InMobi’s Anne Frisbie On Ad Fraud
B&T goes one-on-one with InMobi’s senior vice president of global brand and programmatic, Anne Frisbie, to talk all about the threat that is ad fraud, and what brands and marketers can do to prevent it.
What are the common ad fraud issues on mobile in the Asia-Pacific region, and in particular, Australia?
There are two common fraud based issues in Australia: install-based fraud and misattribution.
Install-based fraud occurs when humans, bots or scripts initiate a fake installation process, or when a user’s app-install behaviour is imitated on their device. This type of fraud often goes undetected as the clicks, installs and users are non-existent.
Misattribution happens when installs are valid but credit is stolen from clean networks. Unlike the desktop world, mobile ad fraud spawns and thrives on the opportunities arising from the lengthy duration of the mobile journey from impression to install to transaction. Malicious players cripple networks that provide ‘fraud-free traffic’ with the influx of misleading data, which acts as both the input for campaign optimisations as well as a measure of network performance. There are three main forms of misattribution:
- Click cramming, where fraudsters target a certain set of device IDs known to engage with in-app campaigns, driving timely clicks from these device IDs to steal attribution from other networks. This further increases ad spends onto malicious publishers, further damaging campaign data.
- Ad stacking, which occurs when multiple ads are layered under a single, completely visible ad. Any click on the visible ad triggers clicks for all the other ads stacked underneath. Accidental clicks are also quite common. This is where an ad is disguised as an arrow button that appears to lead to the next page of an article.
- Click sniping, where a fraudster places a click right before the app-open in order to claim credit for the conversion.
Is mobile ad fraud going to go away anytime soon?
It will take some time for advertisers to become aware of the capabilities and limitations of a partner’s fraud detection algorithms, as they directly correlate to campaign performance, budget allocation and ultimately, revenues.
Trackers can help eliminate ad fraud by measuring campaign metrics using mean time to detect (MTTD) instead of mean time to interrupt (MTTI), and by sharing their fraudster blacklists globally.
This requires a coordinated effort and suggests that ad fraud will be with us for some time to come.
What are your top tips on how brands and marketers can prevent ad fraud on mobile?
Advertisers concerned with ad fraud need to partner with networks that are investing heavily in detecting install-based fraud. When it comes to misattribution, brands need to educate themselves on the limitations of the data they’re presented with. Becoming familiar with the nuances of fraudulent and suspicious behaviour is crucial in analysing irregularities in campaign performance.
With this in mind, there are three best practices to creating a successful in-app mobile performance strategy:
- Partner with a third-party mobile tracking and in-app attribution partner with the correct certification requirements.
- Require impression (not just click-level) transparency for all buys, whether you are paying for cost per impression (CPM), cost per click (CPC) or cost per action (CPA). Impression level visibility is critical for better understanding true incrementality of your direct response media spend.
- Don’t solely rely on last click attribution models that are increasingly understood as flawed, and encourage fraudulent behaviours by bad actors. Instead, incorporate view through attribution (even if a small percentage, and for a short window) to all media partners equally. View through attribution will also help enable you to enforce impression level visibility with your media partners. Additionally, you may want to consider mid-funnel attribution such as video, which completes to a near equal level as the last-click attribution, in order to better account for the value of video advertising.
What strategies should brands and marketers be implementing to measure ad fraud?
Education is the best strategy brands can undertake when it comes to protecting their campaigns against ad fraud. By educating themselves on the capabilities and shortcomings of their mobile attribution partner’s fraud detection technology, brands are better able to understand the success of a campaign measured against legitimate performance, budget allocation and revenues.
So, becoming familiar with fraudulent and suspicious behaviour in mobile advertising becomes a crucial means of identifying and understanding irregularities in a campaign. This then allows marketers to work together with their attribution partners to collaboratively ensure a genuine and successful campaign, free of ad fraud.
Latest News
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
This May the fourth Hahn will celebrate alongside Star Wars fans rewarding their passion via a giant Hahn travelling solo through the sky. It’s the one day of the year when all sci-fi fans rejoice and giggle to themselves and Hahn in partnership with Thinkerbell, UM and Affinity is celebrating with an out of this […]
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.