IAB/MRC RetailMedia Measurement
Guidelines Explainer
January 2024
Developed by Boston Consulting GroupContents
Introduction......................................................................................................

1

Guidelines Chapter 1......................................................................................................

4

Guidelines Chapter 2......................................................................................................

5

Guidelines Chapter 3......................................................................................................

6

Guidelines Chapter 4......................................................................................................

8

Guidelines Chapter 5......................................................................................................

9

Guidelines Chapter 6......................................................................................................

10

Contributors to IAB/MRC Guidelines......................................................................................................

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Data Collection,
Processing, and Quality Control
Audience Measurement andMetrics

Digital Ad Delivery and Viewability
Guidelines and Best Practices
When Measuring Incrementality
Reporting and Transparency
In-Store Digital Place-Based
Environments Measurement

IntroductionT

he retail media landscape is evolving rapidly, as retailers big and small launch their own advertising and analytics
platforms to court brands and agencies. Although ad spend on retail media is predicted to reach $60 billion in the
U.S. alone by 2024, the lack of consistent measurement standards across retailers has raised concerns. To addressthese challenge, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Media Rating Council (MRC) have released the IAB/MRC
Retail Media Measurement Guidelines.
The new guidelines outline best practices for retail media networks in everything from data collection and reporting toviewability metrics and audience measurement. For retailers, brands, and agencies grappling with the rapid growth of retail
media, these guidelines provide a much-needed framework for gauging performance, optimizing investments, and building
trust on both the buy and sell sides.

A Peek into the Guidelines
The primary objective of the IAB/MRC Retail Media Measurement Guidelines is to develop a modern measurement
framework that encompasses onsite, offsite, online, and in-store ads, and facilitates collaboration between the buy and sellsides. The guidelines are based on four General Measurement Principles, listed below with summaries of their essential
components:Transparency andConsistency

Accuracy andReliability

Privacy and Security

Compliance with
Industry Standards

Standardized
definitions andmethodologies

Advancedmethodologies andtechnologies tominimize errors

Upholdingregulations such as
GDPR and CCPA,
ensuring robust dataprotection

Conformity with bestpractices set by the
MRC, IAB, and otherindustry stakeholders

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Key Implications of the New Measurement Guidelines
What Retailers Need to Do
For retailers powering their own media networks, the new IAB guidelines, paired with existing MRC standards andguidelines, have several technology and process compliance implications. Recommendations for retailers:
Implement viewability tracking for ads served onsite as well as offsite. This includes adding necessary pixels, tags,
and code for viewability vendors.
Measure viewability consistently across devices and platforms. Apply specific click qualifiers for desktop andmobile, recognizing the higher likelihood of accidental clicks as on mobile browsers and apps.
Because retail sites may be prone to scraping, use frameworks like IAB/ABC’s Spiders & Bots List to filter out
invalid traffic (IVT).
Conduct periodic audits and calibrate measurement tools to maintain data quality and accuracy.
Provide robust disclosure on methodologies used for measurement, data adjustment, or modeling.
Maintain transparency regarding measurement partners, data sources, and attribution models used.
Report online and in-store sales/outcomes separately.
Adhere to privacy regulations and data protection best practices. Anonymize, aggregate, or mask data as required.

What Brands Should Ask
The guidelines enable brands advertising on retail media platforms to advocate for transparency, consistency, andaccuracy. Some questions for brands to discuss with their retail media partners:
What viewability metrics are you providing? How are you measuring viewability?
Are you MRC-accredited? If not, are you compliant with IAB/MRC standards?
How are you detecting and filtering invalid traffic (IVT) on your platform?
How do you track online vs. offline sales? How do you attribute sales to different marketing touchpoints, and whatsales do you count?
How do you model attribution for unknown data? What are the data assumptions and how are you
minimizing data bias?
For in-store media, how are proximity and viewability measured?
How are you adhering to privacy regulations and protecting consumer data?
Having clear answers to these questions as per the IAB/MRC Guidelines will help brands invest with confidence and optimize spend on retail media.

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Why Agencies Should Care
For agencies managing investment across retail media platforms, the guidelines enable stronger governance for thischannel. Requirements for agencies:
Guide brands toward requiring transparency from retailers as per the IAB/MRC Guidelines.
Conduct audits and assessments of retail media partners on behalf of brands.
Highlight viewability and invalid traffic (IVT) filtration as necessary capabilities when evaluating partners.
Analyze retail media performance data with skepticism; clarify uncertainties in measurement and modeling.
Provide independent perspective on attribution models and sales impact claimed by retailers.
Ensure retailers’ adherence to data transparency, privacy, and security requirements.
Agencies play a key advocacy role for brands in what remains a nascent, complex channel. With their breadth of media
expertise and client rosters, they can help elevate standards across RMNs based on the IAB/MRC Guidelines.

The Road Ahead
By rallying industry stakeholders around a common set of guidelines, IAB and MRC have taken an important first step.
Continued work will be needed, including:

Certification programs tovalidate compliance frommeasurement vendors

Global standards asretail media expands
worldwide

Updates as measurement
capabilities and privacy
regulations evolve

Further granularity forchannels like Connected
TV and new retailplatforms

With proactive collaboration across brands, agencies, retailers, and industry partners IAB and MRC, the future looks bright forretail media. But measurement will remain the bedrock, guiding investment toward greater efficiency and effectiveness.

How to Use This Explainer
1.

Review Each Chapter of the Guidelines: This guide contains an “explainer” for each chapter in the IAB/MRC Guidelines so your team can identify the most important points and where you need a more in-depth understanding. Eachchapter also includes key takeaways for RMNs.

2.

Implement and Validate: Use the guidelines to shape your strategies and periodically validate their efficacy.

3.

Engage with the Ecosystem: Collaboration is key. Regular interaction across brands, agencies, and RMNs will reinforce collective adherence to, and sharing of, best practices.

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Guidelines Chapter 1

Data Collection, Processing, and Quality Control
Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Ensure you have validation and verification (e.g., comparing data against known benchmarks and checking acrosssources) set up for all your data sources.
Establish secure and compliant data storage (through, e.g., encryption, access control, data retention policies).
Standardize and regularly validate (annually, at a minimum) measurement methodologies.
To maintain data quality, explore third-party audits of data processes, implement data cleaning measures to detectand filter out invalid traffic (IVT), and provide confidence intervals in data reporting.

Retailers can take steps in two key areas to ensure quality data:

Data collection and processing

Data quality checks and monitoring•

Employ a unified approach to capture,
aggregate, and process data, ensuring
accuracy and minimizing bias acrossdiverse data sources.

••

Conduct regular and robust data quality
assurance practices including source
validation, consistency checks, and data
cleaning.

Ensure data accuracy, consistency,
and completeness via calibrated tools,
standardized data collection and measurement methodologies, and integration of data from multiple sources.

••

Establish secure and compliant data
storage practices and clear data retention
policies.

Filter out invalid traffic (e.g., bots) andduplicates; maintain and update listof filters by subscribing to IAB/ABCs
Spiders & Bots List.

•

Implement robust data processing
and quality control procedures via
data cleansing, filtering, validating,and monitoring.

•

Regularly audit data quality review
processes through independent
third-party reviews to ensure
adherence to quality standards.

•

Include error rates and confidence
intervals in data reporting.

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Guidelines Chapter 2

Audience Measurement and Metrics
Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Ensure counting is done as close as possible to final ad delivery, filter out IVT (e.g., bots), and disclose measurement
methods.
Invest in loyalty programs to enhance customer identification and allow for more effective audience measurement andsegmentation (e.g., geographic, demographic, behavioral).
Capture accurate audience size and engagement, actual ad interaction, campaign frequency, and duration of ad
exposure.
Maintain transparent consumer privacy policies and opt-in practices for cross-device tracking.
For identifying users across devices, prioritize a deterministic (relying on personally identifiable information) over aprobabilistic (utilizing anonymous data points and signal correlations) approach to maximize accuracy.

For retail media, the bare minimum measurement capabilities RMNs provide to brands should
include clear audience segmentation, understanding of audience level, reach, and frequency andidentity matching for identification of unique users across devices.

Potential audience features
•
•
•
•
•

Demographic: age, gender, income, education, occupation
Geographic: country, region, city, postal code
Behavioral: browsing history, search queries, purchase history
Psychographic: personality, values, attitudes, lifestyle
Third-party audience: other organizations’ audience segmentation (not required forretailers)

Metrics and methodologies for capturing audience reach and engagement•••

For audience size and engagement, tracking how frequently an ad is seen via viewable
impressions, unique visitors, dwell time
Actual ad interactions captured through clicks, taps, or swipes
Intensity of reach and `potential impact tracked via frequency and duration of ad exposure

Identity-matching techniques
•
•
•



Deterministic: Best for identifying users
across devices; leverages personally identifiable
information for device match
Probabilistic: Utilizes anonymous data points
and signal correlations for device match

Limitations: Deterministic methods
struggle with scale and cross-device user
identification, while probabilistic methods
are less accurate due to reliance onmodeled data

Hybrid: Enhances accuracy and scalability when user-level data is limited

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Guidelines Chapter 3

Digital Ad Delivery and Viewability
Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Report on all MRC-required viewability-related metrics, including viewable impressions and ad completion metrics, forvideo and interactive ads.
Meet MRC general invalid traffic (GIVT) requirements and strive for sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) compliance.
Move towards using viewable impressions for attribution of outcomes.
Provide relevant data elements to advertisers to use in their marketing mix model (MMM).
Disclose attribution windows (lookback periods) and extrapolation techniques when consumers unidentified.

Retailers can take steps in two key areas to ensure quality data:

Ad Impressions:
Ad impressions are counted when delivered ads render on a user’s device without a guarantee that the ad wasviewed.
Viewable Impressions:
Actual visibility is measured via viewable impressions, with display ads requiring 50% of pixels visible for one
continuous second and video ads needing 50% visibility for two continuous seconds.
Invalid Traffic (IVT):
General invalid traffic (GIVT) is required to be removed; best-in-class organizations will also remove sophisticatedinvalid traffic (SIVT). Outcome measurement that does not include SIVT filtration should have clear disclaimers,
and be reported separately. Retailers can employ site governance to block nefarious bot activity and report on it
differently, but it must still be included in GIVT.
Reporting Requirements:
Granular (i.e. user/instance) reporting on impressions, viewability, video duration, completion metrics, and IVT
filtration are required as part of IAB/MRC Guidelines and Standards.
Outcome Metrics
Outcome metrics (e.g., clicks) are used to evaluate the effectiveness/impact of online and offline ad campaigns.
Viewable impressions are required for attribution of outcomes to ad exposures; attribution metrics for
non-viewable impressions should be accompanied by disclaimers.
Outcome measurement methodologies—like strong user interactions (clicks/taps), first-party data (panels/
surveys), and randomized control experiments—can act as alternatives to viewability requirements, but should
undergo strict quality control to minimize biases and errors.
Ads should measure clicks in line with IAB/MRC standards, ensuring click resolution, linking clicks to valid
impressions, and directly associating these clicks with attributed conversions.

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Attribution
Appropriate weighting, windowing, modeled attribution of unknown data, and bias minimization are key
elements of attribution for properly assigning credit for consumer actions (e.g., visits, sales).
Retail media measurement organizations should adopt consistent and comparable attribution windows(typically 3, 7, 14, 28, or 30 days) for digital measurement; establish a reasonable maximum window withclear disclosure to users; and provide day-level data granularity for reconciling differences across various
attribution windows.
Advertisers should be provided with data including DMA, format, time, daily/weekly, impressions, clicks,
campaign, audience, device, and cost to facilitate integration with a brand’s MMM.
Traffic Sources:
Measured activity segmentation and disclosure by traffic sources (e.g., site banner, onsite search, offline
search, offline social, etc.) at a campaign level.

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Guidelines Chapter 4

Guidelines and Best Practices
When Measuring Incrementality

Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Measure incrementality using one of the IAB-recommended methods: randomized control trials, synthetic controls, ormatched-market tests.
Disclose chosen incrementality methodology, assumptions, and limitations; use third-party audits for validity andaccuracy; retain raw data for auditing.

Incrementality in retail media quantifies the causal impact of marketing strategies on outcomessuch as sales, isolated from other business influences and attributed to advertising campaigns.
Methodologies••••

Randomized control trials (RCT) or A/B tests randomly assign individuals to different conditions to assess
their impact using statistical techniques (e.g., t-tests, analysis of covariance, and regression analysis) to compare
effectiveness across two groups.
Synthetic controls are used to calculate campaign sales lift by creating a post-campaign control group of
non-exposed consumers with characteristics similar to those of exposed ones. When employing such controls,consider factors like purchase and digital behavior, employ propensity scoring, and criteria to avoid bias.
Matched-market tests (common for in-store media) are used to compare two similar markets—one targetedin a marketing campaign and one not — to observe incremental impact. Methodological rigor in order to isolate
the incremental sales effect and minimize data bias is important.
Other machine learning models are used to measure the increase of specific outcome metrics caused bya campaign. (This usually involves building a more complex predictive model.)Data Types••

Deterministic data is highly accurate, using precise user data (e.g., login data, user IDs, loyalty program data) andshould be prioritized to form the baseline of incremental analysis.
Probabilistic data predicts user behavior using statistical techniques and should be used in multi-platform
scenarios when deterministic data is insufficient.

Data Sources•

Media spend data: spend on each channel from impressions
or clicks; deterministic
Sales data: marketing KPIs; detverministic•••

Competitor and market conditions data: usually sourced from third parties/public databases
Customer attitudinal data: e.g., customer sentiment and brand awareness; probabilistic
Digital data: data from digital platforms such as click-through rates and web analytics data•

two mostly commonlyused data sources

Limitation: Incrementality within the retailer’s ecosystem may not consider broader market impact.
Transparency•••

MRC standards stress transparency in incrementality methodology, assumptions, and limitations.
Ensure accuracy in data reporting and run periodic validation:§ For deterministic data, validate data completeness, consistency, and reliability.
§ For probabilistic/synthetic data, use well-established statistical methods and validate models
with actual data.
Retain raw data for auditing; document data processing procedures.

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Guidelines Chapter 5

Reporting and Transparency
Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Adhere to privacy regulations (e.g., proper permissions, clear privacy policies, bias disclosure, privacy impact
assessments).
Provide granular reporting, going beyond just clicks to include metrics such as resolved clicks, post-click activity, andconversions, broken down by viewability metrics such as device type, ad format, size, placement, and timing.
Disclose measurement methods, partners, limitations, biases, and non-viewable/non-measured impressions.
Explore metrics for capturing campaign impact more appropriately than ROAS—e.g., new-to-brand/new-to-category,
category share growth, or digital shelf share.

Important considerations for retail media reporting metrics:
IAB defines the following metrics:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Category Share Growth - Measures advertised brand growth against overall category growth during a media
campaign. Methodology involves a before-and-after analysis for directional insights, accounting for factors beyond ad
exposure.
Category Change - Assesses growth or decline in total sales within a category over time. Methodology considers
multiple factors like new entrants, seasonality, and market pressures, with retailer responsibility for reporting category
trends and brand share shifts.
Attributable Direct Sales/ROAS/Conversions - Tracks outcomes attributed to viewable ads per MRC standards,
associated with specific SKUs or determined by the brand partner. Methodology requires disclosure if attribution isbased on viewability or extrapolation.
% of New Buyers - Identifies the number or percentage of new brand buyers who saw an ad within a specifictimeframe. Retailers must provide a transparent methodology, including time-based grading models.
New-to-Brand/New-to-Category/Upsell/Cross-sell - Defines new buyers of a brand or in a category and those 		purchasing higher-priced or different products within the same brand. Methodology requires transparency ontimeframe definitions and participation of brands/agencies in defining measured units.
Repeat Customers/Purchase Frequency - Measures shoppers buying the same product within a defined timeframe
but not in the same session. Methodology includes transparent timeframe definitions and attribution windows.
Incrementality - Assesses the causal impact of marketing on outcomes like sales or advertising campaigns.
Methodology requires observed incremental impact of exposure compared to synthetic control ads and compares avariety of factors and considerations.
Halo/Assisted Outcomes/Influenced Outcomes - Evaluates ad interactions contributing to sales without direct
attribution credit. Methodology should include transparency on brand and category matching, SKU attribution, andcalculations accounting for unmeasurable media.
Digital Shelf Share - Calculates SKU placements within search results or category pages relative to others in the
category. Methodology should disclose if it covers organic, paid, or both types of placements and specify thetimeframe.
Conversion Volume - Focuses on online conversion volume based on orders per visit, or units per event. Methodology requires transparency on distinctions between online and offline conversions and differentiation in measurement
approaches.
Online vs. Offline Distinction in Reporting - Distinguishes between online and offline sales attribution, including
digital and omni outcomes or influenced outcomes, and requires transparent reporting methodologies.

Best-in-class reporting will:• Go beyond core requirements with metrics that clarify retail media performance and align with brand needs;• Disclose measurement methodologies and properly label metrics for data users;• Make use of IAB/MRC Guidelines, which outline definitions and methodologies for specific KPIs, to standardize
reporting for ease of use by all stakeholders.

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Guidelines Chapter 6

In-Store Digital Place-Based
Environments Measurement
Key Takeaways for RMNs:
Divide physical stores into standardized zones to measure traffic in particular areas within a store.
Count the audience for a digital place-based ad based on both presence and viewability, using reasonable thresholds
for audience inclusion in eligible exposure zones based on display position/size and audibility.
Disclose and regularly audit methods for digital place-based media measurement including venue traffic counts,
screen traffic counts, screen audience estimate, and average ad unit audience estimate.
For in-store validation, utilize in-store audits, third-party validation, real-time monitoring, and data validation protocols,
and maintain data collection devices.

Important considerations when measuring in-store digital place-based environments:
In-Store Zones
Use a consistent definition of zones across the variety of store footprints for a given retailer.
• The object of standardizing zones is to ensure consistent taxonomy across retailers so that brands
can compare performance and insights as in-store retail media moves to digitization.
Viewability
Ensure the following viewability conditions are met when counting the audience for an ad:• An individual is present at the venue, meeting reasonable proximity thresholds where the ad can beseen for an appropriate length of time (i.e., dwell time).
• At least 50% of the ad’s pixels are visible for a minimum of two seconds.
Audibility
Ensure the following audio conditions are met when counting the audience for an ad:• An individual is present at the venue, meeting reasonable proximity thresholds where the ad canbe heard for an appropriate length of time.
• Audio is played at a volume that allows individuals to hear it.
In-Store Validation
Ensure the accuracy and reliability of audience measurement data in digital place-based environments.
• Conduct in-store audits (e.g., verify data collection device functionality and audience count accuracy).
• Use third-party validation services.
• Use real-time monitoring systems to track and validate audience measurement data.
• Establish standardized data validation protocols and regularly calibrate and maintain datacollection devices.
General Requirements for In-Store Measurement
Disclose the methodologies behind the calculation of the following measurements:• venue traffic count;• screen traffic counts based on traffic in individual zones;• audience estimates screened to represent those with opportunity to see/hear the content;• average ad unit audience based on number of individuals who saw/heard an ad, plus dwell time.

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Contributors to IAB/MRC Guidelines
This explainer document was produced by BCG to summarize IAB & MRC’s collaborative Retail Media Measurement
Guidelines. The guidelines underlying this explainer are available here, and were compiled through the collaboration of abroad range of RMNs, brands, tech partners, and agencies:Albertsons Media Collective

Instacart

QuividiAlliance for Audited Media

Kellogg Company

Samba TV

Amazon

Kevel

Shipt

Arc Worldwide

Kroger Precision Marketing

SMG

AutoZone

Koddi

TargetBest Buy Ads

Liveramp

The Coca-Cola Company

Circana

L’OréalThe Mars Agency

Cooler Screens

Medill Spiegel Research Center

The Trade Desk

CitrusAd

Meta

Threefold-Agency

Crealytics

Microsoft

TikTokCriteoMindshare

Transact

CVS Media Exchange

Monster Energy

TransUnion

Dart Innovation

NBCU

Uber

DG Media Network

Night Market

Ulta Beauty

Eli Lilly & Company

Nordstrom Media

UM Worldwide

EpsilonOracleUnilever

Essence Mediacom

PacvueVibenomics

Fairlife

Path to Purchase Institute

VML Y&R, Commerce

General Mills

Peapod Digital Labs

Walgreens

Goodway Group

Pinterest

Walmart Connect

GoogleProcter & Gamble

Walton College

Grocery TV

Publicis GroupeYahoo AdvertisingGroupM

Publicis Media

Horizon Media

PubMatic

Incremental

Quad

IAB/MRC RETAIL MEDIA MEASUREMENT GUIDELINES EXPLAINER

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About BCG, IAB, MRC, and the authors
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global consulting firm that partners with leaders in businessand society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities.
BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely withclients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empoweringorganizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our
diverse, global teams are passionate about unlocking potential and making change happen, delivering
integrated solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, andcorporate and digital ventures. Our experts bring deep industry and functional expertise and a rangeof perspectives that question the status quo and spark change.
Authors:
Lauren Wiener

Leora Kelman

Rachel SteinManaging Director & Partner

Partner

Principal

BCG New YorkBCG New YorkBCG Brooklyn

wiener.lauren@bcg.com

kelman.leora@bcg.com

stein.rachael@bcg.com

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrivein the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies,
brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digitalad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while
also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digitalmarketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB iscommitted to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversityof the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C.,
the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertisingindustry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.
Author:Jeffrey Bustos
Vice President Measurement, Addressability & Data Center
Interactive Advertising Bureau
jeffrey@iab.com

The Media Rating Council (MRC) is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprisedof leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising
agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable
and effective. Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to theircustomers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards forMedia Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit
to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC
membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve thequality of research in the marketplace.
Author:Ron Pinelli
Senior Vice President Digital Research and Standards
Media Ratings Council
rpinelli@mediaratincouncil.org

We welcome you to contact any of the authors to further discuss this report
BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

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January 2024
Developed by Boston Consulting Group