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Overview

In accordance with IAB/MRC Retail Media Measurement Guidelines, Topsort provides comprehensive transparency in all reporting to ensure advertisers have full visibility into campaign performance and measurement methodologies.

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Required Disclosures

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Attribution Methodology

All reports must clearly disclose:
  1. Attribution Model Used
    • Last-click, last-impression, or multi-touch
    • Model-specific rules and priorities
    • Any customization applied by marketplace
  1. Attribution Windows
    • Click-through window duration (e.g., 7, 14, 30 days)
    • View-through window duration if applicable
    • Window start and end timestamps
  1. Viewability Standards Applied
    • Display: 50% pixels, 1+ second
    • Video: 50% pixels, 2+ seconds
    • Large format: 30% pixels, 1+ second

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Data Quality Indicators

SIVT Filtration Status

Reports include percentage of traffic filtered as Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) with breakdown by category when available.
Each report provides:
  • Total impressions before filtration
  • Valid impressions after SIVT removal
  • SIVT rate as percentage
  • Categories of invalid traffic detected

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Measurement Limitations

All reports must include disclaimers about:
  • Cross-device tracking limitations
  • Identity resolution methodology
  • Cookie/identifier persistence
  • Data collection gaps

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Report Components

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Standard Metrics Section

Every campaign report includes:
CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Measurement Period: [Start Date] - [End Date]
Attribution Model: [Model Type]
Attribution Window: [X days click] / [Y days view]
Viewability Standard: IAB/MRC Compliant
SIVT Filtration: Enabled (X.X% filtered)

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Detailed Transparency Notes

Reports contain expandable sections for:
  1. Methodology Documentation
    • How impressions are counted
    • Viewability measurement approach
    • Conversion tracking methods
    • De-duplication rules
  1. Data Sources
    • First-party vs third-party data
    • Deterministic vs probabilistic matching
    • Panel data extrapolation (if used)
    • Modeling assumptions
  1. Incrementality Indicators
    • Whether incrementality testing was performed
    • Test methodology (RCT, synthetic control, etc.)
    • Confidence intervals if available
    • Baseline vs incremental conversions

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API Response Format

When retrieving reports via API, transparency metadata is included:
{
  "campaign_metrics": {
    "impressions": 150000,
    "clicks": 7500,
    "conversions": 450,
    "revenue": 45000.00
  },
  "transparency": {
    "measurement_standards": {
      "viewability": "IAB/MRC",
      "sivt_filtration": true,
      "sivt_rate": 0.023
    },
    "attribution": {
      "model": "last_click",
      "click_window_days": 14,
      "view_window_days": 1,
      "cross_device": false
    },
    "data_quality": {
      "identity_resolution": "deterministic",
      "coverage_rate": 0.92,
      "confidence_level": 0.95
    },
    "disclaimers": [
      "Cross-device conversions not included",
      "In-store purchases linked via loyalty ID only"
    ]
  }
}

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Reporting Dashboard Requirements

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Visual Indicators

Dashboards must display:
  • 🟢 Green indicators for IAB/MRC compliant metrics
  • 🟡 Yellow indicators for estimated or modeled data
  • 🔴 Red indicators for non-compliant or incomplete data

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Hover Information

Interactive elements provide:
  • Metric definitions on hover
  • Calculation methodology
  • Data collection timeframes
  • Quality indicators

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Audit Trail Requirements

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Data Retention

Topsort maintains for audit purposes:
  • Raw impression logs (90 days)
  • Aggregated campaign data (24 months)
  • SIVT detection logs (180 days)
  • Attribution calculation details (12 months)

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Access Controls

Advertisers can request:
  • Detailed methodology documentation
  • Campaign-specific calculation logs
  • SIVT filtration details
  • Data lineage reports

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Compliance Certifications

Reports indicate compliance with:
  • MRC Accreditation for viewable impressions
  • IAB Tech Lab measurement standards
  • TAG Certified Against Fraud program
  • Privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA as applicable)

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Customization Options

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Marketplace-Specific Additions

While maintaining core requirements, marketplaces can add:
  • Custom KPIs with clear definitions
  • Additional attribution models with documentation
  • Proprietary metrics with methodology disclosure
  • Industry-specific measurements with standards reference

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Report Scheduling

Automated reports can be configured with:
  • Daily, weekly, or monthly delivery
  • Custom date ranges
  • Specific transparency level (summary vs detailed)
  • Format preferences (PDF, CSV, JSON)

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Best Practices

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For Marketplaces

  1. Standardize Terminology
    • Use IAB/MRC definitions consistently
    • Avoid proprietary terms without explanation
    • Provide glossary in reports
  1. Version Control
    • Document methodology changes
    • Maintain change logs
    • Notify users of updates
  1. User Education
    • Provide metric interpretation guides
    • Offer transparency documentation
    • Host regular training sessions

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For Advertisers

  1. Review Transparency Sections
    • Understand attribution methodology
    • Check SIVT rates regularly
    • Note any limitations or disclaimers
  1. Compare Across Campaigns
    • Ensure consistent measurement
    • Identify anomalies in data quality
    • Track methodology changes
  1. Request Additional Detail
    • Use audit trail access rights
    • Ask for methodology clarification
    • Request custom transparency reports

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What if a metric doesn’t meet IAB/MRC standards?
    • Non-compliant metrics are clearly labeled with explanation of variance from standards.
  2. How often are transparency requirements updated?
    • Requirements align with IAB/MRC guideline updates, typically annually with notice provided.
  3. Can transparency disclosures be hidden?
    • No, core transparency elements are mandatory and cannot be removed from reports.
  4. Are historical reports updated with new standards?
    • Historical data maintains original methodology with notes about standard changes.
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