaping the future of digital advertising.
We’re thrilled to announce that the 2023 State of Readiness - Sustainability in Digital Advertising survey is now open! We invite you to help us understand how much progress our industry has made towards sustainable digital advertising practices by taking part in the survey today.
Achieving sustainability is critical for the digital advertising industry. But how much of a priority is it for businesses in the ecosystem today, and how much progress have companies made in reducing their carbon footprint and improving sustainable practices? We need your help to find out.
Now in its second year, our State of Readiness survey aims to provide a comprehensive, pan-European understanding of our industry’s advancement towards sustainable digital advertising. Whether you’re on the buy or sell side, located in a local or pan-European market (or beyond) have your say by taking part in our survey today.
The survey will take at most 10 minutes to complete and responses will be kept strictly confidential. Your insights are valuable in helping us understand our industry's progress and what more needs to be done.
The deadline to complete has been extended to Friday 19th January 2023.
On the 9th of November, around 100 stakeholders from across the advertising industry came together to discuss and debate sustainability in digital advertising at our first Digital Advertising Sustainability Summit.
Thanks to the support of our event host Meta and event partner Ad Net Zero, we enjoyed a packed morning full of thought-provoking and inspiring content and discussions as we look to collectively drive and achieve key sustainability goals in our industry.
Check out the summary of all the key highlights below.
The event kicked off with Angie Gifford, Vice President, EMEA from Meta taking to the stage to outline her own personal experience as to why climate change is critical. After witnessing firsthand the severe rate at which the icecaps are melting in Greenland, she went on to say that what we are doing as an industry right now “is not enough” and that we all have our part to play in “moving the needle” to driving real change. Angie outlined the commitment Meta has made in this area, highlighting they have maintained net zero emissions for their global operations since 2020 and have an ambitious goal to reach net zero emissions for their value chain in 2030.
Our event host Christy Cooper, Global Director of Industry Relations from Meta added more insight into what needs to happen in order to shift focus and drive action. “As an industry, we are all committed optimists but now is the time for us to take more decisive action”. She reiterated that Meta is keen to support client and agency partners with their goals to measure the emissions of digital advertising, and was one of the founding partners of Ad Net Zero. Christy’s sentiment ran through the event, reminding us all that we cannot just talk to the converted, we have to reach those still not taking action with their sustainability plans.
Anthony Falco, Global Director at Ad Net Zero then took to the stage to share the work that Ad Net Zero is doing to help the industry to decarbonise the production, distribution, and publication of advertising. He outlined the Ad Net Zero five point action plan, which provides a framework for businesses to make progress when it comes to decarbonising the ad industry and promoting sustainable consumer behaviour. This is categorised into these categories :
He also discussed how they are embarking on driving an industry-wide commitment to measurement and reduction, and how they plan to scale these efforts across the Globe.
Find out more about Ad Net Zero here.
Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe then shared the work of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee, and how it is working hard to bring industry stakeholders together to share expertise and deliver vital work that helps to reduce the amount of energy consumed and emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising. She explained that the work is split into the following key areas and how this work contributes to wider industry initiatives:
Isabelle Quevilly, Director of Creative Shop, NEMEA at Meta took to the stage, to share a fantastic example of brands driving action and change by showing the WFF campaign Meta created to reduce the amount of meat consumed. The case study showed how brands can use the power of digital advertising to speak directly to consumers, to encourage them to make small changes that can make a huge difference to our planet.
The campaign potentially had an impact of 33K tons GHG emissions reduction (with 91,600 people declaring they made little swaps, such as swapping meat for a vegetarian diet once a week).
Isabelle was then joined by IAB Europe’s Marketing & Communications Director, Lauren Wakefield for an insightful Q&A discussion. Key highlights included:
We then moved to the topic of measurement, which was one of the main action points of the event. In order to create real change and move the needle it is imperative that our industry has consistent measurement standards in place, so that we can benchmark our efforts and accurately represent the reduction of carbon emissions. At IAB Europe, we are currently working on a gap analysis of presently available options for greenhouse gas estimation throughout the digital media supply chain. Our aim here is to provide the industry with a full, clear picture of what frameworks, methodologies, and estimators are available so that more informed decisions can be made.
We invited our panel to take to the stage to discuss this in more detail.
Moderated by Phil Smith, Director General of ISBA, who was joined by Craig Fryer, Global Media Director at Reckitt, Laura Wade, Head of Sustainability Strategy at EssenceMediacom, and Dimitis Beis, Data Analyst & Sustainability Manager at IAB Europe the panel discussed how we are working across the industry to align on a global measurement framework to measure the emissions of ads.
Key takeaways from the discussion included:
We then moved on to the topic of policy and regulation as IAB Europe’s Public Policy Manager, Ines Talavera de la Esperanza discussed the current policy and regulatory sustainability landscape in the EU, including relevant passed and live legislation that we should be aware of. She also shared her predictions for the end of the year and the potential impact of the EU Parliament 2024 elections.
You can view the content shared on relevant regulations here, with the main takeaway being that she predicts that the new 2024 EU parliament will be a catalyst for more regulation that is likely to have an impact on digital advertising when it comes to sustainability.
To round everything up Christy Cooper, Global Director of Industry Relations at Meta invited Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, and Stephen Woodford, CEO of the Advertising Association to the stage to discuss their thoughts on the content covered and what we should expect next:
Here’s what they had to say:
Stephen - “We are at a tipping point. In terms of the climate crisis, we are now 20 years ahead of where we should be. With this being the hottest year on record, our planet is in crisis. As an industry, we are not going fast enough, and every day that we are not making progress we are adding to the problem. 2024 has to be a tipping point and we have to do so much better.”
Townsend - “How do we get more committed optimists? Is it that we need more resources and funding to do this? We need total candor from members about what we are doing as industry associations. Where are we getting in the way of solving the problem? Tell us honestly what we can do more of so we can drive positive action.”
In summary, the energy and passion of our industry can get ahead of regulation, but we have to make this happen now. The main action point is to drive those not yet working on plans into action and through the work of our committee, alongside our Global allies including GARM and Ad Net Zero, we need to focus on getting measurement in place so that we can finally see the change we are making. We need facts and hard numbers, and we all need to act.
Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to be in a room full of “committed optimists”. Whether it’s harnessing new creative approaches, fostering action through impactful campaigns, seeking knowledge, or finding other ways to just do better, we look forward to continuing our work together and to achieving sustainability in digital advertising.
Brussels, Belgium, 26th October, 2023 - IAB Europe, a European level association representing a diverse membership of digital marketing, digital advertising and media companies, has released a positioning paper outlining recommendations to improve GDPR enforcement in cross-border cases. The paper is in response to the European Commission's ambition to simplify and expedite GDPR enforcement in such cases.
The association acknowledges the importance of ensuring a more straightforward and effective enforcement mechanism, and views the draft GDPR procedural regulation as a positive first step toward this goal. IAB Europe's paper outlines key recommendations aimed at enhancing the draft GDPR procedural regulation in several critical areas. First, the association advocates maintaining the one-stop-shop system as the foundation of GDPR governance, preserving the balance between national and European competences while avoiding measures that could weaken this mechanism.
Second, IAB Europe emphasises the encouragement of early resolutions, such as amicable settlements, to efficiently resolve cases , stressing the importance of facilitating amicable resolution mechanisms, like internal complaint systems. Furthermore, IAB Europe underscores the need for increased transparency in supervisory authorities' decisions, suggesting the inclusion of correspondence between supervisory authorities in the administrative file to strike a balance between confidentiality and accountability. Lastly, IAB Europe calls for the strengthening of defendants' rights to be heard, not only at key stages of the administrative procedure but also at other critical points, ensuring reasonable and proportionate time limits for their input. IAB Europe hopes that these recommendations will collectively help to better streamline and improve GDPR enforcement while upholding fundamental rights and fairness.
Commenting on the above key recommendations from the paper, Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe said "IAB Europe is committed to fostering a digital ecosystem that not only respects privacy and fundamental rights but also ensures efficient enforcement of GDPR regulations across borders. Our recommendations aim to strike a balance between transparency, accountability, and the protection of confidential business information, all while safeguarding defendants' rights to a fair procedure. We stand ready to collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen the foundation of GDPR governance and propel the industry toward a more streamlined and effective future."
The policy paper can be found here for more information, please visit iabeurope.eu/ or contact Franck Thomas, Policy Director, IAB Europe - thomas@iabeurope.eu / Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe - mussard@iabeurope.eu
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the last 8 years have been the hottest on record. The signs are clear: global warming is well and truly here.
Since the 1980s, each decade has seen global temperatures higher than the last due to record levels of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) trapping heat in the atmosphere.
While that’s probably not news to you, the impact that digital technologies are having on climate change might be.
Despite the illusion that digital technologies are ‘clean’, their environmental impact is in fact massive.
Take digital advertising as a case in point: Since the early 2000s the space has experienced quasi-exponential growth. With spending on digital ads having risen from $10B to $378B in the last 20 years, according to eMarketer, it’s now the largest advertising medium in terms of investment globally.
The sheer growth of the digital advertising industry has had a clear and measurable impact on climate change.
Ready to Take Action?
So what’s the answer?
At IMPACT+ we believe digital advertising can be more sustainable.
And we’ve recently published a new whitepaper that provides everything you need to get started making your digital ads campaigns more sustainable.
The whitepaper sheds greater light on the true carbon footprint of the digital advertising industry and provides actionable solutions to reduce it.
Read through the five takeaways below, and download the in-depth white paper for more.
5 key Takeaways to Help Reduce the Carbon Impact of Digital Advertising
Download the Whitepaper
Don't miss out on these invaluable and actionable insights.
Click here to download our white paper and join the movement towards more sustainable digital advertising practices.
Plus join us on 28th September at 12:00 CET for IAB Europe's 'Digital Innovation: Start-Up Spotlight Webinar' where we will dive into the whitepaper and this topic in more detail. Find out more and register here.
More About IMPACT+
IMPACT+ award-winning sustaintech solution (trusted by leading global brands including L’Oréal, Heineken, AXA, BMW and Danone) enables digital advertising players to evaluate and reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing performance.
In essence, IMPACT+ builds new performance indicators and tools to help the digital advertising ecosystem use greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and electricity consumption to inform their digital advertising strategy.
In this week's member guest blog post we hear from Tamara Jelic, Head of Business Development, and Anastasia Loseva, Head of Affiliate Programs at Coinis as they dive into the value of Affiliate Marketing
What is Affiliate Marketing?
If you are new to this topic, I am not going to bomb you with a dictionary definition but a more relatable situation. Ever stumbled upon a recommendation for a product on your favorite influencer or portal, clicked on it, and ended up thinking about buying a product that was advertised on it, or bought it immediately? You are in luck - you've been part of an affiliate marketing chain!
In simple terms, affiliate marketing is like a digital “word-of-mouth” where individuals or businesses recommend products or services. If someone makes a purchase based on that recommendation, the recommender gets a commission (earning by sharing). Imagine earning each time someone clicks on a movie recommendation you made or buys that super secure VPN you wrote about. Interesting, right? This is the magic of affiliate marketing: turning passions into paychecks without the heavy lifting.
Myths and Legends of Affiliate Marketing
There are certain points that you should be aware of before jumping on the train so I will present you with a few myths about affiliate marketing
Myth 1: The Overnight Profits
There is a misconception that many newcomers to affiliate marketing are sold on the dream of passive income, envisioning a scenario where they set up a website or a campaign and immediately start generating massive amounts of money. This misconception often arises from overly optimistic marketing pitches or testimonials that don't represent the average experience.
Imagine Sarah, who bought an online course claiming she’d start earning thousands within a week. She set up a basic website and waited. A week later, her earnings were negligible. Sarah realised that without a proper strategy, research, and consistent effort, this dream was far from reality.
Myth 2: The Illusion of Effortless Triumph
Affiliate marketing is more than a one-trick game. Successful marketers in this field are not sticking to one golden product or platform and sticking to it blindly. It requires a combination of market research, understanding audience behaviour, effective promotion strategies, and regular engagement.
The digital world is in a constant state of flux. What worked a month ago might not work today. You must be willing to learn, adapt, and innovate to stay ahead.
Myth 3: Oversaturated Markets Lead to Failure
Just because a niche is popular doesn't mean there's no room for newcomers. Often, market saturation is mistaken for high competition. But with the right strategies, even saturated markets can yield results.
Remember Sarah from the story above. How did she get better? Well, she diversified her affiliate marketing strategy by targeting both popular and emerging niches, ensuring multiple revenue streams and reducing dependency on a single market segment. And she bought traffic for her website of course.
On the other side, we have the legends
Legend 1: The Power of Niche Selection
Delving deep into a specific niche allows affiliate marketers to understand the unique needs, preferences, and pain points of their audience. This understanding leads to more targeted and effective campaigns.
Over time, as marketers consistently deliver valuable content and offers tailored to their niche, they establish themselves as authorities. This trust translates into higher conversion rates and lasting customer loyalty.
Legend 2: Relationships Fuel Success
Trust isn't just about ensuring genuine product recommendations. It extends to transparent communication with partners, ethical marketing practices, and prioritising the needs of the audience.
Think of brands that have built loyal partnerships. These partnerships flourish because both parties value and trust one another, leading to increased revenue and long-term collaborations.
Legend 3: Data-Driven Decision Making
In today's world, decisions based on gut feelings aren't enough. Analytics provide insights into user behaviour, campaign effectiveness, and areas of improvement, ensuring that decisions are backed by tangible data. So, setting up your tracking is highly important.
Companies like Amazon and Airbnb regularly leverage data analytics in their affiliate programs to optimise offers, understand market trends, and tailor their strategies, leading to increased profits and affiliate satisfaction.
How Modern Brands Are Boosting Revenue While They Sleep
Imagine this: It's midnight. While most of the city sleeps, a fashion enthusiast in New York stumbles upon a portal reviewing the latest sneaker release, clicks an embedded link, and makes a purchase. Halfway across the world, a tech aficionado in Tokyo is swayed by a YouTuber's recommendation and gets a new VPN. What's the magic behind these after-hours sales? Affiliate marketing.
Modern brands, from Nike to Apple, are leveraging this 24/7 marketing marvel to drive sales even when their offices are dark. By partnering with content creators and influencers, brands transform them into their very own digital salesforce, working around the clock. Every click, every sale made through these affiliates' platforms, means revenue for brands. It's a seamless synergy where brands expand their reach, influencers earn commissions, and consumers discover valuable products. And all this, while the brands potentially boost their bottom lines in their sleep.
Why Affiliate Marketing is Your Next Best Move
Low Investment, High Return: The initial cost of starting with affiliate marketing is minimal. All that is necessary is a traffic source (it could be a blog, social media account, traffic network) and a partnership with advertisers, owners of a product/service, if not direct, often through affiliate programs where there are rev-share or cost-per-action options.
Flexibility: One can work at their own pace, choose which products or services to promote, and even select the marketing strategies that suit them best. It really depends on the interest of the affiliate who will be running the product/service.
Diverse Opportunities: With countless niches available, there's no limitation to what can be promoted. From tech gadgets, software, and finance offers, to fashion accessories, every sector today offers affiliate marketing opportunities.
Passive Income Potential: Once there is a landing page and a url with tracking parameters out there, with the right marketing strategy and a good affiliate/s, it can keep earning revenue without active management of the advertiser (if the advertiser is not running the offers internally). For example, one landing page crafted the right way, can work on multiple networks and generate leads for months.
Your One-Stop Destination for Affiliate Mastery
But how do you navigate this vast realm? This is where companies like Coinis come into play. With 10+ years of experience in affiliate marketing, Coinis provides a platform tailored to cater to both advertisers and publishers/affiliates. Furthermore, Coinis has an experienced media buying team unparalleled in its expertise, possessing a great understanding of where to position which vertical, ensuring optimal visibility and conversion. Find out more here.
Join IAB Europe’s Digital Innovation: Start-Up Spotlight Webinar Featuring Conis
Affiliate marketing, with its passive income potential, is a realm waiting to be explored. As the lines between businesses and individuals blur in this arena, the opportunities only grow. Coinis stands at this intersection, ready to guide both advertisers and publishers/affiliates to their zenith of success.
We encourage you to join the webinar and inform yourself about the possibilities to scale your brand’s visibility and reach more customers/clients.
In this week’s member guest blog post, we hear from Emmanuel Josserand, Senior Director, Brand, Agency and Industry Relations at FreeWheel on what we really mean by ‘Premium Video’.
The ongoing proliferation of video channels and content, combined with the convergence of digital and linear, is redefining the premium video ecosystem. With established channels advancing and new ones emerging, there is increased industry discussion around how to define the term ‘premium video’.
Strict definitions in the advertising industry can come with the risk of being too restrictive. But not clarifying terms such as premium also risks undermining standardisation and damaging advertiser trust in this inventory.
While there is still no industry-agreed definition of what constitutes ‘premium video’, there are a number of attributes that video inventory must typically meet to be considered premium, including:
Brand safety is an especially prevalent issue in digital advertising due to the widespread use of audience-first targeting models. These models prioritise reaching the audience over selecting the best inventory (and its context) to reach the right audience, a nuance that creates a level of uncertainty over the kinds of inventory advertisers purchase. Buyers therefore run the risk of their ads — and consequently their brand — appearing in environments that contain harmful content.
The kinds of content, and in turn, inventory, that is available via premium video marketplaces are thoroughly vetted, ensuring brands only access quality environments. Some advanced TV channels, for example, broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD), must meet the same regulations as linear TV. This means BVOD platforms follow robust guidelines around inappropriate content and rising concerns such as misinformation.
Alongside regulations for TV-like environments, Stefan Havik, General Director and CDO DPG Network, believes that: “Fraud verification is an integral safety measure for protecting investment and campaign performance. Clarity is key to prevent wasted spend on fraudulent or poor-quality inventory that doesn’t deliver value.”
Across all channels, advertisers and agencies are demanding visibility over where they invest their media spend. When buyers purchase premium video inventory, they have transparency around the sellers they purchase from, which is a necessity for maintaining trust in premium video inventory.
Transparency is also important for sellers in terms of which buyers they trade with and which ads they run, as they must ensure ad creatives meet regulations to preserve the quality viewing experience. For this reason, premium video is usually traded through direct sales and private marketplaces (PMPs), which gives media owners greater control compared to alternative transaction methods such as open auctions and exchanges.
Audiences have a particular emotional investment in the premium video content they watch because they select precisely what, when, and where they tune into it. Studies from IAS have also found the quality of advertising environments has a significant impact on audience engagement and brand perception, with high-quality environments being more engaging and low-quality ones presenting a risk to brand objectives.
“Through the emotional connection between viewers and content, premium video delivers a superior advertising experience. This is further amplified by high-impact ad creatives and the big-screen devices audiences use,” commented David Rasmusson, Product Manager at ViaPlay.
Buyers need to be assured that the inventory they invest in works, making accurate verification and reporting essential. Advertisers and agencies require correct and complete metrics, such as viewability, for their video campaigns to understand the impact of their spend and justify maintaining or increasing budgets.
Furthermore, attribution remains critical for learning how media delivers against brand goals. Premium video measurement can tie audience actions to specific ads, meaning buyers can trust their spend is driving real value for brands.
Audiences are moving between many different channels to watch their favourite shows. To achieve sustainable growth, brands need to drive incremental reach. Six in 10 UK CTV viewers who took part in the AudienceXpress consumer study now watch more ad-supported streaming platforms than linear TV and 46% use free streaming platforms daily.
Audiences continue to have a huge appetite for long-form, professionally produced entertainment. However, premium video is now not just focused on that type of inventory. Due to changing user viewing habits, it also now encompasses a broader range of content — including short-form clips and immersive, high-quality shows. The quality of the production is what remains unchallenged as the most likely content to capture audiences and is therefore the most valuable environment for brands. The rapid and widespread audience adoption of premium video channels makes them effective at helping advertisers connect with audiences that could otherwise be difficult to reach.
Proving premium’s worth: Does it truly deliver stronger performance?
Identifying value brings the conversation back to measurement, which is perhaps the biggest challenge of a diversified ecosystem. New video measurement frameworks place a lot of emphasis on reach, which remains highly important, but doesn’t capture all premium video’s value.
Premium video measurement goes beyond baseline viewability standards and instead incorporates attention metrics and completion rates, which according to the forthcoming FreeWheel’s The Delicate Art of Balancing Ad Load report, stands at an impressive 94% for long-form premium video content. With the right tools to combine delivery metrics with attention, this is where premium video really shines, meaning buyers can be assured of premium video’s effectiveness.
As Ralf Hape, Managing Director, Sky Media Germany puts it: “‘Premium’ means quality, and measuring quality is not an easy task as there is no standardised measurement criteria in place yet for BVOD and CTV. There are some indicators that come close to a standard, such as VTR, Completion, and Viewability Rates, but they are not a “single currency” for non-clickable inventory. When measured against all these parameters, however, premium video is uniquely positioned and at the forefront of quality.”
A major reason for this is that broadcasters and premium video providers are carefully crafting their ad loads to create the best viewer experience, an endeavour that requires them to consider factors such as ad duration, ad break duration, and the number of ads included in a break. Refining this practice across screens, for different lengths of content, all whilst maximising revenue and enabling brands to achieve their upper and lower-funnel goals is no small feat, but it is one that’s vital.
Ultimately, premium video is inventory that puts the viewer experience first, which is equally beneficial to brands and premium video providers. Premium video drives quantifiable results for advertisers, whether they are looking to drive awareness or sales, and buyers need to carefully explore which video channels best enable them to achieve this.
As they do so, it’ll be crucial to remember that brand safety, transparency, engagement, trust, and quality reach are the core attributes that define what premium really means.
Brussels, Belgium - 7 September 2023:
IAB Europe confirms today that, following IAB Europe’s appeal against the Belgian’s Data Protection Authority (APD) decision to validate its action plan, the Belgian Market Court has rendered an interim ruling and suspended its assessment of the validation decision pending responses from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
The APD had unexpectedly decided to validate IAB Europe’s action plan in January 2023 in line with their February 2022 decision, despite the Market Court’s interim judgement of September 2022 which referred questions to the CJEU for a preliminary ruling and held that the APD was in breach of its duty of care.
To prevent the APD from pre-empting the referral to the CJEU and ensure that future iterations of the TCF are sustainable and aligned with EU-level interpretations of the GDPR, IAB Europe had filed a second appeal, this time against the APD’s decision to validate IAB Europe’s action plan.
The Market Court’s judgement shows that this validation (and enforcement) decision of the APD was taken too soon, as the Market Court explicitly indicated that the answers that will be provided by the CJEU will have a bearing on the legality of the APD decision to validate the action plan.
This judgement will therefore allow a serene completion of the remaining legal proceedings, and removes the risk of introducing changes to the TCF that may ultimately be found inappropriate by the CJEU and rolled back.
"This decision is a reassuring confirmation that while TCF evolutions can go ahead, like the recent TCF v2.2 changes," said Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, "now is not the time to force any modifications that might be significantly affected by the Court of Justice proceedings". In particular, measures in the action plan that directly stemmed from the APD's finding that the TC String constitutes personal data and that IAB Europe should be viewed as a (joint) controller from a data protection perspective are thus set aside for now. "Ultimately, it is up to the Court of Justice to provide guidance on these issues, and the Market Court decision serves as a reminder of this point", added Ms Feehan.
An updated FAQ regarding the APD decision can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Press contact:
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe - mussard@iabeurope.eu – +44 (0) 7399 919594
About IAB Europe:
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the development of this innovative sector and ensure its sustainability by shaping the regulatory environment, demonstrating the value digital advertising brings to Europe’s economy, to consumers and to the market, and developing and facilitating the uptake of harmonised business partners that take account of changing user expectations and enable digital brand advertising to scale in Europe.
Majority of Retail Media Buyers and Sellers Want Standards in Media and Attribution Measurement
6th September, 2023 - Brussels, Belgium, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released the first pan-European definitions for Retail Media in a new comprehensive 101 Guide to Retail Media. This groundbreaking initiative created by IAB Europe’s Retail Media Working Group provides a comprehensive overview of what Retail Media is, including a breakdown of on-site, off-site and in-store definitions, and essential guidance to the buying and selling of Retail Media in Europe. The Guide serves as a valuable resource for all industry stakeholders, offering an introduction to Retail Media and its growing significance in the European Market.
Defining Retail Media for Europe
Retail Media has emerged as a powerful digital advertising tool in recent years, but as with any emerging technology or solution it is vital to first understand and define what we mean by Retail Media and to dispel any misconceptions or confusion surrounding the different aspects of it. To overcome this challenge IAB Europe’s Retail Media Working Group has created the first pan-European definitions of Retail Media in a digital advertising sphere. Working collaboratively with National IABs across Europe and drilling down into digital on-site, digital off-site and digital in-store, these definitions help provide a clear understanding of the Retail Media, and educate industry stakeholders on how to leverage it effectively.
Guide to Retail Media in Europe
To help support the definitions of Retail Media, the working group has also created a 101 Guide, designed to empower buyers and sellers to make informed decisions and achieve their advertising objectives through Retail Media. This introductory guide covers all the must-know aspects of Retail Media, including insights into how campaigns can be purchased, reasons why retail media is essential for brands, and an overview of available measurement and targeting options.
Commenting on the publication of the 101 Guide, Jason Wescott, Global Practice Lead, Commerce at GroupM Nexus said “The success of early adopters in digital retail media has driven more retailers to throw their hats in the ring. More digital retail media owners means buying becomes more complex, confusing, and highly specialised, as each retailer has their own definitions, campaign metrics and attribution windows. For advertisers, this makes it hard to compare across digital retail media platforms vis-à-vis planning budgets, strategies, and campaign activations. The IAB Europe Retail Media 101 Guide will empower the industry with key knowledge on what digital Retail Media is, how it can be bought and why it should matter to brands. Equip yourself with exactly what good looks like, so you can approach the exciting world of digital retail media, with confidence.”
Creating Standards for a Thriving Retail Media Market
A recent IAB Europe survey of over 100 Retail Media buyers and sellers found that over two thirds of buyers (70%) think the lack of standards for Retail Media is a barrier to investment. When asked about which standards are most important, the majority of buyers (90%) and sellers (84%) cited media and attribution measurement.
Commenting on the work IAB Europe is doing to advance education and standardisation in Retail Media, Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe said: "IAB Europe forecasts that ad spend on Retail Media will reach EUR 25 billion by 2026, exceeding traditional linear TV advertising. In order to fully realise this opportunity, we need to bridge the "knowledge gap" surrounding Retail Media. Our newly released pan-European definitions and the comprehensive 101 Guide will help industry stakeholders start to navigate this dynamic landscape. The clear call for standards that came through in our recent survey is driving our next move, with a dedicated new Retailer Council leading the work.”
The full guide is now available for download on the IAB Europe website here.
As summer vacations draw to a close and we gear up for an exciting new season in the world of digital advertising, why not prepare yourself by diving back into some of the basics and kick-start the new ‘term’ ahead of the game?
From our 101 Explainer Video Series to our educational and practical Guides, we’ve outlined some of our most valuable resources below for you to explore, re-educate, and excel as we move toward the end of 2023.
IAB Europe Explains
The ‘IAB Europe Explains’ video series brings together industry experts from across our membership to provide overviews and explanations that will help you make sense of the latest topics and trends in our ever-evolving and changing ecosystem.
From the latest Economic Outlook to Retail Media, Sustainability, Disinformation, and more, find out everything you need to know in our video series below:
The videos are between 5 to 15 minutes long, so sit back, grab a coffee, and become an industry expert in no time.
IAB Europe Guides & One-Sheets
Whether you want to brush up on the basics of programmatic CTV, understand how to make more sustainable business decisions, or get an introduction to the world of Attention, our guides and one-sheets are here to support you:
IAB Europe Research & Insights
We also have a wealth of knowledge, stats, and facts at your fingertips with some of our most recent research projects:
For all this and more head over to our Knowledge Hub and check out our resources today!
We’re excited to announce the release of our latest Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making to help you, and your business in your journey to greater sustainability, transparency, and success.
As a leader in the digital advertising industry, we understand the challenges and opportunities that come with navigating the ever-evolving landscape of sustainability and responsible business practices. With terms like "sustainable," "green," "net-zero," and "carbon-neutral" having gained significant traction in our industry, it makes it increasingly essential for businesses to discern the authenticity and validity of such claims.
We are excited to introduce our new guide to help organisations make more informed decisions and contribute to a more sustainable future for our industry.
What Does the Guide Offer?
This initial guide has been designed to assist you in evaluating sustainability claims from potential partners and provides general orientations for exploring critical areas during the initial stages of assessment. By leveraging this guide, you can better evaluate sustainability claims from potential partners and implement sustainable business practices.
The guide explores key areas including:
This will also be further supported by the development of more in-depth business reports and playbooks and sustainability scorecards that will enable market participants to consider ESG factors as well as economic benefits.
This guide is an invaluable tool for businesses seeking to navigate the complexities of sustainability and make more informed choices.
27th July 2023, Brussels, Belgium, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released its ‘Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making’. This initial guide has been created to assist businesses in the digital advertising ecosystem navigate the ever-evolving landscape of sustainability and responsible business practices.
Terms such as ‘sustainable’, ‘green’, ‘net-zero’, and ‘carbon-neutral’ to describe technology, services, and products in the digital advertising industry have increased in traction recently, making it increasingly important for businesses to understand the validity of such labels.
With the rise of greenwashing practices, where false or misleading claims are made regarding environmental efforts, it is crucial for businesses to exercise due diligence when evaluating sustainability claims and when looking to choose the partners they wish to work with. Government regulators are also intensifying their focus on combating such practices, and businesses need to ensure that their decisions align with genuine sustainability goals.
The ‘Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making’ was written by members of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee including, Alliance Digitale, BVDW, EssenceMediacom, IMPACT+, Microsoft Advertising, ProsiebenSat.1, and Scope3. It offers valuable insights and practical tips to help organisations make informed choices when looking to achieve sustainability in the digital advertising industry. The guide will be further supported by the development of more in-depth business reports and playbooks and sustainability scorecards that will enable market participants to consider ESG factors as well as economic benefits.
Key areas covered in the guide include tips and guidance on environmental considerations, European legislation and guidelines, anti-greenwashing principles, social considerations, and the economic benefits of sustainable decision-making.
"By launching the Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making, we aim to support businesses in the digital advertising industry in taking crucial first steps to navigate the complex realm of sustainability," said Townsend Feehan, CEO at IAB Europe. "We believe that informed decision-making can help lead to a brighter and more sustainable future for our industry. As we look and move ahead, we eagerly anticipate enriching this initial initiative with further in-depth guidance, to empower businesses to approach sustainable strategies with greater confidence."
The full guide is now available for download on the IAB Europe website here.
Notes to Editors:
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the interests of the industry and enable cross-ecosystem collaboration amongst its national federation and corporate members to drive solutions to shared challenges and develop frameworks, standards, and programmes that contribute to sustainable growth and innovation.
About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
