US and UK industry bodies come together to clean up digital advertising

The US Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and the UK’s Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) have responded to calls from advertisers for a more joined-up international approach, by announcing that they will work together to tackle issues including brand safety, transparency, fraud and criminal activity.

The two bodies will share learnings and pursue a "united and consistent approach", they said.

Marc Pritchard, the chief brand officer of P&G, the world’s biggest advertiser, helped focus the industry’s minds on the issue in January when he gave a speech calling the digital advertising supply chain "murky at best, and fraudulent at worst". Pritchard complained of a lack of transparency, a lack of compliance to standards, unreliable measurement and underhand activity. 

Mike Zaneis, president and CEO of TAG, said: "Since 2014 TAG has built programmes to tackle fraud, malware and piracy in digital advertising, as well as promote transparency and brand safety. However the message from advertisers is clear: we need a consistent and joined-up approach across markets and we look forward to working with JICWEBS to progress delivering this."

Richard Foan, chair of JICWEBS, agreed, saying: "We need a global approach for local markets."