Measurement · also called Measurement accreditation
MRC accreditation
MRC accreditation is the Media Rating Council's formal approval, after an independent audit, that a measurement service's specific metrics comply with industry standards.
Anyone can claim their numbers are accurate. MRC accreditation is how the industry checks. A measurement company, such as a verification vendor, ad server or audience measurement provider, is audited by independent CPA firms against MRC standards, examining its methodology, data processing, controls, disclosures and filtering.
If the audit is successful, the MRC accredits specific metrics in specific environments, for example "display viewable impressions in desktop and mobile web" or "SIVT detection in CTV". Accreditation is renewed through ongoing audits, and it can be withdrawn or suspended.
The important nuance for buyers is scope. A vendor might be accredited for GIVT but not SIVT, or for web but not apps. When a proposal says "MRC-accredited", ask exactly which metrics and channels. Accreditation also does not guarantee that two accredited vendors will produce identical numbers; it guarantees that each follows audited, disclosed methods consistent with the standards, including the MRC IVT guidelines.
Think of it like this
Accreditation is like a restaurant earning a hygiene certificate for its kitchen, which says nothing about the food truck it also runs.
An example
An agency in the UK requires every verification vendor on its roster to hold MRC accreditation for SIVT in mobile app and CTV environments, which rules out two of five vendors it was considering.
Related terms
MRC (Media Rating Council)
The MRC (Media Rating Council) is a US non-profit industry body that sets measurement standards and audits and accredits media measurement services, including viewability and invalid-traffic filtering.
MRC IVT guidelines
The MRC IVT guidelines are the Media Rating Council's standards for detecting and filtering invalid traffic in ad measurement, defining the GIVT and SIVT categories that accredited measurers must handle.
Ad verification
Ad verification is independent third-party measurement that checks whether ads were served to real people, in viewable positions, in safe and suitable environments, and in the intended geographies.
Viewability
Viewability measures whether an ad actually had a chance to be seen on screen; the MRC standard is 50% of pixels in view for one second (display) or two seconds (video).
SIVT (sophisticated invalid traffic)
SIVT (sophisticated invalid traffic) is invalid traffic designed to look human or legitimate, which can only be found through advanced analytics, multi-point corroboration and often human review.
Sources: MRC accreditation, Media Rating Council