comScore Brings Independent Metrics to Programmatic Buying to Elevate Quality Inventory and Trust in Transactions

Media Buyers Will Be Able to Transact Using the Same Trusted Metrics in Both Programmatic and Direct Buying Environments

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comScore, Inc.

Jan 22, 2015, 09:00 ET

RESTON, Va., Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) today announced that media buyers will be able to use key comScore advertising metrics directly in programmatic trading platforms. This is the first offering from the comScore Industry Trust Initiative, which is designed to enable trusted transactions of quality advertising between buyers and sellers.

The key advertising metrics available in programmatic trading platforms – collectively called the comScore Trust Profiles -- include non-human traffic (NHT) certifications, top properties rankings, viewability and demographic statistics, all of which are consistent with the key metrics available in comScore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform and validated Campaign Essentials™ (vCE®) that advertisers use for traditional ad buys. Beginning today, publishers who are comScore clients are able to privately view their own Trust Profiles in the comScore interface. This publisher-only view gives each publisher insight into their own Trust Profiles, and the opportunity to see how these sites are represented in programmatic platforms.

comScore Trust Profiles will first be available in MediaMath, Turn, The Trade Desk, Rubicon Project and Eyereturn Marketing this quarter and throughout 2015, and will also be made available in additional programmatic buying and selling platforms.

"Despite the ongoing innovation and growth in digital advertising, the industry is increasingly in need of greater transparency when it comes to advertising being bought and sold, especially in programmatic environments," said Serge Matta, CEO of comScore. "Buyers want to know that there is consistent quality across the inventory they are buying, ensuring that their money and impressions are not being wasted. Sellers want to get full value for their quality inventory. As an independent measurement company, we believe that offering consistent, independent metrics in both programmatic and direct environments will instill greater confidence in the industry. The Industry Trust offers a proactive way to elevate quality inventory and create a trusted marketplace that better serves both buyers and sellers."

comScore will be introducing additional products as part of the Industry Trust Initiative later this year, including a seller certification program. All products are designed to help both buyers and sellers create a high quality programmatic environment.

Partners Support comScore's Efforts to Enable Trusted Transactions of Advertising

"Initiatives like comScore Industry Trust help give buyers and sellers the assurance that they are transacting upon quality inventory, whether those transactions are done programmatically or through a traditional buy. Having comparable metrics in both programmatic and traditional is a critical step forward in enhancing the value of digital advertising overall."

Kate Sirkin, Executive Vice President of Global Research, Starcom MediaVest Group

"As the market looks to a more efficient means of buying and selling we welcome initiatives such as this, which will further enhance the ability for the industry to achieve greater transparency and trust in the complex ecosystem that is programmatic media. The ability to create a safer and efficient marketplace can only lead to the strengthening of digital advertising overall."

Julian Zilberbrand, Executive Vice President, Zenith

"The comScore Industry Trust initiative will help programmatic partners offer better quality inventory to our agencies and help reduce non-human traffic and increase viewable, on-target impressions. This will cut waste and build trust."

Lyle Schwartz, Managing Partner, Marketplace Analytics, GroupM

"As dollars continue to shift to programmatic, it's important that the advertising industry has a mechanism for uncovering and understanding quality inventory. The comScore Industry Trust is poised to do just that, and we're excited about the benefits this initiative will bring to both buyers and sellers."

Randy Kilgore, President of National Sales, Gannett

"Rubicon Project has been a leader in bringing quality inventory to the marketplace through our direct integrations with the world's leading publishers and applications. We are pleased to be adding the value of comScore Trust Profiles for our customers, whom will benefit from the additional independent validation of the premium quality inventory they've come to expect when transacting across Rubicon Project's platform."

Dr. Neal Richter, Chief Scientist, Rubicon Project

"As programmatic marketing continues its explosive growth and gains adoption by both advertisers and publishers, the importance of having third-party systems that are able to verify the quality of an ad impression cannot be understated. We're excited to be integrating with comScore to bring its trusted metrics to the marketplace and highlight our shared commitment to delivering only the highest quality of inventory to our clients."

Chris Victory, Vice President, Global Business Development, MediaMath

"We're looking forward to quickly integrating comScore Trust Profiles into Turn. This integration will give ad buyers greater confidence that they are purchasing quality impressions based on the same criteria they use to find quality in comScore Media Metrix."

Maureen Little, Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business Development, Turn

"AOL has worked hand-in-hand with the industry to bring the highest levels of transparency to all ad buys, in both direct and programmatic. We are excited that the comScore Industry Trust Initiative will shine a spotlight on the high-quality impressions that are available within the marketplace. This independent verification will provide our advertisers with greater confidence about the impressions they are purchasing, ensuring ads uphold quality standards and create positive consumer experiences."

Dave Jacobs, Senior Vice President, Publisher Sales and Business Development, AOL Platforms

"At SpotXchange we pride ourselves on the wide variety of global, high quality impressions we offer through our marketplace. We're thrilled that comScore is introducing Industry Trust, which will help further highlight exceptional inventory, ultimately giving publishers and advertisers the confidence they need to transact and trust in programmatic."

Mike Shehan, CEO, SpotXchange

"The comScore Industry Trust initiative will help bring confidence back to programmatic buying by leveling the playing field with traditional ad buying. comScore is the ideal company to bring these independent metrics to market. Removing non-human-traffic and increasing transparency and viewability will ensure publishers and advertisers are getting the best value for their advertising dollars."

Renee Hill, President and Co-CEO, Eyereturn Marketing

"At Undertone, we're uncompromising when it comes to providing brands high quality digital advertising and look forward to working with comScore to assess our inventory through the seller certification program. This independent verification of our inventory is a great safety check that helps us maintain trust with our advertisers."

Eric Franchi, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist, Undertone

"The comScore Industry Trust initiative comes at a time when the industry greatly needs an independent arbiter of ad quality. The seller certification program will help us deliver greater confidence to our advertisers, and we are already participating with comScore in the process."

Christian Hendricks, Vice President, Interactive Media, The McClatchy Company

"Giving premium publishers the ability to showcase their high-quality inventory using independent metrics will undoubtedly help them raise their value in the increasingly crowded programmatic supply landscape. Enhancing transparency represents a step forward in raising the level of trust marketers have in the ecosystem, by reducing the chances cloaked, obfuscated, and spoofed media can penetrate marketer wallets."

Andrew Casale, President and CEO, Index Exchange

"The seller certification program presents a great opportunity for us to provide our advertisers with additional transparency about our inventory, as evaluated by an independent measurement company like comScore. We look forward to working with comScore and pursuing certification for our ad inventory here at American Media Inc."

Brian Kroski, Chief Digital Officer, American Media, Inc.

"comScore's seller certification program will enable Moguldom Media Group to not only optimize and showcase our high-quality ad inventory, but will give our advertisers more confidence that the impressions they're purchasing are actually being delivered. We've committed to having comScore assess our ad inventory, and are excited to pursue certification."

Jasmine Lin, Vice President of Ad Operations, Moguldom Media Group

About the comScore Industry Trust Initiative

The comScore Industry Trust Initiative is designed to enable trusted transactions of quality advertising between buyers and sellers. It aligns with five principles of the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Trustworthy Digital Supply Chain Initiative, which aims to (1) eliminate fraudulent traffic, (2) combat malware, (3) fight internet piracy, (4) promote brand safety and (5) create accountability.

Additional offerings for both media buyers and sellers are forthcoming as part of the Industry Trust Initiative.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in digital measurement and analytics, delivering insights on web, mobile and TV consumer behavior that enable clients to maximize the value of their digital investments. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding the impact and benefits to comScore, financial or otherwise. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: the features and characteristics of the products, the rate of development of the digital marketing intelligence, Internet advertising and e-Commerce markets; the growth of the Internet as a medium for commerce, content, advertising and communications; and the acceptance of new products and methodologies by the industry, including existing and prospective clients.

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SOURCE comScore, Inc.