22 September 2023 - Brussels, Belgium – This week, at DMEXCO, Cologne, IAB Europe, the European level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, hosted a meeting for its Board of Directors to designate a new Chair, Vice Chair, and other Officers.
Thomas Duhr, Member of the Board of the Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW), was elected Chair, with Bethan Crockett, Legal Counsel at GroupM, taking Vice Chair. Jon Mew, CEO of IAB UK, was appointed Treasurer. Thomas Mendrina, Senior Director Partner Sales CEEMEA at Microsoft, Pierre Devoize, Deputy CEO of IAB France, Reyes Justribo, CEO of IAB Spain, and Marianne Bugge-Zederkof, Deputy CEO of Danske Medier, complete the new Executive Committee.
Reflecting on the timing of his appointment, Thomas Duhr noted that the new Board’s mandate coincides with the final months of the current European Commission and first year of the incoming one. “The digital advertising and marketing industry in Europe is entering a vital period. The importance of our industry for the European markets and society is steadily increasing. With this growth comes an ever-increasing responsibility”, said Duhr. “The role of IAB Europe, European national associations and corporate members is to build bridges between policy makers, civil society, science and our industry. It is about nothing less than securing and strengthening Europe‘s competitiveness in times of disruptive technological change. This is the only way to shape a successful future for generations to come.”
Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO, welcomed the new Executive Committee as a diverse group whose breadth of experience would provide strong leadership for the organisation. “It is hard to imagine a more interesting time for a trade association than the present, as governments in Europe and beyond seek new ways to engage with industry to understand the world around them and the implications for their citizens, and make policy choices; IAB Europe is lucky to have a Board and Executive Committee that combine the vision, energy, and sense of responsibility that this one does to lead that engagement.”
Visit IAB Europe’s website for more information on the full board of Directors.
Brussels, Belgium - 7 September 2023:
IAB Europe confirms today that, following IAB Europe’s appeal against the Belgian’s Data Protection Authority (APD) decision to validate its action plan, the Belgian Market Court has rendered an interim ruling and suspended its assessment of the validation decision pending responses from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
The APD had unexpectedly decided to validate IAB Europe’s action plan in January 2023 in line with their February 2022 decision, despite the Market Court’s interim judgement of September 2022 which referred questions to the CJEU for a preliminary ruling and held that the APD was in breach of its duty of care.
To prevent the APD from pre-empting the referral to the CJEU and ensure that future iterations of the TCF are sustainable and aligned with EU-level interpretations of the GDPR, IAB Europe had filed a second appeal, this time against the APD’s decision to validate IAB Europe’s action plan.
The Market Court’s judgement shows that this validation (and enforcement) decision of the APD was taken too soon, as the Market Court explicitly indicated that the answers that will be provided by the CJEU will have a bearing on the legality of the APD decision to validate the action plan.
This judgement will therefore allow a serene completion of the remaining legal proceedings, and removes the risk of introducing changes to the TCF that may ultimately be found inappropriate by the CJEU and rolled back.
"This decision is a reassuring confirmation that while TCF evolutions can go ahead, like the recent TCF v2.2 changes," said Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, "now is not the time to force any modifications that might be significantly affected by the Court of Justice proceedings". In particular, measures in the action plan that directly stemmed from the APD's finding that the TC String constitutes personal data and that IAB Europe should be viewed as a (joint) controller from a data protection perspective are thus set aside for now. "Ultimately, it is up to the Court of Justice to provide guidance on these issues, and the Market Court decision serves as a reminder of this point", added Ms Feehan.
An updated FAQ regarding the APD decision can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Press contact:
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe - mussard@iabeurope.eu – +44 (0) 7399 919594
About IAB Europe:
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the development of this innovative sector and ensure its sustainability by shaping the regulatory environment, demonstrating the value digital advertising brings to Europe’s economy, to consumers and to the market, and developing and facilitating the uptake of harmonised business partners that take account of changing user expectations and enable digital brand advertising to scale in Europe.
Majority of Retail Media Buyers and Sellers Want Standards in Media and Attribution Measurement
6th September, 2023 - Brussels, Belgium, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released the first pan-European definitions for Retail Media in a new comprehensive 101 Guide to Retail Media. This groundbreaking initiative created by IAB Europe’s Retail Media Working Group provides a comprehensive overview of what Retail Media is, including a breakdown of on-site, off-site and in-store definitions, and essential guidance to the buying and selling of Retail Media in Europe. The Guide serves as a valuable resource for all industry stakeholders, offering an introduction to Retail Media and its growing significance in the European Market.
Defining Retail Media for Europe
Retail Media has emerged as a powerful digital advertising tool in recent years, but as with any emerging technology or solution it is vital to first understand and define what we mean by Retail Media and to dispel any misconceptions or confusion surrounding the different aspects of it. To overcome this challenge IAB Europe’s Retail Media Working Group has created the first pan-European definitions of Retail Media in a digital advertising sphere. Working collaboratively with National IABs across Europe and drilling down into digital on-site, digital off-site and digital in-store, these definitions help provide a clear understanding of the Retail Media, and educate industry stakeholders on how to leverage it effectively.
Guide to Retail Media in Europe
To help support the definitions of Retail Media, the working group has also created a 101 Guide, designed to empower buyers and sellers to make informed decisions and achieve their advertising objectives through Retail Media. This introductory guide covers all the must-know aspects of Retail Media, including insights into how campaigns can be purchased, reasons why retail media is essential for brands, and an overview of available measurement and targeting options.
Commenting on the publication of the 101 Guide, Jason Wescott, Global Practice Lead, Commerce at GroupM Nexus said “The success of early adopters in digital retail media has driven more retailers to throw their hats in the ring. More digital retail media owners means buying becomes more complex, confusing, and highly specialised, as each retailer has their own definitions, campaign metrics and attribution windows. For advertisers, this makes it hard to compare across digital retail media platforms vis-à-vis planning budgets, strategies, and campaign activations. The IAB Europe Retail Media 101 Guide will empower the industry with key knowledge on what digital Retail Media is, how it can be bought and why it should matter to brands. Equip yourself with exactly what good looks like, so you can approach the exciting world of digital retail media, with confidence.”
Creating Standards for a Thriving Retail Media Market
A recent IAB Europe survey of over 100 Retail Media buyers and sellers found that over two thirds of buyers (70%) think the lack of standards for Retail Media is a barrier to investment. When asked about which standards are most important, the majority of buyers (90%) and sellers (84%) cited media and attribution measurement.
Commenting on the work IAB Europe is doing to advance education and standardisation in Retail Media, Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe said: "IAB Europe forecasts that ad spend on Retail Media will reach EUR 25 billion by 2026, exceeding traditional linear TV advertising. In order to fully realise this opportunity, we need to bridge the "knowledge gap" surrounding Retail Media. Our newly released pan-European definitions and the comprehensive 101 Guide will help industry stakeholders start to navigate this dynamic landscape. The clear call for standards that came through in our recent survey is driving our next move, with a dedicated new Retailer Council leading the work.”
The full guide is now available for download on the IAB Europe website here.
27th July 2023, Brussels, Belgium, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released its ‘Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making’. This initial guide has been created to assist businesses in the digital advertising ecosystem navigate the ever-evolving landscape of sustainability and responsible business practices.
Terms such as ‘sustainable’, ‘green’, ‘net-zero’, and ‘carbon-neutral’ to describe technology, services, and products in the digital advertising industry have increased in traction recently, making it increasingly important for businesses to understand the validity of such labels.
With the rise of greenwashing practices, where false or misleading claims are made regarding environmental efforts, it is crucial for businesses to exercise due diligence when evaluating sustainability claims and when looking to choose the partners they wish to work with. Government regulators are also intensifying their focus on combating such practices, and businesses need to ensure that their decisions align with genuine sustainability goals.
The ‘Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making’ was written by members of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee including, Alliance Digitale, BVDW, EssenceMediacom, IMPACT+, Microsoft Advertising, ProsiebenSat.1, and Scope3. It offers valuable insights and practical tips to help organisations make informed choices when looking to achieve sustainability in the digital advertising industry. The guide will be further supported by the development of more in-depth business reports and playbooks and sustainability scorecards that will enable market participants to consider ESG factors as well as economic benefits.
Key areas covered in the guide include tips and guidance on environmental considerations, European legislation and guidelines, anti-greenwashing principles, social considerations, and the economic benefits of sustainable decision-making.
"By launching the Guide to Improving Sustainable Business Decision-Making, we aim to support businesses in the digital advertising industry in taking crucial first steps to navigate the complex realm of sustainability," said Townsend Feehan, CEO at IAB Europe. "We believe that informed decision-making can help lead to a brighter and more sustainable future for our industry. As we look and move ahead, we eagerly anticipate enriching this initial initiative with further in-depth guidance, to empower businesses to approach sustainable strategies with greater confidence."
The full guide is now available for download on the IAB Europe website here.
Notes to Editors:
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the interests of the industry and enable cross-ecosystem collaboration amongst its national federation and corporate members to drive solutions to shared challenges and develop frameworks, standards, and programmes that contribute to sustainable growth and innovation.
About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
Two-thirds of European marketers rank audio’s ability to enhance wider media plans as the top driver for investment according to joint research from GroupM and IAB Europe
Media buyers plan to invest more in audio in the next 12 months
25 July 2023, LONDON, UK — GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, today announced the findings of its Europe Digital Audio Advertising Report 2023 produced by GroupM Nexus, GroupM’s industry-leading performance marketing organisation, in partnership with IAB Europe. The report explores:
The report found two-thirds (66%) of buyers plan to invest more in audio in the next 12 months. The report is based on a survey, conducted by GroupM Nexus, that leveraged the national IAB network in Europe to survey 549 advertisers, agencies, and publishers across 29 markets between May and June 2023.
Almost half (47%) of the advertisers and agencies surveyed state that audio advertising is either their top or among their top media choices. Buyers’ three main drivers for audio ad spend include the channel’s ability to enhance wider media plans (65%), raise brand awareness (55%), and reach specific audiences (48%). Investment is also diversifying across a rich variety of audio channels and ad formats, with the majority of buyers surveyed directing their spend toward streaming (59%), podcast (59%), or online radio (57%).
Marketers are optimistic about digital audio
According to the survey, two-thirds (66%) of buyers plan to invest more in digital audio advertising specifically in the next 12 months with almost one-quarter (24%) expecting to increase spend between 11% and 30%. These forecasts indicate high levels of confidence in digital audio as a channel that can make an impact with target audiences.
Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist at IAB Europe commented: “From 2018 to 2022, digital audio has outpaced all other advertising channels in Europe in terms of compound annual growth rate**. The pandemic served as a cyclical catalyst for digital audio, particularly podcasts, due to a rise in consumption. However, structural enhancements like improved measurement, simplified buying and automation continue to advance the market. The advertising industry's emphasis on attention in a screen saturated media environment, quality of reach and brand safety positions digital audio as a promising investment channel for advertisers and a potent platform for publishers to exploit context. We project the European digital audio market, which stood at €772 million in ad spend in 2022, to surpass the €1 billion mark by 2025.” *
Marketers surveyed ranked incremental reach (46%), innovative activation such as dynamic creative ads optimisation (DCO) (43%), and targeting efficiencies (42%) as the top three drivers for digital audio spend. These will play a significant role in attracting further investment over the next 18-24 months, with 76% of advertisers and agencies intending to increase their audio ad spend in this time period. Advertisers and agencies ranked smart speaker interactive ads to be the biggest opportunity for increasing digital audio budgets in the future, followed by dynamic audio ads. Cross-channel insights and activation technology, alongside advanced contextual targeting, also rank as significant opportunities to unlock digital audio growth. Capabilities that allow buyers to capture audience attention, drive consumer action, and execute informed cross-channel campaigns are critical for securing greater ad spend.
Audio ads reach audiences on the go through personal devices
Seven in 10 marketers surveyed expect to connect with their audiences via audio ads on mobile, followed by desktops and laptops (48%) and tablets (44%).
The prevalence of mobile as a key audio device implies that digital audio offers marketers a valuable opportunity to engage audiences throughout the day. Survey respondents also believe they connect with audiences via Connected TV, game consoles, and stand alone radio devices, demonstrating the pervasiveness of audio.
Harry Harcus, GroupM Nexus EMEA commented: “Audio is a channel buzzing with opportunity as buyers and publishers expect notable growth in the near future. As a medium that reaches highly engaged audiences at moments when its more visual counterparts cannot, audio is capable of complementing buyers’ wider plans and publishers’ media offerings. Advancing the technologies that enable audio advertising can unlock cross-channel optimisation and performance for buyers, in turn making audio inventory even more attractive and driving revenue for publishers.”
For further insights into current audio investment, as well as key drivers and challenges for advertisers, agencies, and publishers, the full 2023 report is available here.
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About GroupM and GroupM Nexus
GroupM is WPP’s media investment group and the world’s leading media investment company with a mission to shape the next era of media where advertising works better for people. The company is responsible for more than $60 billion in annual media investment, as measured by the independent research bureau COMvergence. Through its global agencies Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, and mSix&Partners, and cross-channel performance (GroupM Nexus), data (Choreograph), entertainment (GroupM Motion Entertainment) and investment solutions, GroupM leverages a unique combination of global scale, expertise, and innovation to generate sustained value for clients wherever they do business. Discover more at www.groupm.com.
GroupM Nexus is the industry’s largest community of performance marketing experts designed to drive performance and innovation at scale for GroupM’s agencies and clients. With the most platform accreditations in the industry combined with proprietary technology, media and solutions, a culture of continuous innovation and scaled partnerships, GroupM Nexus consistently sets new benchmarks for effectiveness and efficiency across all forms of media to drive growth for the world’s leading advertisers.
ABOUT IAB EUROPE
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the interests of the industry and enable cross-ecosystem collaboration among its national federation and corporate members to drive solutions to shared challenges and develop frameworks, standards, and programmes that contribute to sustainable growth and innovation.
* IAB Europe’s AdEx Benchmark study currently measures ad spend for display, audio, social, video. Retail Media is not currently a part of the study.
Report details all factors contributing to 9.8% annual growth
Digital Audio fuels strongest format growth increasing by 22.1%
Brussels, Belgium, 13th July 2023 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released its full 2022 AdEx Benchmark Report following the release of the study highlights in May. Now in its seventeenth year, the report is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe covering 29 markets. It details the formats and channels that contributed to digital advertising’s annual growth of 9.8 percent in 2022, culminating in a total market value of €86bn.
Commenting on the positive market growth in 2022, Townsend Feehan, CEO at IAB Europe said, “Despite facing unprecedented macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, such as the war in Ukraine and rising inflation, the digital advertising market demonstrated exceptional resilience, with an increase of €7.7 billion from 2021.”
Market Coverage Expansion
In 2022, the geographical coverage of the AdEx Benchmark study underwent key changes, with Belarus and Russia being excluded and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania added as new markets. This expansion allows for a more comprehensive overview, encompassing a wider range of markets in the report.
Video and Audio Record Strongest Growth
The findings highlight audio as the fastest-growing format, experiencing a remarkable increase of 22.1% to reach €0.7 billion. Video also witnessed substantial growth, with a 13.6% increase, valuing the format's investment at €18.3 billion.
Programmatic Commands Over 57% of Display
Programmatic, excluding social, continues to account for more than half of display ad spend, with video accounting for 52.8% of the share of programmatic spend. However, huge differences in the maturity of programmatic across markets mean there is significant headroom for growth. Key markets, including France, Germany Italy, and Sweden, remain low in programmatic share in comparison to the UK.
Dr. Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist at IAB Europe, who compiled and presented the study commented, “Growth of digital advertising in Europe slowed to +9.8% in 2022. This can be attributed, in part, to a natural correction following a robust recovery in 2021 after the pandemic, which witnessed the most substantial market expansion in more than ten years (+33.8%). Additionally, the presence of macro-economic fragility and the ramifications of the war in Ukraine acted as further obstacles. Despite these challenges, the growth rate still surpasses expectations, particularly considering that digital advertising has now become a well-established media category, accounting for over 60% of total media ad expenditure, compared to less than 20% in 2009, the last year with similar growth patterns.”
View and download the full report here
Notes:
AdEx Benchmark is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe.
The data has been compiled by IAB Europe based on information provided by the national IAB offices around Europe. The report includes market size and value information for 2022 for the following markets: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and Ukraine. The data represents the calendar year 2022 January- December. This is the seventeenth AdEx Benchmark study which began in the calendar year 2006. Display includes PC-based and mobile banners, rich media and video formats.
The report provides a comprehensive perspective of digital advertising spend across Europe which is essential in benchmarking market development trends, the increasingly pan-regional nature of digital advertising investments, and the role of Europe’s digital economy in a global context, attracting global start-up funding and European policy formulation.
For more information please contact:
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe – mussard@iabeurope.eu - +44 (0) 7399 919594
Marie-Clare Puffett, Marketing & Insights Director, IAB Europe – puffett@iabeurope.eu - +44 (0) 7973836917
IAB Common Commitment agreement signed by National IABs and Federations shows alignment on a work plan and framework that supports sustainable developments in Europe
Brussels, Belgium, 8th June 2023 -IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the release of a new European IAB Common Commitment Agreement on Sustainability signed by 21 National IABs and Federations across Europe. The Commitment demonstrates the need and wants from National Federations for a collaborative and consistent approach to the measurement methodology of carbon emissions. This includes the regulatory and policy taxonomy, and the mapping and standardisation of best practices for the delivery of ads across the digital supply chain.
Uniting on Sustainable Digital Advertising: Reducing Carbon Emissions and Taking Climate Action
The digital advertising industry has identified that the carbon emissions associated with the internet, devices, and supporting systems have reached nearly 4% of global greenhouse emissions. With these emissions projected to double in the near future, it is crucial for the industry to acknowledge the climate crisis and take decisive action now. This will help to ensure a sustainable advertising choice for brands while most importantly, helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the digital advertising ecosystem.
In response to this urgent need, IAB Europe, along with National IABs and Federation signatories, is committed to providing guidance and support to organisations on their sustainability journeys. By working collectively, they aim to establish consistent European standards, practices, and solutions that address the critical issues of sustainability.
The Common Commitment reflects a shared vision and dedication to a comprehensive work plan. This plan will be delivered by IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee and will involve developing strategies, guidelines, and taxonomies that align with regulations and policies while considering the broader aspects of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic impacts. It will also help elevate work being done at a National level to bring it up to a European level in a consistent manner and will prioritise the reduction of carbon emissions specifically associated with digital advertising and emphasise the importance of climate action.
By uniting its efforts, the digital advertising industry can take significant steps towards a more sustainable future, mitigating the environmental impact and contributing to the United Nations' 17 sustainable development goals.
Commenting on the release of the Commitment, IAB Europe’s CEO, Townsend Feehan said, “The aspiration to reduce CO₂ emissions in the digital advertising supply chain will test our capacity to act in unison more than any other policy or business goal. The Common Commitment we are announcing today is a modest but critical step, enabling our European network to collaborate at an unprecedented pace internally and bringing critical mass to our engagement with global partners."
The Participating National Federations can be viewed here:
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Notes to Editors:
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the interests of the industry, and enable cross-ecosystem collaboration amongst its national federation and corporate members to drive solutions to shared challenges and develop frameworks, standards, and programmes that contribute to sustainable growth and innovation.
About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
Brussels, Belgium, 1st June - IAB Europe, representing a diverse membership of thousands of digital marketing and advertising companies, media publishers, and independent third-party measurement firms, has released a policy paper outlining its position on the draft proposal for a European Media Freedom Act. The paper aims to provide valuable insights to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and national officials working on their negotiating positions.
The proposed European Media Freedom Act seeks to establish a common framework for media services in the internal market, addressing various aspects of the digital media landscape. IAB Europe acknowledges the significance of audience measurement provisions, particularly Article 23, and emphasises its importance for independent and pluralistic media in European democracies. Digital advertising enables media publishers to monetise their content and maintain their independence while fostering a diverse media landscape. IAB Europe recognises the investments undertaken by publishers in audience measurement for transparent pricing of their advertising services. These systems are crucial to enhance their advertising strategies, serve new advertisers online, and evaluate advertising campaigns effectively.
In its policy paper, IAB Europe supports the principle-based approach to audience measurement outlined in Article 23(1) of the draft proposal. The implementation of these principles has the potential to enhance transparency in audience measurement systems, leading to a fairer allocation of advertising revenues across the media ecosystem. However, IAB Europe asks policymakers to consider three key aspects when regulating audience measurement.
Firstly, respecting the importance of existing self-regulatory initiatives, such as Joint Industry Committees (JICs), which are well-established in many member states. These frameworks, based on self-regulation among media publishers, advertising agencies, and independent audience measurement providers, have significantly contributed to improving audience measurement systems.
Secondly, IAB Europe emphasises the need for transparency in audience measurement methodologies (Article 23(2)) to ensure fair pricing of digital advertising, questioning the effectiveness of the current draft proposal in achieving this objective. The lack of a clear definition for "providers of proprietary audience measurement systems" creates ambiguity and may unintentionally impact third-party audience measurement providers, including traditional research companies and JICs.
Thirdly and finally, IAB Europe urges policymakers to strike a balance between transparency and innovation. While advocating for increased transparency in audience methodology, IAB Europe highlights the importance of protecting proprietary methods and technology that result from substantial investments in research and development. Transparency should not impede investments in research and innovation, which are essential for the evolution of audience measurement systems.
IAB Europe stands ready to engage in constructive dialogue with MEPs and national officials to ensure that the European Media Freedom Act upholds the principle of transparency. The full policy positioning paper can be accessed here.
European Digital Advertising Market Grew by 9.8% to a Market Value of €86bn
Total Display Accounts for 50% of Total Market Value
Brussels, Belgium, 23rd May, 2023 – IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, announced at its flagship conference Interact 2023 in Madrid today that digital advertising spend in Europe increased by 9.8% in 2022 to achieve a market value of €86bn.
2022 Digital Advertising Investment
Now in its seventeenth year, The AdEx Benchmark study is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe with data collected across national markets to provide a total harmonised figure for Europe. For 2022, IAB Europe has amended the geographical coverage of AdEx Benchmark to remove Belarus and Russia and add in new markets; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, meaning the study now accounts for 29 European markets. Amongst the markets, Turkey achieved the strongest total growth of 93.3%.
Despite the economic and political headwinds in Europe, €7.7bn was added to the digital advertising market total in 2022.
Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist at IAB Europe commented on the results: “Brands are digitising their overall businesses to drive efficiencies and in the same vein are shifting advertising budgets into digital. Thus, digital advertising in Europe has experienced robust growth despite the volatile macro environment. It reinforces the importance of digital for brands during a period of downturn due to its measurability and performance.”
Audio and Video Post Strongest Growth
The study shows that audio saw the largest growth across all formats in 2022 with a 22.1% increase to €0.7bn. Video also experienced significant growth with an increase of 13.6% to value the format investment at €18.3bn. Meanwhile display grew by 9.5% to €40.1bn with search experiencing a 10.7% increase to €37.4bn.
The AdEx Benchmark Study highlights can be downloaded here.
The full AdEx Benchmark 2022 Report, which will provide full commentary and data across all 29 markets, will be published in June 2023.
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Notes to editors:
AdEx Benchmark is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe. The study is now in its seventeenth year and covers 29 markets. The geographical coverage of the study has changed to remove Belarus and Russia and add in new markets; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The study covers the following advertising formats: display, social media, video, audio, programmatic, classified, directors & affiliates and search.
Contacts:
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe - +44 (0) 7399 919594
Marie-Clare Puffett, Marketing & Insights Director, IAB Europe - +44 (0) 7973836917
27th April 2023. Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe, the leading European-level association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, signed today a letter to policymakers on the Data Act with fellow European-level Industry Trade Associations including the Advertising Information Group (AIG), the Federation of European Data and Marketing (FEDMA), The European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE) and SMEUnited and its National Digital Advertising Association members including Alliance Digitale (IAB France), BVDW, IAB Ireland, IAB Poland, IAB Spain, and IAB Sweden.
The letter, sent to several Members of the European Parliament, the Swedish Presidency, and Commissioner Mr. Breton, warns of potential conflicts between the Data Act and the GDPR, emphasising the importance of ensuring a fair playing field. In particular, the letter expresses signatories’ concerns about the European Commission’s original proposal and the Council’s position on Article 6.2 (b) that clearly interfere with the GDPR and would lead to unintended consequences that will work against achieving a level playing field and impede innovation.
The signatories made a recommendation to policymakers involved in the trilogue negotiations to ensure that the Data Act aligns with the GDPR by supporting the text adopted by Parliament concerning article 6.2 (b). Furthermore, they urged policymakers to ensure that the provisions set out in the GDPR, including safeguards to user privacy, prevail for the processing of personal data. Granting that the current EU data protection legal framework will secure a future-proof Data Act text, welcoming competition, growth in the digital economy and future innovations instead of ruling them out from the outset.
The full letter can be viewed on IAB Europe’s website here and below.
Date: 27 April 2023
Dear MEP Ms del Castillo and MEP Mr Lagodinsky, MEP Mr Bielan, MEP Mr García del Blanco, MEP Ms Kumpula-Natri, MEP Ms de la Pisa Carrión, MEP Mr Mituța, MEP Mr Boeselager, MEP Ms Lizzi, MEP Ms Kontoura,
Dear Ms Björesten and Mr Källström,
Dear Commissioner Mr Breton,
Industry representatives warn of potential conflicts between Data Act and GDPR and emphasise the importance of ensuring a fair playing field ahead of the trilogue negotiations.
We are a group of diverse stakeholders, including SMEs, representing different industries within the business community, including digital advertising and marketing. As the institutions enter trilogue negotiations on the proposal for a regulation on the harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (the “Data Act”), we would like to reiterate our concerns about the potential unintended consequences of Article 6.2 (b). These concerns apply to the wording in the European Commission’s original proposal and the Council’s position that clearly interfere with the GDPR and work against achieving a level playing field and impede innovation.
Regarding the Council’s changes to Article 6.2. (b), we fear that the scope of action for third parties is unjustifiably restricted by adding ambiguity to what constitutes an “objectively necessary” service and allowing profiling solely for the purpose of service delivery. Lack of legal certainty in the already complex digital world will trigger reticence to innovate for fear of a sanction.
While we support the changes proposed by the European Parliament for Articles 6. 2 (b) and 6.2 (c), we point out that the current wording of Article 5 (1) contradicts Article 6.2 (b) by adding an indicative list of limited purposes for data processing. On the contrary, we believe that the Data Act should be flexible and future-proof, welcoming future innovations instead of ruling them out from the outset.
The Data Act interferes with the GDPR and eliminates the legal basis of processing for third parties
By effectively prohibiting practices that are fully compliant with the GDPR in Article 6.2 (b), the Data Act substantially undermines the existing data protection framework (GDPR) and its core principle that processing of personal data is permitted so long as it relies on one of the six legal bases.
Germany’s statement on 12 January 2023 proposed to remove Article 6.2 (b) from the Data Act, arguing that “the GDPR and the sector-specific data protection law must not be circumvented and their level of protection must be maintained”. We agree that the Data Act should establish norms for a coherent legal framework and should align with the GDPR's legal basis, as stated also in Article 1.3 of the Data Act, to ensure that the European data protection legal framework, especially the GDPR, remains applicable.
Circumventing the GDPR with a set of contradicting provisions would create commercial and legal uncertainty for entities that have adapted to its rules and strip them of the possibility to legally process personal data for profiling purposes. Additionally, due to a very broad definition of profiling that is still being interpreted by Data Protection Authorities and Courts, the magnitude of such prohibition is well underestimated and will outlaw longstanding and widely accepted processing activities in all industry sectors.
This can be also illustrated by the following example in the energy sector:
A connected product, such as an electricity meter, collects data through the use of its product. The data is then made available to the user through a third-party user-facing interface. Such an interface assists the user and facilitates his/her decision-making, for example by answering questions, such as “How much energy am I consuming per month?”. The possibility to answer this question relies on profiling operations related to the user’s activities and the use of the electricity meter. The prohibition of profiling would ultimately prevent device manufacturers from exploring lawful partnerships with
trusted third parties. The possibilities to enhance their products by offering customised, value-added services to consumers by handling personal and non-personal data would be significantly curtailed.
Current provisions of the Data Act fail to ensure a level playing field and are in contrast with the regulation’s aim to foster innovation and economic growth
The main issue lies in the differential treatment of the “data holder” who is allowed to carry out profiling activities, compared to the “data recipient”, who is prohibited from doing so under Article 6.2 (b) of the Data Act.
This discrepancy could favour vertically integrated enterprises that already hold large amounts of data, aggravating data concentration, and enabling such enterprises to leverage further their integration and their data, including for profiling purposes.
The Data Act aims to facilitate new and innovative uses of existing data. However, some businesses, which rely on the lawful processing of data for profiling , could be affected by Article 6.2 (b) of the Data Act. This could limit their ability to use data, create and train algorithms, which could have negative consequences not only for incubators of high-end digital skills but also SMEs that support the wider EU economy. Widespread data sharing allows SMEs to leverage customer data and provide efficient services and goods tailored to customer’s needs. Hence, the Data Act is crucial for SMEs’ willingness to access and process data and to allow new, innovative SMEs to emerge, grow and scale up. As highlighted above, such developments cannot be in line with EU’s competition goals and threaten the diversity of the digital economy.
Concluding remarks
Given the potential impact of the Data Act on the digital economy and data-driven innovation, we believe it is crucial for policymakers to support the text adopted by Parliament regarding article 6.2 (b). Specifically, we recommend that policymakers ensure that the Data Act aligns with the GDPR and that it enables, rather than undermines, new data-driven business models and supply chains. In order to deliver pro-competitive outcomes, it is important for service providers, including commercial partnerships acting as third parties, to be able to continue to rely on the relevant GDPR legal bases when processing personal data for the purposes of profiling. Only these prerequisites will ensure that the EU's regulatory framework promotes innovation, competition, and growth in the digital economy while maintaining user privacy and data protection. We therefore urge co-legislators to take these considerations during the trilogue negotiations on the Data Act.
Signatories
Press contact: Helen Mussard, IAB Europe - mussard@iabeurope.eu
Footnotes:
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 15 March 2023: IAB Europe confirmed today that the APD has voluntarily suspended the six-month implementation period of IAB Europe’s action plan.
IAB Europe’s action plan was unexpectedly validated by the APD on 11 January 2023, with a six-month deadline for implementation (11 July 2023). The validation occurred while outstanding points are being examined by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), further to IAB Europe’s appeal against the APD decision of February 2022 before the Belgian Market Court.
As a result, IAB Europe lodged a second appeal before the Belgian Market Court against the APD decision to validate the action plan and requested interim measures. This formal challenge turned out to be indispensable to prevent the APD from preempting the CJEU’s response and avoid implementation of changes to the TCF that may need to be rolled back when the CJEU’s ruling is rendered.
IAB Europe is pleased to confirm that the APD has decided as a result of IAB Europe’s appeal to suspend voluntarily the implementation period of the action plan. The Belgian Market Court’s ruling on this second appeal is expected at the end of Q2 or beginning of Q3 2023. If it then upholds the APD’s validation decision of January 2023, despite the fact that this validation decision was taken while the appeal against the February 2022 is pending, the implementation period will resume at that time. This would postpone the deadline for implementation to Q4 2023 instead of 11 July 2023.
“The APD’s validation of the action plan was a welcome confirmation of the legality of the TCF, but its timing had raised legitimate concerns,” noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO, “many organisations in the sector have shared their surprise that the APD imposed a deadline for implementation despite the referral of key questions to the European Court of Justice.”
“Given the impact of that referral on the foundations of the APD’s decision of last year, and by extension on the action plan, that deadline in practice could have robbed the referral of its utility,” continued Feehan. “The voluntary suspension by the APD of the implementation of the action plan will enable the release of sustainable improvements to the TCF pending the decision of the Belgian Market Court.”
As the deadline of 11 July 2023 ceases to apply, IAB Europe will move forward with various iterations to the TCF that are less directly impacted by the CJEU procedure, including some that could not be contemplated in the allocated time. More information regarding such iterations and their timing will be provided at a later stage, so as to enable TCF participants to prepare for them.
An updated FAQ regarding the TCF can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Privacy, transparency and sustainability are now more of a challenge than brand safety
9th March 2023, Brussels: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today announced the findings of its 2023 Brand Safety Poll. 157 industry professionals from across the digital advertising value chain gave their opinions on how brand safety has been tackled over the past 12 months, providing insights on what action needs to happen in 2023.
The results highlight how seriously the industry is taking brand safety, and show how the ecosystem has changed in the last couple of years to place more emphasis on ensuring brand safe environments. 67% of respondents agree or strongly agree that brand safety was a key priority for the industry in 2022 with 53% of respondents further agreeing that the industry has done a good job of tackling brand safety over the past 12 months. This is up from 36% in 2019. 71% cited technology innovations as helping to solve brand safety concerns. This is up from 65% in 2019.
Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe, commented: “The poll results highlight how seriously the digital advertising industry takes the safety of brand advertising investments and how improvements have been made in tackling this over the past couple of years. Furthermore, it is encouraging to see stakeholders recognise the importance that technology plays in tackling brand safety and suitability. We will continue to work with our members to highlight advances and best practices in this area, to enable brand safe experiences for both advertisers and consumers.”
Privacy and Sustainability Now More of a Challenge than Brand Safety
When asked to rank brand safety alongside other industry challenges, the majority of respondents (50%) said brand safety is the same in terms of challenges compared to last year. The challenges that have increased are privacy, transparency and sustainability. 57% of respondents said that privacy concerns are more of a challenge than last year, only 8% said it was less of a challenge. 44% of respondents said that transparency and sustainability are more of a challenge than last year compared to 39% that said brand safety.
The Rise of Brand Suitability
78% of respondents agree that there has been greater demand for brand suitability over the past 12 months More than 80% of respondents also cited that brand safety requires a bespoke approach to each client’s needs.
Brand Safety in 2023
Looking at what needs to happen in 2023 to further tackle brand safety and ensure trust for both advertisers and consumers, responses focused on creating new rules for news creators; Safeguarding customer privacy, More technical support; More verification and Content control.
The full results of the poll can be found on IAB Europe’s website here.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 10th February 2023: IAB Europe confirmed today that it has lodged a formal request for interim measures with the Belgian Market Court in the Transparency and Consent (TCF) case. This follows the decision by the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) to validate the action plan, submitted by IAB Europe on 1st April 2022 as one of the obligations under the Authority’s February 2022 decision.
This validation was unexpectedly announced on 11th January 2023, while outstanding points are being examined by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), further to a referral by the Belgian Market Court in September 2022. In that same judgement, the Belgian Market court held that the APD was in breach of its duty of care, which taints the February 2022 decision by the APD.
The six-month deadline to implement the plan is 11th July 2023, a date by which the CJEU will not have rendered its judgement. For this reason, while it moves forward with various iterations to the TCF that are less directly impacted by the CJEU procedure, IAB Europe is seeking interim measures to prevent the APD from enforcing the execution of changes to the TCF that may need to be rolled back when the CJEU’s ruling is rendered. This formal request turned out to be indispensable as the APD has not shown any clear willingness to engage in dialogue with IAB Europe following its decision, and seems unlikely to provide guidance between now and 11th July 2023.
"If the European Court finds that IAB Europe is not a (joint) data controller and/or the TC String is not personal data, the steps taken in the action plan that are premised on these findings - steps that will need to be taken by vendors, CMPs and thousands of publishers, in addition to IAB Europe - will have to be rolled back,” noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. "Companies will have wasted resources and made changes to their business practices, while consumers will be negatively impacted and misled through multiple adjustments."
“The APD’s approval of the action plan in its entirety is an important and welcome confirmation of the legality of the TCF. IAB Europe is moving ahead with positive changes to the TCF that are less impacted by the referral to the CJEU,” continued Feehan. “Pursuing interim measures will allow a serene completion of the remaining legal proceedings on the points that are significantly impacted."
An updated FAQ regarding the TCF can be found on IAB Europe’s website, here.
Europe’s Greatest Digital Minds to Gather at IAB Europe’s Flagship Conference: Interact 2023
On 23-24 May in Madrid, Spain, one of Europe’s most important and highly regarded digital advertising and marketing conferences will take place. The theme of the 16th edition of Interact 2023 is: Innovation, Sustainability & Growth.
Interact is an annual event hosted by IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem. The event attracts industry experts and influential representatives from Europe’s leading advertising agencies, media owners, ad technology and brands. This year, in partnership with IAB Spain, the event will be held, once more, in Madrid.
The two-day conference will bring industry leading experts together to discuss and debate how we become privacy first, tackle sustainability and drive growth through innovation in the digital advertising industry.
“Each year, Interact brings our large and diverse network together to assess emerging trends, exchange best practice, and define the industry agenda for the ensuing 12-18 months”, “We are delighted to co-host the event with IAB Spain in Madrid again this year, welcoming visitors from across Europe and beyond to discuss and debate the hottest topics in digital advertising today”. Townsend Feehan, CEO, IAB Europe.
Participants are invited to join Interact 2023 with Early Bird tickets now available until 10th March.
MIXX Awards Europe & IAB Europe Research Awards Now Open
The winners of the prestigious MIXX Awards Europe and IAB Europe Research Awards will also be presented at the conference. The MIXX Awards recognise and celebrate the best digital advertising campaigns in Europe whilst The IAB Europe Research Awards identify and showcase the very best in digital research projects across Europe.
There are a wide range of categories available in each Programme including new Retail Media and Sustainability Campaign categories. Additionally, this year the MIXX Awards Europe will celebrate a new Outstanding Contribution Award. This award is for a team or an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the digital advertising industry over the last 12 months.
Both competitions are now open and full details including how to enter can be found here for MIXX Awards Europe and here for Research Awards.
Tickets for Interact 2023 are available now. Visit www.iabeurope.eu/interact for full conference details.
Sustainability is one of the top three challenges for digital advertising businesses
51% of digital advertising businesses don’t currently measure the emissions produced by the delivery of digital ads
Brussels, Belgium, 2nd February 2023 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the results of its new ‘State of Readiness - Sustainability in Digital Advertising’ Report. The survey received 256 respondents from across 29 European markets and shares key insights on how far the digital advertising industry is progressing on its journey towards the delivery of sustainable digital advertising.
Sustainability is now a key focus for the digital advertising industry. Last year, it was estimated that a typical ad campaign emitted around 5.4 tons of CO2, with a programmatic ad impression producing around one gram of CO2 emissions. When the number of ad impressions transacted on a regular basis multiplies over time, it is easy to see how this has become an imperative problem for the industry.
In order to gain insight into how the digital advertising industry is tackling sustainability and what measures individual companies have in place, IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee developed the State of Readiness – Sustainability in Digital Advertising survey. The survey attracted 256 respondents from across the digital advertising ecosystem with the vast majority coming from Ad Tech, Agency, and Publisher businesses, as well as Advertisers.
Key Findings:
Commenting on the findings, Laura Wade, Head of Sustainability at EssenceMediacomX said “With 55% of respondents ‘having started’ or ‘made significant progress’ with their own carbon reduction efforts, I am hopeful this indicates that 2023 is the tipping point for sustainable digital practices to become embedded into the mainstream. However, the report also highlights that we need to focus on education and collaboration to turn this into a reality. I believe we need to act quickly and commit fully, to realise the commercial opportunity that decarbonisation and sustainable innovation unlocks.”
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee which comprises over 40 European and Global organisations is using the survey findings to help shape its 2023 work plan.
Commenting on the core focus, Andrew Hayward-Wright, IAB Europe’s Programmatic & Sustainability Advisor said, “It is clear from the results that a combination of measurement, standards, and solutions will be key to driving sustainability in digital advertising forward. This year, IAB Europe will focus on delivering standardisation of reporting whilst supporting the industry as it navigates the complex European regulatory environment of sustainability."
Adding to the work being conducted by the Committee, Steffen Johann Hubert, Associate Director & Lead Sustainability, Seven.One Media said, “Sustainability is indispensable for today's and all future generations. Therefore we are pleased to be able to support the development of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee. The challenge of reconciling the diverse sustainability requirements of regulations, investors, competitors, advertisers, employees, and consumers is enormous and will demand a lot from all market participants. Addressing a common understanding of the challenge via IAB Europe can form an important basis.”
Alongside the work of the Sustainability Standards Committee, IAB Europe has also set up a dedicated Working Group for European National IABs who are currently working together on a joint action plan and charter to show the industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, which will be released in the next few weeks.
The full report with accompanying graphs can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website HERE.
Notes to Editors
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Through its membership of media, technology and marketing companies and national IABs, its mission is to lead political representation and promote industry collaboration to deliver frameworks, standards and industry programmes that enable business to thrive in the European market.
About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee
IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.
IAB Europe this week signed an industry joint letter addressed to the Members of the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament (LIBE) on the Data Act proposal and its interplay with the GDPR. The letter initiated by FEDMA was co-signed by IAB Europe, Alliance Digitale (IAB France), IAB Poland, IAB Spain and IAB Sweden and other associations representing companies from various sectors of the business community.
As the LIBE Committee moves forward to finalise its opinion on the proposed Data Act, some provisions in the European Commission’s proposal and some amendments in the LIBE Committee’s draft opinion could have the unintended consequences of overriding the GDPR risk-based approach that would ultimately undermine the adduce goal of the Data Act of facilitating innovative uses of existing data.
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BRUSSELS, 25 January 2023 – Today, a coalition of associations representing companies from various sectors of the business community issued a joint statement on the Data Act and its interplay with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Chapter II of the proposal.
The statement highlights that some provisions in the European Commission’s proposal and some amendments in the LIBE Committee’s draft opinion would restrict certain data processing activities even when carried out in a GDPR-compliant way.
These provisions do not only risk curbing the benefits for innovation, but they are at odds with the Data Act’s objective to empower users who should be free to decide the purposes for sharing their personal data insofar as any data sharing and processing is compliant with the GDPR.
With the GDPR, the EU has set up a modern futureproof data protection framework. Yet, the Data Act could undermine these achievements and the credibility of the GDPR.
Specifically, the coalition calls on EU legislators to:
The full coalition includes:
ACT - The App Association
AIG -IAB France - Alliance Digitale
CCIA - Computer & Communications Industry Association
EUCOPE - European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs
FEDMA – Federation of European Data and Marketing
IAB Europe - Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe
IAB Poland - Interactive Advertising Bureau Poland
IAB Spain - Interactive Advertising Bureau Spain
IAB Sweden- Interactive Advertising Bureau Sweden
ITI - Information Technology Industry Council
You can read the full letter here.
Unifying Retail Media Leaders Across Europe
To Enable Collaboration, Education, Insights and Standards
13th October 2022, Brussels, Belgium, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital and marketing ecosystem has today announced the creation of a new Retail Media Working Group. The group will bring together stakeholders from across this emerging new channel in order to enable collaborative conversations, provide education and insights and create recommendations to shape and define this new, exciting advertising space.
Retail Media in Europe is accelerating each year and is a key part of the media plan. In 2021 the market was worth €7.9 billion and this is expected to reach €25bn by 2026, representing a significant investment opportunity. Further, a recent buy-side survey on the Retail Media Opportunity in Europe shows that retail media is already a key part of the media plan; 92% of advertisers and 74% of agencies surveyed state that they are currently partnering with retailers to reach consumers[1].
The new working group is open to all IAB Europe members and will provide education on the retail media landscape, the benefits, use cases as well as insights and standards to enable the market to continue to grow. IAB Europe is also pleased to welcome some new retail brands to its membership to take part in the working group.
Marie-Clare Puffett, Senior Manager, Marketing & Industry Programmes at IAB Europe commented: “Retail Media is a key area of growth within the digital advertising sector. IAB Europe has spent the past few months discussing the landscape in Europe with key retailers and players and looks forward to kicking off the Working Group to enable cross-industry collaboration.”
For members wishing to join the working group please sign up here. Organisations wanting to be involved in the committee who are not yet members of IAB Europe, please contact communication@iabeurope.eu
Notes
[1] The full results of the Retail Media Opportunity in Europe survey will be available in November. IAB Europe and Xandr are hosting a webinar on the 27th October to present a first look at the results and host a panel discussion with leaders in this field, find out more and sign up here.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 7th October 2022: The Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) has informed IAB Europe that it intends to pursue its examination of the action plan submitted in April with a view to its possible validation. This is despite the Belgian Market Court’s interim ruling of September 7th 2022 that declared illegal the APD decision (which served as a basis for the action plan) because of the APD’s lack of due care. In addition, the Market Court has referred fundamental questions on the substance of the matter - and relevant to the action plan - to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
IAB Europe welcomes every opportunity to enter into a dialogue with the APD, and other supervisory authorities concerned, on its action plan and how best to deliver extended functionality to the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). The action plan is the result of a careful assessment of what measures would best meet the APD's interpretation of the GDPR, and the resulting obligations that it creates for IAB Europe. It reflects the willingness of the sector to find solutions and to cooperate on tools that are meaningful for data subjects, while practical and scalable for all market players involved.
However, while the action plan is a basis for discussion to continue the work on improving the TCF, IAB Europe firmly believes that the APD decision cannot be enforced.
Firstly, the Market Court found that the APD’s decision was illegal due to irregularities at the stage of the APD’s investigation. Secondly, the measures proposed in the action plan stem directly from the assumptions that (i) the TC String (a digital signal containing user preferences) should be considered personal data and that (ii) IAB Europe acts as a (joint) controller for the dissemination of TC Strings and other data processing done by TCF participants. The Belgian Market Court has decided to seek guidance from the CJEU on both of these points, based on questions raised by the APD itself during the course of the proceedings.
IAB Europe reserves the right to engage in any form of available legal action should the APD attempt to enforce its illegal decision and preempt responses from the CJEU on the central issues that have been referred to it
“The questions that have been referred to the CJEU are foundational as they call into question whether an enforcement action should have been brought against IAB Europe in the first place,” comments Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe. “Pending the answers from the CJEU on the matter, we look forward to soliciting guidance from Data Protection Authorities to deliver extended functionality to the TCF. ”
An updated FAQ on the case may be consulted on IAB Europe’s website here.
Over 1000 Industry Professionals Share Their Investment Drivers, Barriers, and Operational Models
Brussels, 29th September 2022, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the results of its annual ‘Attitudes to Programmatic Advertising Study’.
Now in its eighth year, this study has become an industry benchmark and helpful insight to show how programmatic advertising attitudes, adoption and strategies are evolving. This year the study tripled in responses with over 1000 industry professionals taking part across 29 markets in Europe. The respondents represent four stakeholder groups - advertisers, agencies, publishers, and ad tech vendors - to ascertain the views and directions from the entire ecosystem. More than half of the respondents across advertisers, agencies and publishers manage annual advertising budgets of €1m or above.
Nick Welch, Head of EMEA Programmatic Sales at IAS and Programmatic Trading Committee Chair at IAB Europe said: The "Attitudes to Programmatic Advertising 2022 Study' serves as an important annual benchmark towards programmatic strategies in digital advertising. The widening of the research shows its focus across various players in the industry from multiple markets. We're grateful for all the respondents to the study and helping set the agenda for the coming 12 months. Even amongst the backdrop of tightening budgets and further media scrutiny, it's encouraging to see that investment in programmatic is likely to increase. Alongside this, we're witnessing tremendous appetite across growing environments such as CTV and audio. However, marketers must play a crucial role in these areas, ensuring that balance is found between optimising media spend, data transparency and delivering a targeted and enjoyable consumer experience."
Positive Outlook Driven by Connected TV
All stakeholders (74% of advertisers, 80% of agencies and 68% of publishers) are expecting their programmatic investment to increase over the next 12 months. There seems to be consensus around connected TV as a key growth area; more than 50% of all stakeholder groups cite this as a key to programmatic growth over the next 12 months. Voice, almost non-existent as key to growth in previous years - makes a strong appearance this year with 32% of advertisers and 28% of agencies citing this as a key growth area.
Commenting further on the investment trends, James Collins, SVP, Media Network, Rakuten Advertising said “The annual Attitudes to Programmatic Report from IAB Europe is an important indicator for the industry on the opportunities and challenges for programmatic advertising. It’s positive to see that CTV remains the largest growth area for programmatic, with key learnings in this report hopefully the industry can take a step closer to capitalising on this opportunity.”
Media Cost Efficiencies Are Key to Investment
More than a quarter of advertisers and agencies ranked cost efficiencies as the most important driver for programmatic investment. This is closely followed by granularity of controls and transparency of reporting. Advertisers also cite costs as a barrier to investment; 22% ranked it as the number 1 barrier. Quality of media is also a concern (38% ranked this as the first or second barrier to investment). For agencies, hiring and training staff is a key barrier to programmatic investment.
Advertisers Shift from In-Housing to a More Dynamic Approach
In 2021 50% of advertisers said they had an in-house model. This seems to have dropped significantly to 16% in 2022. There seems to be a more hybrid or dynamic approach with advertisers tapping into a range of methods such as outsourcing to a DSP, independent trading desk etc. This is perhaps being driven by the struggle to source the correct talent, paving the way for consultancies to play a more vital role in the process.
Interaction and Quality Metrics Are Key to Measurement
When asked which metrics are important to evaluate display campaigns that are traded programmatically, the majority of advertisers cited social interactions as the most important, as opposed to sales which was the top metric in 2021 (59% vs 37%). For agencies and publishers, it is in delivering quality metrics (60% and 53% respectively) that is most important.
Shift in the Type of Data Used for Audience Targeting
The study shows a decrease in the use of first-party data alongside an increase in second-party data. Whilst 2021 showed first-party data was the priority for advertisers, agencies, and publishers in 2021, this is now ranked third behind second-party data (the most popular priority averaging 57% with agencies leading at 60%) and third-party at 49%.
The report, written by industry experts from IAB Europe’s membership, and forms part of a comprehensive programme of pan-European educational and guidance outputs published by the IAB Europe Programmatic Trading Committee. The full report with accompanying graphs can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website HERE.
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Through its membership of media, technology and marketing companies and national IABs, its mission is to lead political representation and promote industry collaboration to deliver frameworks, standards and industry programmes that enable business to thrive in the European market.
Unifying Industry Leaders from Across Europe
To Establish a Set of Practical Standards to Help the Digital Advertising Industry with its Decarbonisation Journey.
21st September 2022, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital and marketing ecosystem has today announced the creation of its new Sustainability Standards Committee. The committee will bring the industry together to create new standards for the delivery of digital advertising. These standards will help and direct all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through their use of digital media.
Today, it’s estimated that the Internet’s overall environmental impact is around 2%-4% of global carbon emissions, with a typical ad campaign emitting around 5.4 tons of CO2. As the industry and wider society become increasingly aware of the climate crisis, and the impact that the internet and digital ads have on the environment, it has now become more important than ever to take responsibility and action.
To tackle these numbers, the committee will produce a ‘Green Media standard’ which is composed of practical and measurable steps that participants can implement to decarbonise their digital media.
The new committee is open to all IAB Europe members, including corporate companies and National IABs from across Europe. It will be led by Andrew Hayward-Wright, Programmatic & Sustainability Advisor for IAB Europe.
IAB Europe’s Programmatic & Sustainability advisor, Andrew Hayward-Wright comments “Over the course of 2022 there has been a lot of activity and conversations around the Climate Crisis, the sustainability of digital advertising and its contribution to the global carbon footprint. The time to act is now, IAB Europe and its members are perfectly positioned to help create independent governance and standards around the delivery of digital advertising and its sustainability. In doing so we hope to help the digital advertising industry be accountable for its own emissions and one of the first industries as a whole to reach net zero.”
IAB Europe looks forward to leading this collaborative effort with the industry to create meaningful change and help guide the direction of the industry's sustainability for years to come.
For members wishing to join the committee please sign up here. Organisations wanting to be involved in the committee who are not yet members of IAB Europe, please contact communication@iabeurope.eu
21st September 2022, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital and marketing ecosystem has today announced the election of Nicolas Rieul as the new Chair of the Board. Nicolas was elected by the IAB Europe Board of Directors at IAB Europe's quarterly board meeting on 20th September. He was already a director and a member of its executive committee as a representative of Alliance Digitale (IAB France-LMMA). Nicolas succeeds Wlodzimierz Schmidt, Managing Director of IAB Poland.
Speaking after the vote, Nicolas said “I am very honoured and grateful for the trust placed in me today by all the members of the IAB Europe Board of Directors. I would like to thank them warmly and also salute the commitment of my predecessor Wlodzimierz Schmidt who, with the support of the IAB Europe staff and Director General Townsend Feehan, has done a remarkable job. I am fully aware of the task ahead of us and would like to assure all members of my desire to represent our entire industry throughout Europe proudly.
Alliance Digitale (IAB France-LMMA) is happy to see its president take this position and believes this is a key moment in further strengthening the collaboration of Alliance Digitale (IAB France-LMMA) with its counterparts from IAB Europe and the national IABs on all major issues that our industry is going through which require a collective and homogeneous response.
Authored by Industry Leaders from Across Europe
Provides insights and guidance for buyers starting to explore eCommerce and retail media opportunities
7th September, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital and marketing ecosystem has today released its ‘Guide to Ecommerce for Digital Advertising’ to provide an introduction to eCommerce and retail media advertising in Europe. The Guide, which is aimed at buyers that are starting to explore opportunities in this category, provides insights into how e-commerce works, the available ad formats, and considerations and best practices for the digital advertising ecosystem.
As people increasingly use online channels to shop for goods and services, the relative importance of eCommerce and retail media in the broader marketing mix is only going to grow and IAB Europe estimates that it could reach €24.8bn by 2026.
This introductory Guide highlights some of the ad formats, buying methods, measurement options and key considerations and best practices for buyers using eCommerce retail media advertising. As the category develops, IAB Europe will continue to support buyers and the whole ecosystem in their retail media journeys. Working across the industry, we will continue to provide advice, recommendations, and market intelligence as appropriate.
IAB Europe’s Chief Economist, Daniel Knapp comments “Since the pandemic, Europe has seen an explosion of retail media networks. Fuelled by changing consumer shopping habits, 1st party data and closed-loop attribution, ad spend is following quickly. Retail media ad spend in Europe was €7.9bn in 2021. Although that includes Amazon with an estimated 75% share, endemic retailers and commerce platforms are growing market share. As the looming recession puts a dent in ad spend growth, we expect retail media to outperform the market.”
Commenting on the value of ecommerce and retail media advertising for brands, David Sequeira, Managing Director EMEA, Skai said “We are at a time where advertising budgets require more accountability, consumers demand more personalized experiences and data deprecation makes open web advertising more challenging. Brands are rethinking their marketing strategies in favour of channels where consumers are open to advertising, not reliant on cookies and can easily be tied back to the bottom line. Retail media, with its rich first-party data, ticks all of the boxes.”
Commenting on the importance of good creative for Ecommerce advertising, Tom Ellis, Director of Ad Creative, Yahoo! Said ‘"Formats like shoppable ads have brought ecommerce opportunities right up to the top of the marketing funnel. They don't have to be complex and they are not complex to produce in order to deliver great results and conversions for clients. Having a clear call to action, price and product image is key, combined with partners that can place the ads in the right environments and context to inspire action in consumers in the moment."
It’s been a collaborative effort to produce this European-level industry guide for Ecommerce Advertising, with contributors including Criteo, PubMatic, Perpetua, Skai, Xandr and Yahoo!
The Guide to Ecommerce for Digital Advertising can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website here.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - 7th September 2022: IAB Europe acknowledges the interim ruling handed down today by the Belgian Market Court (part of the Brussels Court of Appeal) in connection with IAB Europe’s appeal of the February 2022 decision by the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) on IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF). In its interim ruling, the Market Court has decided to refer preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on how the concept of data controllership in the GDPR as it pertains in this case, is to be interpreted and on whether a TC String (a digital signal containing user preferences) can be considered as “personal data” under the GDPR. The referral to the CJEU means that a final judgement by the Market Court is unlikely until 2023 or even 2024.
IAB Europe welcomes the Market Court’s decision to seek guidance from the CJEU. “The interpretation of the notions of personal data and controllership embraced by the APD is unnecessarily broad from a consumer protection point of view and has significant negative implications for the development of open standards and the Codes of Conduct foreseen in the GDPR,” noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe’s CEO. “It would place an unacceptable financial burden on host organisations, discouraging the development of these important compliance tools”.
An updated FAQ on the case may be consulted on IAB Europe's website here.
Report details all factors contributing to 30.5% annual growth
All 28 markets recorded double-digit growth
Brussels, Belgium, 28 June 2022 – IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, today released its full 2021 AdEx Benchmark Report following the release of the study highlights in May. The report is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe covering 28 markets. It details the formats and channels that contributed to digital advertising’s annual growth of 30.5 percent in 2021, culminating in a total market value of €92bn.
Commenting on the positive market growth in 2021, Townsend Feehan, CEO, IAB Europe said:
“The past two years have been challenging for many and it is encouraging to be able to report such positive growth for our industry. This is a testament to the people, products and services that help steer and grow the digital advertising industry, even in the most exceptional circumstances.”
Every market in the study experienced double-digit growth
All 28 markets covered in the study have recorded double-digit growth. Seven markets grew above the average growth rate of 30.5%, with a mix of countries from Western and Central & Eastern Europe.
The market recorded the highest growth rate since 2008
IAB Europe forecast a growth rate of 28.6% for 2021. The markets surged and exceeded expectations to achieve a growth rate of 30.5%, which is the highest growth recorded in the study since 2008. This equated to a total of €21.5bn added to the digital advertising market in 2021.
Still headroom for growth
When looking at digital ad spend per head, some key markets still lag behind the European average of €115; Spain for example at €92 and Poland at €38.
Video continued strong growth in 2021
Video was a key driver of growth both in and out of social spend. It grew by 46.2% and now accounts for 41% of all display ad spend. Video also now exceeds half of total display spend in three markets; Ukraine, UK and Italy.
Digital Audio recorded the strongest percentage growth
In 2021 digital audio grew by 50.7%, higher than all other formats. The audio market continues to grow rapidly, from a low base, reaching €700m in 2021, or 3% of display spend.
Programmatic now commands 57% of display ad spend
Programmatic, excluding social, accounts for more than half of display ad spend driven by a move to private market places and adoption in CEE markets.
Dr. Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist, IAB Europe, who compiled and presented the study commented:
“All parts of digital advertising benefited from the 2021 bonanza, but most notably those formats and approaches that enable small and medium sized businesses, e-commerce related advertising, video-based storytelling and formats that provide access to new consumer behaviour at scale, such as audio and gaming.
Although market growth in 2021 was tightly clustered in the mid-20ies for most countries, European digital ad markets are heterogeneous with a wide range of ad spend per capita allocations even in markets of similar economic power. This signals significant headroom for growth remains available.”
View and Download the Full Report Here
Notes
AdEx Benchmark is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe.
The data has been compiled by IAB Europe based on information provided by the national IAB offices around Europe. The report includes market size and value information for 2021 for the following markets: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and the Ukraine. The data represents the calendar year 2019 January- December. This is the sixteenth AdEx Benchmark study which began in the calendar year 2006. Display includes PC-based and mobile banners, rich media and video formats.
The report provides a comprehensive perspective of digital advertising spend across Europe which is essential in benchmarking market development trends, the increasingly pan-regional nature of digital advertising investments and the role of Europe’s digital economy in a global context, attracting global start-up funding and European policy formulation.
For more information, please contact:
Lauren Wakefield, IAB Europe (wakefield@iabeurope.eu / +44 7828 514 193)
Marie-Clare Puffett, IAB Europe (puffett@iabeurope.eu / +44 7973 836 917)
16 June 2022, Brussels, Belgium - IAB Europe today declared its formal endorsement of the strengthened Code of Practice (CoP) on Disinformation, as part of its participation in the launch event held in Brussels.
The CoP was revised to take account of the European Commission’s Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation released in May 2021. IAB Europe was an active participant in the revision process, alongside other stakeholders including corporate players from online advertising and platforms sectors as well as fact-checking organisations, civil society representatives and other parties providing solutions to fight disinformation.
IAB Europe was one of the signatories of the original CoP in 2018, widely recognised as the first-ever policy tool addressing the challenge of disinformation. In its role as a trade association signatory, IAB Europe has been evangelising the Code within the industry and encouraging continued collaboration on it across the digital ecosystem.
“Online disinformation is a scourge and a major challenge to contemporary society,” said Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. “The drafting process of the strengthened Code has brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including direct participation of advertising industry players and their experts. Their involvement allowed for in-depth discussions and commitments to address brand safety aspects that are particularly important for ensuring brands’ confidence in a safe and trusted digital ecosystem. We are looking forward to seeing through the commitments of the CoP, to help defund the dissemination of disinformation and support industry innovations that contribute to diminishing its incidence.”
IAB Europe will continue to help educate the industry on the importance of the CoP and of its commitments that aim to contribute to a digital space that continues to provide accurate information and views, on terms that are accessible and affordable for all citizens. IAB Europe will also work with other signatories to ensure a strong monitoring framework in order to assess the implementation and impact of the CoP, reporting on its contribution accordingly.
European Digital Advertising Market Grew by 30.5% to achieve €92bn
Turkey Achieved 99.7% Market Growth
Audio Grew By 50.2% Across All Markets
Brussels, Belgium, 25th May, 2022 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, announced at its flagship conference Interact 2022 today that digital advertising grew 30.5% in 2021 to €92bn. This exponential growth shows that the digital advertising market has truly bounced back from the challenges and impact of COVID-19.
2021 Digital Advertising Investment
Now in its sixteenth year, The AdEx Benchmark study is the definitive guide to advertising expenditure in Europe, covering 28 markets. In 2021, all markets experienced double-digit year-on-year growth. Turkey was the most dynamic market posting an exceptional growth of 99.7%. In 2021, no markets experienced a decline in digital advertising.
Audio and Video Post Strongest Growth
The study shows that audio saw the largest growth in 2021 at 51.3%. Whilst the audio market still remains small, it represents positive growth. Video also grew by an impressive 46.2% to €18.5bn. Meanwhile display grew by 34.5% to €45.6, with search experiencing a 29.9% increase to €39.5bn.
The AdEx Benchmark Study highlights can be downloaded here.
The full AdEx Benchmark 2021 Report, which will provide full commentary and data across all 28 markets, will be published in June 2022.
Brussels, 17th May 2022 - IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, is delighted to announce the shortlist of finalists for the prestigious MIXX Awards Europe and IAB Europe Research Awards. The annual award competitions showcase the very best of digital advertising from across Europe and the winners will be announced at IAB Europe’s annual Interact conference in Madrid on 25th May 2022!
The shortlists for the MIXX Awards Europe shortlist and IAB Europe Research Awards can be viewed here.
Celebrating and sharing the very latest innovations in digital advertising research and campaign development is a key IAB Europe objective and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter.
IAB Europe would also like to thank the jury of experts from across the digital advertising and research industry who dedicated hours of their time to reviewing and discussing all entries. This year’s jury includes experts from Samsung, Vodafone, Meta, Tik Tok, Kantar, DoubleVerify, Yahoo, Bloomberg Media and so many more leading companies. Take a look at the full list of our fantastic judges here.
Antonia Faulkner, Head of Marketing & Analytics at Samsung Ads Europe and APAC and Chair of the MIXX Awards Europe Jury comments: “The MIXX Awards Europe is a great showcase of the latest digital campaign creativity and innovation which drives our industry forward. Chairing the Jury and reviewing so many inspired campaigns has been an honour. Seeing so much creativity come out of what has been a challenging couple of years for everyone is truly humbling.”
Kristanne Roberts, Product Management Director for Kantar Marketplace and Chair of the Research Awards Jury, said: “The IAB Europe Research Awards aim to promote the sharing of best practice across Europe. Winning a Research Award is a great achievement and I am pleased to see so many companies taking the time to enter such high quality projects.”
All winners will be announced at IAB Europe’s flagship digital advertising conference ‘Interact’.
Interact is a must-attend event for the digital advertising and marketing industry. For over 13 years, leading European advertisers, industry experts, agencies & media owners meet, get inspired & share best practices in different capital cities across Europe. Our impressive list of speakers includes experts from Meta, Tik Tok, Google, The Telegraph, Index Exchange, Microsoft and more.
After hosting the event virtually for the past two years, Interact will be back in person this year, and we will be heading to Madrid on 25th and 26th of May! In partnership with IAB Spain, we will be hosting two days of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
If you would like to join us in Madrid, tickets are available here.
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Notes to editors
About IAB Europe:
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Through its membership of media, technology and marketing companies and national IABs, its mission is to lead political representation and promote industry collaboration to deliver frameworks, standards and industry programmes that enable business to thrive in the European market.
Media contact:
Marie-Clare Puffett, Senior Manager, Marketing & Industry Programmes, IAB Europe – puffett@iabeurope.eu
Lauren Wakefield, Marketing and Industry Programmes Director - wakefield@iabeurope.eu
Brussels, 13 May 2022 – IAB Europe today announced that it is withdrawing its request for suspension of the execution of the decision issued by the Litigation Chamber of the Belgian Data Protection Authority (“APD”) on IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF). The request for suspension had been submitted as part of the appeal to the Belgian Market Court lodged on 4th March.
The withdrawal coincides with a confirmation by the APD that it will not take a decision on validation of the action plan submitted by IAB Europe until 1st September at the earliest, date by which the Market Court is expected to have issued a ruling on the appeal. The plan, which IAB Europe was required to produce as part of the APD decision, captures how it proposes to deliver on the various orders contained in the decision. The plan is currently being evaluated by the APD, and IAB Europe will have six months to implement it from the date of validation.
“With the APD having confirmed it will not start the clock running on the 6-month implementation period, the operative part of the contested decision, until we expect to have the ruling on the merits, it just makes sense to withdraw the request and focus on the next steps of the appeal”, explained Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. “Should the decision on the merits of the case not be rendered by the Market Court in this timeframe, for example if it wishes to refer questions to the European Court of Justice, IAB Europe will be able to ask the Market Court for provisional measures at such a time.”
An updated FAQ on the case may be consulted on IAB Europe’s website here.
For more information, please contact Lauren Wakefield, IAB Europe’s Marketing & Industry Programmes Director (wakefield@iabeurope.eu).
IAB Europe has partnered with B2B Marketing Expo, taking place on 22-23rd November 2022 at London’s ExCeL. The event connects the most proactive marketing professionals with the tools, techniques, and innovations they need to be at the forefront of the ever-evolving world of marketing.
Exhibiting at B2B Marketing Expo
As part of our official partnership with B2B, IAB Europe members receive an exclusive exhibitor discount of £50 per sqm discount when booking! Not only that but if you book before the 31st of May you’ll be getting a discount on the Early Bird prices, so don't miss your chance to get the best price possible!
To activate this offer, please contact Christopher Martin, Director of Partnerships on Christoper.Martin@Roarb2B.com
DD: 020 8126 4669
Why book early?
This year, the exhibition promises to be the most forward-thinking to date; housing 200 industry-leading suppliers and 200 educational seminars from some of the world’s top experts and innovative thinkers.
Join one of the most collaborative and inventive communities when they come together face-to-face under one roof at ExCeL London on the 22-23 November 2022.
Supporting our members
As part of the B2B Marketing Expo’s comprehensive seminar programme, the IAB will be presenting a session to an audience of highly engaged marketers.
Thousands of professionals will come together at the ExCeL to research the market, learn about new innovations, and discover the latest strategies and trends to progress and develop their marketing in a unique educational programme, consisting of expert-led seminars and panel debates, live demos of the latest technology, as well as industry leading companies equipped with the industry’s finest solution led products and services.
Find out more about B2B Marketing Expo here or contact the IAB team for further information. Please note all stand bookings must go via the event organiser, ROAR B2B.
25 April 2022, Brussels, Belgium - IAB Europe welcomes the Council and European Parliament on the political agreement reached on the Digital Services Act (DSA) proposal on 23 April. The agreement marks an important further milestone in increasing user and business confidence online.
In particular, we commend the EU institutions’ adherence to much of the Commission’s original vision, and the relative lack of overlap with existing EU law, most notably the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in the final text.
“Despite having a number of provisions that relate to use of consumer data, DSA will have a separate enforcement regime from the EU’s privacy and data protection legislation”, noted Greg Mroczkowski, IAB Europe Public Policy Director. “Broad restrictions on the use of data for advertising that were discussed during the legislative process looked like creating a risk of rules governing the same data processing being subject to different, competing enforcement regimes, with the risk of confusion for both users and business. While it would appear that the final text mostly avoids this, the regulatory landscape will nonetheless be a very complex one. IAB Europe will remain invested in constructive dialogue with policymakers and regulators with a view to improving legal certainty”.
IAB Europe looks forward to working with the European Commission and other stakeholders on implementation of the new advertising transparency requirements.
1st April, Brussels, Belgium - As part of its regular communication to the market on the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD)’s decision on IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF), IAB Europe has confirmed that the action plan, required by the decision has been submitted today. The submission of the action plan marks a key milestone in the two-phase remediation period foreseen in the decision and should enable a version of the TCF with a broader compliance functionality to be rolled out over a 6-month period under the supervision of the APD.
The action plan outlines how IAB Europe, in its capacity as Managing Organisation of the TCF, will deliver on the formal orders laid down in the decision and reflects in-depth discussions amongst IAB Europe member companies that implement the TCF and convene in the existing TCF working groups and other instances, as well as IAB Tech Lab. These instances are multi-stakeholder, bringing together publishers, ad tech intermediaries, agencies, and CMPs (Consent Management Platforms). The actions in the plan were approved by the TCF Steering Group on 23 March (information about TCF governance is publicly available and may be consulted here). Each of the steps described in the action plan is the result of a careful assessment of which measures appear best suited to meeting the APD’s interpretation of the GDPR and the obligations the decision creates for IAB Europe.
The submission of the action plan is without prejudice to IAB Europe’s appeal of the decision to the Belgian Market Court. The appeal, as previously announced, contests a number of findings in the decision, in particular the findings that IAB Europe acts as a data controller of the TC String (the digital signals created to capture data subjects’ choices on how their personal data can be processed) and as a joint controller for the dissemination of TC Strings and other data processing done by TCF participants under the OpenRTB protocol.
Notwithstanding the appeal to the Market Court, IAB Europe welcomes the opportunity of the forthcoming dialogue with the APD and concerned supervisory authorities on the action plan to solicit their guidance on how best to deliver extended functionality to the TCF. IAB Europe has long aspired to submit the TCF for approval as a transnational GDPR Code of Conduct, and the action plan being submitted today is an important step in this direction.
Once the action plan has been reviewed and validated by the APD and concerned supervisory authorities, IAB Europe will have six months to implement it.
For more information on the APD decision on IAB Europe and the TCF, please find our latest FAQ document here.
Authored by Industry Leaders From Across the Digital Advertising Ecosystem
The Latest Version of the Guide Provides the Most Recent Updates to Support the Digital Advertising Industry in the Transition Period and Beyond
10th March 2022, Brussels: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, has today released its latest comprehensively updated ‘Guide to the Post-Third-Party Cookie Era’, to enable brands, agencies, publishers, and tech intermediaries prepare for the impending post-third-party cookie era.
The Guide has been developed by experts from IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee and Post Third-Party Cookie Task Force. It succeeds the second edition of the guide, which was released in February 2022. It provides the latest insights into the many alternative solutions that are being developed to replace third-party cookies when they are depleted in 2023, including context, identity, the use of telco data, and the Google Topics initiative, and expands into new challenge areas including measurement and attribution.
It is clear that innovation around alternatives to third-party cookies continues, and the industry will have multiple solutions available. As such, the Guide continues to help and encourage the industry to keep testing, learning, collaborating and developing across 2022, right through to the newly extended deadline for cookie deprecation in late 2023.
Commenting on this latest work, Lauren Wakefield, Marketing & Industry Programmes Director, IAB Europe said “Although the deadline has been extended to 2023, the digital advertising ecosystem must continue to collaborate, innovate and deliver on the solutions that are outlined in the latest update of the Guide. As the European-level association for digital advertising and marketing, we must continue to help our members embrace these changes, educate the market on what is available and offer support to ensure we create a thriving future for programmatic advertising.”
Explaining the reasons for supporting this initiative, contributors highlighted the integral role of the guide in keeping brands, agencies, and publishers updated on the technological advancements and evolving opportunities available with identity. A new contributor this year is Amobee. Their Head of Growth, EMEA, Piper Heitzler, commented “What's happening in the world at large and more closely within the ad tech industry is a renewed appreciation for the power of collaboration. IAB Europe’s Post Third-Party Cookie Guide is an excellent example of what can be produced when experts from diverse principles, like our own Solutions Engineering lead in EMEA, Zara McDonald, work together to aggregate collective insights that are refined and reviewed by each other's experience and perspectives. A must read for brands and agencies looking to stay up-to-date on technological changes and opportunities in the Identity space."
Rémi Lemonnier Co-founder & President of Scibids, who is also a new contributor this year, continued, "Given the importance of the topic for the industry, we were more than happy to contribute to the update of IAB Europe's Post Third-Party Cookie Guide and share the expertise we have gathered in the past years, building a private by design AI. As marketers navigate this new era of privacy, we are convinced that providing knowledge and clarity will help the industry move forward!"
This was echoed by Tanya Field, Co-Founder and CPO at Novatiq who said, “The updated IAB Europe Guide could not come at a more important time. With protocol updates from the major platforms, lawsuits from privacy campaigners, and continuous industry innovation, the market is at risk of fragmenting, as interoperability challenges hinder growth. It is clear that advertisers and publishers need clarity on the best way forward. This is what the Guide provides and why Novatiq was delighted to contribute towards its creation.”
The extensive Guide provides a comprehensive and complete deep-dive into the following key themes:
Commenting on the depth of knowledge contained within the Guide and the importance of this continued conversation, Chair of the IAB Europe Programmatic Trading Committee and Integral Ad Science’s Head of Programmatic and Publisher Development, Nick Welch, said “Ensuring consumer privacy in digital advertising is essential and the demise of third-party cookies is one such industry initiative that aims to achieve this. Advertisers today must be armed with the right resources to deliver efficient and effective campaigns that meet the needs of consumers and must have the tools available to thrive in a post-cookie world. This Guide has been produced by IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee in a collaborative effort to include expertise from across the value chain to support brands, agencies and publishers in this new era. It aims to show the latest updates and solutions available, it demonstrates how far we have come and the opportunities we have to continue to move forward together.”
IAB Europe will be continuing the conversation and education around the post third-party cookie era throughout 2022 in a series of workshops, blogs and podcast conversations.
The IAB Europe ‘Guide to the Post-Third-Party Cookie Era’ is available here.
4 March, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe confirms it will file an appeal today against the administrative ruling by the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) regarding IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF).
IAB Europe disputes the controversial and novel allegation that it acts as a controller for the recording of TC Strings (the digital signals created to capture data subjects’ choices on how their personal data can be processed), and as a joint controller for the dissemination of TC Strings and other data processing done by TCF participants under the OpenRTB protocol.
The appeal, filed before the Market Court in Belgium (part of the Brussels Court of Appeal), includes a request for suspension of the execution of the decision, which would pause all orders of the APD until a decision on the merits is rendered by the Market Court.
“Immediate enforcement of the decision would deny an appeal of its relevance and effectiveness, and would have irreversible and serious consequences for our organisation”, said Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO.
“Eliminating the grounds on which the APD considers IAB Europe to be a data controller would reduce the TCF to a mere open-source standard without enforceable policies. Paradoxically, this would render ineffective the consumer protection objective that underlies the APD’s jurisdiction, and the apparent reason for which proceedings against IAB Europe exist. We do not believe this is the aim of the law, nor that self-regulatory standards should be weakened because of a misguided interpretation of the law. This is why we are challenging the decision.”
IAB Europe will communicate on the outcome of the request for suspension in the next few weeks.
For further information, please read and download the IAB Europe FAQ Document here.
3 March 2022, Brussels, Belgium – IAB Europe today announced a suspension of all cooperation with IAB Russia and IAB Belarus, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this week and the announcement that Belarus is acting in support of the government of Vladimir Putin.
“We regret taking this step against partner organisations, but the brutality of Russia's unprovoked attack against a sovereign European country gives us no choice but to use every lever at our disposal to increase its isolation,” said IAB Europe CEO Townsend Feehan. “IAB Europe stands with our innocent Ukrainian colleagues in Kiev and elsewhere, who are continuing to work under shocking circumstances.”
About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Through its membership of national IABs and media, technology and marketing companies, its mission is to lead political representation and promote industry collaboration to deliver frameworks, standards, and industry programmes that enable business to thrive in the European market.
24 February, Brussels, Belgium - IAB Europe today expressed its solidarity with, and support for, its colleagues in Ukraine and their families. “In the week-to-week cut and thrust of our policy advocacy in Brussels, it is easy to forget why the European Union was created”, said IAB Europe CEO Townsend Feehan. “The events of the past few days are a powerful reminder. We are alarmed and saddened that in 2022, friends and colleagues in a sovereign European country can be confronted with armed conflict and a military invasion of their homeland. We hope and pray for their safety.”
Following the publication of the Decision of the Belgian Data Protection Authority of 2 February 2022 on the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF), many sources have published partial or incorrect information about the scope of that Decision. This information includes guidance from two European data protection authorities (DPAs) advising publishers and others to switch from using the TCF, despite the fact that (i) the Decision is an administrative one that is subject to appeal (see IAB Europe’s announcement in this respect) and (ii) the Belgian DPA gave a period of two months to come up with a plan with corrective measures to remedy alleged non-compliance and an additional six months to implement such measures.
The DPAs making statements in this respect are aware of this, as they have been involved in the decision-making process led by the Belgian DPA and endorsed the remediation period.
IAB Europe wishes to reiterate that the TCF is a voluntary minimum standard created to help publishers establish and document the GDPR legal basis for the processing of users’ personal data by third parties who deliver and measure digital advertising on their sites. The Belgian DPA has not prohibited the TCF, but has instead ordered IAB Europe to introduce additional functionality and propose corrective measures, confirming that the alleged infringements can in its view be remedied. The version of the Framework that emerges from this process will be an even stronger standard.
If publishers, vendors and CMPs wish to adapt their use of the TCF in the meantime, they remain free to do so, and they can in this context take into account the Belgian DPA’s suggestions of additional information disclosures as well as its guidance regarding the use of legitimate interests as a legal ground for profiling.
16th February 2022, IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem has introduced a ‘start-up’ membership tier to help foster and showcase innovation across Europe.
The new level of membership is reserved for companies who are verified as a start-up by the National IAB in the market they operate, providing an opportunity for such businesses that are already established in their local market, to expand across Europe.
IAB Europe is keen to provide a platform and voice for innovative businesses in their infancy that are helping to enhance the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem. New and existing members will be able to network to share and spark ideas, solutions and best practices.
Commenting on joining as the first IAB Europe start-up member, Uroš Jojić, President of Brid.tv said: "As a company working on providing publishers with video advertising and monetisation solutions, we believe that joining IAB Europe is the perfect stepping stone toward further developing our technology and improving transparency with our publishers. We are thrilled at the opportunity to be the first to leverage their new startup membership tier, as it is perfect for startups in the digital advertising industry looking for resources and opportunities to scale their businesses."
Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, commented on the value of this new membership tier: “IAB Europe's strength comes from its extensive membership of National IABs and corporate organisations. We are always looking for ways to welcome and include new businesses that add value to our industry. Through this new membership tier, we can expand this reach and provide a platform for showcasing European innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Companies that join at this membership level will be able to take advantage of the key benefits of IAB Europe, including access to its wide-ranging industry and policy committees and task forces, the opportunity to speak at owned and partnership events, and assistance with amplifying marketing efforts across IAB Europe’s extensive European network.
For more information on the membership packages and how to join, please visit this page or contact the IAB Europe team at communication@iabeurope.eu
11 February, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe confirmed today that it will appeal the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD)’s administrative ruling regarding IAB Europe and the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) to the Belgian Market Court.
The administrative ruling’s finding that IAB Europe acts as a joint controller for profiling and other data processing done by TCF vendors in the context of OpenRTB is disputed by IAB Europe.
“IAB Europe is a small trade association that has been creating and iterating on a framework for data protection best practices in continual consultation with the authorities. It cannot have been the intention of the European legislator that a body like ours should bear legal responsibility for the data processing activities of an entire industry,” said Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. “We have no choice but to appeal.”
“We believe the controversial ruling that IAB Europe is a data controller for information processed for TCF purposes is based on a misunderstanding of the facts and a misapplication of the law. This establishes an irrational legal precedent. It will have the perverse effect of discouraging other standard-setting organisations from investing in instruments that aim to protect users and facilitate the exercise of their rights under the GDPR.”
IAB Europe believes appealing is the right decision to avert unintended negative consequences that go well beyond the changes that the APD wants to see made to the TCF, and which could impact the wider digital advertising industry. Notwithstanding, IAB Europe looks forward to working with the APD and other data protection authorities to ensure the TCF’s continuing utility in the market, and with the ultimate aim of having the TCF approved as a transnational GDPR Code of Conduct.
Supervisory authorities from across the European Union were involved in the process that led to the APD’s administrative ruling. While we believe it is unlikely that these authorities will take measures against IAB Europe or any commercial actors using the TCF until a final judicial ruling is rendered, we nevertheless call upon such authorities, in the spirit of EU-wide consistency and legal certainty, to publicly acknowledge that intent. We also believe that any civil litigation that might ensue in other jurisdictions will likely be stayed pending resolution of IAB Europe’s appeal in the Market Court.
Finally, we are aware that certain advocacy organizations are calling upon advertisers to cease using TCF and OpenRTB. We find such a conclusion unfounded, first, because no advertisers are named parties in the Belgian ruling and second, because the APD has not ordered the IAB Europe to discontinue use of TCF pending its submission of a plan to the APD.
For further information, please read and download the IAB Europe FAQ Document here.
Authored by Industry Leaders from Across Europe
Provides Valuable Insights and Key Considerations for In-App Advertising
3rd February, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital and marketing ecosystem has today released its ‘Guide to In-App Advertising’ to provide an overview of the in-app marketplace, and the ad formats available. The guide also details key changes and challenges we are seeing in the industry with in-app advertising and shares key considerations for buyers in this space.
In-App Advertising is an exciting growth area with Global ad spend reaching $295bn in 2021, providing many opportunities for advertisers today. But as with any new or emerging channel or format, there are still barriers to overcome, including some fundamental industry changes that are affecting digital advertising, such as Apple’s IDFA. The guide has been developed by members of IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee to help advertisers and publishers to understand the in-app opportunity, the key barriers that need to be addressed, and how to tap into its potential.
Commenting on the role of in-app advertising in the digital ecosystem today, Nick Welch, Chair of IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee & Head of Programmatic and Publisher Development, Northern Europe, Integral Ad Science said, “With consumers now devoting a third of their waking time to apps all eyes are on the potential that in-app advertising can bring to the ecosystem. But as we move into 2022 and beyond, challenges such as consumer privacy will continue to play a more prominent role in ad targeting, with more support and collaboration needed from the industry to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of in-app campaigns. The guide, written by experts from across the advertising ecosystem, highlights the evolution of, and opportunity for, in-app advertising and encourages the industry to come together to overcome key challenges, including Apple’s IDFA. We encourage all industry stakeholders to read this guide to help maximise the potential that in-app advertising brings.”
Reiterating this point and sharing the value of in-app advertising for brands, Anna Sikora, Client Services Partner, PubMatic said, “With consumers spending more time on their screens than ever before, marketers should focus on building the best possible mobile ad experience and offer formats that mobile users actually want to engage with. In 2021 we have seen more brands investing into the in-app channel, and research shows that shift will continue, with gaming now a central element of the briefs we see from brands.”
Commenting on the value of in-app advertising for publishers, Benjamin Hancock, Global Head of Programmatic Trading at CNN International Commercial said, “In-app advertising has emerged as a key channel enabling publishers to expand their audience and solve a specific challenge around content delivery. In-app users tend to be more engaged with high levels of interaction, enabling high-quality and differentiated products for advertisers. IAB Europe’s ‘Guide to In-App Advertising’, has been pulled together by a variety of industry experts, to provide a full rundown of the opportunities available today.”
It’s been a collaborative effort to produce this European-level industry guide for in-app Advertising, with contributors including the Coalition for Better Ads, CNN International Commercial, DoubleVerify, Google, Integral Ad Science (IAS), PubMatic and Smaato.
The Guide to In-App Advertising can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website here.
2nd February, Brussels, Belgium: IAB Europe acknowledges the decision announced today by the Belgian Data Protection Authority (APD) in connection with its investigation of IAB Europe. We note that the decision contains no prohibition of the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF), as had been requested by the complainants, and that the APD considers the purported infringements by IAB Europe that it has identified to be susceptible of being remedied in six months.
We reject the finding that we are a data controller in the context of the TCF. We believe this finding is wrong in law and will have major unintended negative consequences going well beyond the digital advertising industry. We are considering all options with respect to a legal challenge.
Notwithstanding our grave reservations on the substance of the decision, we look forward to working with the APD on an action plan to be executed within the prescribed six months that will ensure the TCF’s continuing utility in the market. As previously communicated, it has always been our intention to submit the Framework for approval as a GDPR transnational Code of Conduct. Today’s decision would appear to clear the way for work on that to begin.
For more information on the APD decision on IAB Europe and the TCF, please visit our FAQ document here.
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