IASH urges ad networks to enforce online code

by Media Week, Media Week 17-Jul-07

Internet Advertising Bureau chief Guy Phillipson believes that the trade body's ad sales arm, the Internet Advertising Sales House, can double in size over the next nine months, as the online industry seeks to tackle the issue of ads running on inappropriate sites.

Phillipson and Khalil Ibrahimi, the chair of IASH, are committed to
tackling the problem and Phillipson has appealed to the estimated 30 ad
networks that are not part of IASH to apply for membership. The action

follows the discovery that ad networks have run big brand ads on

websites hosting extremely violent material.

Phillipson said that there are five applications currently being
considered by IASH in an attempt to bring all ad networks in line with a
common set of standards.

IASH last week found that its own members had broken the organisation's
code of conduct, but it will refrain from officially suspending any of
them until an ABC Electronic audit has been completed.

Phillipson has also highlighted the need for agencies and advertisers to
be aware of the problem.

"On every occasion the problem has been highlighted, an agency has
bought through a network that does blind targeting," he said.

"Advertisers need networks, but if agencies are dealing with networks
involved in chain buying and targeting UK audiences on US sites, then
advertisers are taking a risk. The only way we're going to rein in these
problems is to enforce the IASH code and to educate agencies and
advertisers on best practice."

Letters, page 21

IASH will this month present to the Institute of Practitioners in
Advertising (IPA) about the trade body's aims and minimising the
problems of chain buying