Digital ad revenue has grown annually by double-digits surpassing $50 Billion in 2015, all the while accompanied by change. 2015 saw the continued transformation of the digital advertising industry and the IAB Research Council and its working groups were on the front lines of that transformation, proactively planning and nimbly reacting to those changes and how they affect the way we do business. Throughout the year, the IAB Research Council has continued its focus on research quality of the underlying measurement tools that underpin these transformations. In addition to having commenced an innovative, industry wide Cross Media Ad Effectiveness Study, the Research Council has also formed several Working Groups to act as forums to discuss key issues around digital measurement and to explore ways in which measurement, reporting and data can be improved.
In 2015, the Research Council broke ground on its own Cross Platform Ad Effectiveness Study co-sponsored by Drawbridge, Discovery and Yume which measures the impact that digital and mobile media has on a traditional media campaign. The research uses innovative techniques to try to discern the incremental brand lift of digital and mobile advertising in conjunction with media formats like TV, print and out of home. IAB member companies that are interested in co-sponsoring the study can contact Kristina Sruoginis at [email protected].
In response to the rising importance of getting cross platform measurement right, the IAB Research Council formed the Working Group to Discuss Cross Platform Measurement Issues. The working group met to discuss the issues around existing proposed solutions and to discuss the potential problems with any upcoming solutions. The key focus was on what can be done to make cross-platform measurement more comparable across all platforms. The group eagerly awaits the further development of new cross platform measurement tools and vendor initiatives. Vendors will be brought in to present and discuss their cross platform measurement solutions with the Research Council and the working group in early 2016.
Similarly, the Research Council reconvened the Working Group to Update the Best Practices for Ad Effectiveness Studies to discuss what has changed since the research and working group documents were first completed a few years ago and what issues still remain relevant today. The group will continue its discussions in 2016.
As a result of an active discussion that took place around the topic of data quality at a Research Council meeting, the Research Council Data Measurement Working Group met to revisit the document it had released in early 2015 called Data Segments: Looking Under the Hood and to further discuss data measurement issues. The document illustrates the many options and complexities involved in the underlying data sources that form commonly used data segments like ‘auto intenders’ and sheds light on the many points where data could be misinterpreted and quality compromised. The working group will meet again in 2016 to review research work on data quality.
In addition to the work that the IAB Research Council has done over the year on these topics, the IAB has also created and released numerous research studies over 2015 independently of the Research Council to provide insights and thought leadership to our members and the industry on these trends and changes in the digital advertising industry. Key studies explore transformative topics ranging from the rise of programmatic buying to the promise of advanced TV to the adoption of new ad formats like Rising Stars ads (and their brand impact) to the continued growth of video and mobile usage and the threats of ad blocking and an untrustworthy supply chain.
An example of this is the transformation of TV and video. TV is no longer a standalone experience: 78% of US adults multiscreen, or watch TV while online on a computer, tablet or smartphone, as revealed in the IAB study The Changing TV Experience. Consumers are increasingly dividing their TV screen time with streamed digital video and Original Digital Video is considered by its viewers to be on par with some forms of TV content, as revealed in the 2015 Original Digital Video Consumer Study. This study along with two more IAB studies measuring buyers’ perspectives on the video format, 2015 Original Digital Video Ad Spend Benchmark and Content Revelations (in collaboration with Digitas), released at the IAB NewFronts illustrate the growing importance that cross platform measurement tools will play in the ever-evolving ecosystem.
This point was further emphasized with original video and connected TV research presented at the IAB NewFronts Insights Lunch, a well-attended event now in its third year that continues to garner press attention. As part of the NewFronts, the luncheon provided a forum for new video research to be unveiled. Five member companies of the IAB Research Council were selected to showcase their studies to an attentive crowd of buyers and press.
To download and read these and other IAB research studies released in 2015, visit https://www.iab.com/researchhub. To get involved in the Research Council and its working groups, email Kristina Sruoginis at [email protected].
