• by Tobi Elkin , Staff Writer @tobielkin, March 2, 2017

With so many recent discussions about metrics and media measurement audits (for starters, think Facebook and Google’s YouTube agreement to be audited via the Media Rating Council), there’s news of a new audited media program.

The Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) is launching AAM Quality Certification, which it’s positioning as a new approach to verifying digital publishers. AAM said the program is designed to provide advertisers with more digital assurance and help publishers differentiate themselves based on quality.

In addition, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is backing the AAM Quality Certification for publishers.

 “Last year the ANA asked what AAM could do to help minimize digital advertising fraud,” stated ANA CEO Bob Liodice. “As we worked toward a solution, we realized that while reliable technology and measurement are critical, there is no substitute for independent third-party verification. AAM has given us a long-term solution to minimize digital advertising fraud. Today the ANA is calling for marketers to demand AAM Quality Certification of publishers.”

The AAM Quality Certification program is focused on minimizing digital advertising fraud by linking advertisers with what it calls “Quality Certified” publishers. The process verifies publishers' business processes, Web site analytics, and Web site audiences. The verification of these three components is necessary to ensure that a publisher’s commitment to quality runs throughout its entire operation. 

“AAM Quality Certification is what the industry needs right now to bring more transparency to the entire media supply chain,” stated Christina Meringolo, vice president of Integrated Marketing Solutions at Bayer Consumer Care. "To combat fraud today, we need an independent third party to verify that media's business processes and technologies are performing as expected. AAM is the correct organization to connect agencies and their clients to verified publishers who can drive results."

More than 50 publisher Web sites, including major local, national, and international news sources, have been part of the development process for AAM Quality Certification over the past six months. AAM continues to monitor their traffic and expects to issue the first official certifications later this year. This group is also expected to be the first included in the AAM Quality Certified whitelist that will be used by advertisers and their agencies in direct buys, private networks, and open exchanges.