Mid December JCDecaux announced that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP UK (PwC) has independently audited its digital play-out verification process. This is such a reflection of how JCD determine their own path. lead the UK marketing in accountability & trustworthiness. They don’t wait for doubt to set in, they acknowledge how they believe the market should behave and act on it. 

Whilst at Samsung UK I called regularly for DOOH owners to supply posting reports. At that time we were a good few years into the DOOH explosion & the key conversation had already moved onto the integration of programmatic,  but still, a posting basic posting report request was beyond many, and when delivered it was often just an accessible excel spreadsheet.

In a joint press release, they explain the audit covers JCDecaux’s delivery and reporting of UK digital campaigns across their estate, meeting advertisers’ requirement for transparency in digital media. PwC audited the end-to-end process of JCDecaux’s proprietary media planning and booking platform, SmartBRICs for the three months ended 30 September 2017.

The compliance audit is evidence of JCDecaux’s commitment to providing quality and value to its partners and was an integral promise in its brand first charter BranDO launched at the IAB Digital Upfronts in October this year. BranDO comprises guidelines on the issues of viewability, measurement, accountability, transparency and brand safety, providing a benchmark for DOOH as JCDecaux moves towards a more automated delivery model.
 
PwC’s audit was conducted in accordance with ISAE 3000 Assurance Engagements other than Audits and Reviews of Historical Financial Information issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. 

“We made public our objective to provide a brand safe canvas for advertisers and agencies with the launch of BranDO. Digital online has real issues surrounding verification, measurement, brand safety and accountability and we are determined to ensure that Digital OOH puts the brand first and delivers for advertisers. The fact that PwC has independently audited our process for delivering and reporting UK digital campaigns is a proof point of our commitment. This stamp of approval is a real milestone in JCDecaux’s digital evolution and we hope it will become a reference point for the whole of the outdoor sector”  Spencer Berwin, Co-Chief Executive Officer at JCDecaux 

JCDecaux’s directors’ statement and methodology clearly sets out the end-to-end process for the delivery and reporting of campaigns across its UK digital network. Advertisers are increasingly demanding verified data with which to measure their marketing spend, so we are delighted to see JCDecaux taking the initiative by engaging us to conduct a robust audit in order to build trust in the strength and transparency of the DOOH sector. Now that our audit is finalised, any advertiser or brand whose campaign is fully managed through SmartBRICs can do so with confidence that its campaign results are being reported completely and accurately”  Sam Tomlinson, Partner and leader of PwC’s Media Insight & Assurance team

Next is the delivery of planning & buying through automation, not programmatic… Let’s get everyone on the same page in language & definition, and 2018 should prove to be an exciting year!