Europe: TAG Certified Channels reduced the level of fraud by more than 94 percent

The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) this week released the first analysis of the effectiveness of ongoing industry anti-fraud efforts in Europe. The study, conducted by The 614 Group, found the use of TAG Certified distribution channels for digital advertising reduced the level of fraud by more than 94 percent from the broader industry average.

The study compared invalid traffic (IVT) rates in TAG Certified Channels against industry norms by measuring approximately four billion ad impressions from January-August 2018 from three major advertising agency holding companies across the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and The Netherlands. The results found a dramatic reduction in fraud rates across European markets from an industry average of 8.99 percent to just .53 percent when using TAG Certified Channels.

"Ad fraud is a global problem, and addressing it will require our industry to work together across national and regional borders," said Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG. "Happily, this study demonstrates that the industry has developed an effective and scalable solution, and Europe is leading the way. This study proves the effectiveness of TAG's Certified Against Fraud Program in fighting fraud across European markets, both independently and through collaborative efforts like TAG's partnership with JICWEBS in the UK. By continuing to adopt TAG's rigorous anti-fraud standards, we can stop criminals who profit from ad fraud and ensure a safe and clean supply chain across the world."

TAG first commissioned The 614 Group to conduct a benchmarking study of the US market to examine the effectiveness of the TAG Certified Against Fraud Program in December 2017, and it conducted and released a follow-up study with The 614 Group earlier this fall. Both studies showed a dramatic reduction in fraud across TAG Certified Channels.

"This report answers the call for a clear fraud benchmark for the European market which will serve as a baseline for measuring progress for years to come," said Rob Rasko, CEO of The 614 Group and project lead on the research. "The results of this study will help us better quantify and understand the success of industry anti-fraud efforts. I'm elated with the level of participation from the industry and look forward to seeing continuing progress like we have made in working with TAG in continuing to help eliminate the issue of ad fraud across the European markets."