IAB Australia has called for shared data standards across the advertising industry, following a review that found confidence in measuring individual media channels remains stronger than confidence in assessing advertising’s combined impact on business outcomes.
The findings come from the first wave of IAB Australia’s Future of Measurement review, which identified data consistency and integration as key challenges for Australian media measurement. The review found that the industry has multiple measurement methods available but faces difficulties combining data to evaluate advertising effectiveness across channels.
Natalie Stanbury, Director of Research at IAB Australia, said the industry needed stronger foundations rather than another standalone measurement method.
“The consistent message from respondents is that the industry doesn’t need another standalone measurement method. It needs to build on strong foundations, starting with a common standard for structured campaign data that every measurement method can rely on,” Stanbury said.
Data consistency and cross-media measurement
The review found strong support for a common taxonomy for campaign data used in marketing mix modelling, attribution and experimentation. It pointed to the US Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Campaign Data Standards 1.0, released in August 2026, as existing work that Australia could adapt.
IAB Australia also identified cross-media audience measurement as a significant unresolved challenge. Channel-specific measurement systems largely operate separately, limiting the integration and comparison of audience data across media.
The review highlighted the integration of OzTAM and Ipsos iris data as a potential model for combining datasets. It also found continued support for independent, standardised, comparable, transparent and audited digital audience data to help media owners and agencies assess advertising environments and allocate investment.
Suzie Cardwell, Chair of IAB Australia and Chief Data, Product and Technology Officer – Enterprise at Nine, said consistent campaign data was essential to effective measurement.
“If campaign data isn’t clean, consistent, and comparable across channels, no amount of modelling sophistication will make up for it,” Cardwell said.
AI and data collaboration challenges
The review found that data clean rooms were frequently identified as a solution for privacy-safe data collaboration but remained among the least implemented approaches in practice.
It also noted that artificial intelligence could automate data preparation, modelling and reporting, but would not resolve problems caused by poor-quality data. The increasing use of AI in advertising buying also raises questions about the evidence used to inform automated decisions.
The review cited separate IAB US research showing that only 39 per cent of US buy-side decision-makers use marketing mix modelling, attribution and incrementality measurement together.
IAB Australia said the findings had informed eight priority areas and proposed initiatives for further consideration by its Measurement, Ad Effectiveness, Data, Retail and Commerce Media Councils. The work will help inform the organisation’s measurement strategy for 2027.