Media Supply Chain Transparency: What it is and why it matters.

The current state of media supply chain transparency: An overview of the issues and challenges 

While media supply chain transparency is crucial, the reality is that it remains a significant challenge in the advertising industry. The complexity of the digital advertising ecosystem, combined with the lack of standardisation and the presence of bad actors, has made it difficult to achieve transparency across the board. 

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of transparency in programmatic advertising, where ads are bought and sold through automated systems. In programmatic advertising, there are multiple intermediaries involved in the process, each taking a cut of the ad spend, which can lead to significant discrepancies in reporting and payments. 

Another challenge is the lack of standardisation across the industry. Different companies use different metrics and reporting standards, making it difficult to compare results across campaigns and platforms. This lack of standardisation also makes it difficult to identify and address issues of fraud and ad misplacement. 

Key players in media supply chain transparency: Who's responsible for ensuring transparency, and how they're doing it 

There are multiple players in the media supply chain who are responsible for ensuring transparency, including advertisers, publishers, agencies, ad tech vendors, and industry associations. Each of these players has a role to play in improving transparency and accountability in the industry. 

Advertisers can demand greater transparency from their partners and insist on third-party verification of ad performance. Publishers can work to improve their data collection and analysis capabilities to better understand their audiences and inventory. Agencies can provide more comprehensive reporting and analysis to their clients, and ad tech vendors can work to develop solutions that provide greater transparency and accountability. 

Industry associations such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) are also working to develop standards and best practices for improving media supply chain transparency. 

Ad Viewability

Advertisers need to ensure that their ads are seen by real people and not bots. To achieve this, advertisers should work with partners who use viewability measurement tools to measure the viewability of their ads. 

Data Privacy

Advertisers need to ensure that they comply with data privacy regulations to maintain the trust of their customers. They should work with partners who are GDPR and CCPA compliant and prioritise data privacy. 

Transparency in Fees

Advertisers should be aware of the fees charged by their partners and ensure that they are getting value for money. They should work with partners who are transparent in their fee structures and provide regular reports on campaign performance. 

Third-party Verification

Advertisers should work with third-party verification companies to measure campaign performance and ensure that their partners are delivering what they promised. 

Ad Placement Transparency

Advertisers need to know where their ads are being placed to ensure that they are reaching the right audience. They should work with partners who provide full transparency in ad placement. 

By implementing these best practices, advertisers can ensure transparency and accountability throughout the advertising ecosystem and build long-term trust with their partners and customers. 

At Resolution Digital, we help marketers get the most out of every advertising dollar they invest in Paid Media through our renowned, and market leading stance in relation to media transparency. Get in contact to speak to the digital marketing agency that delivers remarkable paid media results.