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It’s amazing how quickly we’ve settled in to 2013, but here we are, well into Q1. 2012 was a groundbreaking year for the NAI. I’m even more excited about what’s ahead.

From my perspective, 2013 will be all about promoting the value and critical role of responsible third parties in the digital advertising ecosystem. It’s our charge to tell the story of the third party, who they are and how they contribute to the growth and diversity of the online ecosystem. Adherence to robust self-regulatory standards is, of course, a fundamental part of this narrative.  Indeed, for NAI it is the very theme of the story.  Every day, we demonstrate that self-regulation is a meaningful alternative to government legislation, and that industry can set and enforce rigorous standards. 

We are proud of our members.  They are critical to the health of the Internet, the economy, innovation, and the diversity of ad-supported content.  Moreover, they help brands engage with consumers through relevant and effective advertising while complying with the NAI Code – a code that prescribes high standards and serious accountability.  In 2013, we will update and expand our Code, extending these high standards and best practices to rapidly evolving business models and new technologies. 

If you are a third party conducting business as an intermediary – an exchange, platform, network, RTB, or yet unnamed model – 2013 is year for you to join NAI. Joining the NAI is a signal to the industry, regulators, and consumers that you are committed to honoring the highest standards and maintaining responsible business practices. And we are committed to your success. 

As evidence of this commitment, we are hosting a Third Party Summit in New York City later this year.  Some of the topics we’ll cover include privacy enhancing technologies, DNT, and the evolving role of third parties in the ecosystem. We’ll also be holding elections for the Board of Directors during the Summit. We’re incredibly excited about bringing even more value to current members with this event, and hope it will also attract new third parties to our organization.  Invitations will be sent soon!

In other news, the NAI is diving more deeply into social media. Our Member Viewpoint blog recently launched, providing members with an opportunity to express opinions and news relative to NAI membership. Let us know if you’d like to be our next contributor. We’re also about to re-launch on Twitter in order to provide our socially active members and followers with a quick and easy way to follow our news and updates as soon as they are live. Follow us @the__nai to stay in the loop.