ANA launches Aquila cross-media measurement to curb fragmented ad frequency waste
The Association of National Advertisers is commercially launching Aquila, its highly anticipated cross-media measurement service, within the next 30 days. The platform combines linear TV data from Comscore and streaming data from Samba TV alongside direct platform integrations to track campaign reach and frequency. Initial digital data partners include Meta, YouTube, and Amazon, aiming to reduce ad frequency waste for major advertisers.
Key Takeaways
- Phase one incorporates impression-level data from Meta and YouTube alongside linear TV via Comscore.
- Phase two, scheduled for H2 2026, adds TikTok, Amazon, and iHeartRadio to the measurement pool.
- The service operates as a for-profit ANA subsidiary and has 27 initial advertiser clients, including Uber.
- Aquila uses Samba TV for streaming data and obtains direct audience figures at no cost from digital partners.
- Unlike Nielsen or VideoAmp, Aquila is designed as a planning tool for advertisers rather than a marketplace currency.
Why It Matters
Aquila provides a neutral verification layer in an industry plagued by fragmented 'walled garden' metrics. By aggregating direct data from formerly siloed giants like Meta and Google, it allows advertisers to identify exactly where ad frequency exceeds strategic limits, potentially saving billions in redundant spend. For the streaming ecosystem, this shift pressures platforms to prioritize reach efficiency over raw impressions. Success depends on whether large-scale media buyers move budgets based on these internal reports rather than traditional third-party currencies. Watch for Aquila’s pursuit of Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation to validate its 'Virtual ID' methodology against legacy standards.
Additional Context
Aquila is the U.S. implementation of the 'Halo' framework, an open-source technical architecture developed by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA). According to local reports from July 2025, the U.K. version of this initiative, known as Origin, transitioned into its 'expanded availability' phase with support from over 40 organizations. Origin's rollout included 30 of the U.K.'s largest advertisers and focused on deduplicating reports across YouTube and linear TV, a model that Aquila is now mirroring for the American market. To bridge the gap between digital census data and human behavior, Aquila follows the WFA's 'North Star' principles, which utilize single-source panels for calibration. Per GlobalNewsWire in March 2025, Aquila contracted Kantar Media to establish a thousand-home calibration panel in the U.S., designed to 'personify' data sets and train privacy-preserving technology. This hybrid approach aims to eliminate what the ANA previously estimated to be $50 billion in wasted media spending over a three-year window due to over-frequency. While the platform is funded primarily by tech giants like Google and Amazon, its operational transparency remains a central selling point for the 1,600 member companies of the ANA. According to Marketing Dive in March 2025, Aquila leadership has explicitly stated the service is not intended to disrupt existing transactional currencies. Instead, it serves as a specialized auditor, responding to CMO demands for a standard yardstick across linear, social video, and premium streaming services.
Read full article at mediapost.com
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