NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Publishers Clearing House (PCH) today announced it had received three certifications from the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG). As part of PCH’s commitment to protecting its digital advertising partners and customers from fraud, the company underwent a rigorous third-party auditing process to earn seals for its efforts to fight ad fraud, eliminate malware and improve inventory quality. PCH is one of the first companies to have earned all three seals through independent certification.
Digital ad fraud continues to plague the advertising industry at alarming rates. It’s estimated that advertisers lose $7.2 billion annually due to bot-generated traffic, and audience metrics are inflated by up to 50 percent. TAG partners with companies to raise anti-fraud standards throughout the digital advertising supply chain and combat the negative impact of fraudulent traffic. PCH earned the following three independent certifications:
- TAG Certified Against Fraud Seal for working to eliminate ad fraud and combat the negative impact of fraudulent traffic by adopting anti-fraud standards and protocols, all to ensure that advertising content is viewed by humans rather than bots
- TAG Certified Against Malware Seal for efforts to stop the distribution of malware throughout the digital ad supply chain
- TAG Inventory Quality Seal for steps to promote the growth of the digital advertising industry by adopting clear, common language to describe characteristics of advertising inventory and transactions across the advertising value chain.
“TAG certifications are now the standard in the ad ecosystem, and brands should question any publisher that doesn’t seriously invest in fighting fraud,” said Spencer Scott, Head of Media Platforms at PCH Media. “With fraud continuing to rise, and the digital ad ecosystem growing more complex by the day, our brand advertisers and partners can feel confident that they are reaching their intended audience – and getting optimal value and return on their spend.”
To receive an independent certification, companies are audited by a third-party to ensure that all policies are up to TAG standards. The auditing process verifies that advertisers and agencies, both on the buying and selling side, have dedicated compliance officers to ensure all non-human traffic is removed from performance metrics and that they are adhering to the Media Rating Council’s guidelines on invalid traffic.
“To fight fraud across the entire advertising ecosystem, we need to work together as an industry. We are very pleased that PCH has taken such aggressive steps to elevate its anti-fraud strategy through TAG certification, and we believe it will pay strong dividends for the company and its customers,” said Mike Zaneis, chief executive officer at TAG. “As we move toward an increasingly digital world, we have to move even faster to counter the criminals who profit from ad fraud, and we’re delighted to have PCH's support as they take a leading role among publishers in this effort.”
“When brands and agencies work with third-party advertisers to reach target audiences, there’s a lot at stake. Advertisers face significant risk in terms of both dollars invested and campaign effectiveness. At PCH, we’re dedicated to providing the best inventory, scale and audience targeting to our clients, and that means doing our due diligence to combat ad fraud,” said Sal Tripi, AVP, Digital Operations and Compliance at Publishers Clearing House.
For more information on how PCH get help you reach your target audiences across digital, visit media.pch.com.
About the Trustworthy Accountability Group:
The Trustworthy Accountability Group was created to foster transformational improvement at scale across the digital advertising ecosystem, focusing on four core areas: eliminating fraudulent traffic, combating malware, fighting ad-supported Internet piracy to promote brand integrity, and promoting brand safety through greater transparency. For more information on TAG, please visit tagtoday.net.
About Publishers Clearing House:
Publishers Clearing House has been a leader in direct marketing and chance-to-win opportunities since 1953. As consumers have evolved to online, and now mobile media and entertainment consumption, PCH has also evolved its offerings as well. With 20MM unique monthly visitors, over 100MM consumer profiles, and a passionate member base, PCH has established itself as a premier destination for free-to-play digital entertainment. This is supported with over 15 digital game titles, PCH Search&Win, PCH FrontPage, 10,000+ consumer products, and numerous prize opportunities with over $250MM in prize money already awarded.
