Will Leverage Extensive Self-Regulatory Experience to Oversee Launch of ANA-4A’s-IAB Compliance Organization to Combat Ad Fraud, Malware, & Piracy
NEW YORK, NY (November 3, 2014) — The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced today that Linda Woolley has been named president and CEO of TAG (Trustworthy Accountability Group), the joint marketing-media industry program to eradicate digital advertising fraud, malware, ad-supported piracy, and other deficiencies in the digital communications supply chain.
Formerly known as the Trustworthy Digital Supply Chain Initiative, TAG is a first-of-its-kind cross-industry accountability program to create transparency in the business relationships and transactions that undergird the digital ad industry, while continuing to enable the astonishing levels of innovation that have propelled digital advertising into the largest ad medium in the United States. The IAB, ANA, and 4A’s announced their joint plans to create the new collective organization at the IAB MIXX Conference in September 2014. The group will operationalize principles around these critical issues, monitor the ecosystem for compliance, and develop incentives for broad industry participation and consequences for untrustworthy actors.
“An effort of TAG’s magnitude needs strong and insightful leadership – the kind of leadership Linda has long demonstrated,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. “She has the ability to bring people together and get results. She also is not afraid to take bold steps to fix problems. We are thrilled she agreed to create and run TAG.”
Woolley was a member of the Advertising Self-Regulatory Council’s board of directors from 2012 to 2014. Her extensive leadership experience includes nearly six years in executive roles at the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), where she most recently served as CEO and President, and before that as head of the association’s public policy office in Washington. Prior to that, Woolley spent more than 30 years in public affairs, government relations and policy via her own firm, LegisLaw Consulting, as well as ITT Industries, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Health & the Environment. She holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y., and a juris doctorate from American University’s Washington College of Law.
“We are so lucky to have Linda spearheading TAG,” said Nancy Hill, President and CEO, 4A’s. “She is an experienced CEO, entrepreneur and lawyer, and she understands the digital ecosystem – making her perfect for the job.”
“Fraud in the online advertising space is a long-standing problem, and the time is now to solve it,” said Bob Liodice, President and CEO, ANA. “Linda’s experience with creating powerful self-regulatory groups, particularly the Digital Advertising Alliance, is just the right experience to build TAG and tackle the fraud problem.”
TAG is being created with the intent to spur an industry-wide change in behavior at an unprecedented scale, focusing on four core areas: eliminating fraudulent traffic, combating malware, fighting ad-supported Internet piracy, and promoting brand safety through greater transparency.
“Establishing a trustworthy digital supply chain – and rooting out fraud – is one of the most important things we can be doing right now,” said Woolley. “The CEOs of IAB, ANA, and the 4A’s have shown remarkable leadership and foresight to create TAG. I am honored to be working with them on this groundbreaking project.”
For more information on the new cross-industry compliance organization, please visit iab.com/trustworthy_supply_chain.
About the 4A’s
The American Association of Advertising Agencies is the national trade association of advertising agencies providing leadership, advocacy, guidance and education for its members who comprise virtually all of the large, multinational agencies and hundreds of mid-to-small size agencies around the country. For more information, visit the 4A’s Web site at http://www.aaaa.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or join our LinkedIn group.
About the ANA
The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) provides leadership that advances marketing excellence and shapes the future of the industry. Founded in 1910, ANA’s membership includes more than 630 companies with 10,000 brands that collectively spend over $250 billion in marketing and advertising. The ANA pursues “collaborative mastery” that advances the interests of marketers and promotes and protects the well-being of the marketing community. For more information, visit http://www.ana.net, follow us on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.
About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. It is comprised of more than 650 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising or marketing campaigns. Together, they account for 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. The organization is committed to professional development, elevating the knowledge, skills, and expertise of individuals across the digital marketing industry. The IAB also educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City.
IAB Media Contact:
Laura Goldberg
347.683.1859
[email protected]
4As Media Contact:
Rose Levy
202.262.1635
[email protected]
ANA Media Contact:
Duke Fanelli
212.455.8030
[email protected]
