The ANA Q3 2025 Programmatic Transparency Benchmark Reveals $13.6B in Efficiency Gains as Programmatic Enters a New Era of Accountability

ANA Introduces Brand Safety and Suitability Metrics, Showing 99.1% of Spend in Low-Risk Environments and Signaling a New Standard for Responsible Media Investment

NEW YORK - November 5, 2025 - The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) today released its Q3 2025 Programmatic Transparency Benchmark, revealing continued progress in efficiency, media quality, and supply-chain transparency as marketers reclaim $13.6 billion in working media value. The report shows the share of ad spend reaching publishers rose to 47.1%, up 11 points since 2023, while CTV TrueImpressions improved by 15 points, reflecting stronger accountability and data-driven optimization.

For the first time, the ANA Benchmark also introduces Brand Safety and Suitability metrics, giving marketers an AI-powered standard to evaluate contextual quality and reputational risk. Results show 99.1% of programmatic ad spend occurred in low-risk environments, marking a significant milestone in the industry's ability to achieve scale safely and responsibly.

"This quarter's results show that marketers, leveraging the standards introduced by the ANA, are not just cleaning up the supply chain - they're managing it with precision, unlocking $13.6B in media value." said Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA. "Efficiency continues to improve, CTV transparency has taken a major step forward, and with the addition of Brand Safety and Suitability metrics, marketers can now verify that their ads appear in trusted, responsible environments. These are concrete signs that programmatic is evolving from an opaque system into one defined by accountability and control."

What's new this quarter:

• Brand Safety Becomes Measurable: For the first time, the Benchmark includes Brand Safety and Suitability metrics, showing 99.1% of spend in low-risk environments.
• Efficiency Gains Accelerate: Working-media share reached 47.1%, unlocking $13.6 billion in recovered value.
• CTV Turns the Corner: Connected TV rose to 45.6% of programmatic spend, while non-measurable impressions dropped from 28% to 9.2%.
• MFA Exposure Falls to Record Low: Made-for-Advertising domains now represent just 0.39% of spend, down by half since Q2.
• Accountability Deepens: Half of all participants now have direct supplier contracts, enabling ongoing optimization through TrueCPM and impression-level data.

Key supporting findings:

• TrueAdSpend is now 39% of total ad spend - an increase of 2% vs 2Q. This is driven by a reduction in transaction costs of 1.4%, and an increase in media productivity by +.6%. Private Marketplaces accounted for 81.6% of spend, reaffirming the shift toward curated, high-quality environments.
• Marketers are moving from transparency to accountability, applying the data infrastructure built over the past year to optimize for both efficiency and integrity.

The ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark, developed in partnership with TAG TrustNet and Fiducia, provides quarterly insights based on impression-level log data from leading advertisers and platforms. It is designed to help marketers maximize ROI by optimizing cost, quality, and accountability across their programmatic supply chains.

For more information or to join the Benchmark, visit ANA.net.

Press Contact
Jocelyn Weiss
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About the ANA

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is the definitive voice of the marketing industry. Since 1910, we have set and advanced the agenda for marketing transformation, connecting over 1,600 member companies to an influential global network, insights and resources that drive growth. Our members represent 20,000 brands and $400 billion in annual marketing investment. Through industry-leading research, the CMO Growth Council, and our proprietary Growth Agenda and Practices, the ANA empowers marketers to shape the future of marketing and create lasting impact for their organizations and the industry.

About TAG Trustnet
Launched by TAG (Trustworthy Accountability Group), the global certification program to strengthen safety and transparency in digital advertising, and developed in partnership with technology partner Fiducia, TAG TrustNet is the always-on industry utility for connecting and matching impression log-level data (LLD) at scale. As a global cross-industry initiative, TAG TrustNet automates the reconciliation of impression-level data across the supply chain and generates a unified record for every single ad impression, made available in near real time.