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Colossus SSP Joins Industry Initiative to Bring Transparency to Digital Ad Auctions

DRCT | October 9, 2024

The participation aims to enhance industry standards while creating new opportunities for diverse digital publishers.

HOUSTON, Oct. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Colossus Media LLC ("Colossus SSP"), the inclusive supply-side advertising platform, today announced its participation in the Media Rating Council's (MRC) newly formed Digital Ad Auction Standards Working Group. This initiative aims to bring greater transparency, standardization, and predictability to auction dynamics in the digital advertising marketplace.

The digital advertising ecosystem has long grappled with challenges surrounding auction transparency and consistency. The Auction Standards Working Group, spearheaded by MRC in coordination with member organizations, including 4A's and others to establish insights, metrics, and standards to enable auction users to transact with complete knowledge and confidence. By fostering an environment of open dialogue and shared expertise, the working group seeks to develop comprehensive standards that will empower advertisers, publishers, and technology providers alike.

"At Colossus SSP, we've always believed that a transparent and efficient marketplace is the cornerstone of effective digital advertising," said Anu Pillai, CTO of Direct Digital Holdings. "Our participation in the Digital Ad Auction Standards Working Group aligns perfectly with our mission to drive innovation and foster trust in the programmatic ecosystem. We're committed to leveraging our expertise to contribute to industry standards that will benefit all stakeholders."

The Auction Standards Working Group's objective is crucial to the industry's evolution, focusing on key areas such as:

Enhancing transparency in digital ad auction rules and practices
Standardizing reporting of auction variables and outcomes
Developing a framework for independent audit and verification

Mark D. Walker, CEO, Co-Founder, & Chairman of Direct Digital Holdings, added: "As we push the boundaries of programmatic advertising, it's crucial that we establish a common set of standards for auction transparency. This working group provides an opportunity to align innovation with industry-wide transparency goals. We're excited to contribute our resources to making digital advertising more effective and trustworthy for all parties involved."

"MRC greatly appreciates Colossus SSP's participation in the Auction Standards Working Group," stated Ron Pinelli Jr., SVP Digital Research and Standards at Media Rating Council. "We look forward to them participating in our effort to develop standards that will shape the future of transparency and reporting related to digital advertising auctions."

As the working group begins its initial research phase, it will delve into the intricacies of various digital ad auction models, current disclosure practices, and reporting standards. This foundational work will pave the way for future phases aimed at developing and implementing industry-wide standards.

Participating in this initiative with the MRC will enhance Colossus SSP's Momentum initiative, which supports underrepresented, diverse digital publishers with best practices, knowledge, resources, and tools. This participation positions Colossus as a conduit for these publishers to provide input into the MRC's initiative more directly. In turn, Colossus will provide deeper insight into MRC's accreditation framework in the area of auction transparency, allowing publishers to potentially unlock more ad dollars and opportunities.

About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of 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.

About Colossus SSP
Colossus SSP (Nasdaq: DRCT) owns and operates Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange142. The company offers a unified platform that serves various clients across various sectors, managing over 326 billion monthly impressions. Colossus SSP is committed to providing innovative, data-driven advertising solutions prioritizing ROI, DEI, and sustainability.

About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings' sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company's subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange 142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings' sell- and buy-side solutions generate billions of impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.