ABC has been chosen by IAB UK as the official auditor for Retail Media Networks (RMNs) seeking IAB UK Gold Standard certification.
This move follows IAB UK's recent announcement that RMNs are now eligible to achieve the Gold Standard alongside other buyers and sellers of digital media.
IAB UK’s Gold Standard certification requirements for RMNs are aligned with the media metrics in IAB Europe’s Retail Media Measurement Standards. These aim to ensure the highest levels of ad quality, viewability, and fraud prevention, and provide a robust framework for consistent and trustworthy measurement within this rapidly growing sector.
Both initiatives directly address the needs of media buyers, who have been demanding comparable metrics that will equip them to effectively evaluate their retail media investments. According to IAB EU research, European Retail Media ad spend surged by 3.5 times the overall ad market in 2023 and is projected to reach €31 billion by 2028, added ABC.
Following ABC’s recent appointment as an auditor for the IAB EU’s Retail Media Certification programme, ABC says this new announcement means it can offer RMNs a streamlined path to adopting both IAB UK Gold Standard and IAB EU certifications, thereby delivering increased efficiencies for companies looking to meet these industry-leading standards.
Patrick Hann, ad tech manager at IAB UK, said: “Retail media has become a major market within digital advertising and is on track to break the £1 billion mark in the UK this year, excluding Amazon. The fact that we’re now bringing retail media into the Gold Standard for the first time further shows how the sector is maturing to embrace shared frameworks and definitions. We’re very pleased to have appointed ABC as the official auditor of the retail media pillar in the Gold Standard and I’m confident that our retail media members will be in good hands throughout that process.”
Simon Redlich, chief executive at ABC, commented: “We’re thrilled to apply our expertise in the area of Retail Media and support the integration of RMNs within the respected IAB Gold Standard. Retail Media offers a host of opportunities for media buyers, and the ability to accurately compare performance across a range of networks will surely accelerate the already rapid growth of this dynamic new market.”
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