The latest DoubleVerify 'DV Global Insights: 2024 Trends Report' has found global ad fraud rates are up 14% to 1.3% in ANZ, making it the second worst performer in the Asia-Pacific region.

The digital media measurement, data, and analytics vendor's report provides an in-depth analysis of media quality and performance trends, drawing from more than one trillion impressions from 2,000 brands across APAC, EMEA, LATAM, and North America. Key topics highlighted in the report include the role of AI in media and advertising, the rise of Made for Advertising (MFA) content, the emergence of Retail Media Networks (RMNs), and the impact of responsible media buying on carbon emissions.

While the report found ANZ ad fraud alarmingly higher year-on-year, local brand suitability violations fell by 46% to reach 5.4%, and visibility rates remained stable, with a video visibility rate of 75%.

Globally, there was a 23% increase in new fraud schemes and variants, with unprotected advertisers experiencing a fraud/SIVT violation rate as high as 17%. Generative AI was identified as a key factor in the increase in fraud due to its ability to falsify data patterns.

The report also highlighted the growing importance of attention-based measurement in advertising, with 47% of media buyers planning to integrate these metrics into their strategies in 2024. Retail media networks were reported to have higher media quality in terms of brand suitability and ad fraud, with fraud rates 31% lower than the DV overall fraud benchmark and brand suitability violations 10% lower.

The report showed a 19% year-on-year increase in MFA impression volume in 2023, primarily driven by a 73% increase in 'Low-tier' MFA impressions.

A global survey conducted by Sapiio Research found that 57% of advertisers view misinformation spread by AI-generated content as a key challenge for the digital ad ecosystem, 54% believe Generative AI has negatively impacted media quality, and 50% believe an increase in MFA and low-quality content was the biggest threat to the digital ad ecosystem.

"It’s no surprise that advertisers are concerned. Gen AI has incredible potential for the ad industry in areas like creative development and media optimisation, but it can also be weaponised against it. Ultimately, brands need dynamic tools to help them safeguard investments and maximise campaign performance." said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify.