Digital Trading Standards Group launches UK Good Practice Principles to minimise the risk of advertising misplacement

Leading ad businesses have committed to the DTSG’s Good Practice Principles, covering a significant proportion of the UK display market

London, 17th December: The Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG)* – a UK group comprising representatives of the entire digital display advertising market, including trade bodies the Association of Online Publishers (AOP), ISBA – the Voice of British Advertisers, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK – has launched UK good practice aimed at minimising the risk of display advertising misplacement.

Following an unprecedented level of cross-industry collaboration, the UK Good Practice Principles set new industry-wide standards, including the wide use of Content Verification (CV) tools and appropriate / inappropriate schedules, to inject greater transparency into the digital display advertising market, as well as provide marketers with more control to help ensure that their advertising is far less likely to be associated with inappropriate or illegal content that could jeopardize their brand.

Under the UK Good Practice Principles, committed businesses will have their advertising misplacement policies and processes verified by an independent third party. In doing so, businesses will receive a seal of compliance that advertisers and agencies look for when buying digital display advertising.

The Principles are endorsed by the UK’s Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards, known as JICWEBS**, and replace the Internet Advertising Sales House (IASH) Code of Conduct. The Principles are supported by leading advertising businesses*** and further operators are expected to join the initiative as it moves forward.

The Principles also supersede the IPA’s and ISBA’s own principles published earlier this year. Businesses committed to the IPA – ISBA principles will be carried across to the DTSG’s initiative and their independent verifications will remain valid.

IAB’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Nick Stringer said: “The DTSG’s Good Practice Principles represent a major step forward for the whole industry to help minimise the risk of ad misplacement in a complex market. They will give marketers greater confidence to continue to invest in digital and the IAB encourages all relevant ad trading businesses to participate.”

AOP’s Head of Research and Insight, Tim Cain stated: “As an organisation representing publishers who are committed to creating quality content environments online, AOP supports this initiative to ensure better brand safety for agencies and advertisers.”

ISBA’s Marketing Services Manager, David Ellison, said: “Brands rightly need greater reassurances against the significant risk to their reputation of online ad misplacement.  The complex digital landscape we operate in demanded a joined-up approach from industry, which is precisely what these principles represent.”

IPA’s Head of Digital, Nigel Gwilliam said: “Misplaced advertising affects the whole online industry, so it is only right that we are addressing this from a cross-industry standpoint. These principles will increase the transparency, accountability, trust and safety that our advertisers and agencies so rightly deserve when placing ads online. Any business keen to demonstrate its responsibility and commitment to brand safety has nothing to lose by signing up to them, and everything to gain.”