In conversation with Nachiket Deole, Head of Sales – India, DoubleVerify

In the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape, staying abreast of industry trends and innovations is crucial for companies seeking to maintain their competitive edge. With the proliferation of online channels and the shift towards digital-first consumer behaviours, advertisers and publishers face many challenges, including ad fraud, privacy regulations, and ensuring ad effectiveness. Against this backdrop, companies like DoubleVerify are pivotal in providing solutions to enhance transparency, mitigate risks, and optimize advertising performance. We interacted with Nachiket Deole, Head of Sales – India at DoubleVerify, to shed light on the strategies and technologies employed by the company to navigate these challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the digital advertising industry.

Agency Reporter- Can you please provide an overview of DoubleVerify’s mission and how the company aims to address the challenges faced by digital advertisers and publishers in today’s ever-changing digital landscape?

Nachiket Deole– Advertisers and publishers grapple with multifaceted challenges in today’s dynamic digital landscape. An increasing number of channels and platforms calls for sophisticated strategies to engage diverse audiences successfully. Balancing privacy regulations while providing personalized experiences is a delicate task, and staying ahead of evolving algorithms requires constant optimization. Additionally, the quest for transparent measurement amidst data deluge remains paramount. In the face of these challenges, successful stakeholders embrace agility, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative technologies to forge authentic connections.

At DoubleVerify, we aim to solve these complexities and empower digital advertisers with tools to navigate them seamlessly. Our primary goal is to drive real business outcomes for brands with innovative solutions that enhance the quality and effectiveness of their digital advertising initiatives. DoubleVerify’s advanced ad verification tools, such as DV Authentic Ad™, DV Authentic Attention®, DV Authentic Brand Safety®, and DV Pinnacle® enable advertisers to verify their ads are seen by real people, displayed in safe and suitable environments and guarded against fraudulent activities. Our attention-based analytics provide insights into how users engage with ads, enabling advertisers and publishers to optimize their strategies for maximum impact.

This unwavering customer-centric approach keeps us relevant in the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape and reinforces our commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring we remain aligned with the industry trends. 

Agency Reporter- Ad fraud is an ongoing concern in digital advertising. How does DoubleVerify tackle ad fraud specifically in environments where the traditional methods of fraud detection may not be as effective?

Nachiket Deole– Ad fraud persists as a formidable concern in the digital advertising realm. Fraudulent activities, from false positives to ad stacking, drain resources and distort campaign efficacy. Traditional fraud detection methods often become ineffective due to the rapidly evolving tactics employed by fraudsters in the digital landscape. Moreover, traditional methods might rely on outdated data sources, failing to capture the latest trends in fraudulent activities.

DoubleVerify’s fraud detection solutions leverage advanced technologies like machine learning and AI, enabling real-time analysis of vast datasets and the identification of subtle patterns that traditional methods might overlook. DV’s Fraud Lab is the bedrock of our comprehensive approach to combating ad fraud and our ability to offer protection in the most difficult environments.

With over a decade of operation, our specialized lab – staffed by skilled data scientists, mathematicians, and analysts deeply embedded in the cyber fraud prevention community –  actively detects and analyzes emerging digital ad fraud tactics. Through a fusion of advanced AI, machine learning, manual review, and ongoing analysis, we swiftly unearth new fraud schemes and constantly update our protective measures.

Agency Reporter- Connected TV ad inventory is traded programmatically, which may also increase the risk of fraud. How does DoubleVerify’s ad fraud prevention technology adapt to programmatic buying and protect advertisers from falling victim to fraudulent practices?

Nachiket Deole– With the surge in viewership and advertising expenditure on CTV devices, CTV has emerged as a focal point for fraudulent activities. Recognizing this, DoubleVerify began developing its fraud prevention solution in early 2018 to address these challenges head-on. We’ve since been steadfast in our commitment to bolstering our protective measures, ensuring we stay one step ahead of evolving fraud schemes. Our primary goal is to safeguard the interests of CTV advertisers.

In programmatic environments, advertisers must avoid bidding on inventory that does not meet the brand’s quality standards. DoubleVerify offers pre-bid targeting solutions to enhance the effectiveness of the bidding process for premium CTV inventory. These options include brand safety, suitability assurance, and countermeasures against fraud and invalid traffic (IVT). Furthermore, our holistic approach extends to addressing viewability challenges within the realm of CTV, bolstering the overall performance of CTV campaigns.

Agency Reporter–Data privacy regulations continue to evolve globally, with varying requirements in different regions. How do you aim to navigate the complexities of compliance to ensure adherence to data protection laws worldwide?

Nachiket Deole– The landscape of global data privacy regulations indeed presents a complex challenge. As different regions establish varying requirements, navigating this intricate area demands a comprehensive understanding of local compliance nuances. Striking a balance between data-driven innovation and safeguarding user privacy remains paramount.

At DoubleVerify, we have established a strategic commitment to fortify trust in DoubleVerify’s offerings through a concerted focus on information security and safeguarding. Our approach involves upholding policies and standards that not only align with but often surpass legal, privacy, and industry compliance mandates, as well as widely recognized benchmarks in information security and governance. Our security controls adhere to the rigorous AICPA Trust Services Criteria, which undergo independent validation and attestation as evidenced by our SOC2 Type 2 report. 

Agency Reporter- Viewability is a critical factor in determining the effectiveness of digital ad campaigns and advertisers sometimes encounter issues with viewability discrepancies between measurement vendors. How do you address this challenge to provide accurate and consistent viewability metrics to its clients?

Nachiket Deole– In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, viewability is a pivotal metric, dictating the success and impact of ad campaigns. However, amidst the pursuit of engagement and visibility, advertisers frequently encounter challenges related to viewability metrics that differ across measurement vendors. These discrepancies can significantly impact campaign evaluations and subsequently misinform critical decisions.

At DoubleVerify, our focus lies in delivering advanced viewability metrics, including average time-in-view, key message exposure, and video player size. These metrics enable enhanced optimization across various dimensions, allowing brands to engage more effectively with consumers across diverse devices, formats, and purchasing platforms. Moreover, our solution doesn’t just measure viewability; it also offers insights into an ad’s impact. By maintaining consistent measurement standards across platforms, devices, and formats, we provide a transparent overview of viewability metrics across all campaigns. This transparency empowers advertisers to allocate their budget wisely. Additionally, we offer detailed post-bid analytics, enabling brands to assess the effectiveness of their campaigns.

While viewability is a leading metric, I firmly believe that attention will emerge or supplement as a more robust metric. Attention is expeditiously emerging as the new digital currency of performance measurement. In today’s advanced world, content consumption, along with the advertisements that come with it, is on the rise. Consumers are exposed to numerous ads throughout the day, leading to a dilution in their impact. Consequently, marketers need help effectively reach and engage audiences in a landscape where attention has become a crucial yet limited resource. It is no longer sufficient for advertisers to assume that their ads have been viewed; they now require assurance that they leave a meaningful impression. This is where the potency of attention and metrics based on attention shines.

DoubleVerify’s Authentic Attention is the first MRC-accredited data solution in the market that provides near real-time, comprehensive data to drive campaign performance. It measures the impact of an ad’s presentation and key dimensions of consumer engagement and is designed to provide actionable, privacy-friendly data correlated with measurable campaign outcomes – thus,  giving global brands greater clarity and confidence in their digital investment.

Agency Reporter- DoubleVerify operates in a dynamic digital advertising environment. How does the company stay ahead of emerging challenges and trends to enhance its solutions for advertisers and publishers continuously?

Nachiket Deole– The advertising technology industry remains agile and proactive in continually addressing emerging challenges and trends to refine its solutions for advertisers and publishers. This dynamic approach involves embracing innovation, harnessing data, and fostering collaboration.

At DoubleVerify, our primary focus is on providing simple solutions to complex challenges brands and publishers encounter in the digital advertising industry. As part of that commitment, we actively collaborate with industry associations, partners, brands, and publishers, engaging in meaningful discussions on industry trends and challenges. Our involvement extends to hosting events and facilitating exclusive roundtable discussions involving advertisers, publishers, and platforms. These interactions provide invaluable firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities these groups encounter, which further helps us discern trends and obstacles, enabling us to refine existing solutions and innovate new ones that align with industry shifts.

Furthermore, we continually assess potential collaborations with technology partners to introduce innovative solutions. For instance, we recently announced an expansion of our suite of quality solutions with Meta, enhancing media measurement and optimizing advertiser performance on Facebook and Instagram Reels. This aligns with the increasing popularity of short-form video content like reels.

We aim to fortify the digital advertising ecosystem, making it more robust, secure, and reliable. We collaborate with brands routinely, instilling confidence in their media purchases regardless of their channels. And to achieve this, we partner with leading demand-side platforms (DSPs), aiding brands in enhancing quality and minimizing wasted impressions through pre-bid optimizations and targeted strategies.

Agency Reporter- Collaboration with publishers and advertisers is essential in the digital advertising ecosystem. What steps can the ecosystem undertake to foster a safer and more transparent advertising environment for all stakeholders?

Nachiket Deole– Building a secure and transparent digital ad ecosystem demands collaboration among publishers, advertisers, and tech providers. Standardized measurement practices ensure consistent ad performance assessment. To bolster safety and transparency, stakeholders can adopt key measures, cultivating a secure and transparent advertising environment for all via: 

1. Inform and Educate: Education plays a pivotal role in our industry, particularly given the rapid evolution of technology. At DoubleVerify, our commitment to knowledge sharing is evident through regular content publications and informative sessions. We strive to empower the industry by providing insights into existing technologies, introducing new solutions, and highlighting best practices for effective collaboration. 
2. Emphasize Third-Party Verification: In the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape, the absence of a standardized regulatory framework has led to concerns about transparency, ad fraud, and non-regulation. Advertisers are now emphasizing the critical importance of third-party verification and measurement. This ensures a common language and a standardized way of talking about performance across the digital advertising ecosystem.  
3. Facilitate Collaboration Through Industry and Roundtable Discussions: DoubleVerify has been a go-to solution provider for publishers and advertisers, offering valuable tools and support. Expanding on our commitment to enhance the digital advertising landscape, we are now actively fostering collaboration across the digital advertising ecosystem with advertisers, agencies, publishers, and vendors. The approach involves organizing roundtable discussions centered around crucial industry topics. These sessions provide open dialogue, enabling both parties to share insights, discuss challenges, and work collaboratively towards mutual success. The dialogues propel the ecosystem’s evolution with the collective wisdom of diverse stakeholders.

Agency Reporter- As an expert, what trends do you believe will significantly impact the digital advertising and Connected TV space in the coming years?

Nachiket Deole– In the evolving landscape of digital advertising and Connected TV (CTV), key trends are poised to reshape the industry. The surge in subscriptions, particularly in emerging markets like India, Latin America, UAE, and Southeast Asia, signals the growing prominence of CTV and streaming services.

Yet, propelled by the emergence of innovative digital platforms like local “super apps,” social commerce, Connected TV, and gaming, fragmentation poses a significant challenge, complicating marketers’ efforts to reach consumers effectively. At the same time, the attention economy is coming to the fore, with consumers overwhelmed by choice, leading marketers to focus on attention and engagement metrics, though often finding traditional metrics fail to reflect reality fully. Also, advertising is undergoing an AI transformation, introducing opportunities to optimize campaigns and potential risks around unsuitable content, misinformation, and fraud perpetuated by generative AI. Finally, unique regional developments in retail media, such as the ascent of ecommerce marketplaces into major discovery channels, are opening up new advertising opportunities through emerging retail media networks, but with heightened risks that necessitate consistent verification to ensure quality.

These trends highlight an increasingly complex and fragmented ad ecosystem, posing increased risks and significant opportunities for advancing performance marketing. The ability to authenticate quality, safety, and attention metrics across diverse channels such as new retail media, gaming, CTV, and emerging digital formats is critical. Using AI and automation to optimize outcomes has become crucial in unlocking business growth. Simultaneously, marketers must ensure robust verification and quality coverage to navigate marketplace risks effectively.