IAB Opens the Hood on Digital Ads for a Transparent view of how Data is Used & Shared.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has launched “Data Driven Advertising”, a web site designed to be the definitive resource for advertising professionals on how data is used to serve ads to consumers. Unveiled today at the fifth IAB Annual Leadership Meeting “Ecosystem 2.0: Beyond Time and Space” at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, the site provides a step-by-step look at where consumer data comes from, and how it moves through the digital marketing ecosystem to help marketers reach their goals and ensure that consumers get the most from their online experiences. The resource launches on the heels of the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) release of its new “Your AdChoices” campaign for consumers.

“The digital industry grows at such a rapid pace that it’s extremely difficult not only to keep tabs on the latest and greatest innovations, but also to understand them in a simple way,” said Patrick Dolan, Executive Vice President and COO, IAB. “Data-driven advertising is one of the most complicated and misunderstood areas for digital marketers today. So it’s about time the industry came together to develop an easy-to-use resource that helps marketers better understand the options available to them.”

The site is divided into three comprehensive sections:

Consumer – A look at how data is used to make the web more relevant to everyday online users

Agency/Advertiser – A review of how agencies and advertisers work together to target potential customers, covering how and why data is shared

AdChoices – An overview of the self-regulation initiative that lets consumers take control of their own data, featuring links to the DAA’s “Your AdChoices” campaign

“Data is essential to the evolution of advertising online,” said Kristen Fergason, CMO, ShareThis, and member of the IAB Data Council. “Data allows the kind of dynamic, customized experiences that people expect online, and in an era of growing accountability, data allows publishers to create better experiences for their consumers, lets advertisers create stronger relationships with their customers, and permits all parties to better track progress. It is imperative that we establish a place where everyone can be educated about the data collection and sharing process, and IAB is a perfect steward for this type of resource.”

The “Data Driven Advertising” site was produced as the latest component of the IAB Data Council’s on-going marketer and agency education initiative.

For more information at http://www.iab.net>