Octave Audio has become the first digital audio business to be accredited with the IAB Gold Standard 2.1 certification, the company has announced.
The brand is a start-up project under parent companies Bauer Media and News UK, dedicated to building effective digital audio campaigns through the use of first-party shared data from the both networks’ line of media titles, podcasts, and applications.
This certificate, which is awarded by the UK’s Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), verifies that organisations are up to standard in the advertising sector by examining areas like brand safety, ad fraud, consumer experience, and privacy.
“A huge congratulations to the team at Octave Audio on their Gold Standard 2.1 certification! Octave is one of the first of our members in the audio space to become Gold Standard certified, after we developed the criteria in 2022 to incorporate businesses involved in digital audio, CTV and gaming,” said head of ad tech at IAB UK, Chloe Nicholls.
“It’s really exciting to see the Gold Standard evolve into digital audio, reflecting the huge growth this sector is seeing, and we greatly value Octave’s active support for the Gold Standard as we work to uphold shared industry standards.”
In addition to this award, Octave Audio also recently earned its brand safety certification seal under the Trustworthy Accountability Group, an association dedicated to the global cause of reducing criminal activity within the digital advertising industry. After being audited by third-party company ABC, the non-profit company concluded that Octave has complied with industry standards and practices to ensure brand safety.
“Implementing robust brand safety measures has become a basic requirement for most marketers and agencies when selecting their digital advertising partners,” said TAG managing director in the UK and Europe, Jules Kendrick. “By achieving TAG’s Brand Safety Certified Seal, Octave is demonstrating its commitment to reducing the risk of ad misplacement and therefore protecting its clients from potential brand damage. We look forward to working with Octave to continue to raise brand safety standards across our industry.”
Octave Audio’s portfolio of work includes audio campaigns across brands such as Amazon Music, Starbucks, Co-op, Skoda, and more. In September 2022, the company launched a scalable podcasting solution which will allow brands and agencies to access a podcast inventory with over 1,000 titles.
“As the UK digital audio industry continues to grow, the importance of engaging with and upholding industry-wide standards is key to the digital audio medium, fulfilling its vast potential,” said head of product and strategy at Octave Audio, Tom McKay.
“Being one of only a handful of digital audio businesses to achieve the IAB gold Standard 2.1 & TAG Brand Safety Certified Seal, this firmly cements Octave’s position as a frontrunner in innovation and shows a firm commitment to upholding standards for our clients.”
