New Open Standard Enables Secure, First-Party Data Matching Through Interoperability Between Data Clean Rooms; Open for Public Comment Until October 25, 2024

IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, has announced the launch of the PAIR (Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation) protocol. This new protocol offers a privacy-centric approach for advertisers and publishers to match and activate their first-party audiences for advertising use cases without relying on third-party cookies.

Development and Features of PAIR

Originally donated to IAB Tech Lab by Google, the PAIR protocol has been developed by the Rearc Addressability and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) working group into an open standard. This allows interoperability between data clean rooms and enables all Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) to adopt the protocol for enhanced privacy-safe audience targeting.

To support this effort, IAB Tech Lab will update the PAIR prebid module for use by all data clean rooms and DSPs. Additionally, an open-source reference implementation will be published to assist with adoption by publishers. The PAIR protocol is now open for public comment until October 25, 2024.

Industry Impact

"Privacy-enhancing technologies are providing a path to unlocking first-party data in secure and privacy-centric approaches for both advertisers and publishers," stated Shailley Singh, EVP of Product and COO at IAB Tech Lab. "PAIR is designed as an open standard to help advertisers and publishers choose their preferred data clean room and DSP partners. It's an important step forward for privacy-first advertising while allowing effective audience targeting and monetization for publishers without data leakage."

The PAIR protocol utilizes advanced cryptographic methods to facilitate the secure matching of multiple-encrypted keys without exposing personal information. This empowers advertisers to activate matched audiences and engage potential customers who have interacted with their brands. Meanwhile, publishers can enhance revenue opportunities by leveraging authenticated users while protecting against data leakage.

Foundation for Interoperability

"PAIR is about making privacy-first data matching and activation work in the real world," remarked Bosko Milekic, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Optable. "Previously, this was only achievable with advertisers and publishers using the same clean room vendor, but open PAIR enables this across vendors. This establishes PAIR as a foundational standard for a thriving and interoperable data collaboration ecosystem."

As the industry shifts towards privacy-safe solutions, IAB Tech Lab will continue to play a pivotal role in establishing addressability standards that help advertisers and publishers adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape.

Lee will lead all of TripleLift's offerings and customer-facing functions on a global scale

TripleLift, the ad tech platform dedicated to enhancing digital advertising across every screen, has announced the promotion of Jennifer Lee to the position of Chief Customer Officer. In this new role, Lee will oversee all offerings related to customers and clients, reporting directly to the Office of the CEO from TripleLift's New York office.

Significance of the Promotion

"As TripleLift moves into this new phase of our business, we need talented individuals who share our vision and are eager to propel us forward in the industry," said Ed Dinichert, Chief Revenue Officer and Member of the Office of the CEO at TripleLift. "Jen has been a critical member of this team for more than 10 years, and her input and ideas have been instrumental to our success. Her promotion is a testament to her dedication to TripleLift's customer satisfaction and overall business success."

Lee's New Role and Responsibilities

Elevated from SVP, Global Head of Services, Lee is now responsible for leading all customer-facing functions globally, ensuring consistent, high-quality service and maximizing client satisfaction across all regions. In her new capacity, she will help publishers and advertisers optimize performance through data-driven insights and market-specific strategies across various formats.

Lee has been with TripleLift for over a decade, initially serving as Head of Account Management in 2014, where she established the account management practice. She then moved on to lead the global services organization as SVP, overseeing a team of more than 100 professionals across demand, supply, and data services. Before joining TripleLift, Lee was an early member of VivaKi, the first programmatic trading desk, and held various positions at Starcom MediaVest Group.

Lee's Vision and Commitment

"I have spent many years working across the business at TripleLift, but my passion has always been with the customers and finding ways for them to drive performance and succeed," said Lee. "Co-shaping our product roadmap and strategic direction with the leadership team, while remaining the voice for our customers, allows me to combine my skills and knowledge with the vision of TripleLift. I am excited for this new chapter and look forward to continuing to make a difference in the industry."

Jennifer Lee's promotion to Chief Customer Officer is a strategic move for TripleLift as it seeks to strengthen customer relationships and enhance service quality across its global operations. Her extensive experience and commitment to customer success position her as a vital asset in driving the company's continued growth and innovation in digital advertising.

New compliance and certification measures unlock opportunities in healthcare and enterprise

AudioEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEYE), the industry-leading digital accessibility company, has announced the successful achievement of both HIPAA compliance and SOC 2 Type II certification. These significant milestones underscore AudioEye's commitment to enhancing data protection, security measures, and confidentiality for its customers, particularly those in the healthcare sector and other industries with strict data protection requirements.

Commitment to Security and Accessibility

"In today's digital world, security and accessibility go hand in hand. At AudioEye, ensuring a secure and compliant accessibility platform for all customers is a top priority," said David Moradi, CEO of AudioEye. "Achieving HIPAA compliance reinforces our dedication to healthcare customers, assuring their protected health information (PHI) is in strict compliance with federal regulations. Our continuous commitment to data security means expanding our efforts to meet the highest standards across all industries, including financial services, e-commerce, and government."

Regulatory Context

Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a final rule bolstering protections for individuals with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. According to this rule, healthcare organizations must ensure that their web content and mobile applications are digitally accessible and compliant within the next two or three years, depending on the organization's size. AudioEye's HIPAA compliance provides an additional layer of trust for healthcare customers, enabling healthcare providers to deliver more inclusive digital experiences without compromising security or compliance.

Proactive Security Enhancements through SOC 2 Type II Certification

Following the successful completion of its SOC 2 Type I examination earlier this year, AudioEye has completed the more rigorous SOC 2 Type II audit. This certification, conducted by an independent third-party firm, confirms that AudioEye's systems are properly designed and safeguarded against threats as the company operates in the cloud. It also validates that AudioEye meets the highest standards for security, availability, confidentiality, and privacy.

"When companies choose to work with AudioEye, they're choosing a partner who puts data security first," said John Postlethwait, CTO of AudioEye. "SOC 2 Type II certification gives our customers peace of mind that their data is safe. We adhere to industry best practices, with robust controls and safeguards in place at every level. Our commitment to security is an ongoing process, and we make a deliberate effort to continuously review and enhance our security measures to stay ahead of emerging threats, ensuring our customers are always protected."

AudioEye's dual achievements of HIPAA compliance and SOC 2 Type II certification reaffirm its commitment to safeguarding customer data through rigorous security measures. By addressing both security and accessibility, AudioEye empowers its customers to meet the highest standards, offering inclusive digital experiences that are secure and compliant with regulatory requirements. This focus underscores AudioEye's role as a trusted partner in creating a more secure and accessible web for all.

Global Advertisers Can Now Access IAS's Industry-Aligned Misinformation Reporting on YouTube

Integral Ad Science (Nasdaq: IAS), a leading global media measurement and optimization platform, has announced the launch of its misinformation brand safety and suitability reporting for advertisers running campaigns across YouTube ad inventory. This new capability enables IAS to detect and report content classified as misinformation on YouTube, allowing advertisers to ensure the safety and suitability of their digital media investments on the platform.

Enhanced Misinformation Measurement

IAS's Total Media Quality (TMQ) product suite delivers valuable third-party assurance that advertisers' campaigns are positioned alongside brand-safe and suitable content. The misinformation measurement feature provides independent verification that complements YouTube's own policies and procedures.

"Brand safety is a top priority for marketers as we approach upcoming marquee global media events. We are empowering marketers with enhanced products like our expanded Total Media Quality for YouTube, which now offers IAS's misinformation reporting," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS. "We're excited to provide the ability to detect misinformation with our best-in-class measurement solution."

Key Features for Advertisers

IAS classifies content based on industry-aligned definitions and offers reporting tailored to advertisers' custom brand suitability settings. Video-level reporting allows advertisers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the content adjacent to their ads and adjust their campaigns according to their suitability profiles.

Advertisers Can Now:

• Access Expanded Third-Party Transparency: Gain trusted video-level insights into the content adjacent to advertisements based on industry-aligned definitions.
• Drive Results: Analyze whether ads appear next to content identified by IAS as misinformation, allowing for necessary optimizations to enhance brand suitability.
• Safeguard and Scale Their Business: Access global reporting in over 30 languages on YouTube for key international events in 2024 and beyond.

Recent Developments

In March, IAS announced its MRC accreditation for integrated third-party calculation and reporting of YouTube video viewability. Additionally, in December 2023, IAS introduced the availability of its Total Media Quality (TMQ) brand safety and suitability measurement for YouTube Shorts, further expanding its coverage for advanced brand safety and suitability measurement.

With the launch of its misinformation brand safety and suitability reporting for YouTube, IAS is equipping advertisers with enhanced tools to ensure their campaigns align with brand safety standards. This advancement reinforces IAS's commitment to providing advertisers with the insights they need to safeguard their digital investments effectively.

As referral traffic from search engines and social networks declines while paid acquisition costs rise, brands must prioritize direct customer relationships. This focus is essential for deepening engagement, driving repeat conversions, and fostering loyalty, all of which contribute to increased customer lifetime value and sustainable business growth. However, many brands struggle with siloed teams and channels, making it challenging to provide the cohesive experiences customers demand. To address these challenges, Airship has announced the expansion of its Experience Platform capabilities to the web, enabling a more unified approach to customer interactions.

Key Solutions Available for Web Marketers:

1. Experience Editor:

   • No-code web and app experiences with native performance.
   • Scenes & Stories:
     • Engaging content for onboarding, registration, and conversion.
   • Surveys:
     • Simple collection of feedback to enhance personalization.

2. Embedded Content:

   • Personalization of content blocks in web pages and app screens.
   • Targets customers who typically ignore pop-ups.

3. Preference Center:

   • Customers choose their communication preferences across all channels.

4. Airship Journeys AI:

   • Automated creation of customer journeys and compelling content using zero-party data.

5. Experimentation:

   • A/B and multivariate testing for optimizing audience engagement.

Industry Insights:

• Brands must create coherent experiences across channels to avoid losing ground to competitors. Forrester Research emphasizes the need for integrated customer experiences.

Customer Experiences: Real-World Applications

• U-Haul’s Director, David LoPresti, highlights the transformative impact of Airship's tools in personalizing user experiences, enhancing customer engagement during the moving process.
• Jessy Trengove from Vinyl Group shares how Airship Journeys AI accelerates their ability to meet critical business KPIs through efficient journey creation.

Challenges for News Publishers:

Airship's evaluation of U.S. news publishers reveals significant room for improvement in first-time visitor experiences:

• Limited prompts for web notifications, especially on desktops.
• Universal email opt-in requests but delayed visibility for smartphone users.
• Nearly one-third of publishers require actions before showing opt-in prompts, highlighting a need for more proactive engagement.

In a mobile-first landscape, brands face increasing challenges in delivering personalized experiences. Airship's expansion of its platform to the web addresses these issues, providing tools for quick content optimization and enhanced customer value capture. As consumer behaviors evolve, brands must build agility into their marketing programs to meet rising expectations for relevant experiences across all channels.

Investors Recognize Strong Potential for CPGs to Reduce Waste through Supply Chain Optimization

Crisp, a leading player in the Collaborative Commerce platform space, has successfully closed a $72 million Series B equity round, bringing its total equity raised to $97 million since its inception. This funding round saw participation from new strategic investors, including Wellington Management, Toshiba Corporation, DNX, Cox, and Prologis, who collectively contributed $17 million.

Expansion Plans
The newly acquired funds will be instrumental for Crisp as it aims to expand its presence in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and retail channels. The company plans to enhance its platform’s features and functionality, fuel new data partnerships, and grow its workforce through strategic hiring.

Crisp’s Transformative Approach
Crisp is revolutionizing the CPG industry by reducing waste and improving profitability through a collaborative data-sharing approach with brands, retailers, and distributors. By leveraging AI and predictive analytics, Crisp’s open data retail platform enhances transparency and accelerates data-driven decision-making across supply chains. This capability enables effective forecasting, pricing strategies, inventory management, and marketing, ultimately ensuring products are placed where and when they are needed, minimizing waste and boosting revenue.

Impressive Growth
In just one year, Crisp has expanded its customer base from 600 to over 6,000, including more than 80 of the top 100 CPG brands. The company now collaborates with over 40 retailers, significantly increasing its distribution points from 17 million to over 627 million.

Real-World Impact
Crisp’s capabilities are not just theoretical; they have tangible results. For instance, UNFI Insights, powered by Crisp, provides manufacturers with the latest sales, inventory, and deduction data as products flow through distribution to retail. Suppliers using this platform have managed to reduce the volume of food at risk for spoilage by 48% over a year, substantially cutting waste and costs.

Investor Support
Investors recognize the critical role Crisp plays in enhancing supply chain efficiency and sustainability. Molly Breiner from Wellington Management highlighted the company’s pragmatic approach to addressing the pressures of climate change on food supply chains. Will O’Donnell from Prologis Ventures echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Crisp’s commitment to delivering transparency and enabling data-driven decisions.

Crisp's latest funding round underscores a growing market recognition of the need for supply chain solutions that minimize waste and promote collaboration. As climate change impacts intensify, investors are increasingly focused on funding sustainability solutions that yield tangible economic benefits. Crisp is well-positioned to lead the CPG industry in these transformative efforts, striving toward the goal of a zero-waste supply chain.

• Strong discounts—as high as 30% off listed price—will drive shoppers to “trade up” in categories such as electronics, appliances and sporting goods, contributing over $2 billion in incremental spend this season

• The 2024 holiday season is expected to be the most mobile of all time, with a record $128.1 billion spent through mobile devices at 53.2% share over desktop, while also propelling usage of Buy Now, Pay Later services

• Consumers will discover and research products in new ways this season, with influencers driving people to shop 10 times more compared to social media overall and generative AI-powered chat bots seeing a 100% increase in traffic to retail sites

Adobe has released its forecast for the 2024 U.S. holiday shopping season, projecting a remarkable $240.8 billion in online sales from November 1 to December 31. This anticipated growth of 8.4% year-over-year (YoY) highlights significant trends in consumer behavior, mobile shopping, and the influence of social media on purchasing decisions.

Record E-commerce Spend in the U.S.

• Total Online Sales: Expected to reach $240.8 billion, a growth from $221.8 billion in 2023.
• Mobile Shopping: Predicted to account for $128.1 billion (53.2% of total online sales), growing 12.8% YoY.
• Cyber Week Sales: Projected at $40.6 billion, with Cyber Monday as the biggest shopping day at $13.2 billion.

Price Sensitivity and Strong Discounts

• Major Discounts: Retailers are expected to offer discounts up to 30% off.
• Top Categories for Discounts:
  • Electronics: 30% off
  • Toys: 27% off
  • TVs: 24% off
  • Sporting Goods: 20% off

These competitive pricing strategies are designed to attract price-sensitive consumers who have become accustomed to seeking out value after a period of persistent inflation.

Shoppers “Trading Up”

• Consumers are anticipated to shift back toward more expensive goods, with a 19% increase in the share of high-priced items compared to previous months.
• Significant increases are expected in:
  • Sporting Goods: 76% increase in high-priced items.
  • Electronics: 58% increase.
  • Appliances: 40% increase.

Best Times to Shop

• Thanksgiving Day: Best for toys, appliances, furniture, and sporting goods.
• Black Friday: Deepest discounts on TVs.
• Cyber Monday: Ideal for electronics and apparel.

Early discounts will begin mid-October, ramping up through November and lingering into December.

Influencer Impact on Shopping Behavior

Influencers are increasingly driving consumer purchases, converting shoppers 10 times more effectively than social media. Adobe's survey indicates 37% of Gen Z respondents have bought products based on influencer recommendations.

Additional Insights

• Top Sellers: Expect high demand for popular toys, gaming consoles, and electronic devices.
• Categories Driving Growth: Electronics, apparel, and furniture are leading e-commerce categories.
• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Anticipated to drive $18.5 billion in online spend, with Cyber Monday projected to be the largest day for BNPL.

The 2024 holiday shopping season is set to break records, driven by strong discounts, mobile shopping trends, and the influential power of social media. As consumers navigate this season, they will enjoy significant savings while retailers adapt to changing shopping behaviors and preferences.

Latest Commerce Creator Lighting Survey by URLgenius & impact.com Identifies Creator and Brand Insights Poised To Shape The Season

In a strategic collaboration, URLgenius, an industry pioneer in intelligent app linking, and impact.com, the world’s leading partnership management platform, have unveiled key insights from their latest Commerce Creator Lightning Survey. The findings highlight new opportunities for brand marketers to connect with Commerce Creators, particularly in the face of evolving consumer shopping behaviors and economic uncertainties during the holiday season.

Consumer Behavior Amid Economic Uncertainty
Brian Klais, CEO and founder of URLgenius, emphasized the significant role Commerce Creators play in influencing consumer buying decisions and fostering brand loyalty during challenging economic times. "In this climate, Commerce Creators have a direct impact on audience buying decisions and brand loyalty, as shoppers become more selective with their spending," he stated. Notably, 51% of creators have already initiated their holiday campaigns, signaling that brands still have time to refine their partnerships for success in 2025.

Key Insights from the Commerce Creator Lightning Survey

1. Fierce Competition

   • 45% of creators identified rising competition for audience attention as their top challenge this holiday season.
   • Additional challenges include the pressure to produce fresh content (25%) and the struggle to maintain work-life balance (23%).

2. Compensation Balancing Act

   • 47% of brands prefer a flat-fee compensation model with performance bonuses, while nearly half of creators cited rate negotiation as their biggest challenge when collaborating with brands.
   • However, the survey revealed that the pay-per-post plus commission model emerged as the preferred compensation structure across all follower counts, creating a mutually beneficial scenario that shares both risks and rewards.

3. Unease of the Unknown

   • Both brands and creators depend on measurable outcomes to gauge success but are concerned about factors beyond their control.
   • Brands prioritize sales figures and engagement metrics, with 41% reporting difficulty in measuring campaign effectiveness as a common challenge.
   • On the creator side, 64% expressed concern over the impact of shifting social media algorithms on their income and business stability.

4. Creative Differences

   • More than half of the brands surveyed indicated a preference for strong creative control, while 35% of creators preferred complete creative freedom to maintain authenticity for their audience.
   • Balancing brand safety with creator authenticity is essential for fostering trust in these partnerships.
   • Additionally, 40% of brands prioritized brand fit when selecting creator partners, reinforcing the importance of long-term relationships over merely follower counts.

Cristy Garcia, Chief Marketing Officer of impact.com, remarked on the timely engagement between brands and creators, noting, "September is not over, and we’re already seeing half of creators actively share holiday content. Brands should be engaging with influencers now to leverage a cost-effective and ROI-driven channel that aligns with how today’s buyer makes purchases." She emphasized the potential for brands and creators to build stronger connections through authentic content, including trusted reviews and recommendations, ultimately driving consumer conversions.