IAB Media Center https://www.iab.com/organizations/media-center/ Empowering the Media and Marketing Industries to Thrive in the Digital Economy Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:01:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Measuring Digital Audio’s Impact in Media Mix Models https://www.iab.com/video/measuring-digital-audios-impact-in-media-mix-models/ Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:00:35 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_video&p=197513 Despite strong consumer engagement with digital audio, advertiser investment in the channel continues to lag. In this “Digital Simplified” episode, IAB Pulse Host Chris Bruderle talks with Joe Macarak (SiriusXM Media) and Matt Shapo (IAB) about why this gap persists and how better measurement can unlock audio’s full value. Learn how audio fits into media mix models, where measurement is evolving, and what marketers can do to drive smarter investment.
Click Attend to Watch Live on LinkedIn

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Amplifying Signal to Measure Audio’s Impact https://www.iab.com/blog/audio-measurement/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:45:28 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_blog&p=197129 There’s a moment early in the 1997 movie “Contact” starring Jodie Foster in which the relentlessly inquisitive scientist that Foster plays sits bolt upright on the top of her car and breathlessly whispers the words Holy Excrement to herself. Although the actual second word begins with the letter “s” and ends with the letter “t”, … Continued

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There’s a moment early in the 1997 movie “Contact” starring Jodie Foster in which the relentlessly inquisitive scientist that Foster plays sits bolt upright on the top of her car and breathlessly whispers the words Holy Excrement to herself.

Although the actual second word begins with the letter “s” and ends with the letter “t”, Dr. Ellie Arroway isn’t being profane, she is simply reacting with all the wonder and amazement one would expect of a person who has just made a discovery she has spent a lifetime pursuing.

Picture of Satalites

What happens next is a mad dash of repositioning giant telescopes, scrambling to tune audio equipment to just the right frequency, and frantically listening to radio waves that have travelled millions of light years to reach the ears of Dr. Arroway and her colleagues at the SETI Institute. For this gleeful group, the excitement was only just beginning, and while the implications are admittedly not as world-changing as the ones that flowed from the arrival of the deep space signals that came to Earth in “Contact”, so too is the excitement just beginning for the detection of a long absent signal in the not quite as stunning but nevertheless important arena of Media Mix Modeling (MMM).

Sure, likening a boost in signal for MMM to the mind-blowing evidence of extraterrestrial life depicted in “Contact” is probably absurd, but let’s stop for a minute to consider the parallels that do exist.

Using state-of-the-art headphones and cranking the volume on the high-fidelity speakers in their listening facility, the scientists at SETI were captivated by bursts of sound carrying incredible pools of data from which they could glean a deeper understanding of the universe.

In much the same way, data scientists at Media Mix Modeling companies are constantly searching for answers to be gleaned from advertising measurement data, and just as Dr. Arroway found with her search for intelligent life beyond this planet, there is a whole universe of as yet unstructured and disorganized measurement data waiting for deeper discovery and actionability in MMM.

Such is the conclusion of a months long effort that has led to today’s publication of a new IAB white paper about how to better integrate audio measurement data into Media Mix Models.

As its title implies, “A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Audio in MMM” was written to create a foundation for better signal discovery for audio on the part of modelers, all of which can fortunately be accomplished without the use of gigantic radio telescopes.

In this case, the principal requirement is a tripartite collaboration between buyers, sellers, and measurement companies to standardize the gathering and delivery of audio data at previously unrealized levels of granularity so that audio can be modeled with the same level of confidence as the many other media channels for which granular delivery is already commonplace.

As the paper explains, the reason for embarking on this undertaking is simple – going back to the dawn of radio, audio content has been and continues to be a medium that commands very high levels of attention and engagement on the part of consumers, but it also has been and continues to be a marketing channel that doesn’t command the same level of attention from advertisers.

Explained further in the paper, this comparative lack of engagement on the part of advertisers is despite the fact that audio sports some of the most sophisticated and actionable measurement capabilities in ad-supported media, which naturally begs the question of why.

On behalf of media owners, advertisers, and a wide variety of measurement and ad tech stakeholders across the digital marketing landscape, this question has become the focus of a Getting Audio & Podcasting on the Media Plan working group in IAB’s Media Center that has sought to find the answers, and the answer that has come up most often is to address audio’s historical underrepresentation in MMM.

To be clear, this underrepresentation isn’t a reflection on audio’s ability to drive full-funnel outcomes.  Indeed, one of the outputs from the working group last year was Getting Audio & Podcasting on the Media Plan Guide, a chock-full of information about the benchmark-beating contributions that audio makes to media plans every day.

Still, with so many advertisers looking to MMM for guidance on how to allocate their media spend, members of the working group have identified an effort to describe those contributions within the specific rubric of MMM as a critically important means of addressing the longstanding gap between the amount of time and attention consumers spend with audio and the amount of investment advertisers make in the channel.

Recommended Data Standards for Audio
The “Beginner’s Guide to Digital Audio in MMM” is intended to be a starting point on a journey of discovery that is designed to close this gap by teasing out the meaning of previously unanalyzed data.

In other words, just as the efforts of Ellie Arroway and her team served as a starting point on their journey to understand the meaning of the galactic signals they had discovered, so too must the cross functional collaboration mentioned above tease out the meaning of advertising measurement signals that have long eluded modelers’ grasp where audio is concerned.

In the white paper published today, you will find the collected, current wisdom of a group of dedicated advertising professionals who wish to bring structure and meaning to audio signals that have always been there but haven’t yet been organized and ingested in the way they need to be for that meaning to become apparent.

From recommendations as to the necessity of providing accurate location data to the importance of properly communicating buy types and show names, the members of the working group have worked to produce a breakthrough in modeling that will allow advertisers to make unprecedented levels of contact with the very medium that caused Ellie Arroway to sit bolt upright on the hood of her car – audio.

On behalf of all of them and all the marketers for whom audio can and should be a robust provider of high-performance advertising outcomes, we invite you to read the white paper by clicking here, and we also invite you to share any questions or join our ongoing efforts to build upon the foundation set forth in this paper by emailing media-center@iab.com.

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Measuring Digital Audio in Media Mix Models (MMM): A Beginner’s Guide https://www.iab.com/guidelines/audio-in-mmm/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:00:37 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_guideline&p=197255 Digital Audio is one of the most underutilized channels in media planning—despite its reach, engagement, and proven ROI. IAB’s new guide, "Measuring Digital Audio in Media Mix Models (MMM)," explores why audio investment lags and how the industry can fix it. Why This Matters  Although 80% of Americans listen to Digital Audio monthly, the channel … Continued

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Digital Audio is one of the most underutilized channels in media planning—despite its reach, engagement, and proven ROI. IAB’s new guide, "Measuring Digital Audio in Media Mix Models (MMM)," explores why audio investment lags and how the industry can fix it.

Why This Matters 

Although 80% of Americans listen to Digital Audio monthly, the channel receives less than 3% of digital ad spend. A key reason: audio is often excluded—or underrepresented—in Media Mix Models (MMM) due to inconsistent, incomplete data.

What the Guide Covers

This beginner-friendly resource helps advertisers, agencies, and publishers:

  • Understand why MMM for audio matters . . .

    Claim your free account to continue reading.

     

    If you have any issues, please contact us.

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    ]]> IAB Updates Centers of Excellence and Expands Leadership Team to Accelerate Industry Innovation https://www.iab.com/news/iab-updates-centers-of-excellence-and-expands-leadership-team-to-accelerate-industry-innovation Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:30:41 +0000 https://www.iab.com/news/?p=196767 NEW YORK – June 12, 2025 – The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the leading trade body for the digital advertising industry, today announced a strengthening of its Centers of Excellence (CoE) to better serve its members and the broader digital media and marketing ecosystem. As part of this update, Cintia Gabilan has been appointed to … Continued

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    NEW YORK – June 12, 2025 – The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the leading trade body for the digital advertising industry, today announced a strengthening of its Centers of Excellence (CoE) to better serve its members and the broader digital media and marketing ecosystem. As part of this update, Cintia Gabilan has been appointed to Senior Vice President, Centers of Excellence & Industry Initiatives, overseeing the leadership and strategic direction of four key centers: IAB Experience Center, IAB Media Center, IAB Measurement, Addressability & Data (MAD) Center, and the IAB Professional Development and Education Center (PDEC). Gabilan also coordinates IAB’s cross-functional AI initiatives and reports to Sheryl Goldstein, EVP, Chief Industry Growth Officer.

     

    Cintia Gabilan (SVP, Centers of Excellence & Industry Initiatives, IAB) keynote at IAB NewFronts

    The digital advertising industry is evolving faster than ever, and at IAB we’re not reacting to change, we’re driving it,” said Goldstein. “These strategic IAB Center of Excellence hires are a clear investment in the future of digital advertising with a sharp focus on AI, commerce media, the creator economy, streaming video/CTV, and measurement. We are equipping our members to drive innovation, not just respond to it.

    New Leadership to Spearhead Core Initiatives

    The organization welcomes three new senior executives with deep expertise across AI, commerce/retail media, and digital media strategy.

    Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce, leads the IAB Commerce Board and related initiatives within the broader commerce landscape, including retail media. With prior roles at Forrester and Horizon Media’s commerce agency, Night Market, Colburn is focused on supporting the growing commerce media ecosystem, defining incrementality, and navigating the convergence of the store and monetization strategies. By defining industry standards that support transparent, accountable, and adaptable commerce practices, Colburn aims to promote consistent frameworks to improve operational efficiency and help advertisers use media more effectively in today’s digital marketplace. He will also spearhead IAB’s annual Connected Commerce Summit, in NYC on September 9, 2025.

    “IAB is at the forefront of advancing the maturity of commerce media and focusing on driving consistent, transparent standards across the commerce landscape. It’s exciting to be part of an organization that’s not only shaping the conversation but also building the infrastructure for a more trustworthy and effective digital ecosystem,” added Colburn.

    Jamie Finstein, Vice President, Media Center, brings over 15 years of digital strategy experience from WPP Media. She will drive advancement across CTV, digital video, audio, DOOH, and brand safety. In this role, Finstein will support the growth of video through data-driven standards, help resolve video measurement, and drive consistency across the marketplace and standardize video formats. She will also drive audio innovation by enhancing programmatic standards and VAST integration, support DOOH (DOOH) by addressing the space’s unique complexities, and strengthen brand safety by tackling AI-driven fraud. Additionally, Finstein will lead the IAB Audio and Video Boards, as well as key events including IAB Video Leadership Summit on July 14-15 and IAB Podcast Upfront (September 30) as well as IAB NewFronts.

    “I’m excited to join IAB at a time when the industry is evolving rapidly and the demand for advancements in standardization is growing,” said Finstein. “There is a real opportunity to drive meaningful progress – bringing greater consistency, transparency, and innovation to how we create, measure, and improve digital experiences. I look forward to working with our members and partners to drive innovation and build a more unified digital ecosystem.”

    The IAB Media Center also includes Jason Adamski and Matt Shapo as Directors. Adamski joins IAB after leading media strategy at Ferrero as North American Media Manager, with prior senior media positions at PepsiCo, Accenture, MediaVest, Mullen, and Boston Beer Company. In his role with the IAB Media Center, Adamski oversees video and digital out of home (DOOH), focusing on standardizing DOOH planning and buying practices, enhancing measurement models, and proving its effectiveness across the full purchase funnel to elevate DOOH as a key part of omnichannel media plans.

    A passionate advocate for audio’s powerful role in omnichannel advertising campaigns, Shapo leads education and research initiatives, advocating for audio’s unique strengths and promoting collaboration among publishers, tech providers, content creators, and brands to support sustainable, ad-supported media. He also leads the IAB’s Ecosystem Health Initiative, which elevates the value of news-related content and focuses on advancing contextual targeting across all media genres as well as supporting the growth of publishers and the open web.

    Caroline Giegerich, Vice President, AI, previously announced, will lead IAB’s AI roadmap by developing tools, resources, and standards that support the responsible and effective use of AI across all corners of the digital advertising industry. With over twenty years of experience in marketing, innovation, and emerging technology, she has held senior roles at HBO, Warner Music Group, MediaLink, and Smashbox Cosmetics.

    AI is reshaping every aspect of digital advertising, and the industry needs clear guidance to move forward with confidence,” added Giegerich. “IAB is focused on delivering actionable frameworks, best practices, and scalable tools that ensure AI is used responsibly and effectively. As I take on this role, I am eager to help our members understand AI is not just about innovation—it’s about building a foundation the entire ecosystem can trust and build on.”

    This reorganization represents a pivotal step in ensuring IAB continues to deliver best-in-class leadership, resources, and insights to help our members navigate the rapidly evolving media and marketing landscape,” concluded Gabilan. “Collin, Jamie, and Caroline, are on the bleeding edge of their respective fields and will provide our members with the perspective they need to thrive in a changing advertising ecosystem.

    Additionally, Angelina Eng has been promoted to Vice President, Measurement, Addressability & Data (MAD) Center and CoE Operations. She will continue to oversee the MAD Center, while also coordinating operations across all IAB Centers of Excellence to streamline processes and boost collaboration. Eng will also lead the IAB Measurement Leadership Summit on July 15-16.

    As part of IAB’s Centers of Excellence leadership, Zoe Soon, Vice President of the IAB Experience Center, is also expanding her remit to lead the newly established Creator Economy Board and oversee all creator economy and gaming initiatives, including IAB PlayFronts. And Matthew Renne, Vice President of the Professional Development and Education Center (PDEC), plays a key role in equipping digital marketing and media professionals with industry-driven training and resources to foster growth, adaptability, and long-term success in today’s workplace.

    About IAB

    The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and collaboration of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.

    IAB Media Contacts
    Kate Dougherty / Brittany Tibaldi
    551-265-2825 / 516-974-2216
    kdougherty@kcsa.com /btibaldi@kcsa.com

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    2026 IAB Annual Leadership Meeting https://www.iab.com/events/annual-leadership-meeting-2026/ Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:05:22 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_event&p=196172 It Starts Here. The future of digital media is back in Palm Springs from February 1-3, 2026. Join the brightest minds and boldest voices at the 2026 IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, where industry leaders, disruptors, and visionaries gather to shape the year ahead. Across three immersive days, dive into agenda-setting conversations, candid fireside chats, and … Continued

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    It Starts Here.

    The future of digital media is back in Palm Springs from February 1-3, 2026. Join the brightest minds and boldest voices at the 2026 IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, where industry leaders, disruptors, and visionaries gather to shape the year ahead.

    Across three immersive days, dive into agenda-setting conversations, candid fireside chats, and dynamic breakouts that tackle the most pressing topics: AI, measurement & addressability, privacy, commerce media, the creator economy, and more.

    This is where decisions are made, strategies are born, and the industry sets its course. If you want to lead the future, it starts here.

     


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    Rethinking Brand Safety: Overcoming Fear to Maximize Growth https://www.iab.com/video/rethinking-brand-safety-overcoming-fear-to-maximize-growth/ Fri, 30 May 2025 16:36:39 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_video&p=196335 For years, brands and advertisers have approached brand safety with a fear-based mindset, limiting their reach and profitability by avoiding anything but the “safest” content. However, studies show that consumer perceptions of safety differ vastly from marketers’ assumptions.
    In today’s digital landscape, brand risks don’t just come from unexpected ad placements—they also arise from misaligned partnerships with influencers and platforms that seem safe but may not be. The key to success lies in leveraging the right tools and strategies to move beyond guesswork and fear, ensuring smarter, data-driven decisions about content suitability.
    This webinar revealed the hidden risks of outdated brand safety thinking, and experts shared actionable strategies to:

    Assess content suitability more effectively
    Enhance contextual alignment for better engagement
    Drive higher ROI and scale investments confidently

    Whether you’re a publisher, brand marketer, or an agency or ad tech partner, register now to increase your revenue and investment returns through improved suitability analysis and contextual alignment.
    GET INVOLVED
    Be part of the conversation and join our Ecosystem Health Working Group. This forum is for IAB members to come together and develop actionable solutions to brand safety and suitability challenges across all genres of media. Join experts and leaders from across the industry during our first meeting on June 5th at 2 PM ET.
    Submit your info to join

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    Welcome to the Ecotone: Five Forces Reshaping Marketing at the 2025 NewFronts https://www.iab.com/blog/welcome-to-the-ecotone/ Tue, 20 May 2025 15:11:41 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_blog&p=196080 We’re living in a media ecotone. Ecotonos are a transitional space where two ecosystems meet. It’s not a hard line, not a clean break. It’s the space where species from both ecosystems coexist. Just like where the forest meets the field, or where the river fades into the seaside, we’re witnessing a meeting of two … Continued

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    We’re living in a media ecotone.

    Ecotonos are a transitional space where two ecosystems meet. It’s not a hard line, not a clean break. It’s the space where species from both ecosystems coexist. Just like where the forest meets the field, or where the river fades into the seaside, we’re witnessing a meeting of two worlds: the precision of digital meets the emotion of storytelling, the past comfort of traditional media collides with the complexity of AI-driven platforms. This is not just a change. It’s a metamorphosis.

    At the 2025 NewFronts, five dominant forces emerged—each representing a fault line between what marketing was and what it’s becoming. Here’s how to navigate this fertile, messy, exhilarating middle ground.

    1. Creators Are the Keystone Species of This New Ecosystem
    Creators have become the dominant force in media, overtaking traditional conglomerates by leveraging their authentic, community-driven content.

    Platforms are expanding tools, analytics, and monetization opportunities specifically for creators like:

    • YouTube’s expanded Partner Program for Shorts offering revenue sharing. New features make it easier for creators to partner with brands through YouTube BrandConnect.
    • Meta’s Reels Trending Ads, which allow brands to place ads next to top-trending creator-generated Reels, categorized by topics like beauty, sports, and fashion.
    • MyCode’s Creator Platform & Culture Suite is a new community-driven network that supports emerging creators who are deeply connected to their cultural niches.
    • Mirror Digital operates a digital publishing platform and creator network with over 1,000 diverse publishers, influencers, and podcasters.
    • Future Today is expanding with Bigger, Bolder Baking Network – a 24/7 baking channel led by creator Gemma Stafford, focusing on lifestyle and creator-led programming.

    Brands now join narratives rather than just buy impressions, aligning with creators who command audience trust and cultural influence.

    2. Retail Media: The Root System Linking Content to Commerce
    Retail media has evolved into a crucial link between content and commerce, allowing seamless consumer journeys from awareness to purchase. Major moves include:

    • The acquisition of Vizio enables Walmart to directly connect retail data with TV ad exposure, offering shoppable ads and closed-loop measurement (linking ad views to purchases).
    • YouTube’s expansion of shoppable Shorts and creator integrations. Brands can partner with creators for direct-response ads linked to product feeds.
    • LG is prioritizing shoppable ads featuring QR codes and add-to-cart functionality, turning the TV into a full-funnel commerce channel.
    • Tubi Shop now allows commerce-centric advertisers to create storefronts where viewers can purchase products inspired by their favorite shows, directly from their mobile devices.
    • TikTok shared data on its influence over consumer behavior: 25% of users go to TikTok first for shopping inspiration.
    • Upwave provides real-time insights for campaign adjustments, measures emerging ad formats like shoppable ads and QR codes, improving effectiveness in outcomes.

    All of these innovations illustrate how commerce and media are now deeply intertwined.  In the ecotone, performance and storytelling no longer live in silos. Brands must grow where retail data, media placement, and cultural context intersect. It’s a new root system—and it’s thriving.

    3. AI Is the Sunlight Fueling Growth
    Artificial intelligence is central to transforming media and marketing, enhancing content creation, optimization, and measurement.

    • YouTube showed how AI helps advertisers customize assets for different formats and audiences. For example, Kraft Heinz used YouTube’s AI to localize creative effectively.
    • The launch of Accelerate by LinkedIn, an AI-driven campaign creation tool, helps advertisers quickly build and optimize video campaigns with real-time insights, now available globally.
    • Yahoo News improved its offering as a trusted guide, with advanced AI-powered personalization and editorial curation.
    • Amazon debuted a host of AI-Powered advertising solutions including Performance Plus used to predict and optimize real-time conversions across channels Brand Plus which optimizes reach and frequency and delivery and Complete TV which plans, manages and measures streaming TV across owned and other properties.
    • Cadent, which acquired Adcuratio last year, claims to have the most advanced predictive tech in the market, scoring 143 billion impressions daily with 22,000 models refined over 14 years.
    • Snapchat introduced Sponsored AI Lenses that allow brands to create interactive, shareable experiences using just a few images.

    Marketers who integrate AI as a creative partner will thrive, using its capabilities to drive efficiency and scale.

    4. Current Landscape: Streaming, Ads and Partnerships
    Ad-supported streaming has surged in relevance, with Netflix, Samsung, LG, Amazon, and others enhancing brand integration into content. New creator-driven and branded content partnerships are forming, including: The myth that only the large players can provide partnerships

    Partnership(s) Announced: 

    Samsung TV : Mark Rober, Jonas Brothers, David Letterman
    LG: Curtis “50 Cent” Action Channel
    Tubi:  We Got Time Today, Sidelined Intercepted and The Goats
    Reach TV:  New Branded Content Studio
    LatiNation Univision, Telemundo & Fuse
    Future Today: Chuck E Cheese Streaming Network
    Mirror Digital: Disney (partnering with HBCUs & Lyric Born
    Yahoo Sports: One Football, The Athletic, Hockey News, On The Ground & Boardroom
    Tik Tok: Live Nation (Sub X – Artists on Tour)
    Snapchat: Live Nation (Under the Ghost – Intimate Sessions)

    The myth that only the large players can provide partnerships is dying. In this new terrain, partnerships with smaller players is not a compromise, it’s a convergence. Marketers must relearn how to grow in this hybrid habitat.

    5. If it’s Valuable, You Map it!
    The ecosystem is changing and everything is becoming even more measurable

    • YouTube doubles down on third-party measurement and transparency: Collaborations with Nielsen, iSpot.tv, and Comscore.  Push for cross-platform comparability in attention and outcomes.
    • T-Mobile announced a TVision Partnership offers advanced attention and viewability insights for CTV and cross-platform video.
    • Samsung’s automatic content recognition (ACR) technology now tracks ad exposures across streaming apps and FAST services enabling advertisers to measure reach and frequency more accurately across linear and streaming platforms.
    • Amazon introduced the Amazon Publisher Cloud, a clean room for publishers to safely combine their first-party data with Amazon’s signals, optimizing campaign relevance/
    • New partnership with Nielsen One Ads enables Reach TV inventory to be measured and bought alongside CTV, mobile, and streaming platforms.
    • Leveraging deep research with Accolade and Lucid, Teads has identified the right attention thresholds by channel for optimal brand KPI delivery.
    • New York Times highlighted its proprietary first-party data capabilities, allowing brands to reach specific demographics with precision.

    While the measurement companies were mostly aligned on the issues:

    • Cross-Platform Clarity and Audience Nuance are essential to move forward.
      • Both Nielsen and Comscore emphasized the urgent need for holistic, cross-platform measurement to navigate the fragmented media landscape.
      • Nielsen pointed out the disconnect between perception and actual channel performance, revealing that platforms like radio and podcasting are undervalued, despite performing comparably to video and social. They also stressed that brands are under-investing in digital display and video by as much as 66%.
    • Transparency and Fraud Prevention in CTV need to be addressed.
      • DoubleVerify spotlighted the persistent transparency and fraud challenges in CTV advertising. They revealed that only 50% of CTV impressions are transparent at the app level, and that 25% of CTV ads are played while the TV is off, leading to massive wasted spend.
    • Elevating Media Effectiveness with Smarter Measurement Tools would help.
      • All three companies leaned into the narrative that better measurement leads to better media decisions. Nielsen advocated for nuanced audience targeting, including cultural and behavioral segments.

    The Call to Action: Thrive in the Transition
    We are living in a transitional media “ecotone,” a space where old and new paradigms collide, creating both chaos and opportunity. To thrive, brands must embrace creators, integrate retail media, harness AI, expand into streaming partnerships, and prioritize advanced measurement. This new environment demands adaptability, narrative alignment, and deeper investment in holistic strategies.

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    CTV’s Creative Boom Needs Standards to Scale: How IAB Tech Lab’s ‘Ad Format Hero’ Initiative Is Driving the Next Wave of Innovation https://www.iab.com/blog/ctvs-creative-boom-needs-standards-to-scale/ Fri, 09 May 2025 15:40:53 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_blog&p=195757 Connected TV (CTV) has emerged as one of the biggest growth drivers in digital advertising, with both viewership and ad spending surging year over year. As a result, the creative canvas for advertisers is expanding—with immersive, interactive, and dynamic formats designed to enhance the viewer experience. But while innovation is booming, a lack of standardization … Continued

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    Connected TV (CTV) has emerged as one of the biggest growth drivers in digital advertising, with both viewership and ad spending surging year over year. As a result, the creative canvas for advertisers is expanding—with immersive, interactive, and dynamic formats designed to enhance the viewer experience. But while innovation is booming, a lack of standardization is holding the industry back.

    In Q4 2024, the IAB released the report, Connected TV (CTV) Ad Format Landscape: How Standardization Can Drive Programmatic Growth and Innovation. The report revealed just how fragmented the current landscape is. Based on industry-wide research, the report identified 15 ad formats that are supported by more than 40% of providers—yet the majority of these are only available through direct deals. While 75% of CTV inventory is transacted programmatically, 92% of the most innovative formats are locked in non-programmatic channels.

    Advertisers and publishers alike are pushing the boundaries of creativity, yet programmatic infrastructure hasn’t caught up. This gap between innovation and scalability is not just a technical challenge—it’s a business blocker.

    That’s where IAB Tech Lab steps in. In 2024, IAB Tech Lab launched the Ad Format Hero initiative, a first-of-its-kind effort to standardize emerging CTV ad formats that are already common enough to warrant shared definitions in the bid stream and consistent telemetry data. The goal? To enable “build once, serve everywhere” ad formats that reduce friction and increase efficiency across platforms.

    The industry has responded enthusiastically. By the close of submissions in January 2025, more than 100 ad formats had been submitted by 36 companies, reflecting a wide spectrum of innovation and creative potential. These were reviewed by a newly formed Ad Format Hero Task Force, composed of over 20 companies spanning DSPs, SSPs, SSAIs, broadcasters, and MVPDs.

    Out of the review, seven key CTV ad format types and one feature were identified as priorities for standardization:

    1. Pause Ads
    2. Menu and Home Screen Ads
    3. Screensaver Ads
    4. Overlay Ads Over Content
    5. In-Scene Insertion Ads
    6. Ads Alongside or Adjacent to Content
    7. Squeeze Back Ads Within Ad Breaks
    8. (Feature): Immersive and extendable elements

    These units represent a cross-section of the formats advertisers are most eager to scale—which viewers increasingly engage with.

    As IAB Tech Lab prepared to launch during IAB’s Newfronts week (May 5-9) all the technical standards of these units and features, you can see below examples of how these creatives function in real-world settings.

    In an industry where innovation often outpaces infrastructure, the path to sustainable growth lies in standards. Through collaborative efforts like Ad Format Hero, IAB Tech Lab is helping the CTV marketplace transform from fragmented opportunity into scalable, programmatic reality.

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    Protected: IAB Spotlight on: News @ NewFronts https://www.iab.com/video/spotlight-on-news-newfronts-2025/ Thu, 08 May 2025 19:27:53 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_video&p=195776 There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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    2025 Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report: Part One https://www.iab.com/research/2025-digital-video-ad-spend-strategy-report-part-one/ Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:11:29 +0000 https://www.iab.com/?post_type=iab_research&p=195198 Digital video is not just growing—it’s dominating. According to the newly released 2025 IAB Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report, digital video is set to capture nearly 60% of all U.S. TV/video ad spend in 2025, a staggering leap from just 29% in 2020. Driven by shifts in consumer behavior, platform innovations, and advertiser confidence, … Continued

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    Digital video is not just growing—it’s dominating. According to the newly released 2025 IAB Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report, digital video is set to capture nearly 60% of all U.S. TV/video ad spend in 2025, a staggering leap from just 29% in 2020. Driven by shifts in consumer behavior, platform innovations, and advertiser confidence, this evolution signals a new era of scalable, measurable, and highly targeted video advertising.

    Backed by proprietary data from Guideline and a survey of media decision-makers by Advertiser Perceptions, this report provides a clear picture of how connected TV (CTV), social video, and online video (OLV) are powering the future of advertising. It’s essential reading for brands, agencies, and platforms looking to stay ahead.

    Key takeaways from the report:

    • Digital video continues to be one of the fastest growing channels in all of media
    • Digital video ad spend is maintaining strong momentum, pulling further ahead of linear TV
    • Most categories will increase digital video ad spend by double-digits in 2025*
    • Each digital video channel is seeing double-digit growth, with CTV showing the strongest acceleration
    • CTV and social video are by far the top “must buys” for U.S. ad spenders in 2025

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