Twelve leading Australian online advertising houses have formed a new body, Internet Advertising Sales House of Australia (IASH), which will supersede industry organisation Internet Advertising Networks of Australia (IANA).
The new organisation’s founding members are AD2ONE Group, Adconion Media Group, Digital Network Sales, Full Circle, Gorilla Nation Media, MaX Interactive, Multi Channel Network (MCN), PostClick, Response Directive, 3D interactive, Tribal Fusion and Valued Interactive Media.
IASH’s president will be Phil Duffield, MD of AD2ONE, with Neil Fox, director of Full Circle, acting as vice-president and Andrew Lockwood, MD of PostClick, becoming honoury treasurer.
IASH will be responsible for a code of conduct to ensure best practice among digital sales houses and will work to increase client and media agency understanding of the sector.
A link-up with ABC Australia will see members subjected to a ‘rigorous’ audit, to maintain the code of conduct, which includes rules on the types of inventory which can and can’t be used when fulfilling an ad insertion order.
The organisation will also undertake research and work with bodies such as the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) to promote online advertising.
Duffield said: “The great support from Australia’s leading internet ad sales houses and ad networks to form IASH Australia is proof of the industry’s maturity and commitment to advertisers and media buyers.
“With the independent assurance ABC Australia’s auditing of the code of conduct will provide, the sector can continue to promote growth and evoke further confidence from both advertisers and media buying agencies.
“IASH Australia accreditation through adherence to the code of conduct establishes a media industry accepted standard for participants to benchmark and for new entrants to market to meet.”
Kerry Field, partner – innovation, Mindshare and MFA digital sub-committee chair added: “In today’s challenging climate, audited adherence to the code of conduct delivers greater accountability, transparency and confidence to media buyers at a time when media accountability is a high priority.
“The MFA has been an enthusiastic and active partner in the development process for this important breakthrough and will actively promote spend with IASH Australia members.”
