Ad-ID Replaces ISCI as Official Industry Standard

Ad-ID Replaces ISCI as Official Industry Standard

Effective immediately, ISCI--the manual advertising asset coding system in place since 1969--is withdrawn from the marketplace. Therefore, Ad-ID, the Web-based, complete-code system is now the only advertising asset coding system authorized and supported by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers, Inc.

Since 1992, the AAAA and the ANA have had the responsibility and the obligation to set the standard for advertising asset coding. The build of Ad-ID and the withdrawal of ISCI is the result of an exhaustive study by the AAAA and the ANA, with the guidance of outside consultants and industry advisors. The unanimous conclusion is that an unregulated code system-such as ISCI-is not an approach that the ANA and the AAAA can confidently promote in the digital era. It was further determined that the transition to a centralized industry code repository is necessary to protect the absolute uniqueness of codes.

About Ad-ID
Ad-ID (www.Ad-ID.org) has gained great traction among leading advertisers and agencies since its introduction in 2003. It is now poised to become the foundation of a digital workflow and a cross-media standard. For the user, the system provides code creation and management, abundance of descriptive fields, reports, and a variety of download options. For the industry, Ad-ID has evolved as a platform to engage agencies and broadcasters on key coding issues such as HD recognition. The benefits of Ad-ID stem from improved productivity, and better information throughout the marketing communications landscape about advertising assets.

Ad-ID's Web services interface with other systems, to eliminate manual re-keying of information. Currently broadcast ad metadata gets re-keyed eight to 13 times, from the time of production to airplay. Errors relating to this re-keying can cost advertisers from hundreds to millions of dollars. Ad-ID staff is dedicated to developing partnerships with suppliers who need access to ad metadata, an effort that will grow only through increased adoption and support of Ad-ID.

What to Do If You Are Still Using ISCI
Prefixes previously assigned to advertisers by the now-defunct ISCI system will be grandfathered in the Ad-ID system until January 2009. However, in order to create complete codes in Ad-ID using activated prefixes, it is necessary to purchase code contracts. Contracts are available based on the anticipated volume of coded assets. All new prefixes will be assigned by Ad-ID, the repository of prefixes, codes and related asset metadata.

Advertisers that currently have ISCI prefixes will have until July 2008 to activate those prefixes at no charge, by purchasing an annual Ad-ID code contract, after which time there will be an activation charge in addition to the code contract. Prefixes that are not activated by January 2009 will be eligible for re-issue.

If you have not yet adopted Ad-ID or would like more information about the system, please contact Ad-ID customer service at (704) 501-4410 or cs@ad-id.org.