IAB Tech Lab today announced the launch of the Ad Creative ID Framework (ACIF), a new framework which it says will standardise creation and registry of persistent creative identifiers across linear TV, CTV, and digital video.
Inconsistency in creative identifiers is a significant roadblock in advertisers’ ability to measure ad campaigns, and to effectively control ad frequency for individuals and households. Tech Lab says the ACIF will help solve these problems, while also improving ad experiences for viewers. Measurement business XR and Ad-ID, a registry which creates creative IDs, are working together on the first implementation of the new framework.
Communication breakdown
Creative IDs are assigned to individual ad creatives, in order for companies in the advertising supply chain to be able to quickly recognise a specific ad. The ID holds information about the advertiser and the ad itself, meaning it can be used for things like creative separation and contextual targeting. But the core identifier is also used so that different parts of the supply chain can spot when they’re talking about the same ad. An ad server for example can use creative IDs to avoid playing the same ad back-to-back, or multiple times in a single viewing session.
Where there’s inconsistency however, this breaks down. And a lack of consistent creative identifiers is partly blamed for excessive ad repetition within CTV ad breaks, while also causing roadblocks in cross-channel ad measurement.
By standardising operational procedures for ad registries across platforms and channels, IAB Tech Lab says ACIF will enable the creation of truly universal ad creative IDs. Alongside better management of ad frequency and more accurate cross-platform TV measurement, Tech Lab says ACIF will enable more effective management of brand relevance, brand safety, and competitive separation, and also cut out a lot of manual labour in creative reconciliation.
“We applaud the IAB Tech Lab for moving the Ad Creative Identification Framework forward and we are thrilled to partner with AD-ID to drive adoption at scale, making it seamless for brands and publishers to track every creative asset as it moves through the campaign lifecycle,” said Dan Brackett, co-founder and chief technology officer at XR.
A lack of standardisation hasn’t been the only problem for creative IDs. Adoption of creative ID solutions has been relatively across the industry, particularly in the streaming world. But then again, the launch of the new standard may spur greater adoption of creative IDs.
“AD-ID has long held the belief that standardisation is critical in garnering full value for all players in the advertising ecosystem,” said Nala Bradbury, CEO of AD-ID. “Our support of IAB Tech Lab’s ACIF ensures that the new set of standards unlocks transparency and accountability that ultimately increases ROI, improves efficiency, and drives value for brands, agencies, and publishers.”
