• by Tobi Elkin  @tobielkin, May 17, 2017

Aiming to streamline the massive jumble of programmatic processes, tasks and platforms, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) on Wednesday released “An Evolving Framework for Advertising Automation.” It creates clarity around programmatic functions and encourage more meaningful conversations among buyers, sellers, and technology vendors.

The report introduces a consistent vocabulary and structure for programmatic advertising, including details of the core processes involved in automating digital advertising.

In issuing the report, the IAB said it wants to shift discussions about “programmatic” to “automation.” The IAB said the use of consistent vocabulary is important to benchmark market size and analyze investment.

The report identifies five key steps in the automation life cycle: plan, decision, transact, deliver, optimize. It also provides buyer and seller perspectives, looking at the distinct technologies each party needs to use.

In addition, the report offers insights on transparency, data quality and identity resolution, inventory quality, brand safety, ad effectiveness and marketing intelligence, user experience and organizational alignment and staffing.

“Automation is affecting every industry in dramatic ways. In digital advertising, what we’ve called ‘programmatic’ has progressed rapidly, but has given rise to new challenges, including transparency, brand safety, and fraud -- and it hasn’t always created efficiency and value as intended,” Dennis Buchheim, senior vice president, data and ad effectiveness, told Real-Time Daily via email. 

Buchheim said the IAB developed the new framework to facilitate a deeper and more consistent understanding that will encourage more productive conversations.

“As marketing and advertising technology continue to improve and impact our industry, it’s appropriate to adopt clear language on how automated processes, tools, and transactions lead to greater marketing effectiveness for brands,” stated Christopher Murphy, chief strategy officer, Omnicom Media Group Programmatic.