MRC, Joined by IAB Tech Lab and MMA, Announces Releases of Revised Ad Measurement Guidelines for Mobile In-App, Mobile Web, and Desktop Display

Updates establish “Count on Begin to Render” as a key point for the measurement of a valid ad impression; Draft version of Digital Video Ad Measurement Guidelines also released for 30-day public comment period

NEW YORK, NY (October 31, 2017) —The Media Rating Council (MRC), along with IAB Tech Lab and MMA, today announced the formal release of overhauls to the IAB/MMA/MRC’s Mobile In-App Measurement and Mobile Web Measurement Guidelines. These changes, which were previewed in a public comment period early this year, are now considered final, and update the guidelines to more fully reflect the current measurement and technical environments.

In addition, updates to the IAB Guidelines governing measurement of Desktop Display served ad impressions also have been issued.

These guidelines updates were completed in a project led by the MRC, in coordination with the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) Technology Laboratory and the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association).

The revised guidelines will shift valid ad impression counting to a “count-on-begin-to-render” minimum, which occurs later in the ad serving process than previous guidelines allowed. Accordingly, references to “served” impressions have been removed from these updates. The change better aligns measurement with the counting model in place for viewable impressions, as it sets as a foundation those impressions that have rendered and therefore have the potential to be viewable impressions.

In conjunction with the issuance of these updated guidelines, the MRC and IAB Tech Lab also announced the release of an update to the IAB Digital Video Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines for a 30-day public comment period, which ends on November 30th. These guidelines are available for review at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.

All three guidelines released as final today, as well as the Digital Video Guidelines being released for public comment, are results of a new, routinized process to review and, as necessary, update existing measurement guidelines, which was established as an offshoot of the Making Measurement Make Sense (3MS) initiative. This review process was done in collaboration with the IAB Tech Lab’s Modernizing Measurement Task Force.

MRC plans to allow for a one-year grace period after the final releases of these revised guidelines for accredited measurement services to achieve compliance. After this time, the requirements of these will be considered as MRC accreditation criteria.

About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of Release of Revised Measurement Guidelines October 31, 2017 leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 110 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.

About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership is comprised of more than 650 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising or marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, it develops technical standards and best practices. IAB and the IAB Education Foundation are committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., IAB advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City and has a San Francisco office

About MMA
The MMA is the world’s leading global non-profit trade mobile marketing association comprised of more than 800 member companies, from nearly fifty countries around the world. Our members hail from every faction of the mobile marketing ecosystem, including brand marketers, agencies, mobile technology platforms, media companies, operators and others. The MMA’s mission is to accelerate the transformation and innovation of marketing through mobile, driving business growth with closer and stronger consumer engagement. Anchoring the MMA’s mission are four core pillars; to cultivate inspiration by driving innovation for the Chief Marketing Officer; to build the mobile marketing capabilities for marketing organizations through fostering know-how and confidence; to champion the effectiveness and impact of mobile through research providing tangible ROI measurement; and to advocate for mobile marketers. Additionally, MMA industry-wide committees work collaboratively to develop and advocate global best practices and lead standards development.

About IAB Technology Laboratory
The IAB Technology Laboratory is an independent, international, nonprofit research and development consortium charged with producing and helping companies implement global industry technical standards. Comprised of digital publishers and ad technology firms, as well as marketers, agencies, and other companies with interests in the interactive marketing arena, the IAB Tech Lab’s goal is to reduce friction associated with the digital advertising and marketing supply chain, while contributing to the safe and secure growth of the industry. The organization’s governing member companies include AppNexus, Extreme Reach, Google, GroupM, Hearst Magazines Digital Media, Integral Ad Science, LinkedIn, Moat, Pandora, PubMatic, Sonobi, Tremor Video, and Yahoo! JAPAN. Established in 2014, the IAB Tech Lab is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.

MRC Media Contact
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
646.370.1341
bill@daddibrand.com

IAB and IAB Tech Lab Media Contact
Matthew Caldecutt
Blast PR
347.687.3721
matt@blastpr.com

MMA Media Contact
Leo Scullin
917.439.5059
leo@mmaglobal.com