Throughout my 40-year career in the media and marketing information space, I’ve had the opportunity to work with eight different companies, which each contributed to expanding media transparency. Over a decade ago, the AAM Board entrusted me with leading the Alliance for Audited Media — an organization that exists to improve media assurance.
In 2023 we embarked on a new chapter of media assurance with the merger of AAM and BPA. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Rich Murphy, our new CEO, and our dedicated team to integrate operations and shape the largest not-for-profit media assurance organization. While I’ve stepped back from daily operations, I continue to serve as Senior Advisor, providing guidance to the senior team and AAM Board as we move forward. As I begin this role, I wanted to share some reflections on the experience of leading an industry assurance organization and where the industry is headed.
A Unique Organization to Help Buyers Buy and Sellers Sell
Over the past 10 years, I have answered the question of what makes AAM unique hundreds of times. With every response, I’m proud to explain that our mission is to help advertisers buy smarter and quality sellers sell more. Our dedicated team of experts in media standards and compliance performs independent audits and provides impartial information to help the media ecosystem function with integrity.
AAM is also a trusted partner to several important industry organizations that set standards, including the IAB Tech Lab, Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and Point of Care Marketing Association (POCMA). We work with these organizations to transform frameworks into actionable certifications. We play a critical role in third-party verification of compliance across channels and topics. AAM’s cross-platform compliance expertise and capability is necessary to uphold industry standards.
Navigating a Media Maze with Assurance
Over the past 10 years, most advertising has shifted to digital channels. Despite digital being heralded as the most trackable and measurable medium, it is one of the least transparent. Advertisers are losing billions on non-human traffic, low-quality MFA (made for advertising) sites, and other forms of media fraud.
The industry isn’t sitting still. Organizations like IAB Tech Lab, Media Ratings Council (MRC), POCMA, TAG and AAM are pushing for greater transparency through research, certifications and compliance programs. A good example is the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) shining a spotlight on MFA sites. These websites have been quietly siphoning advertising dollars for years, and it’s encouraging to see ANA address the issue head-on.
By drawing attention to the problems, we can begin to implement solutions that allow advertisers to direct investments to quality media environments. While none of these initiatives alone can fix the problem overnight, they’re shifting the conversation in the right direction.
Looking Forward
The waste in digital advertising is too large to ignore. Over time, I believe the industry will develop stronger initiatives that push transparency to the forefront, with AAM and its industry partners leading the charge. The road to a more transparent and accountable media landscape is long, but we’re making progress. And as I move into my advisory role, I’m excited to support AAM’s continued efforts in driving positive change. The key to success lies in collaboration and a shared commitment to making media better for everyone — advertisers, publishers and consumers alike. Together, we can shape a future where trust and transparency are the cornerstones of the digital media ecosystem.
