NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), the MRC (Media Rating Council), and the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association), with the expert technical support of the IAB Technology Laboratory, have released major overhauls to the Mobile In-App Measurement and Mobile Web Measurement Guidelines for public comment—changes that will promote improved digital advertising measurement. The revised guidelines will shift both mobile in-app and mobile web from a “count-on-download” minimum to a “count-on-begin-to-render” ad impression measurement minimum. References to “served” impressions have been removed from the proposed guidelines, substituting them with the concept of counting event-driven impressions which have a greater potential for an “opportunity-to-see” by an end user. The change will better align measurement of these impressions with the counting model in place for viewable impressions.
Simultaneous to this release, IAB and MRC, with the assistance of the IAB Tech Lab, have also introduced a proposed revision to the Desktop Display Served Impression Guideline, shifting desktop digital ad measurement away from a minimum of “count-on-ad-insertion” approach to a “count-on-begin-to-render” model. With this move, mobile and desktop measurement will be more closely in sync with digital video measurement, which already requires “count-on-begin-to-render.”
“A ‘count-on-begin-to-render’ model is going to offer publishers improved measurement,” said Anna Bager, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mobile and Video, IAB. “These updates will be critical in delivering the efficiencies that marketers and agencies seek from digital campaigns. They move measurement to more closely align with other measurement metrics, such as viewable impressions—providing an avenue to more cohesive cross-platform measurement.”
"These updated guidelines will serve as a foundation for better digital measurement," said Alanna Gombert, Senior Vice President, Technology and Ad Operations, IAB. "This shift requires complex technical underpinnings, but will ultimately provide an easy route for simplifying and unifying ad measurement across interactive screens."
“Revising these guidelines represents the initial step of what we plan to be an ongoing process to modernize existing IAB and IAB/MMA/MRC Measurement Guidelines to be fully appropriate to today’s digital advertising environment,” said George W. Ivie, Executive Director and CEO, MRC. “We thank the members of the Modernizing Measurement Task Force for their consideration and feedback as we drafted these revisions, and the IAB and the MMA for their partnership in these efforts.”
“Increased answerability in measurement is vital to the growth of mobile advertising,” said Sheryl Daija, Chief Strategy Officer, MMA. “Revising the mobile measurement guidelines with the IAB and MRC will ensure that brand marketers have even better and more stringent metrics when it comes to calculating success.”
The public comment period for all three guidelines will remain open until February 1, 2017, after which the MRC will consider relevant feedback and make changes to the draft as deemed appropriate. Proposed final documents will then be shared with IAB, the Modernizing Measurement Task Force—and MMA for the two mobile guidelines—for a final review prior to issuance. Comments can be emailed to Ron Pinelli of MRC at rpinelli@mediaratingcouncil.org.
The revised Mobile In-App Measurement Guidelines and Mobile Web Measurement Guidelines are the result of collaboration with the Modernizing Measurement Task Force, which included representation of both buyers and sellers, as well as other interested members. They are available for download at www.mediaratingcouncil.org. The Desktop Display Served Impression Measurement Guideline was also developed in conjunction with the Modernizing Measurement Task Force and can be viewed here.
About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. It is comprised of more than 650 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising or marketing campaigns. Together, they account for 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. Working with its member companies, the IAB develops technical standards and best practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. The organization is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the IAB advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City and has a West Coast office in San Francisco.
About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 110 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.
About MMA
The MMA is the world’s leading global non-profit trade mobile marketing association comprised of more than 800 member companies, from nearly fifty countries around the world. Our members hail from every faction of the mobile marketing ecosystem, including brand marketers, agencies, mobile technology platforms, media companies, operators and others. The MMA’s mission is to accelerate the transformation and innovation of marketing through mobile, driving business growth with closer and stronger consumer engagement. Anchoring the MMA’s mission are four core pillars; to cultivate inspiration by driving innovation for the Chief Marketing Officer; to build the mobile marketing capabilities for marketing organizations through fostering know-how and confidence; to champion the effectiveness and impact of mobile through research providing tangible ROI measurement; and to advocate for mobile marketers. Additionally, MMA industry-wide committees work collaboratively to develop and advocate global best practices and lead standards development.
