Standards Necessary to Safeguard Consumer Data and Improve Operational Efficiency for the $1.3 billion Lead Generation Category
NEW YORK, NY (October 11, 2007) The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Lead Generation Committee today challenged all lead generation advertisers to adopt the recently released “Lead Generation Data Transfer Best Practices” by April 1, 2008.
The goal of the document, issued by the IAB in August of this year, is to standardize the transfer and receipt of data between advertisers and lead generation service providers in order to safeguard consumer data and improve operational efficiency for the $1.3 billion lead generation category. These Best Practices are the latest component of the IAB’s longer-term initiative to educate both advertisers and publishers on security and operational best practices. The document includes two major considerations:
1. Security All lead generation data should be transferred and received in an encrypted format
2. Common Format and Setup All lead generation data should be transferred in a common format via common, secure internet technologies.
“We applaud the Lead Generation Committee for putting a stake in the ground and calling on advertisers to adopt these critical best practices by April 1, 2008,” said Sheryl Draizen, SVP and General Manager of the IAB. “Improving operational efficiency and coupling it with a steadfast commitment to the security of consumer data solidifies the already robust foundation of the interactive industry for continued long-term growth.”
“The standardization of data transfer best practices is critical to the continued advancement of our industry,” said Gayle Guzzardo, SVP, Product Management at Q Interactive and Lead Generation Committee Chair. “Without the adoption of these practices by all advertisers, they are simply words on paper. We urge all advertisers to adopt these best practices to continue the momentum of the lead generation industry as protectors of consumers’ privacy and innovators in improving ROI for advertisers’ marketing strategies.”
The following IAB Lead Generation Committee Member Companies have endorsed this document:
360i
Active Response Group
AMC On-line Media Services
AzoogleAds
Geary Interactive
Motive Interactive
Permission Data
Q Interactive
Return Path
SendTec
TARGUSinfo
ValueClick, Inc.
WebTrends
According to the 2006 IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers, lead generation revenue accounted for $1.3 billion of the full year’s total advertising revenues of $16.9 billion, almost doubling in size from $753 million in 2005.
The Lead Generation Data Transfer Best Practices document can be found here.
About the IAB Lead Generation Committee:
The mission of the IAB Lead Generation Committee is to define best practices that ensure lead quality and improve conversion for lead generation marketing campaigns. The committee is also responsible for educating marketers and agencies on lead generation as a cost-effective vehicle for acquiring high quality customers and for targeting new industries not currently utilizing lead generation.
About the IAB:
Founded in 1996, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (www.iab.net) represents over 300 leading interactive companies that actively engage in and support the sale of interactive advertising. IAB members are responsible for selling over 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the continuing growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices, fields interactive effectiveness research, and educates the advertising industry about interactive advertising.
IAB Media Contact:
Marla Nitke