Media rating Council or MRC is a non-profit organization based in the United States. It manages accreditation for rating purposes and media research.
The video-sharing giant YouTube has become the very first digital platform that received accreditation from MRC for content-level brand safety for YouTube Views. According to Debbie Weinstein, the YouTube & Video Global Solutions Vice President, the company’s years of commitment to responsibility are the reason for this accreditation. Youtube is committed to protecting its viewers, creators, as well as advertisers from any form of harm. The company does this by investing in technology, staffing, and policy development.
Weinstein added that as of now, the video-sharing giant’s ongoing commitment allowed it to reach a significant milestone for the advertising industry and YouTube. As a result, it became the first digital platform that ever received accreditation for content-level brand safety from MRC.
Content Safety For YouTube Views is Real
Moreover, she further stated that the accreditation given by MRC confirms how effective the strong content level brand safety systems of YouTube are. Weinstein said that they received the said accreditation after an extensive audit, reviewing the policies that determine the videos that can be on YouTube. The policies that she mentioned also determine the videos that are eligible for monetization with advertising. In addition, the technology that the company uses to analyze the videos on the platform and its team of human raters that supplement its tech’s automated classifications were also analyzed. This ensures real YouTube views are as safe as can realistically be
According to George W. Ivie, MRC Executive Director, and CEO, when they issued YouTube’s guidelines in 2018, they know that they have set a high standard for brand safety protection. And thanks to the years that the company dedicated to brand safety and to the audit process of MRC, YouTube has already met that standard. Also, this ongoing commitment shows other digital platforms the path that they need to follow.
Marc S. Pritchard, the Chief Brand Officer of Procter & Gamble, says that the MRC accreditation is both a milestone and a testament to the sustained commitment of Youtube in allowing brands to advertise in safe environments. He is also hoping that this milestone will encourage other digital platforms to do the same. Besides, he wishes for the progress to continue towards a responsible media supply chain.
YouTube’s Accreditation is Built Upon Its Commitment to Protecting Advertisers
According to Weinstein, the reason why YouTube received the MRC accreditation is due to the commitment of the platform to protecting its advertisers. She said that they are committed to staying at least 99 percent effective in making sure that brands can safely place advertisements on YouTube. No matter what challenges lie ahead of the company, Weinstein said that they would stay alert and humble. This will allow them to become the best possible partner to advertisers as they continually support a responsible ecosystem.
The Things You Need to Know About the Media Rating Council
The Media Rating Council or MRC is an independent organization based in the United States. Its aim is to improve the quality of audience measurement through the use of rating services. In addition, it ensures that all the information that a vendor provides is valid and reliable. As a result, it reduces the disparity to the maximum level possible. Moreover, it also prevents any biased tweaks in the service and technology.
Any vendor has the chance to get accreditation from MRC. To do this, they must complete a number of rounds of audits. After the audits are completed, the MRC Certificate will be awarded to the service.
What is an MRC Certification?
The MRC certification aids a vendor or audience measurement provider to win the confidence of marketers as well as to get their trust.
However, it is important to note that if a company is accredited by the MRC, it does not mean that its measurement is entirely accurate or reliable. Rather, it means that the organization is maintaining a minimum quality standard by adopting particular criteria that are set by the MRC.
A Seal of Approval
Scammers and fraudsters are increasing in various digital platforms. For this reason, it has become important for technology vendors to get accreditation from the council. In fact, having been accredited has somewhat become a competitive advantage for digital platforms. For instance, Innvoid had seen a significant increase in closed deals when it received the MRC Certificate.
Moreover, Innvoid’s co-founder and CTO Tal Chalozin said that Innvoid annually submits its values for MRC Approval. In fact, they have been asked if they have MRC approval by all the agencies and brands that they are working with. For this reason, they decided to apply for accreditation from the MRC.
Also, it is not just Innvoid that applied for the MRC accreditation. Instead, marketers from various companies also highlighted how important this accreditation is by saying that it is the most imperative currency in the digital space.
Is the MRC Accreditation Important?
One thing worth noting is that the MRC accreditation is not for closing more deals. However, it is still an added advantage. In fact, it provides a higher purpose of saving your brand.
Way back in 2016, Facebook was misleading the brands by giving them imprecise information. It also wrongly charged advertisers. As a result, these advertisers were forced to pay from their own wallets. But Facebook tried to repair this damage by refunding advertisers the full amount. Facebook then decided to undergo the MRC Certification process.
Similarly, the micro-blogging platform Twitter is also undergoing audits with the MRC. The aim of the social media platform is to win the trust of advertisers and to show that its platform is legitimate and effective.
Needless to say, the MRC accreditation is something that every digital platform must apply for.