IAB UK releases updated Gold Standard for digital ads

The Gold Standard, which was created in 2017, brings together industry initiatives on online advertising issues such as advertising fraud, ad bombardment and brand safety.

The latest version introduces new requirements focused on improving transparency within digital advertising, including requiring certified companies to commit to implementing IAB Tech Labs’ Buyers.json and DemandChain Object to help address the challenge of scam advertising and bring transparency to programmatic transactions.

Tech Labs’ Open Measurement SDK has also been added to help facilitate third-party viewability and verification measurement for adverts served in web video and app environments.

Meanwhile, the new criteria incorporates an upgrade of ads.txt, with certified companies needing to adhere to ads.txt 1.1.

The latest launch broadens the scope of companies that can become Gold Standard certified to audio, connected television and gaming businesses, in addition to display and video advertising, which have been covered by the Gold Standard since it first launched.

Advertising industry bodies backing the Gold Standard include the Advertising Association, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and ISBA – the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers.

The first IAB UK members to be certified under the new criteria are Activision Blizzard Media, Auto-Trader, Global, GroupM, Hearst, Index Exchange, Magnite, Meta, Omnicom Media Group, The Guardian and Tik Tok.

Jon Mew, chief executive at IAB UK, said: “Bringing greater transparency to the digital advertising supply chain is a key priority for our industry and something our members are committed to helping deliver.

“By incorporating these new steps into the Gold Standard, we’re taking a significant step towards that and it’s brilliant that the first companies to be certified come from across the digital ecosystem.”