Summary

From the foreword:

Let’s face it: ad blocking was the last thing publishers needed. The digital advertising landscape was already complex and challenging enough without users giving publishers, and advertisers, a “full frontal” exposing what we have all known for a long time: most digital ads leave a lot to be desired.

Quite simply, in the race to reap digital dollars to replace the quickly diminishing print dollars, we as an industry let our guard down. We knowingly allowed bloated ads to run amok on news sites, packed with enough tracking software to annoy readers to ad nauseam (no pun intended). All to the point where we are today: borderline crisis mode.

Essentially, we cannot afford to run the risk of losing a grip on publishers’ most precious asset: the trust and goodwill of their audience.

While much of the publicity surrounding the topic has emanated from Europe, especially in Germany, let’s be clear: this is a global issue. Just check the headlines from a couple of weeks ago about US publishers fighting with Brave. In China and other parts of Asia, ad blockers will be ubiquitous in mobile browsers.

But amid any crisis lies an opportunity. The threat of ad blocking offers publishers a great chance to redefine how advertising works. And publishers, not platforms, must take the lead.

From the table of contents:

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

• Introduction – time to get in the driver's seat
• Background: how we got here
• What consumers say

CHAPTER 2 – PUBLISHERS SURVEY

• Survey: 41% of publishers in talks with advertisers to improve ads

CHAPTER 3 – POSSIBLE WAYS FORWARD

• Improving the ad experience
• Responding to users – the value exchange
• What about ad block circumvention?

CHAPTER 4 – USERS' RIGHTS

• The EU: Mind the privacy legislation
• Suing the ad blockers: risky business

CHAPTER 5 – NATIONAL INITIATIVES

• National associations take diverse approaches to ad blocking
• Publishers in Holland aim to improve user experience
• French publishers confront their users to raise awareness
• Killing off intrusive ad formats is the focus for Swedish national initiative

CHAPTER 6 – PUBLISHER CASES

• Aftonbladet: Focus on a better ad experience
• Blocking the blockers – City A.M.
• Forbes claims success in converting ad blocking users
• German publishers find that users respond to requests
• Norway’s VG acting on feedback from users

APPENDIX – CONCLUSION

• Cease fire, regroup and come up with a long-term solution