Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA?

Written by:

Jacek Chrusciany

Published

Mar 26, 2024

Read time

5 min

Our CEO and Co-Founder Jacek Chrusciany wrote an article “Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA? A Look into the Hidden Impact of URCs on Brands” featured in Advertising Week.

Link to the original article: Adfidence URC research in Advertising Week


A reprint of this article can be found below.


Made-for-Advertising (MFA) sites, primarily designed to display ads vs. provide quality content, face criticism for compromising brand integrity. But they’re not the only category that stewards should be looking out for when doing their brand safety checks.

User-Rewarded Content (URC), offering incentives such as in-app currency or access to content for viewing ads, represents another controversial channel for campaign investments, applicable across various platforms. In fact, a study by Adfidence recently revealed that over 90% of video campaigns purchased through DV360 did not filter out URC placements.

Those with some passing knowledge of the category might not have an issue with this number – at first. They may even seem like a smart option. After all, who can argue with guaranteed engagement? But delve a little deeper, and the value is not so straightforward.

URC, by design, offers an incentive for viewing ads. The problem is that it’s hard to know if the engagement is genuine. Users may just be tolerating the ads for the reward.

That means those ‘engagement’ and ‘view’ metrics could be lacking in quality. A brand might be making impressions – just not the kind they want. In addition, the bargain URC seems to offer can be misleading. These cheaper options often yield less meaningful engagement.

The more important question media planners and strategists should ask is what type of impressions these ads are having: are they fostering a positive brand image, or are they just a necessary evil for users to get to their reward?

If the answer to that question isn’t immediately clear and measurable, as Adfidence’s research suggests, this gap in campaign setup could be leading to significant ad spend on unqualified views. Campaigns without the URC filter spent on average 14% of their budgets via URC. However, this expenditure wasn’t consistent across the board. While most campaigns report URC below 1%, others reached 40-60%, and even as high as 80%. These ads also showed up across a wide array of games. The ANA’s recent report on programmatic media supply chain transparency already highlighted how a large chunk of ad spend isn’t hitting the mark. URC could be contributing to this scattershot landscape, leaving brands with a muddled view into where ad dollars are actually going and the impact they’re truly having.

Of course, URC is not inherently bad. They can be an effective tool for increasing app engagement for a select audience. If brands are looking for clearer insights into the ROI of URC, they should consider these tips:

  • Select target audiences carefully. Advertisers should decide on target audiences that matter and allow only a set of pre-selected URC through curated inclusion lists.This ensures ad placements are contextually relevant and align with brand standards and target demographics, maximizing engagement and relevance.

  • Frequently update exclusion lists. Regularly reviewing delivery reports and updating exclusion lists is important for avoiding non-aligned URC. Excluding certain categories, such as children’s games on adult devices, ensures ads reach the right viewers. Ads should align with games that adult target consumers are likely to play.

  • Consider eliminating URC entirely. In targeting adult decision-makers, evaluate if URC aligns with their lifestyle, especially if they’re less likely to engage in mobile gaming. Removing URC can lead to more accurate audience targeting, ensuring ads resonate with the specific interests of the adult demographic.

Ultimately, the key to successfully leveraging URC lies in a balanced, strategic approach. For many, it may mean fully excluding URC. If not, brands should work from a carefully curated inclusion list that aligns with their standards and targets the right audience. By focusing their approach in this way, brands can be sure they’re using their resources responsibly, while making impressions on their audiences that are both impactful and enduring.

Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA?

Written by:

Jacek Chrusciany

Published

Mar 26, 2024

Read time

5 min

Our CEO and Co-Founder Jacek Chrusciany wrote an article “Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA? A Look into the Hidden Impact of URCs on Brands” featured in Advertising Week.

Link to the original article: Adfidence URC research in Advertising Week


A reprint of this article can be found below.


Made-for-Advertising (MFA) sites, primarily designed to display ads vs. provide quality content, face criticism for compromising brand integrity. But they’re not the only category that stewards should be looking out for when doing their brand safety checks.

User-Rewarded Content (URC), offering incentives such as in-app currency or access to content for viewing ads, represents another controversial channel for campaign investments, applicable across various platforms. In fact, a study by Adfidence recently revealed that over 90% of video campaigns purchased through DV360 did not filter out URC placements.

Those with some passing knowledge of the category might not have an issue with this number – at first. They may even seem like a smart option. After all, who can argue with guaranteed engagement? But delve a little deeper, and the value is not so straightforward.

URC, by design, offers an incentive for viewing ads. The problem is that it’s hard to know if the engagement is genuine. Users may just be tolerating the ads for the reward.

That means those ‘engagement’ and ‘view’ metrics could be lacking in quality. A brand might be making impressions – just not the kind they want. In addition, the bargain URC seems to offer can be misleading. These cheaper options often yield less meaningful engagement.

The more important question media planners and strategists should ask is what type of impressions these ads are having: are they fostering a positive brand image, or are they just a necessary evil for users to get to their reward?

If the answer to that question isn’t immediately clear and measurable, as Adfidence’s research suggests, this gap in campaign setup could be leading to significant ad spend on unqualified views. Campaigns without the URC filter spent on average 14% of their budgets via URC. However, this expenditure wasn’t consistent across the board. While most campaigns report URC below 1%, others reached 40-60%, and even as high as 80%. These ads also showed up across a wide array of games. The ANA’s recent report on programmatic media supply chain transparency already highlighted how a large chunk of ad spend isn’t hitting the mark. URC could be contributing to this scattershot landscape, leaving brands with a muddled view into where ad dollars are actually going and the impact they’re truly having.

Of course, URC is not inherently bad. They can be an effective tool for increasing app engagement for a select audience. If brands are looking for clearer insights into the ROI of URC, they should consider these tips:

  • Select target audiences carefully. Advertisers should decide on target audiences that matter and allow only a set of pre-selected URC through curated inclusion lists.This ensures ad placements are contextually relevant and align with brand standards and target demographics, maximizing engagement and relevance.

  • Frequently update exclusion lists. Regularly reviewing delivery reports and updating exclusion lists is important for avoiding non-aligned URC. Excluding certain categories, such as children’s games on adult devices, ensures ads reach the right viewers. Ads should align with games that adult target consumers are likely to play.

  • Consider eliminating URC entirely. In targeting adult decision-makers, evaluate if URC aligns with their lifestyle, especially if they’re less likely to engage in mobile gaming. Removing URC can lead to more accurate audience targeting, ensuring ads resonate with the specific interests of the adult demographic.

Ultimately, the key to successfully leveraging URC lies in a balanced, strategic approach. For many, it may mean fully excluding URC. If not, brands should work from a carefully curated inclusion list that aligns with their standards and targets the right audience. By focusing their approach in this way, brands can be sure they’re using their resources responsibly, while making impressions on their audiences that are both impactful and enduring.

Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA?

Written by:

Jacek Chrusciany

Published

Mar 26, 2024

Read time

5 min

Our CEO and Co-Founder Jacek Chrusciany wrote an article “Is User-Rewarded Content the New MFA? A Look into the Hidden Impact of URCs on Brands” featured in Advertising Week.

Link to the original article: Adfidence URC research in Advertising Week


A reprint of this article can be found below.


Made-for-Advertising (MFA) sites, primarily designed to display ads vs. provide quality content, face criticism for compromising brand integrity. But they’re not the only category that stewards should be looking out for when doing their brand safety checks.

User-Rewarded Content (URC), offering incentives such as in-app currency or access to content for viewing ads, represents another controversial channel for campaign investments, applicable across various platforms. In fact, a study by Adfidence recently revealed that over 90% of video campaigns purchased through DV360 did not filter out URC placements.

Those with some passing knowledge of the category might not have an issue with this number – at first. They may even seem like a smart option. After all, who can argue with guaranteed engagement? But delve a little deeper, and the value is not so straightforward.

URC, by design, offers an incentive for viewing ads. The problem is that it’s hard to know if the engagement is genuine. Users may just be tolerating the ads for the reward.

That means those ‘engagement’ and ‘view’ metrics could be lacking in quality. A brand might be making impressions – just not the kind they want. In addition, the bargain URC seems to offer can be misleading. These cheaper options often yield less meaningful engagement.

The more important question media planners and strategists should ask is what type of impressions these ads are having: are they fostering a positive brand image, or are they just a necessary evil for users to get to their reward?

If the answer to that question isn’t immediately clear and measurable, as Adfidence’s research suggests, this gap in campaign setup could be leading to significant ad spend on unqualified views. Campaigns without the URC filter spent on average 14% of their budgets via URC. However, this expenditure wasn’t consistent across the board. While most campaigns report URC below 1%, others reached 40-60%, and even as high as 80%. These ads also showed up across a wide array of games. The ANA’s recent report on programmatic media supply chain transparency already highlighted how a large chunk of ad spend isn’t hitting the mark. URC could be contributing to this scattershot landscape, leaving brands with a muddled view into where ad dollars are actually going and the impact they’re truly having.

Of course, URC is not inherently bad. They can be an effective tool for increasing app engagement for a select audience. If brands are looking for clearer insights into the ROI of URC, they should consider these tips:

  • Select target audiences carefully. Advertisers should decide on target audiences that matter and allow only a set of pre-selected URC through curated inclusion lists.This ensures ad placements are contextually relevant and align with brand standards and target demographics, maximizing engagement and relevance.

  • Frequently update exclusion lists. Regularly reviewing delivery reports and updating exclusion lists is important for avoiding non-aligned URC. Excluding certain categories, such as children’s games on adult devices, ensures ads reach the right viewers. Ads should align with games that adult target consumers are likely to play.

  • Consider eliminating URC entirely. In targeting adult decision-makers, evaluate if URC aligns with their lifestyle, especially if they’re less likely to engage in mobile gaming. Removing URC can lead to more accurate audience targeting, ensuring ads resonate with the specific interests of the adult demographic.

Ultimately, the key to successfully leveraging URC lies in a balanced, strategic approach. For many, it may mean fully excluding URC. If not, brands should work from a carefully curated inclusion list that aligns with their standards and targets the right audience. By focusing their approach in this way, brands can be sure they’re using their resources responsibly, while making impressions on their audiences that are both impactful and enduring.

Read more

Read more

Sep 20, 2024

Pathways to Transparent Media: The Persistent Illusion of Brand Safety in Digital Advertising

Jacek Chrusciany
Sep 6, 2024

Ad Age: How Brands Are Battling Digital Media Buying Confusion with a New Tool

Jack Neff
Aug 20, 2024

Pathways to Transparent Media: Why Aren't Brands Using the Tools They’ve Said They Need?

Jacek Chrusciany
Jul 5, 2024

Adfidence CEO Shares Insights at Cannes Panel

Brand Innovators
May 30, 2024

Pathways to Transparent Media: The Growing Complexity of Today’s Media Buying

Jacek Chrusciany
May 17, 2024

Adfidence is a Proud Sponsor of WFA Global Marketer Week

Adfidence Team
May 5, 2024

Setting Agency Guardrails: 4 Tips for Success

Jacek Chrusciany
Apr 24, 2024

Pathways to Transparent Media: Limitations of YouTube Target Frequency

Jacek Chrusciany
Apr 24, 2024

Campaign Setup Day Series Launched in London

Adfidence Team
Mar 26, 2024

The Shocking Divide Between Media Strategy and Execution

Jacek Chrusciany
Mar 25, 2024

The Hidden Risks of User Rewarded Content

Adfidence Team
Mar 13, 2024

How to Weed Out Made-For-Advertising (MFA) Inventory?

Jacek Chruściany
Feb 12, 2024

YouTube and Meta Don’t Care About Your Brand’s Safety

Jacek Chrusciany
Jan 17, 2024

Redefining Transparency in the Ad Industry

Jacek Chrusciany
Nov 29, 2023

Opt Out of Controversial Google Search Partners

Adfidence Team
Sep 25, 2023

Interview with Adfidence CEO

Tom Triscari, Jacek Chrusciany
Sep 11, 2023

How Can Advertisers Navigate the YouTube Made-For-Kids Controversy?

Adfidence Team
Aug 17, 2023

A Checkbox That Can Save $ Millions

Adfidence Team
Apr 6, 2023

Join Adfidence in Cannes!

Jacek Chruściany
Mar 15, 2023

Savings From Often-forgotten Language Settings

Adfidence Team