Staff Writer
Jan 23, 2018

The Trade Desk, White Ops team to fight ad fraud

No longer satisfied with the current, shaky state of industry protocols, the two companies are aiming to eradicate fraudulent traffic altogether.

The Trade Desk, White Ops team to fight ad fraud
PARTNER CONTENT

In August of last year The Trade Desk partnered with White Ops to take on issues of ad fraud head-on, particularly in the programmatic.

White Ops is a cybersecurity group that has been on the frontlines of the battle against ad fraud for years. Account stuffing, fake engagement and bots beware, the company’s Human Verification technology makes certain that each impression served is legitimate.

Many of the issues the industry currently faces are owed to the fact that automated systems have become the norm for regulating ads. But this trend has spiralled out of control, leaving the very people the growing technology was intended to help to pick up the pieces of broken campaign ROIs.

In response, the “human” component of White Ops’ verification system makes good on its promise. Human Verification gives actual operators the responsibility of double-checking ad impression requests before they are released. Notably, the impressions aren’t just samples, but take into account every ad in question. When fraudulent traffic, or “sophisticated invalid traffic” (SIVT), is recognised by White Ops, the The Trade Desk is alerted, and steps in to block the impression.

Making certain close-knit cooperation is possible whenever necessary, the two companies are co-locating servers and data centres in North America, Europe and Asia to scan impressions in real-time. This practice is the benchmark, for example, with high frequency trading in financial markets where time is of the essence.

Seismic industry shifts

The partnership should come as no surprise, as brands and agencies alike have been calling for an overhaul of brand safety standards for some time now, and this move is a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, the aim of the partnership is to prevent losses in revenue. According to Bot Baseline report, US$6.5 billion was wasted in 2017 as a cause of ad fraud, down ten percent from $7.2 billion in 2016, but still an astounding number that eats away at ROI for programmatic players on a daily basis. The primary culprit? Fake impressions.

On the upside, fraud in programmatic media buys is no longer riskier than general market buys, as media agencies have started to improve filtration processes and controls. The collaboration between The Trade Desk and White Ops will only better this reputation as the industry moves forward. Let’s hope the trend continues on the programmatic front in 2018.

READ MORE ON THE TRADE DESK HUB

 

Source:
Campaign Asia

Related Articles

Just Published

14 hours ago

Agency Report Cards 2024: We grade 25 APAC networks

The grades are in for Campaign Asia's 22nd annual evaluation of APAC agency networks. Subscribe to read our detailed analyses.

16 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: Assembly

Assembly successfully pivoted to new sectors like healthcare and achieved B Corp certification. But revenue and operational hurdles must be addressed to solidify its position as a challenger agency.

16 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: TBWA

With bold campaigns, record-breaking new business wins, and a near-perfect client retention rate, the agency proved it could lead from the front. Yet, challenges in China and the pressures of rapid growth loom large—testing whether its ‘disruption’ can stand the test of time.

16 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: Publicis Media

Publicis Media came in swinging in 2024—snagging big-name clients, racking up awards and riding a wave of regional growth. But with rivals regrouping and the AI race tightening, the fight for APAC dominance is far from over.