IAB Canada is pleased to announce its partnership with The Canadian Press to create a database that will help digital advertisers comply with new election-related rules and enhance the integrity of Canada’s online ad space.
The partnership was formed in the wake of the newly amended Elections Canada Act. The new rules require advertisers to register any campaign-related issue message in addition to the standard political ads we’re used to seeing. Issue ads are those that take a position on a campaign issue but don’t directly identify or mention candidates or parties. A recent example surfaced last week when environmental groups faced the new reality of campaign-period advertising.
Most Canadian publishers accept political advertising through direct channels. But the amendments pose a new challenge for the industry and have created significant barriers to programmatic buying and selling of media during this period. Some players have dropped out of political advertising altogether. That means it’s more critical than ever for the industry to be able to identify issues in real time in order to react accordingly.
IAB Canada and its members have been working to develop a database solution that will do just that. Capitalizing on The Canadian Press’ industry-leading role in covering federal politics – including tracking campaign issues – IAB Canada has deployed a subscription-based database that can be implemented by ad tech over the campaign period to provide the necessary information to aid in compliance.
“We are thrilled to be working with CP on this initiative as a critical step towards providing the digital advertising industry with a technical means to enhance their existing efforts to complying with C-76,” said Sonia Carreno, president of IAB Canada. “The response has been extremely positive from Publishers, Platforms as well as Marketers and the work done in collaboration with CP sheds important light on the complexities that exist within digital advertising as it pertains to moderating and addressing content in an automated landscape. This solution also represents a way forward as regulatory activity continues to come into play for this growing industry.”
“This partnership recognizes CP’s strength in covering federal politics and capitalizes on important election-related journalism we provide to hundreds of customers in Canada,” said Malcolm Kirk, president of The Canadian Press. “And it blends trusted, thorough reporting with the emerging world of data journalism, opening new markets for us.”
About IAB Canada:
Established in 1997, the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (“IAB Canada”) (www.iabcanada.com) is a not-for-profit association exclusively dedicated to the responsible development and promotion of the rapidly growing digital marketing and advertising sector in Canada.
IAB Canada represents over 250 of Canada’s most well-known and respected stakeholders in the digital advertising and marketing sector, including advertisers, agencies, media companies, digital publishers, social media platforms, ad networks, data companies, mobile and video game marketers and developers, measurement companies, service providers, educational institutions, and government associations operating within the space. Our members include numerous small and medium sized enterprises and represent an estimated 80% of the $7.7+ Billion industry in Canada. The Interactive Advertising Bureau has a long history of creating programs that are designed to promote the responsible growth of the online advertising industry in Canada.
About The Canadian Press:
The Canadian Press is Canada’s trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms. For a century, The Canadian Press has kept Canadians informed providing depth, breath and perspective with its award-winning storytelling and unwavering commitment to first-rate journalism. From breaking regional, national and international stories to the biggest events in politics, sports, business, entertainment and lifestyle, The Canadian Press is there when it matters, delivering news about Canadians to Canadians, 24/7/365.
For further information, contact: IAB Canada, scarreno@iabcanada.com