Kortney Kavanagh, Legal Counsel at IAB US, analyzes the release of the Measurement Services Addendum v1.0, a new draft framework to standardize digital advertising measurement. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released the document for public comment on September 22, 2026. The framework aims to reduce the contractual friction that often slows performance marketing partnerships.
Advertisers, agencies, publishers, and measurement providers can use the addendum. By providing common terms for verification, attribution, and analytics, the IAB moves away from fragmented, one-off legal agreements.
Standardizing Performance Marketing Agreements
Currently, many affiliate marketing relationships rely on bespoke contracts that require extensive legal review. The new addendum extends the IAB’s existing legal framework, which includes General Terms and a Direct Buy Addendum. This modular approach allows companies to plug standardized measurement clauses into existing agreements.
Reliable measurement serves as the bedrock of a healthy marketplace, according to David Cohen, CEO of the IAB. He noted that the industry historically handled the legal side of these relationships inefficiently. Cohen stated the goal is to provide a practical starting point so organizations focus on delivering value rather than navigating legal negotiations.
Interoperability Across Tracking Technologies
The framework accommodates various technologies and business models, including server-side tracking and multi-touch attribution. It includes the General Terms v1.1 and a revised set of definitions to ensure all parties use the same technical vocabulary.
Measurement has become increasingly sophisticated, but the contracts governing those services haven’t kept pace.
Cintia Gabilan, SVP at the IAB’s Centers of Excellence, stated that organizations may adopt the terms as written or incorporate them into current contracts. This adaptability assists an industry navigating the transition away from third-party cookies toward privacy-compliant measurement.
The IAB opened a 30-day public comment period, which remains active until October 22, 2026. During this phase, industry stakeholders provide feedback on the technical and legal feasibility of the terms before the final marketplace release.
Affilitizer Editorial Team
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
