The Coalition for Better Ads has announced that it has strengthened its Better Ads Experience Program and expanded operational support for its Better Ads Standards. The Coalition announced the first group of certified companies participating in the Better Ads Experience Program, launched an independent dispute resolution mechanism for the Program with leading global self-regulatory organizations, and has hired an experienced industry executive to expand education and outreach in European and other leading markets. These concrete steps build on widespread industry support for the Better Ads Standards and will serve as a foundation for continued expansion of the Coalition’s work to improve the online ad experience for consumers globally.
Sixty-eight publishers representing more than 300 domains and 27 countries have certified compliance with the Coalition’s Standards and the requirements of the Better Ads Experience Program. The global presence and reach of participating companies signals the commitment of publishers around the world to align their online advertising experiences with consumer preferences. A register of certified companies and domains is available on the Coalition’s website to help advertising partners identify publishers who share their commitment to improving the online ad experience for consumers.
The Coalition also announced that the Advertising Self-Regulatory Council (ASRC), a leader in advertising industry self-regulation, has launched an independent dispute resolution mechanism to address disputes between certified companies and implementation entities that assess compliance with the Standards. ASRC, which is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus, has for nearly 50 years operated programs that seek to prevent misleading and unsubstantiated advertising claims, ensure that advertisers follow industry self-regulatory standards and provide platforms to resolve advertising disputes between competitors. The dispute resolution procedures were developed and will be operated in consultation with the International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS), a global platform that promotes responsible advertising through the effective implementation of self-regulatory standards.
“ASRC is delighted to have been selected to serve this key role in the implementation of this important program,” said Lee Peeler, ASRC President and CEO, and Executive Vice President, Council of Better Business Bureaus. “We in particular look forward to working with colleagues at ICAS to ensure that the process appropriately reflects the values of impartiality and objectivity that underlay international self-regulatory organizations.”
“ICAS and its members share and promote self-regulatory best practices to address the global challenges facing the advertising industry,” said José Domingo Gómez Castallo, ICAS President. “We are pleased to partner with ASRC and the Coalition for Better Ads to support this important work to benefit consumers of online advertising.”
To support additional education and engagement in Europe and other key markets, the Coalition has retained Oliver von Wersch, an independent consultant with senior leadership and board experience at leading German and European media companies and industry associations. Von Wersch will work with the Coalition, including its current European members, to advance the Coalition’s objectives through education, training, and dialogue with members of the global online advertising industry.
“The work of the Coalition for Better Ads to improve the online ad experience and reduce ad blocking has never been more important,” said Oliver von Wersch. “I look forward to accelerating the progress already made by the Coalition by engaging and leveraging the input of companies and associations that share these goals.”
