Lack of Publisher Representation
Publishers are currently operating under standards they have had no hand in writing.
Independent Publisher Advocacy
A Voice for Publishers in Industry Standards
The Publisher Coalition is an independent organization working to ensure publishers have a permanent seat at the table when advertising standards, verification frameworks, and industry policy are developed.
Publisher Coalition Publisher voice in industry standards
PublishersRepresentation
VerificationTransparency
SSPs & DSPsAccountability
Industry ReformHealthier ecosystem
About
Giving Publishers Their Seat at the Table
For too long, publishers have operated under standards created without their input. Verification frameworks are often controlled by organizations with commercial interests, while publishers carry the responsibility without transparency or meaningful representation.
The Publisher Coalition exists to change that.
Opaque Verification
Publishers are expected to comply, absorb the costs, and take the penalties when things go wrong, with no right of appeal.
Commercial Conflicts
Verification frameworks are run by companies with commercial interests in the outcomes they produce.
Need for Collective Action
The Publisher Coalition gives publishers the infrastructure to act together and have a real say in how the rules are written.
Our Mission
What the Coalition Aims to Achieve
The coalition brings together publishers, SSPs, and industry bodies, including the IAB, around a shared set of goals.
Independent IVT Monitoring
Create a truly independent verification framework free from commercial bias.
Ad Quality Standards
Develop industry-wide standards that improve user experience while protecting publishers.
Fair Verification Frameworks
Build verification processes with publishers involved from the very beginning.
Transparency & Accountability
Ensure publishers understand exactly how inventory is measured and evaluated.
Collective Action
Create infrastructure that allows publishers to influence the future of mobile advertising.
IAB Engagement
Work directly with industry bodies to make publisher advocacy part of future standards.
Why Now
Why Now?
The mobile advertising industry is reaching a critical turning point. Technology is advancing faster than the frameworks designed to govern it, leaving publishers increasingly exposed to opaque systems and inconsistent enforcement.
Following Charlie Castell's presentation at MAU Vegas 2026, conversations across the industry have reinforced one message: publishers are ready for meaningful change.
Growing Industry Concern
MAU Vegas 2026
Steps to Recovery
Publisher Coalition
Industry Reform
How It Works
Building a Fairer Supply Chain
The coalition sits between publishers and the wider advertising ecosystem, creating a structured way for the supply side to shape standards rather than simply react to them.
Publishers Publisher Coalition SSPs DSPs Agencies Brands Industry Bodies Healthier Mobile Advertising Ecosystem
Who It's For
Built For The Entire Ecosystem
The coalition is open to the organizations that want fairer, more transparent standards in mobile advertising.
Publishers
Publishers of all sizes who want fairer, more transparent standards.
SSPs
Supply-side platforms committed to accountability across the mobile advertising ecosystem.
Independent AdTech Companies
Technology partners working to create better, less biased industry frameworks.
Industry Bodies
Organizations helping coordinate standards, committees, and long-term industry reform.
Brands & Agencies
Demand-side stakeholders who benefit from a healthier, more accountable supply chain.
Mobile App Developers
Developers and studios whose user experience depends on better ad quality.
About the Founder
Charlie Castell
Charlie Castell is CEO of PubRev+ and Founder of The Publisher Coalition. Drawing on years of experience building publisher-first advertising technology, Charlie brings first-hand knowledge of the pressures publishers face and a long-standing commitment to fairer industry standards.
Charlie has consulted for a number of political campaigns, including Adam Schiff, been shortlisted for a Student Academy Award, and previously led the ads business at Warner Bros TV, Scopely, and TextNow.
Charlie Castell
Founder of the Publisher Coalition Co-Founder & CEO, PubRev+Building publisher-first advertising technology for over a decade.
"Publishers deserve a real voice in how the standards that govern their business are written."
What We Believe
What We Believe
Publisher First
Standards should include publisher representation.
Independent Verification
Verification should be transparent and free from commercial influence.
Transparency
Publishers deserve access to the data used to assess them.
Collaboration
The future of mobile advertising depends on collective action.
Resources
FAQs
Quick answers for publishers and partners exploring The Publisher Coalition.
What is the Publisher Coalition?
The Publisher Coalition is a publisher-led industry initiative founded by industry leaders to give publishers and the wider supply side a meaningful voice in how mobile advertising standards are created, enforced, and evolved.
Why was the Publisher Coalition created?
For too long, publishers have been expected to comply with standards and verification frameworks they had little role in creating. The coalition exists to ensure publishers have representation, greater transparency, and a seat at the table when industry standards are developed.
What does the Publisher Coalition aim to achieve?
The coalition focuses on six core objectives: establishing independent IVT monitoring and verification; improving ad quality standards across the industry; creating fairer verification frameworks with publisher input; increasing transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain; enabling collective action between publishers; and working closely with the IAB to ensure publisher representation in industry standards.
What is independent IVT monitoring?
The coalition advocates for a truly independent body to oversee IVT (Invalid Traffic) monitoring and ad quality verification, free from commercial bias. This would provide publishers with greater transparency and a fair process when inventory is flagged or penalized.
How will the coalition improve ad quality?
By promoting industry-wide ad quality standards that protect the user experience, reduce churn, and build trust between publishers, advertisers, developers, and users.
Why is transparency so important?
Publishers should understand how their inventory is monitored and have access to the data behind enforcement decisions. The coalition supports greater transparency from SSPs, DSPs, and verification providers, along with fair processes for challenging incorrect decisions.
Help Shape the Future of Mobile Advertising
Whether you're a publisher, SSP, adtech company, or industry organization, we'd love to hear from you. Become part of the movement creating fairer standards for the entire ecosystem.