IAB Tech Lab's Game-Changing Move: Introducing Curated Audiences

IAB Tech Lab Rebrands Seller Defined Audiences

The IAB Tech Lab has officially rebranded its Seller Defined Audiences curation specification to “Curated Audiences,” as confirmed by CEO Anthony Katsur. This rebranding comes in light of the recent sell-side curation craze that has captivated the advertising industry over the past year.

Although the Tech Lab's own curation framework has been available for nearly three years, its adoption has been slow, with many industry players still unaware of its benefits. Katsur expressed that the previous branding of “seller-defined” may have contributed to this lack of interest, as many buyers prefer to define their own audiences and packages.

In a recent LinkedIn article, Katsur highlighted that the concept of curation is not new, having existed for over 20 years. He addressed the need for a standard definition of curation and a framework for selling curated audiences via programmatic channels.

The Tech Lab has already developed several standards, including the SDA spec, audience taxonomies, the Data Transparency Standard, and the OpenRTB SupplyChain object. These standards are essential for creating, selling, and measuring curated inventory.

Katsur believes that the rebranding to Curated Audiences is a strategic move to incite more interest and participation within the industry. He noted, “Maybe we shouldn’t have branded it ‘seller-defined,’” indicating that a clearer, more appealing name may help in driving adoption.

While he acknowledges that there may still be work needed within the framework itself, the focus remains on engaging the industry to improve adoption and effectiveness of these curated offerings.