Where the Viewability Standard Sits Today and Where the Industry Goes from Here

SPECIAL SECTION

Where the viewability standard sits today and where the industry goes from here

by ALIA LAMBORGHINI

ANA.NET // 9 VIEWABILITY So What Is IS 2015’S BUZZWORD, AND FOR Viewability? GOOD REASON. Last year, according to The Media Rating Council (MRC) established today’s viewability standards eMarketer, marketers spent more than $145 and guidelines, determining that at least Vbillion in online advertising and $42 billion 50 percent of a display ad’s pixels be in in mobile, refecting 122 percent year-over- view for at least one second. year growth for mobile specifcally. Con- Mobile, however, is still uncharted territory, with no formal standard yet set. sumers are spending more time on digital Interim guidance largely mirrors the dis- devices, and advertisers are allocating larger play standard. budgets to reach them. The massive shift to all things mobile What makes viewability important? Mar- drives a serious need for the medium to be more measurable. Increasingly, marketers expect that the right, real person sees keters and the agencies that represent an ad that appears within the appropriate them are calling for 100 percent view- content — no wasted impressions, no wasted ability in ad buys, increasing their expec- ad budgets. tations for their media partners and ad platforms alike. That pressure translates According to a recent Millennial Media to an industry laser-focused on solving white paper on the topic of viewability, for 100 percent viewability in mobile marketers would allocate even larger bud- even though standards have not been set gets if they could be guaranteed they were yet. (See “The Road to Viewability,” on page 13.) reaching the right audiences. Without such As the industry converges around a guarantees, concerns around brand safety, formal standard, it will eventually shift ad fraud, and viewability leave marketers how transactions work in mobile advertis- hesitant in their digital and mobile spending. The process will move from a buying model based on served impressions to that ing. This article presents key fndings from of viewable impressions. A move to guar- that white paper, along with insights, trends, anteeing viewability will make mobile and marketer perceptions. advertising even more accountable and

10 // ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTION viewability: verified. A discussion between Millennial Media and Integral Ad Science arlier this year, To put some con- EMillennial Media text around these became the first mo- definitions, the mea- bile platform to offer a 100 percent our measurement partner is because they sured rate is the percent of impressions viewability guarantee. are the only at-scale vendor that can cur- where MRAID is present and can be “The mobile ad ecosystem is desper- rently measure in-app viewability. measured for viewability. Of those im- ately seeking guidelines around viewabil- pressions that can be measured, we ity,” Millennial Media President and J.K.: How does Integral Ad Science can then determine the percentage of Chief Executive Officer Michael Barrett measure in-app viewability? impressions where the ad was in view. said as he announced the guarantee at J.C.: Integral Ad Science delivers the the company’s annual Partner Summit in first-to-market viewability measure- J.C.: What does Millennial Media see as New York in May. “We are committed to ment solution for all MRAID- (Mobile the primary factors affecting viewability? becoming the largest mobile marketplace Rich Media Ad Interface Definitions) J.K.: Variations in operating systems, that provides 100 percent viewable, compliant mobile advertising applica- ad types, placements, carrier band- brand-safe, and fraud-free impressions.” tion integrations. width, and device connectivity, to name To certify delivery of viewable in-app We do this by providing a JavaScript a few. At Millennial Media, we pride impressions, Millennial Media partnered tag that gets delivered along each ad ourselves on our deep relationships with Integral Ad Science, currently the unit with the creative tag. The first step with publishers. We extended the learn- only measurement vendor that can track is to check for the presence of MRAID, ings from our tests and early campaigns in-app viewability. the standard by which mobile ads are with our supply partners, provided best Here, Jason Kelly, president of man- delivered into apps. We are then able to practices, and now work with them to aged media sales at Millennial Media, capture a snapshot into the ad’s state of manage their inventory to ensure maxi- and Jason Cooper, general manager of viewability and pull data at one-, five-, mum viewability. mobile at Integral Ad Science, discuss and 15-second intervals. their partnership and the topic of J.K.: Where does Integral Ad Science viewability. J.K.: Since MRAID functionality is used see mobile viewability headed? to measure viewability, can non-rich J.C.: We’re excited to be part of the JASON COOPER: What made Millennial media ad formats like standard banners efforts improving the ecosystem. This is Media decide to launch a guarantee be measured? a huge opportunity. Mobile viewability now, before official guidelines have been J.C.: Yes, since MRAID is really con- and meeting the MRC guidance is the finalized? cerned with the environment, and the most important thing we’re working on JASON KELLY: There is certainly a need environment is MRAID compatible. It at Integral Ad Science right now. In the in the market. Advertisers expect con- really doesn’t matter if the creative is short term, the next step for the indus- sumers to have the opportunity to see MRAID or not. try is to develop a standard to meet the and interact with their ads. That’s rea- MRC definition of viewability in a way sonable. We saw a need and we had the J.K.: One of the reasons that Millennial that the ecosystem can adopt. means to fulfill it. Media’s measured rate is so high (aver- As you know, this launch came after aging around 95 percent) is because our J.K.: Agreed. We’re looking forward to months of testing, which included an SDK is MRAID compliant. continuing our partnership with Integral audit of our platform by Integral Ad Ad Science and to working with the Science, to ensure we could not only J.K.: Speaking of standards, can you MRC, IAB, and others to help shape the measure viewability but guarantee that share any benchmark data for what ad- guidelines for mobile viewability. we could deliver an in-app campaign in vertisers can expect? The industry is moving quickly to- full-on verified viewable impressions. J.C.: Sure. Integral Ad Science publishes ward making viewable impressions the Nearly 90 percent of consumers’ time in a quarterly media quality report. Based currency by which media is bought and mobile is spent in-app, so we focused on our Q1 report, 85 percent of mobile sold, and we are actively looking at how our initial efforts here. impressions served were measurable. we can extend our offer into mobile One of the reasons that Millennial Eighty-one percent of mobile impres- web, mobile video, and programmatic Media selected Integral Ad Science as sions served were in view. channels. Exciting times ahead!

ANA.NET // 11 up % establish a foundation for greater compa- mobile inventory is not yet measurable, it to rability with other media. does not mean that nonmeasurable in- 53VIEWABILITY Strong viewability standards and de- ventory is not-viewable inventory. Think FOR DISPLAY fned measurement methodologies will about mobile video ads, for example. make mobile more transparent and ac- They have among the highest ad engage- countable. They will improve trust in ment rates, but mobile video cannot be According to Integral Ad Science, viewability scores for display ads range quality and efectiveness. That shift will measured by leading measurement ven- from 42 to 53 percent. further open the foodgates for ad dollars dors. Marketers should continue to use to follow consumers into mobile. sites, apps, placements, and ad formats that previously performed well. Viewabil- Why Is Viewability a ity for all units will closely follow. Challenge? There are four main factors that impact What Are the viewability in mobile: device type, operat- Current Standards? % ing system, the app environment, and ad Governing bodies and industry-led initia- type and placement. tives helping to defne viewability include 81 Sometimes an ad isn’t viewable be- the MRC; Making Measurement Make VIEWABILITY cause it is below the fold or doesn’t load Sense (3MS), a cross-industry initiative IN-APP fast enough to be considered in view. Dif- from the ANA, 4A’s, and IAB; the U.K.- ferences among operating systems, ad based Joint Industry Committee for Web Viewability for in-app advertising does formats, and ad placements can afect Standards; and the U.K.-based Digital much better than display ads, scoring viewability. Publishers and developers are Trading Standards Group. These groups as high as 81 percent, according to Integral Ad Science. working to improve viewability by rede- work together to establish the ground signing their sites and apps, but without rules for viewability. measurement methodologies and stan- The MRC defnes both what a view- dards they are aiming at a moving target. able impression is and how to measure Mobile is unique, and online view- whether an impression is viewable. A ability measurements don’t necessarily viewable impression is recognized by the % translate to mobile, especially in-app ad- MRC as an opportunity to see that an ad vertising. Recent studies found that mo- exists, which may or may not be the case bile performs better than display as it with a served ad impression. 50 relates to viewability, which is a promising While no formal standard exists in start. According to Integral Ad Science, mobile advertising, the MRC has re- a digital measurement frm, viewability leased interim guidance, aligning mobile scores in display range from 42 to 53 per- in-app defnitions with display measure- 1 SECOND cent; for in-app advertising that increases ment standards. For display, 50 percent to 81 percent. of the ad’s pixels must be in view for one To count as viewable, 50 percent of a Don’t get “not measurable” and “not second. For video, 50 percent must be in display ad’s pixels must be in view for at least one second. viewable” mixed up. While 100 percent of view for two seconds.

12 // ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTION

the road to

MOBILE IS ALREADY the most ad- viewability The rallying cry from marketers is dressable, transparent, and measur- By Marc Theermann translating into an industry intent on able media. Today, mobile represents solving for 100 percent viewability, around 20 percent of consumers’ even in advance of formal standards. media consumption but still collects A change to guaranteed viewability just slightly more than 10 percent of total ad dollars. The will make mobile advertising even more accountable and reason for this discrepancy? Trust. establish a foundation for greater comparability with other Trust is critical. It is hard earned by partners who media channels. demonstrate commitment to transparency, integrity, and To that end, Millennial Media, which offers a 100 per- predictability. In a dynamic ecosystem, trust increasingly cent viewability guarantee for in-app mobile advertising requires delivering viewable impressions. campaigns, has partnered with measurement specialists In the past few months, viewability has taken center Integral Ad Science to certify delivery of viewable in-app stage as advertisers begin to shift more dollars to reach impressions. Millennial Media deﬁnes a viewable impres- consumers on mobile but want assurances that perfor- sion as 100 percent of the ad being in view for at least mance is better than display, where less than 50 percent of one second. This exceeds the MRC’s interim guidance on ads are viewable. Solutions to viewability, like brand safety mobile viewability, which mandates at least 50 percent of and the elimination of ad fraud, aim to ensure that the in- pixels be in view for at least one second. tended audience sees an ad within the appropriate content. Millennial Media’s mission is to make mobile simple, This means no bots, the ad is in view, and the site or page enabling advertisers to focus on what they do best: engage where the ad was delivered was brand appropriate. consumers with interesting and relevant brand messages. Unsurprisingly, marketers are demanding standards and By offering a 100 percent viewability guarantee, the com- reliable measurement for viewable impressions to ensure pany hopes to give clients the maximum return on invest- the ads they pay for are actually seen. According to the ment possible, while helping to push the industry forward. 2015 Millennial Media Programmatic Survey, 70 percent of respondents with budgets of $5 million or more plan to measure viewability against their mobile buys in the Marc Theermann is the executive vice president of busi- near term. Those same buyers also want greater than the ness strategy at Millennial Media. Email him at marc@ 80 percent viewability benchmark. millennialmedia.com.

What Can viewability doesn’t serve as the basis of Mobile is the most addressable, mea- Marketers Expect these campaigns. (See “Viewability: Veri- surable, and transparent media, with ad Around Viewability fed,” on page 11.) viewability serving as the foundation of in the Future? Expect more standardization around mobile growth. Media players need to Marketers are demanding increased trans- viewability metrics and guidelines for all hold themselves accountable for provid- parency and trust in their marketing strat- ad units, including video. Today, marketing viewable, fraud-free impressions to egies and spend. Media partners will ers are navigating uncharted territory, but partners. continue to rise to the challenge of demon- in looking at the initial fndings from mul- strating where and how they serve ads. tiple recent viewability studies, it’s clear Key performance indicators, such as that formal standards will be established Alia Lamborghini is the senior vice president of click-through rates, engagement metrics, and adopted. Those initial fndings will be sales, North America, at Millennial Media. and others will become moot if ad necessary to help guide a fair benchmark. Email her at alamborghini@millennialmedia.

ANA.NET // 13