March 2025

• Take a Break from the Buzz in DC!
• BSI - New MFA Tool
• Marketing the Marketer with V Goff-Yu
• On the Road
• Where in the World is TAG
• One More Thing

Bringing the Industry Together... for a Happy Hour!

On April 22nd, TAG will host a “Take a Break from the Buzz” happy hour at their DC Office on 888 17th Street, NW on the 10th floor from 5-7 pm. Please email us info@tagtoday.com if you would like to attend.

Brand Safety Institute Launches MFA Transparency Utility for Publishers

In March, TAG’s partners at the Brand Safety Institute (BSI) announced the launch of an MFA Transparency Utility for Publishers. The no-cost MFA Transparency Utility offers an easy-to-use tool for ad-supported publishers to gain visibility around Made-for-Advertising (MFA) block lists that are used in the industry and evaluate their domains against those lists.

Ad-supported publishers have applauded the efforts of the buy side of the industry to identify MFA sites as a vote of confidence in premium content, but the lack of a clear definition of MFA has created challenges for legitimate publishers that want to ensure their domains are not placed on MFA block lists.  

“This partnership represents a significant step toward reducing information asymmetry in the digital advertising ecosystem,” said Neal Thurman, CEO and co-founder of BSI. “The commitment of the partners participating in this initiative represents a win for publishers who want to better understand and make investments based on what ad buyers value.”

“It is essential that the industry foster an ecosystem that is equitable for publishers, advertisers and agencies alike, and provide equal access to tools that help them understand how inventory is evaluated,” said Kevin Freemore, SVP Media, Technology, and Data at the 4As. “The BSI initiative is a valuable step forward, enabling publishers to gain valuable insights, ultimately enhancing content quality for consumers and creating stronger advertising opportunities for marketers.” 

Through the beta launch period, a number of top-tier publishers have already started using the MFA Transparency Utility. Publishers can submit an application to see data related to domains they own. BSI also welcomes inquiries from other MFA list providers who may want to add their data to the utility. Interested parties can contact BSI at info@brandsafetyinstitute.com.

TAG’s Vanessa Goff-Yu Put in the Hot Seat by NewDigitalAge’s “Marketing the Marketers”

There are many TAG members who have been on the receiving end of an interview by Vanessa Goff-Yu (or V, for short), TAG’s Director of Marketing and Communications, for TAG’s “Member Spotlight” series. This month, V traded places to sit in the hot seat herself for a “Marketing the Marketer” profile with NewDigitalAge.

Excerpts of that conversation follow:

What exactly does your job entail?

I head up the Marketing & Comms department at TAG, the global initiative with a mission to strengthen safety and transparency in digital advertising. …  My day-to-day work involves everything from educating companies through industry insights, sharing best practices; engaging our community through TAG events, collaborating on content with our members, launching products such as new tools, sharing guideline updates, and a wide range of other activities to promote our efforts in the press, online, social media, and face-to-face.

What is the biggest challenge in your sector and how is your company helping to address it?

One of the biggest challenges for TAG in 2025 is staying ahead of evolving threats whilst ensuring the continued effectiveness of existing protections. As fraudsters and bad actors adapt, so must we by continuously working with the TAG Community to strengthen and refine our defences against both emerging and persistent threats. Collaboration with policymakers will also be critical in raising awareness of the success of self-regulatory programs like TAG and driving policies that promote a safer ecosystem. By fostering industry-wide cooperation, advancing best practices, and maintaining open dialogue with policymakers, we can build a more resilient and secure digital advertising ecosystem.

What is the biggest opportunity in your sector and how is your company helping to make the most of it?

The biggest opportunity for self-regulatory organisations like TAG lies in expanding industry collaboration to new stakeholders and digital channels. For example, leading companies are increasingly recognising the importance of brand safety and are eager to implement best practices to prevent ad fraud, protect ad placements, and increase transparency. TAG is seizing this opportunity by working closely with new stakeholders across more sectors and emerging platforms, ensuring that industry standards remain effective and adaptable. Additionally, we are strengthening our collaboration with governments to promote a safer digital ecosystem and raise awareness of TAG’s impact in shaping policies that enhance trust and accountability across the industry.

Talking Transparency at POSSIBLE 

On Monday, April 28th, TAG CEO Mike Zaneis will take part in a panel on “The Transparency Gap: Why We Need More Than Certification To Improve Brand Safety & Working Media” at POSSIBLE in Miami.

Other panelists will include Tyler Romasco, SVP, Global Publisher Development, OpenX; Julie Weitzner, SVP, Brand & Media, ANA; and Melissa Gallo, Executive Director, Head of Client Success, CVS.

Team TAG are always looking to connect with the TAG Community wherever they are! 

In the coming months, you can find us at:

		ANA Media Conference (31st March - 2nd April) Orlando, FL US
		IAB Public Policy & Legal Summit (22nd April) Washington, DC US
		ANA Financial & Management Conference (27th - 30th April) Carlsbad, CA US
		Possible (28th - 30th April) Miami, FL US
		Beeler.tech's Navigator (6th May) New York City, NY US

If you're going to be there and want to connect with us over a beverage, then reach out to us below!

Keep Up-To-Date With The Working Group Brief

TAG's working groups are a crucial source point of conversation and collaboration for digital advertising. Make sure you stay up to date with the latest progress and developments with the Workin Group Brief. 

Read the latest Working Group Brief 👉 tagtoday.net/working-groups

Leverage TAG Research into Your Everyday!

From APAC Fraud Snapshot reports, to UK Brand Safety Consumer reports, to Best Practices whitepapers, TAG's research is here to support our member's day-to-day compliance as well as strategic planning. 

Visit our Data and Insight page 👉 tagtoday.net/insights

Let's Make Some Noise Together 🤝

We love it when TAG members highlight our work together to fight digital ad crime and improve transparency. Please send any TAG-related press releases, blogs, or other announcements to Andrew Weinstein at andrewwstn@gmail.com for review before release.