The Coalition’s Better Ads Standards identify the ad experiences that fall beneath a threshold of consumer acceptability and are most likely to drive consumers to install ad blockers. More than 100,000 consumers have participated to date in the Coalition’s research to develop its set of Better Ads Standards.
Better Ads Standards: Least preferred ad experiences for desktop web and mobile web
The Coalition for Better Ads has developed Better Ads Standards for desktop web and mobile web, based on comprehensive research involving more than 66,000 consumers. The Standards for North America and Europe were published in March 2017 and have been applied by many industry participants in their business practices. The Coalition announced in January 2019 that its research supports the adoption of the same Standards worldwide for desktop and mobile web.
The Coalition’s research identified four types of desktop web ads (six tested ad experiences) and eight types of mobile web ads (twelve tested ad experiences) that rank lowest across a range of user experience factors and fall beneath a threshold of consumer acceptability.
The Coalition announced a Better Ads Standard for short-form video in January 2020. The Coalition’s consumer research identified three types of ad experiences that fell beneath the Standard.
A summary of these types of ad experiences is presented below.
Extensive consumer input and empirical data shaped the Better Ads Standards. While the Coalition’s consumer research was designed to identify the least preferred ad types, it also provides insight into consumers’ evaluation of a far broader range of ad experiences, including those more preferred by consumers. By focusing the definition of Better Ads Standards on the least preferred ad experiences, the Coalition’s methodological approach leaves open the possibility for continued innovation in the development of new ad experiences. Visit the Coalition’s research page to learn more about the other tested ad experiences.
For purposes of the current Better Ads Standards, an “ad” is promotional content displayed on the web as the result of a commercial transaction with a third party.
Learn more about the Content Environments for the Better Ads Standards.
Learn more about the decisions of the Coalition’s Interpretation Panel.
The Coalition has translated the Standards into multiple languages. In cases where the nuances of translation are imperfect, please rely on the English language version.
