“Rampant Fraud” Impacting Digital Dollars, States Media Life

A handful of advertisers who had moved money from television to digital, a few months ago, shifted it back again, voicing concerns about digital fraud and viewability issues that made them believe their dollars would be better spent on TV, reports Media Life magazine.

The Media Life report, in part, added:

“At the time it wasn’t clear whether the shift was simply a fluke or a sign of a coming trend.

“It’s now looking like a trend.

“A growing number of advertisers made similar shifts during the end of first quarter, according to the most recent ad spending report from Standard Media Index, which tracks ad spending on the part of 80 percent of U.S. agencies.

“Digital dollars still grew, reflecting the large number of advertisers eager to jump into the medium. But they grew more slowly.

“March online spending was up 15 percent, compared to a 20 percent gain for first quarter and 26 percent growth during full-year 2015.

“Meanwhile, television was up 4 percent in first quarter, compared to 0 percent growth last year.”