• by Colin Kirkland , Yesterday

With revenue in the global in-game advertising market expected to hit $124.45 billion this year, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is working to provide brands with an elevated measurement resource designed for campaigns across various gaming publishers, agencies and ad-technology providers.

The “Gaming Measurement Framework,” according to the IAB, will give advertisers metrics for display, video, audio, and custom gaming ad formats to provide greater understanding of which campaign outcomes are measurable, as well as where and how to invest.

Advertisers can also use the framework to compare campaigns and “build trust in gaming,” which remains a major issue among brands. Despite the games market surpassing both the music and movie industries in terms of revenue, while also attracting 3.4 billion gamers across age groups, many marketers remain wary of gaming as a priority ad channel.

According to a report from Dentsu, U.S. advertisers spent 10% more year-over-year on in-game ads last year, which was still only equivalent to 3.7% of total U.S. digital ad spend.

By launching this framework, the IAB is aiming to help create a consistent language for measurement and reporting across devices, formats, genres and market preference, which have been factors in deterring marketers from partaking fully in the gaming medium.

“With more than 80% of U.S. internet users identifying as gamers, gaming is no longer a niche past time relegated to teenagers in basements, it's mainstream entertainment with the potential to become a dominant force in the digital advertising ecosystem,” says Zoe Soon, vice president of IAB's Experience Center.

By utilizing the framework, the IAB says advertisers will be able to determine partner and vendor selection based on specific metrics that allow for enhanced creative campaign planning, while also forming clearer brand budgets in relation to expected business outcomes.