Commentary
What Capacity For Opacity?
- by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, April 17, 2013
The thing I like about our marketplace is that it’s based on efficiency and reason, of course. What I love about it, is how transparent it is. Because without transparency -- the free flow
of information -- how can you have a genuine value exchange?
So let’s agree that’s a good thing. If it is, then the data released today by Accordant Media is
a good sign that we’re moving in the right direction.
Yes, exchange-based media is growing fast, according to Accordant’s Q1 report, but it’s doing so
for a reason. Because exchange-based markets are delivering more of what marketers want, including transparency.
“We see that advertisers will continue to expect
that their buyers deliver greater transparency into their RTB tactics,” Accordant wrote, summing up its report.
According to Accordant, publishers provided data on
the viewability of 41% of ads sold at auction during the first quarter vs. only 32% in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Noting that it is the first improvement in such data
in the five quarters its been tracking viewability, Accordant dubbed it, “an exciting development for the industry.” I agree.
Joe Mandese is the Editor in Chief of MediaPost. You can reach Joe at joe@mediapost.com.