IAB UK manifesto for growth in digital advertising

Digital advertising is a UK success story. The sector injects over £120bn per year into the UK economy, supports 2 million jobs across the country and funds free-to-access online services which benefit millions of consumers.  

Our sector is driven by creativity, and we’re proud to be a key pillar of the UK’s creative industries. But the digital advertising industry is also a tech and innovation dynamo. Our world-leading ad-tech market makes it possible for businesses to target, optimise and deliver campaigns to consumers in real time. This empowers companies of all sizes – from microbusinesses to global brands – to grow by driving sales, boosting consumer awareness and meeting market needs.    

In short, digital advertising is a powerhouse of the UK economy and needs to be treated as such by all parts of the government.   

What we need to succeed   

1. A pro-innovation, principles-led approach to digital advertising policy: Digital advertising is a tech-driven industry and at the forefront of innovative technologies, so the whole supply chain needs a seat at the table in future conversations on tech policy. Future policy should aim to protect the essential role of digital advertising in enabling media owners and publishers to generate revenue that allows consumers to access news, information, entertainment and so much more at no cost. 

2. Evidence-led regulation supported by industry standards: A partnership approach between regulators and industry, with industry-led standards and tools – like the IAB Gold Standard – recognised and embedded into regulatory frameworks. Regulators should be mindful of the impact of interventions on sustained economic growth and embed this thinking into their regulatory activity.  

3. Equipping all businesses with the tools they need to use digital advertising effectively: by providing guidance and funding for digital advertising initiatives – especially for SMEs who often lack access to this - as part of national and local government programmes. This will help businesses of all sizes develop the skills and confidence to leverage the opportunities of digital advertising to foster growth.  

4. Increased government support to create a safe and secure supply chain: We stand with the government on making the UK a hostile environment for criminals, like fraudsters undertaking illegal activity and using digital ads as a vector to do this. Increased government support to target this behaviour will ensure that the benefits of digital advertising are only felt by the good actors working within the regulatory system.  

The result 

• For publishers: A balanced and stable policy and regulatory environment allows both national and local publishers to deliver high-quality journalism to audiences with the confidence that digital advertising will continue to provide the essential revenue streams needed to sustain this and continue to thrive in a digital world.  

• For ad tech: A regulatory environment that upholds clear industry-led standards and reduces uncertainty around compliance on issues like privacy will mean the ad tech sector can have the confidence to invest in new technologies that will both improve ad performance and enhance consumer privacy. 

• For platforms: A innovation-first approach to regulation will allow platforms to continue to develop the services that consumers want to use, underpinned by digital advertising. Continued clear and transparent industry-led guidelines on digital advertising will help them navigate global regulatory complexities more efficiently and foster stronger partnerships between platforms, advertisers and publishers. It will also allow platforms to continue to harness the benefits of technology to tackle some of the challenges associated with being online, from age assurance technologies to combatting scam ads.