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.
Report details all factors contributing to 9.8% annual growth
Digital Audio fuels strongest format growth increasing by 22.1%
Brussels, Belgium, 13th July 2023 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released its full 2022 AdEx Benchmark Report following the release of the study highlights in May. Now in its seventeenth year, the report is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe covering 29 markets. It details the formats and channels that contributed to digital advertising’s annual growth of 9.8 percent in 2022, culminating in a total market value of €86bn.
Commenting on the positive market growth in 2022, Townsend Feehan, CEO at IAB Europe said, “Despite facing unprecedented macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, such as the war in Ukraine and rising inflation, the digital advertising market demonstrated exceptional resilience, with an increase of €7.7 billion from 2021.”
Market Coverage Expansion
In 2022, the geographical coverage of the AdEx Benchmark study underwent key changes, with Belarus and Russia being excluded and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania added as new markets. This expansion allows for a more comprehensive overview, encompassing a wider range of markets in the report.
Video and Audio Record Strongest Growth
The findings highlight audio as the fastest-growing format, experiencing a remarkable increase of 22.1% to reach €0.7 billion. Video also witnessed substantial growth, with a 13.6% increase, valuing the format's investment at €18.3 billion.
Programmatic Commands Over 57% of Display
Programmatic, excluding social, continues to account for more than half of display ad spend, with video accounting for 52.8% of the share of programmatic spend. However, huge differences in the maturity of programmatic across markets mean there is significant headroom for growth. Key markets, including France, Germany Italy, and Sweden, remain low in programmatic share in comparison to the UK.
Dr. Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist at IAB Europe, who compiled and presented the study commented, “Growth of digital advertising in Europe slowed to +9.8% in 2022. This can be attributed, in part, to a natural correction following a robust recovery in 2021 after the pandemic, which witnessed the most substantial market expansion in more than ten years (+33.8%). Additionally, the presence of macro-economic fragility and the ramifications of the war in Ukraine acted as further obstacles. Despite these challenges, the growth rate still surpasses expectations, particularly considering that digital advertising has now become a well-established media category, accounting for over 60% of total media ad expenditure, compared to less than 20% in 2009, the last year with similar growth patterns.”
View and download the full report here
Notes:
AdEx Benchmark is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe.
The data has been compiled by IAB Europe based on information provided by the national IAB offices around Europe. The report includes market size and value information for 2022 for the following markets: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and Ukraine. The data represents the calendar year 2022 January- December. This is the seventeenth AdEx Benchmark study which began in the calendar year 2006. Display includes PC-based and mobile banners, rich media and video formats.
The report provides a comprehensive perspective of digital advertising spend across Europe which is essential in benchmarking market development trends, the increasingly pan-regional nature of digital advertising investments, and the role of Europe’s digital economy in a global context, attracting global start-up funding and European policy formulation.
For more information please contact:
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe – mussard@iabeurope.eu - +44 (0) 7399 919594
Marie-Clare Puffett, Marketing & Insights Director, IAB Europe – puffett@iabeurope.eu - +44 (0) 7973836917
CO₂ Emissions in the Digital Advertising Supply Chain: Call for Proposals to Complete a Measurement Framework Mapping & Gap Analysis
IAB Europe wishes to engage an external contractor with expertise in environmental sustainability and the digital advertising ecosystem to develop thinking and research around the measurement of CO₂ emissions generated by the delivery of digital advertising products. The initial brief is to undertake an analysis of the measurement and methodology landscape for carbon emissions in digital advertising activation, mapping out all existing methodologies and providing an analysis of each of them in relation to their stage of maturity and their potential suitability as a starting point for a single, unified pan-European framework. Based on satisfactory completion of this gap analysis, the role could evolve into a permanent part-time support to the Association’s environmental sustainability work-track.
The role is an initial short focused project with a proposed duration of 8 weeks leading into a long term engagement to support the development of standardisation and frameworks the measurement of Co₂e emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising and requires a sustainability supply chain expert who has a comprehensive understanding of the digital landscape and an awareness of the digital advertising ecosystem.
The role will require the individual to present the findings back to the internal IAB Europe team and also the IAB Europe ESG Methodology and framework workgroup.
Key Deliverables (8 week project):
Project Proposed Timeline:
Long term engagement:
Additional Experience & Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have previous experience in a similar role and possess the following criteria:
Location, compensation:
To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in the position to Lauren Wakefield - wakefield@iabeurope.eu.
We appreciate all applications, but please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
IAB Europe is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds.
On 23rd-24th May we hosted our annual flagship event Interact in Madrid, where we brought leaders from across the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem together to discuss and debate the hottest industry topics of the moment.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors and media partners, and the wonderful team at IAB Spain, we enjoyed two days of keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking under the central theme of ‘Innovation, Sustainability & Growth’.
Check out the highlights video here and event images here.
We unpacked a wide variety of topics as we looked to help the digital advertising industry become privacy first, tackle sustainability, and drive growth through innovation. From the latest ad spend figures, Retail Media, CTV, the attention economy, and trust, to premium publisher’s advertising models, sustainability, policy and more no stone was left unturned as we uncovered everything essential in our industry today.
Thanks so much to everyone who joined us and thank you to all of the amazing speakers who came together from across Europe and beyond to share their insights and expertise. With over 240 people joining over the two days, we are delighted to call it a great success.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to join us or did and want to relieve all of the great content, in this post you will find links to all of the highlights, including session overviews, as well as video recordings for you to view in your own time.
Event Highlights
Interact 2024 – Stay Tuned!
We hope you will be able to join us next year! Stay tuned for the reveal of the next location and get ready to pop the date in your diary as we prepare for Interact 2024.
In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about IAB Europe or how you can get involved in Interact 2024 please do reach out to communication@iabeurope.eu
On 23rd-24th May we hosted our annual flagship event Interact in Madrid, where we brought leaders from across the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem together to discuss and debate the hottest industry topics of the moment.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors and media partners, and the wonderful team at IAB Spain, we enjoyed two days of keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking under the central theme of ‘Innovation, Sustainability & Growth’.
Check out the highlights video here and event images here.
On day two, we focused our attention on policy and putting things into practice. From the latest updates on the DSA and the TCF to performance marketing, sustainability and premium publisher advertising models, we uncovered everything that is vital to our industry today.
If you missed it or want to catch up on everything from day two, you can find an overview of each session, key takeaways, and video highlights right here.
Welcome & Opening Remarks from IAB Ukraine
Our colleague Anastasiya Baydachenko, CEO of IAB Ukraine gave a highly inspiring opening keynote on the latest updates and importance of the situation in Ukraine.
What You Need to Know About the DSA Today
In this informative panel discussion Inés Talavera de la Esperanza, Public Policy Manager at IAB Europe led a key conversation on the latest updates on the DSA and the importance of what we need to know and do as an industry today. Inés was joined by:
The Latest Updates on the TCF
In this panel discussion, industry experts came together to discuss the latest updates with the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) v2.2. They discussed the benefits of the latest version of the TCF, how it has been developed, the key challenges that need to be addressed and what’s next for the framework.
Ninon Vagner, Privacy Director at IAB Europe moderated this session as was joined by:
Redefining Performance. Agility and Fluidity Across Channels
Just what is a simplified route to growth? Dave Hompe, VP at GroupM Nexus EMEA and Sara Terol, Search & Programmatic Senior Manager at Melia International Hotels took to the stage to discuss the importance today of a holistic, full-funnel approach to media plans.
Sustainability in Digital Advertising
In this panel discussion, industry experts came together to discuss the state of readiness of our industry when it comes to sustainability. They explored what is available today to help drive the reduction of carbon emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising and took a look into what else needs to be done in order to achieve sustainability in our industry.
Claire Gleeson-Landry, Head of Investment & Sustainable Media at Good-Loop moderated this session and was joined by:
The Future of Video Across Europe
The concept of Connected TV has become a widespread topic. While transparency isn’t a new concept, it’s one that continues to evolve - especially as digital channels like CTV experience tremendous growth. With any large-scale growth, challenges tend to appear and this is the crossroads we are experiencing in CTV today. Augustin Decré, Index Exchange’s Regional Managing Director SEMEA walked us through the future opportunities CTV represents in Europe.
A Premium Publishers View on Advertising and its Changes
In this short presentation, Robert Blanck, General Manager eCommerce & Advertising at Axel Springer ran through the challenges of being a premium publisher. From the strategic question of the right balance between paid and advertising revenue, through to the current ecosystem challenges of addressability, first party data and contextual, to the question of what a healthier ecosystem can look like and what role publishers can play in it. He also looked at industry standards and alliances and how they will shape the future for publishers.
Premium Publisher Advertising Models: Update and Outlook
How are premium publishers evolving their advertising business models? This panel dived into data strategies as well as innovations in areas such as programmatic trading, contextual, branded content, e-commerce, and partnerships.
Joanna Burton, Chief Strategy Officer at ID5 and Interact 2023’s host moderated this session and was joined by:
On 23rd-24th May we hosted our annual flagship event Interact in Madrid, where we brought leaders from across the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem together to discuss and debate the hottest industry topics of the moment.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors and media partners, and the wonderful team at IAB Spain, we enjoyed two days of keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking under the central theme of ‘Innovation, Sustainability & Growth’.
Check out the highlights video here and event images here.
On day one, we focused our attention on the trending topics of today. We tackled a whole host of industry challenges, opportunities and aspirations. If you missed it, not to worry, here you can find an overview of each session, key takeaways and video highlights.
AdEx Benchmark 2022 - The Latest European Digital Advertising Expenditure Insights
We opened Interact 2023 with a keynote presentation from our Chief Economist, Daniel Knapp around the latest AdEx Benchmark Study results.
IAB Europe’s AdEx Benchmark report is the definitive guide to the state of the European digital advertising market. Daniel Knapp unpacked the channels and formats that contributed to the digital advertising market value in 2022.
European Leaders Discussion on the Digital Ad Spend Insights
Following the opening keynote presentation, a panel of European leaders discussed and debated the latest AdEx Benchmark results and shared some of their own thoughts and predictions for the year ahead.
This session was moderated by Hannah Bowler, Senior Reporter at The Drum who was joined by:
Read ‘The Drum’s’ write-up of the session here
Resetting the Bar on Brand Communication
In this keynote session, Taide Guajardo, Brand Senior Vice-President, Europe at P&G discussed how in today’s world, full of challenges but also opportunities, it is time for our industry to not just raise, but rather reset the bar on serving the consumer with Superior Communication that delivers Growth and creates Value.
She shared insights on how Brand Communication can step up to better understand the people we serve, reach them more effectively and efficiently, and be inclusive and purpose-driven.
The Retail Media Opportunity
Alexis Marcombe, Managing Director at Carrefour Links took the audience through a Retail Media 101. He shared what Retail Media is, the kind of opportunity it represents today and gave an exclusive insight into what Carrefour plans to do with its new joint venture with Publicis.
Revolutionising TV Advertising: Unlocking Efficiency and Agility for the Digital Age
Tom Peruzzi, Spokesman of the Executive Board & CTO at Virtual Minds (ProSiebenSat.1) discussed how in today's fast-paced digital age, linear TV campaigns can no longer rely on the classic pre-planning model. With the market demanding shorter lead times and comparable KPIs to digital channels, the convergence of digital and linear TV is revolutionising the industry. He showed us how to unlock efficiency and transform TV advertising in this new landscape.
Streaming TV’s New Era: How Ads Are Powering Streaming’s Future in the EU5
Alexandra Ong, Business Development Director at Magnite too us on an in-depth look at how advertising is driving the future of streaming in the EU5. As EU5 viewers prefer ad-supported streaming to traditional television, brands can engage with addressable audiences with ever-increasing reach and scale. The cross-device viewing habits of the EU5 audience influence purchasing decisions and advertising impact. This presents advertisers with an excellent opportunity to increase their brands' visibility and create stronger connections with consumers. Magnite presented its latest study, Streaming TV's New Era, which looks at the viewer behaviour driving this change.
Connected TV (CTV): The State of Play in Europe Today
We are now entering an Advanced TV universe with CTV revolutionising how European audiences consume TV. Now is the time for advertisers to take advantage of this impactful medium and carefully plan, optimise and measure campaigns. In this panel discussion, industry leaders discussed the current challenges and opportunities for CTV in Europe. They dived into and debated measurement and shared best practices to tap into this exciting channel.
Vincent Flood, Founder & Editor-In-Chief at VideoWeek moderated this session and was joined by:
The Power of Attention - Heineken Metacase
Attention measurement continues to demonstrate that this new wave of media research is helping advertisers drive better business outcomes compared to legacy metrics. But what does attention measurement look like in action? What happens when you take attention measurement from the lab to the wild?
Teads has been putting attention measurement into action for the past 12 months. As such Phil Sumner, VP Global Research Operations at Teads shared some of their learnings, together with Peter Maxwell, Global Media Lead, The Heineken Company.
Attention Pays: The Value of Attention in Digital Advertising
The attention economy is critical for brands looking to really understand how their campaigns engage an audience at a granular level. It’s the currency of the moment, and on the tip of everyone's tongue when it comes to priorities for 2023. But why are we so invested in attention today? How does it work, how is it measured and what is its real value?
In this panel discussion industry experts came together to answer these questions and more. They looked at why attention is so important to digital advertising in Europe today and shared best practices to make the most out of this much-talked-about currency.
Andy Brown, CEO at The Attention Council moderated this session and was joined by:
Trust & Transparency: The Future of Responsible Marketing
In this keynote presentation Michael Todd, Global Director of Industry Relations at Google discussed how consumers are losing trust in the digital marketing ecosystem and that we need to come together to put responsible marketing and privacy at its core to make digital advertising safer for consumers, successful for publishers, and more impactful for businesses.
Leading the Digital Advertising Industry into a New Era of Trust & Responsibility
Digital advertising is an integral part of the European economy. Our industry is at the forefront of technology innovation and creativity, building digital products, ensuring media pluralism and enabling consumer choice.
But the industry has fallen short of creating a trusted and credible environment towards policy makers and civil society on how it operates. IAB Europe’s Industry Leadership Council (ILC) was conceived in response to this realisation. It brings together actors across the advertising ecosystem to build a bridge to policy makers for an open and constructive dialogue.
Our closing panel of the day discussed what is currently being done in the ILC and what else is required to ensure a sustainable future for the industry.
Townsend Feehan, CEO at IAB Europe moderated this session and was joined by:
IAB Common Commitment agreement signed by National IABs and Federations shows alignment on a work plan and framework that supports sustainable developments in Europe
Brussels, Belgium, 8th June 2023 -IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the release of a new European IAB Common Commitment Agreement on Sustainability signed by 20 National IABs and Federations across Europe. The Commitment demonstrates the need and wants from National Federations for a collaborative and consistent approach to the measurement methodology of carbon emissions. This includes the regulatory and policy taxonomy, and the mapping and standardisation of best practices for the delivery of ads across the digital supply chain.
Uniting on Sustainable Digital Advertising: Reducing Carbon Emissions and Taking Climate Action
The digital advertising industry has identified that the carbon emissions associated with the internet, devices, and supporting systems have reached nearly 4% of global greenhouse emissions. With these emissions projected to double in the near future, it is crucial for the industry to acknowledge the climate crisis and take decisive action now. This will help to ensure a sustainable advertising choice for brands while most importantly, helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the digital advertising ecosystem.
In response to this urgent need, IAB Europe, along with National IABs and Federation signatories, is committed to providing guidance and support to organisations on their sustainability journeys. By working collectively, they aim to establish consistent European standards, practices, and solutions that address the critical issues of sustainability.
The Common Commitment reflects a shared vision and dedication to a comprehensive work plan. This plan will be delivered by IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee and will involve developing strategies, guidelines, and taxonomies that align with regulations and policies while considering the broader aspects of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic impacts. It will also help elevate work being done at a National level to bring it up to a European level in a consistent manner and will prioritise the reduction of carbon emissions specifically associated with digital advertising and emphasise the importance of climate action.
By uniting its efforts, the digital advertising industry can take significant steps towards a more sustainable future, mitigating the environmental impact and contributing to the United Nations' 17 sustainable development goals.
Commenting on the release of the Commitment, IAB Europe’s CEO, Townsend Feehan said, “The aspiration to reduce CO₂ emissions in the digital advertising supply chain will test our capacity to act in unison more than any other policy or business goal. The Common Commitment we are announcing today is a modest but critical step, enabling our European network to collaborate at an unprecedented pace internally and bringing critical mass to our engagement with global partners."
The Participating National Federations can be viewed here:
- ENDS -
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.
Brussels, Belgium, 1st June - IAB Europe, representing a diverse membership of thousands of digital marketing and advertising companies, media publishers, and independent third-party measurement firms, has released a policy paper outlining its position on the draft proposal for a European Media Freedom Act. The paper aims to provide valuable insights to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and national officials working on their negotiating positions.
The proposed European Media Freedom Act seeks to establish a common framework for media services in the internal market, addressing various aspects of the digital media landscape. IAB Europe acknowledges the significance of audience measurement provisions, particularly Article 23, and emphasises its importance for independent and pluralistic media in European democracies. Digital advertising enables media publishers to monetise their content and maintain their independence while fostering a diverse media landscape. IAB Europe recognises the investments undertaken by publishers in audience measurement for transparent pricing of their advertising services. These systems are crucial to enhance their advertising strategies, serve new advertisers online, and evaluate advertising campaigns effectively.
In its policy paper, IAB Europe supports the principle-based approach to audience measurement outlined in Article 23(1) of the draft proposal. The implementation of these principles has the potential to enhance transparency in audience measurement systems, leading to a fairer allocation of advertising revenues across the media ecosystem. However, IAB Europe asks policymakers to consider three key aspects when regulating audience measurement.
Firstly, respecting the importance of existing self-regulatory initiatives, such as Joint Industry Committees (JICs), which are well-established in many member states. These frameworks, based on self-regulation among media publishers, advertising agencies, and independent audience measurement providers, have significantly contributed to improving audience measurement systems.
Secondly, IAB Europe emphasises the need for transparency in audience measurement methodologies (Article 23(2)) to ensure fair pricing of digital advertising, questioning the effectiveness of the current draft proposal in achieving this objective. The lack of a clear definition for "providers of proprietary audience measurement systems" creates ambiguity and may unintentionally impact third-party audience measurement providers, including traditional research companies and JICs.
Thirdly and finally, IAB Europe urges policymakers to strike a balance between transparency and innovation. While advocating for increased transparency in audience methodology, IAB Europe highlights the importance of protecting proprietary methods and technology that result from substantial investments in research and development. Transparency should not impede investments in research and innovation, which are essential for the evolution of audience measurement systems.
IAB Europe stands ready to engage in constructive dialogue with MEPs and national officials to ensure that the European Media Freedom Act upholds the principle of transparency. The full policy positioning paper can be accessed here.
