IPG Mediabrands Becomes the First Media Holding Company to Achieve Global TAG Platinum Status for High Brand Safety, Fraud and Malware Best Standards

As marketers, agencies and platforms strive to provide safer online environments, IPG Mediabrands, the media holding company within the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), announced that it achieved TAG Platinum status globally from TAG (the Trustworthy Accountability Group), the leading global initiative fighting criminal activity and increasing trust in the digital advertising industry.

Additionally, three IPG Mediabrands companies have achieved TAG Platinum accreditation, which certifies entities that have set industry best practices around brand safety, fraud reduction, and malware prevention.

Reprise, Kinesso and Matterkind, IPG Mediabrands performance and technology units, join media agencies UM and Initiative and intelligence arm MAGNA which received TAG’s global certification earlier this year.

TAG Platinum status signifies that a company has achieved the TAG Certified Against Fraud, Certified Against Malware, and Brand Safety Certified Seals by setting robust standards in each of those areas to protect their clients and partners against those threats.

“TAG Platinum status is the highest honor that TAG awards to companies for demonstrating their commitment to protecting the digital advertising supply chain against its most significant threats,” said Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG. “We commend IPG Mediabrands and its multiple companies for achieving TAG Platinum status and demonstrating their leadership in fighting fraud, combating malware, and creating safer environments for advertisers and audiences.”

These TAG certifications were awarded as IPG Mediabrands continues to further its commitment to brand safety, inclusivity, sustainability and data ethics, components that are core to the network’s DNA and come to life through initiatives like its industry-leading Media Responsibility Index (MRI).

Now in its fourth iteration, the expansive and research-driven MRI has evolved from a set of media responsibility principles to a research assessment, and now an actionable toolset for brands and planners to put responsibility at the heart of every investment decision. As it stands today, the MRI evaluates how 150+ global media partners, from social media platforms to CTV, are upholding responsible practices.

“The focused development of the MRI to drive industry accountability and power responsible advertising investment is an important underpinning to our Media for Good positioning, putting responsibility and accountability at the heart of every media decision,” said Leigh Terry, CEO IPG Mediabrands APAC.

“This work is incredibly important to us at IPG Mediabrands and has become intrinsically woven into the DNA of who we are as an organisation. We are incredibly proud to be recognized as the first holding group to achieve TAG platinum status.”

“As brands and consumers demand a safer and more transparent digital sphere, so should agencies take greater efforts towards fighting ad crime on all fronts,” said Bala Pomaleh, CEO of Mediabrands Malaysia.

“Mediabrands as a network is leading the way towards implementing industry best practices across brand safety threats, fraud and ad crime, which have been well recognized by TAG with this platinum status.

This effort is ongoing across all our agency brands as we look to play our part in forging greater accountability and answerability in the advertising supply chain.”