LONDON: Bidstack Group Plc, the native in-game advertising platform, has received the Internet Advertising Bureau’s Gold Standard certificate 1.1.

Launched by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), the UK industry trade body for digital advertising, in 2017 as the UK’s response to improve standards in digital advertising, the Gold Standard Certificate is centred around three key areas: reducing ad fraud, improving the digital advertising experience and increasing brand safety.

Gold Standard 1.1 was released in April 2019 with updated and more prescriptive criteria.

According to the IAB UK and PwC Digital Adspend study for 2019, IAB Gold Standard Certified companies comprised 73% of the display advertising market in 2019. Companies that have achieved Gold Standard 1.1 certification include Amazon, Hearst, Twitter, DAZN, YouTube and Verizon Media.

James Draper, CEO of Bidstack, said: “We continue to make good progress in pioneering the entirely new advertising category of native in-game advertising and the IAB Gold Standard 1.1 certification is a very significant milestone for the Company in this process.

The IAB has also confirmed that we are the first multi-device in-game advertising platform to be awarded the IAB Gold Standard certification.

For many brands and agencies, being IAB Gold Standard certified is a prerequisite for inclusion in media planning. As advertisers look increasingly to new and emerging channels for inspiration and innovation, having the option of including fraud free and brand safe activations in AAA video game titles which can enhance the user experience is an enticing addition to their repertoire.

The certification should further enhance demand side activity as, alongside giving users a better experience, it will give further confidence for brands and advertisers to continue to spend with Bidstack. I look forward to reporting further on our efforts in the months ahead.”

Tina Lakhani, Head of Ad Tech, IAB UK, added:  “We are delighted to have Bidstack Gold Standard certified – demonstrating its commitment to upholding industry best practice principles when it comes to tackling ad fraud, maintaining brand safety and respecting the users’ experience. As technology develops and audiences grow, gaming is increasingly becoming an innovative way for digital advertisers to engage with consumers and it’s brilliant to have Bidstack on board as we work to build a sustainable future for digital advertising.”

Bidstack is an advertising technology company which provides dynamic, targeted and automated native in-game advertising for the global video games industry across multiple platforms. Its proprietary technology is capable of inserting adverts into natural advertising space within video games.  Bidstack’s customers are games publishers and developers (on the supply side), and advertising agencies, brands and programmatic advertising platforms (on the demand side).

Bidstack contracts exclusive access to the native in-game advertising spaces within video games from their developers or publishers and sells that advertising space either directly to specific brands and their agencies or through programmatic advertising platforms.

The Internet Advertising Bureau is the UK industry body for digital advertising, committed to building a sustainable future for digital advertising. It does this by bringing the industry together through its 1,200 members including media owners, agencies and brands.

The IAB is a not-for-profit which exists to promote industry collaboration between its members to develop standards, best practices, critical research and provide the educational resources businesses need to grow their brands successfully and sustainably and helping simplify and explaining the world of digital advertising as a trusted source of research, guidance and education.