Fiducia

AI slop is not just growing. It is passing the quality checks advertisers rely on — and commanding a premium. A new analysis from the ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark, TAG TrustNet, and Fiducia provides the first statistically rigorous estimate of AI slop in programmatic media. The findings: AI slop accounts for 1.3% to 2.4% of measured open-web programmatic spend — comparable with the 1.1% MFA benchmark. ·      It recorded lower invalid traffic than clean inventory: 0.05% versus 0.32%. ·      It achieved higher viewability: 77.2% versus 74.9%. ·      Its TrueCPM was 15% higher: $7.08 versus $6.15 for clean supply. ·      Advertiser exposure ranged from 0.11% to 13.84% of open-web spend, demonstrating that supply-path decisions can materially influence risk. ·      88% of AI slop inventory also qualified as MFA — but the remaining 12% fell outside existing MFA frameworks. The issue is not whether AI was used. The issue is low-value, mass-produced content created primarily for monetization, with little or no originality, human contribution, or audience value. And the most concerning finding is the verification blind spot: AI slop can look like quality inventory when assessed using conventional metrics. Advertisers should review whether their verification partners distinguish responsible AI-assisted content from AI slop, examine their exposure to long-tail and higher-risk exchange inventory, and strengthen supply-path curation through suppression and inclusion strategies. AI slop exposure is not inevitable. It is increasingly a buying and measurement challenge that advertisers can — and must — actively manage. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eMWGENec #ProgrammaticAdvertising #AISlop #AdTech #MediaQuality #MediaTransparency #BrandSafety #DigitalAdvertising #ANA

Working-media efficiency has reached a new high — but the Q2 2026 ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark shows that advertisers still have significant optimization opportunities. Market-level TrueAdSpend rose to a record 45.1%, up from 43.3% in Q1. Higher-performing advertisers converted 52.3% of spend into TrueImpressions — measurable, viewable, fraud-free, and non-MFA impressions — compared with 31.1% for lower performers. The full story becomes clear when CPM and TrueCPM are evaluated together: ·      Lower performers paid a $6.55 CPM but incurred a $13.80 TrueCPM, representing a 52.5% TrueCPM optimization opportunity. ·      Higher performers paid a $7.90 CPM and incurred an $11.94 TrueCPM, resulting in a significantly smaller 33.8% opportunity. The TrueCPM Index measures this percentage difference. It shows how much can be optimized by closing the gap between the impressions purchased and the impressions that satisfy TrueImpression quality requirements. Other findings include: ·      Lower performers lost 22.7% of spend to non-measurable inventory, compared with 10.4% among higher performers. ·      Higher performers operated across approximately 19,000 fewer domains and apps. ·     CTV remained the largest environment, accounting for 41.6% of tracked spend. The takeaway: a lower headline CPM does not necessarily mean greater efficiency. Advertisers must manage price and quality together to reduce the CPM-to-TrueCPM delta and generate more TrueImpressions from the same investment. Access the Q2 2026 ANA Benchmark report here: https://lnkd.in/e5gfqZkM #ProgrammaticAdvertising #MediaTransparency #AdTech #DigitalAdvertising #MediaQuality #ANA

A must attend if you invest in programmatic advertising.....

First independent agency adopts the ANA Benchmark and TrueKPI Framework — and this is a big signal for the industry Ad+genuity has become the first independent agency to align its programmatic practice with the ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark and TrueKPI Framework — moving beyond CPM-based optimization toward TrueCPM quality- and outcome-driven decisioning. Why does this matter? The latest ANA Benchmark shows a clear shift: • Top-performing advertisers convert 56.7% of spend into effective working media • Lower-performing advertisers convert just 37.5% • And this gap persists despite transaction costs reaching yearly lows The takeaway: quality governance — not cost efficiency — is now the primary driver of programmatic ROI. From transparency to accountability For years, the industry has focused on transparency. But transparency alone doesn’t improve performance. The TrueKPI Framework introduces a more actionable approach: • TrueImpressions — what actually meets quality standards • TrueCPM — what quality impressions really cost • TrueAdSpend — how much of your budget truly works This allows advertisers (and agencies) to move from reporting metrics to optimizing outcomes. Why impression-level data changes everything The ANA Benchmark is powered by impression log-level data, reconciled across delivery, cost, and quality signals. Because here’s the reality: If those signals aren’t connected, SPO decisions are based on incomplete information. When they are connected, the link between: quality, cost and outcomes becomes clear — and actionable. What Ad+genuity is doing differently By adopting the Benchmark and TrueKPI Framework, Ad+genuity can now: • Independently measure how much spend delivers real value • Align media buying with business outcomes (not proxies) • Provide clients with transparent, benchmarked performance • Optimize supply paths based on quality signals, not assumptions As Zeek Coleman, President of Ad+genuity, put it: “It gives our clients a clearer view of what’s working, what’s wasting spend, and how quality drives performance.” The broader industry shift The Benchmark also reflects how programmatic is evolving: • 92%+ of spend now flows through curated PMPs • CTV represents ~40% of spend, with measurement challenges still to solve • Open exchange remains viable — but only when governed by quality signals Bottom line Programmatic has entered an accountability era. The agencies that win will be the ones that: • align with standardized measurement • operate on reconciled data • optimize for quality and outcomes — not just price Ad+genuity is an early example of that shift. More will follow. For the full press release: https://lnkd.in/eZQpVDS3 #Programmatic #SPO #AdTech #MediaQuality #ANA #Transparency #CTV #TAGtoday

ANA Q4 2025 Benchmark Report: Media Quality Is Now Driving Programmatic Performance Programmatic advertising has entered a new phase of maturity — and the latest ANA Benchmark data makes one thing clear: media quality is now the biggest driver of measurable performance outcomes. The advertisers who actively govern supply, reconcile signals, and optimize for quality are pulling decisively ahead. Quality — not just cost — is now the primary driver of programmatic ROI. “Programmatic has entered an accountability era,” said Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA. “Transparency and efficiency are now table stakes. What separates winners is disciplined execution. Advertisers that actively govern quality are converting more of their budgets into benchmark‑qualified impressions, seeing measurably stronger results.” See ANA press release here: https://lnkd.in/eRNwi9KD Download the Q4 2025 ANA Programmatic Benchmark Report here: https://lnkd.in/ezqeiEhG Key Findings From Q4 2025: • The top half of advertisers converted 56.7% of spend into benchmark-qualified impressions, that are fraud-free, measurable, viewable, and MFA-free, compared to 37.5% for the lower half. • Private marketplaces accounted for 92%+ of median spend • CTV represented ~40% of total spend • The Benchmark now incorporates user and ad experience signals, including brand safety, ad clutter, ads to content ratios, and refresh behaviour. These signals reveal inefficiencies that CPM and traditional verification metrics alone cannot detect. While transaction costs remained controlled, outcomes diverged due to delivery quality — particularly rising non-viewable impressions. The data confirms that cost control alone is no longer sufficient. Execution quality determines results. For the first time, the Benchmark also connects quality improvements directly to business ontcomes. Advertiser case studies show that optimizing toward quality-adjusted metrics — not just CPM — delivered nearly 40% lower cost per conversion, even when nominal CPMs increased. The broader shift is clear: • From scale to curation • From static rules to signal-driven optimization • From transparency to accountability Advertisers that invest in log-level transparency, multi-signal governance, and disciplined supply path optimization are converting materially more of their budgets into qualified impressions — and stronger downstream performance. Quality is no longer a hygiene factor. It is now the profit lever. For a deeper analysis and interactive view of the Q4 Benchmark data, access the complimentary ANA Industry Benchmark here with your business email: https://lnkd.in/e5rY-b8K #Programmatic #DigitalAdvertising #SPO #CTV #MediaQuality #ANA #AdTech #tagtoday

Programmatic Enters a New Era of Accountability The ANA Q3 2025 Programmatic Benchmark, that is powered by Fiducia’s data intelligence platform, was released today — revealing $13.6B in efficiency gains as marketers continue to reclaim media value and build a more transparent, accountable programmatic ecosystem. This quarter marks a major milestone: the introduction of Brand Safety and Suitability metrics, showing that 99.1% of programmatic spend occurred in low-risk environments — proof that responsible media investment at scale is now achievable. Key Highlights from the Q3 2025 Benchmark: - $13.6B in efficiency gains as working media share rises to 47.1%, up 11 points since 2023 - CTV TrueImpressions up 15 points, reflecting stronger accountability and optimization - Brand Safety becomes measurable: 99.1% of spend in low-risk environments - MFA exposure at record low — just 0.39% of spend, down by half since Q2 Accountability deepens: Half of participants now have direct supplier contracts - TrueAdSpend up to 39% of total ad spend as transaction costs fall and media productivity rises The ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark, built in partnership with TAG TrustNet and powered by Fiducia’s data intelligence platform, is redefining how marketers measure cost, quality, and accountability across the programmatic supply chain — impression by impression. “Marketers aren’t just cleaning up the supply chain — they’re managing it with precision,” said ANA CEO Bob Liodice. “Programmatic is evolving from an opaque system into one defined by accountability and control.” We’re entering a new era where trust is measurable, efficiency is recoverable, and brand safety is quantifiable — all underpinned by the transparency infrastructure that Fiducia helps enable. Explore the full ANA Q3 2025 Programmatic Transparency Benchmark here: https://lnkd.in/eVdRMbGw ANA Members can now get a read of their own data and contribute their data to the ANA Benchmark, starting at $12,000 per year. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e9GTJPHu ANA and TAG members can also get a complimentary access to the Interactive Benchmark here: https://lnkd.in/e5rY-b8K #ProgrammaticTransparency #MediaAccountability #AdTech #BrandSafety #ANA #TAGTrustNet

ANA Benchmark has been a huge success and we are now taking it to the next level. Sign up now….

ANA Benchmark: Take Control of Your Programmatic Investments Are you flying blind with your programmatic ad spending? Hidden fees, lack of transparency, and missing benchmarks have made it nearly impossible for marketers to truly understand where every dollar goes. That changes now. At the #ANAMasters of Marketing, we’re excited to introduce a new easier, faster and cheaper way for marketers to participate to the #ANABenchmark to gain full visibility into their programmatic supply chain and benchmark their performance against the industry. With the ANA Benchmark, you can: - See your complete cost waterfall — know exactly where your ad dollars are going. - Compare DSP fees, transparency, and efficiency against the market. - Measure carbon emissions and MFA exposure to align with ESG goals. - Access monthly insights and trend analyses to continuously optimize. All in a simple, transparent, and actionable dashboard — built to help you reclaim your share of the $22 billion in programmatic efficiency gains identified in the ANA Programmatic Transparency Study. From signup to insights in under 30 days. Starting at just $12,000 per year for ANA members. Stop guessing. Start knowing. Join the 100 ANA marketers taking control of their programmatic investments for 2026. Learn more or get started: https://lnkd.in/eXwxfuPB Contact: Julie Weitzner – jweitzner@ana.net #ANAMasters #ANABenchmark #ProgrammaticTransparency #MarketingEfficiency #AdTech #MediaTransparency