Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Essence and m/SIX Independently Audited and Certified for Compliance with Best Industry Brand Safety Practices

JICWEBS’ Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG) Good Practice Principles demonstrate the collective commitment to comply with top industry brand safety practices

London, 24 June 2020 — GroupM U.K., WPP’s media investment group, today announced that, following an independent audit, all five of its U.K. agencies have achieved the JICWEBS Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG) Good Practice Principles for brand safety, verified by industry-owned media auditor ABC.  

Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Essence and m/Six have now been certified for compliance with the JICWEBS Brand Safety principles, demonstrating the collective commitment to comply with top industry brand safety practices. This is the latest achievement within the group with GroupM, various internal divisions and Xaxis having also previously achieved the certification.  

The aim of the Good Practice Principles is to enhance transparency in the U.K. digital display advertising market, ultimately giving brands greater confidence that their advertising will reach the right audience and will not be associated with content that could jeopardise brand reputation.  

Throughout the audit process, Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Essence and m/Six have demonstrated that their internal brand safety practices are fully in line with the best industry practices, across different channels including programmatic and social.  

“We are thrilled to have all GroupM U.K. agencies join the line-up of our businesses (Xaxis, INCA, Programmatic Services and GroupM Premium Supply) who hold the DTSG seal for best brand safety practices,” said Stevan Randjelovic, Director of Brand Safety and Digital Risk at GroupM EMEA. “With every day passing, it is clear that brand safety remains a prevalent concern and priority for the industry. Our recently published Brand Safety Playbook looks into these new challenges and provides guidance on how to address them. By certifying our agencies, who account for a lion share of the UK ad spend, we continue to hold our business accountable to the high standards.”    

The Good Practice Principles are industry-approved guidelines that media buyers, publishers or intermediaries are verified against. The standards are in place to enhance transparency in the U.K. digital display advertising market.     

The aim of the Principles, and ABC’s verification programme, is to ultimately give brands greater confidence that their advertising will reach the right audience and will not be associated with content that could jeopardise brand reputation. 

“We are delighted to have audited all GroupM U.K. agencies to the JICWEBS Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG) Good Practice Principles,” said Simon Redlich, Chief Executive at ABC. “Our auditing services give the industry confidence about compliance with JICWEBS industry-agreed standards, raising the bar in the important area of brand safety.” 

For more information on the principles, visit https://jicwebs.org/standards/brand-safety/.