ANNUAL REPORT 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Barcelona in February to discuss Turning than ever that IAB continues to educate Mobile into Mobility: Innovation without industry regulators and elected leaders. FUELING GROWTH FOR Borders. Discussion focused on the need In 2016, IAB became a leading voice at IAB MEMBERS to have much more than simply a “mobile the FCC. In meetings with the Commission strategy,” and the desire to adopt holistic, and through our filings with them, IAB liquid, 360-degree experiences that explained the benefits of self-regulation cross all screens. In response, the IAB in the digital advertising space. And in arketers spent $60 billion on To bring awareness to the goal of Mobile Marketing and Digital Video September 2016, before a room full of digital in the United States improving online user experience, IAB and Centers of Excellence published a report senior representatives from the FCC, during the last 12 months—more the IAB Tech Lab introduced the LEAN M in September 2016, “Is Virtual the New Congress, political press, and digital than on any other medium, a resounding Principles in late 2015. In 2016, these Reality?” The report offers opinions media, IAB addressed the growth of affirmation of consumers’ preference for principles became the foundation for a from a distinguished panel of industry- digital advertising, our involvement in the digital media as the entry point to satisfy comprehensive program to improve user leading voices in publishing, advertising, key policy debates of today, and how our their needs and wants. experience, including an overhaul of the VR software, and developer platforms, industry must collectively address the threat IAB Standard Ad Unit Portfolio; live user Enabling digital media companies, as analyzing virtual reality’s potential as an of ad-block profiteers. experience summit meetings; and best well as their marketing and technology advertising and publishing medium. practice guidelines to help enable change, As the digital media and marketing partners, to be invited into consumers’ 2016 was a productive year for IAB’s address publishers concerns, and share To drive the industry’s data agenda, in industries have exploded, IAB members lives has been IAB’s mission since our efforts on our members’ behalf, and we are experiences. 2016 IAB launched the IAB Data Center demand more talent and more training trade association’s founding 21 years doubling down on those efforts in 2017 and of Excellence with the mission to define programs. In 2016 we crossed a lifetime ago. That work of enablement has grown Through the efforts of the IAB Digital beyond. We have reorganized to focus our boundaries and increase value along threshold of 10,000 participants in IAB more multidimensional, more complex, Video Center of Excellence, the 2016 agenda more tightly on areas that are the the data chain for consumers, marketers, Certification programs. The continued more political, and ultimately more Digital Content NewFronts was a success most essential for the sustained growth of our and the ecosystem that supports them. growth of these programs helps ensure fulfilling over the decades. We have the without precedent, with 37 publisher- members’ businesses—and that offer clearer After just a few months of operation, the that the professionals of tomorrow have great fortune—all of us—to be working in presenters (nine of which were new to the accountability. I look forward to delivering Data Center released the Data Maturity the necessary knowledge and skills to help an industry that is altering the means by NewFronts), and many standing-room- on that commitment in the year ahead. Model, a diagnostic test that allows their brand clients navigate the dynamic which human relationships are formed and only events. In July, the industry’s top video Sincerely, brands, agencies, publishers, and data digital marketplace. human knowledge is transferred. For the executives and advertising companies technology vendors to determine where 71 men and women at IAB, our joy and convened at IAB’s invitation-only Video The IAB Education Foundation is also they—and their clients and prospects—rank fulfillment derive from helping our members Leadership Summit to define the video working hard through its iDiverse initiative in data-usage sophistication to help guide accomplish these tasks as efficiently and agenda for the future. A robust training to prepare a diverse pool of future job their investments, implementation, and effectively as possible. program for cross-platform video sales and candidates that reflect the audiences we strategy. Other data initiatives include the Randall Rothenberg planning, and measurement alignment with serve. The Foundation has committed to a We ended 2016 feeling quite fulfilled. Attribution Primer 2.0, which is focused President and Chief Executive Officer the Media Rating Council were the central goal of “200 digital companies, 10,000 IAB concentrated our resources on six on buy-side attribution guidance, ensuring Interactive Advertising Bureau recommendations to emerge from the jobs, by 2020,” and developed tools like themes: developing tools for enablement that the industry has a well-researched summit’s breakout sessions; and new efforts the iDiverse Non-Profit Directory to offer of technology standards; building a video overview of the fundamental techniques in those areas already are underway. digital media companies the opportunity agenda for growth; accelerating revenue and data points that practitioners use to to connect with non-profits and tap growth in mobile; increasing value along the Throughout 2016 much of the focus of assemble a single user-level view of media into their mentoring, volunteering, and data chain for consumers and marketers; the IAB Mobile Marketing Center of exposure across channels. training programs. emphasizing further technical training for Excellence was put on practical advice IAB continues to be a strong advocate for industry professionals; and advocating for for effectively reaching mobile users our members in front of the federal and policy changes that benefit our members, and global consumers across screens. state governments. With a new Presidential our industry, and society as a whole. Influential brand, agency, publisher, administration, Congress, and Senate— and technology leaders joined IAB and as well as changes in many statehouses dmexco at Mobile World Congress in and state legislatures—it’s more important LETTER FROM RANDALL ROTHENBERG 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2016 Financial Review .............................................. 4 4 IAB Tech Lab .......................................................... 6 Public Policy ......................................................... 10 6 Certification ......................................................... 12 Education ............................................................. 13 12 Digital Video ........................................................ 14 Mobile ................................................................ 16 Data .................................................................. 18 14 IAB Members ....................................................... 20 Committees and Councils ........................................ 22 IAB Committees and Councils At Work ....................... 24 Measurement ....................................................... 26 24 IAB Research ........................................................ 28 IAB Events ........................................................... 30 Creativity ............................................................. 32 ......................................................... 33 30 International Who is IAB? ......................................................... 34 2016 Executive Committee and Board of Directors ................ 34 IAB Staff .......................................................... 35 Expanding Influence ............................................... 36 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 The Centers of Excellence are also 2016 IAB Revenue Streams* showing solid progress, and are projected to see $2.8 million in revenue in 2016. The IAB Mobile Marketing Center of IAB Video Center of Excellence & NewFronts: $1.3M Excellence is projected to see $1 million in revenue in 2016, which is a positive sign IAB Data Other: $.5M INVESTING IN IAB MEMBERS’ SUCCESS Center of Excellence: $.6M for the relevance and success of our mobile AND THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY efforts. The Video Center of Excellence IAB Mobile Marketing Center saw revenue of $1.3 million including the of Excellence: $1M increasingly popular NewFronts industry roviding value to our members is a industry. On the events side, IAB saw a members of how important certifications event, and the Data Center of Excellence IAB Education Foundation: top priority at IAB, and the financial slight and anticipated drop in income, and training are for developing a healthy saw revenue of $550,000. $.5M state of IAB, like the members and projected to bring in $7.3 million—or a talent pipeline in our industry. P Additional ongoing revenue streams industry we represent, started and ended decline of 1.5 percent—from 2015, due IAB Tech Overall, newly formed IAB organizations include initiatives such as sponsored Lab: $2.1M the year strong. It is a reflection of the work primarily to fixed costs associated with are also taking hold and delivering on research, member services, the spiders and we do on behalf of our members and