Trust, transparency and control are becoming harder to prove - and more valuable to protect.

By Simon Redlich, CEO, ABC UK

Digital advertising has never been more effective at delivering scale. As the ecosystem becomes increasingly automated, fragmented and shaped by AI, the challenge isn’t reach. It’s proving that advertising runs in environments that are safe, transparent and accountable.

That’s where TAG continues to play a vital role.

An interview with Liv McCullagh, IAB UK’s Retail Media Lead

Retail media is now one of the most important forces in UK digital advertising. As investment grows, so does the need for greater consistency, transparency and confidence in how performance is measured.

Earlier this year, IAB Europe released Version 2 of its measurement framework, now formally titled the Commerce Media Measurement Standards.

At first glance, it might seem like a simple name change – it’s not.  

Companies across the digital advertising ecosystem have been recognised in the latest release of TAG Seals for meeting industry standards in transparency, accountability and safer digital media. 

In this latest announcement, 70% of companies receiving Brand Safety Certified (BSC) seals selected ABC as their auditor, while ABC underpinned 53% of all audited TAG seals issued across the programmes, reinforcing our position as the industry’s leading TAG audit provider.

We were delighted to take part in IAB Europe’s recent agency breakfast briefing on Retail Media Certification, an open and refreshingly practical discussion focused on what agencies really need to plan and buy retail media with confidence. 

We sat down with Jason Wescott - Global Head of Commerce Solutions at WPP Media and Chair of IAB Europe’s Retail and Commerce Media Committee - to dig into the state of retail media today. 

Jason offers a candid view on where maturity is stalling, why standards matter, and what retailers, brands and agencies must do over the next 12 months to keep momentum on their side.