And you can validate right now for free with a simple HTTP HEAD call!
The Ad Creative ID Framework (ACIF) was developed by Tech Lab’s Advanced TV Commit Group and is about using a consistent identifier for ads that persist in every technical platform that the ad touches. Such a framework improves ad decisioning, counting and measurement, and creative reconciliation. More importantly, it is foundational to bridging the gap between linear programming in CTV and the on-demand video we’ve become accustomed to in web and other connected environments.
The ACIF Validation API specification lays down technical infrastructure that is needed to build the framework that accomplishes all the above. By standardizing how ad tech companies validate and pull metadata on creative, the API unlocks new opportunities for innovation.
After a Public Comment period, the finalized version 1.0 is now ready for implementation!
Along with the ACIF Validation API, we’re also releasing ACIF 1.0, the core specification, as final. Released for public comment last summer, the only feedback was questions about how it works. No changes have been made but we have added an ACIF FAQ to our product page to provide additional clarity.
Using these resources you can learn more about how to play your part in this vital foundational framework for normalizing the tech stack for all TV and video viewing devices and software.
Ad Registration Authority Support
Nada Bradbury, CEO of AD-ID has been an active contributor in our Advanced TV Commit Group and has noted that, “AD-ID has been around since 2002, but the technical framework to leverage the benefits of a centralized registry has been fragmented.”
On their commitment to ACIF adoption, Bradbury adds, “ACIF is game changing for the industry, advancing the process that enables transparency and accountability–we are proud to partner with IAB TechLab and the industry to encourage adoption. We’ve already implemented ACIF Validation API 1.0 along with our own system updates that work a lot faster!”
AD-ID is key to ACIF success in the US, but we also have Clearcast in the UK and ARPP in France listed in our ACIF program and who are in the process of making updates to support the new API.
“We’re excited to be part of the global standardization for ad validation,” said Martin Roberts, Head of Technology, Clearcast. “More importantly, we’re excited to watch the combined TV ad markets mature under ACIF.”
“As you know, ad technology in the many different devices used for watching video is terribly fragmented,” added Mohamed Monsouri, Deputy Director, ARPP. “We believe that ACIF can add the unification needed to grow the market. ARPP is happy to see a standard option for validation as part of this framework. We have contributed our feedback toward the development of the ACIF Validation API and will continue to stay involved as the specification is further refined over time.”
Tech Lab is reaching out to engage additional ad registration authorities in other countries to improve the interoperability as a global framework. If there are any you would like us to prioritize engaging with, please reach out to support@iabtechlab.com, and feel free to introduce us if you work with them regularly.
If you are an ad registration authority, you can add your company to the list of registries in the IAB Tech Lab Tools Portal using the Self-Attestation program. For more information, review the ACIF documentation and resources on our ACIF product page or send your questions to support@iabtechlab.com.
Try it Now!
You can validate a UniversalAdId right now for free with no login using a simple HTTP HEAD request!
To find out if a Universal AD-ID is valid, include the ID with the registry’s validation URL in the header of an HTML document. The response will either be a 404 – page not found, indicating the ID is invalid, or a 204/302 response to indicate a valid ID, as shown in the examples below:
Try it now with AD-ID’s test URLs: which of the following IDs is valid?
Test ID 1: https://acif.demo.ad-id.org/uaids/ad-id.org.BADD0001000H
Test ID 2: https://acif.demo.ad-id.org/uaids/ad-id.org.ADID0001000H
Note: a HEAD request works differently than a typical HTTP link (GET request), so you’ll have to test the above links in an API test environment like Postman.
Ad Creative Metadata
Ad metadata promises the real magic of using ACIF Validation API! Using only the 4 required fields for advertiser, brand, language, and duration, you can automate ad decisioning, maintain records related to the ad, and–as a brand or agency–reconcile the ad across all platforms that support ACIF.
Two levels of metadata may be offered: the standardized required and optional attributes defined in the API and additional custom metadata as offered by each registry. Work with your ad registration authority about how you can access ad metadata.
Working with your ad registration authorities, you may also be able to use the API to pull advertiser metadata into your ad management interfaces so that the advertiser and brand labels match a single source. Imagine working with a single source of advertiser labels instead of the countless hours of mapping all the labels used with all the vendors’, partners’, and customers’ labels! As a market, we may take some time to get there, but this standardized API makes it possible.
Where to Find the Validation URL
The Tech Lab Tools Portal includes a data explorer that lists adoption by company and Tech Lab Specifications. Ad registration authorities (and other companies that support ACIF) are listed under Ad Creative ID Framework. If the listed ad registration authority supports the API, a link is provided to use for ACIF Validation on the ACIF supporting companies page.
Next Steps
Reach out to support@iabtechlab.com to get your questions answered and to learn more about how you can participate in the Ad Creative ID Framework. Your contribution is essential to strengthening the foundation of the TV advertising framework.
Katie Stroud
Sr Product Manager, Ad Experiences
IAB Tech Lab