Breaking: digital standard bearer DMMA rebrands as IAB South Africa

The Digital Marketing and Media Association (DMMA), a voluntary non-profit body which represents the interests of the South African digital industry has rebranded as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa.

Founded in New York in 1996, the IAB is an advertising business organization that develops industry standards, conducts research, and provides legal support for the online advertising industry around the globe.

Some of the biggest name IAB members include AOL, Associated Press, BBC, CBS, Ebay, ESPN, Facebook, Google Inc., Microsoft, New York Times, Reuters, Time Inc., Twitter, Verizon, Viacom, Washington Post and Yahoo.

According to IAB SA chair Jarred Cinman, the rebrand comes with a number of benefits for the organisation. “IABs around the world help build markets; bring like-minded members together and ensure that standards and guidelines are set for global best practice,” he says.

“There are some very clear benefits to being part of an established and respected global network,” he adds. “It gives us the ability to be part of IAB global standards, to replicate key international research studies to see how South Africa fares in a global context, as well as giving us a seat at the international IAB table with access to case studies of successful strategies in other markets. In short, being part of the IAB gives our members access to international knowledge and best practice, while ensuring that South Africa takes part in the global, digital, conversation.”

That said, IAB SA insists that it won’t be at the mercy of the international body. All IABs function autonomously, with the key requirement being that each IAB is committed to the goal of growing the online media and advertising industry. “As this goal lies at the core of the IAB South Africa’s constitution, there is no need for changes to the structures, processes and policies of how the DMMA was run,” says Cinman.

The decision for the DMMA to join the IAB was first mooted at an AGM in mid 2013. After the association’s membership voted in favour of the motion, two members of the DMMA Board (Timothy Spira, representing publishers, and Fred Roed, representing agencies) met with the IAB at its headquarters in New York in September 2013.

Based on these and subsequent discussions, the IAB officially extended the offer to the DMMA to join. From there, DMMA members voted on the offer and, once the motion was passed, the IAB licencing agreement was received at the beginning of January 2014.

“With the launch of IAB South Africa, there are now IABs on all the world’s continents except Antarctica,” says David Doty, Executive Vice President and CMO, IAB, who also heads the organization’s international efforts.

“With an already proven track record of moving the digital industry forward in one of the world’s key markets, Jarred Cinman and his team bring a level of expertise and knowledge to the newest IAB that is not only of tremendous benefit in their country, but to our global members that are looking to build relationships in South Africa and to our network of 41 of IABs around the world.”

The DMMA isn’t exactly a stranger to name changes — prior to 2010, it was known as the Online Publishers’ Association (OPA).