New Code To Ensure Transparent Online Ad Deals

IASH, the Internet Advertising Sales House committee, has agreed a formal code of conduct to deliver trust and transparency in trading between advertisers, agencies and ad sales houses.

To ensure self regulation is reliable, all of IASH’s member sales houses will now be required to complete an ABC ELECTRONIC audit before joining, in order to prove compliance to the code. Following their admittance, members will be audited at six month intervals. The code is currently being verified by JICWEBS, after which auditing will commence.

IASH is also to partner with the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), becoming one of the body’s sector councils and maintaining a place on its management committee. A representative from the IAB will also be present at all future IASH meetings.

IASH is also supported by the IPA, and will shortly announce details of briefing sessions to educate agencies and advertisers on the new code of practice.

ABC ELECTRONIC’s involvement with the new code will ensure that all IASH members are audited in accordance with AIM (Accredited Inventory Management). The rules for accreditation will confirm each sales house employs robust in-house self-regulation.

Spot checks of publisher’s websites will also be carried out to confirm where IASH members’ content is appearing. If there is a breach of the code by a member then IASH will agree the appropriate action and publicity.

Explaining the new code, James Aitken, managing director of MediaBrokers and chairman of IASH, said: “IASH has made significant progress in developing this code of conduct and its presence will undoubtedly play an important role in stimulating positive relationships between advertisers, agencies and ad sales houses that comply with the code.

“Impartial confirmation from ABC ELECTRONIC that an ad sales house is compliant with industry standards, will provide advertisers with the assurance they need to access high reach inventory and scalable performance results, further stimulating the online advertising industry.”

Guy Phillipson, chief executive of the IAB, added: “I’m very pleased that IASH is to become a formal council of the IAB, as we have plans to extend its objectives to include a communications programme highlighting the benefits and wider offerings of sales houses for planners and advertisers.”