Adelaide Releases Independent Review by MediaSense Validating AU’s Effectiveness & Predictive Power

by ExchangeWire PressBox on 7th Jul 2025 in News

Adelaide, the leader in attention-based media quality measurement, has released findings from an independent audit conducted by global media advisory firm MediaSense.

The review validates the methodology behind Adelaide’s AU metric. It confirms that higher AU scores reliably correlate with improved performance across key brand outcomes, including aided awareness, familiarity, intent, and recall. The audit addresses the industry’s growing demand for transparent, outcome-based alternatives to traditional metrics proven susceptible to manipulation.

Between February and June 2025, MediaSense conducted a comprehensive review of Adelaide’s AU scoring methodology and AU curve materiality analysis, which helps advertisers set AU performance targets. The process included intensive technical walkthroughs, documentation reviews, and independent reconstruction of AU curves using aggregated data inputs to verify accuracy and reproducibility.

Key Findings:

1. The AU methodology is outcome-driven and follows data science best practices.

MediaSense’s analysis confirmed that AU scores serve as strong proxies for a placement’s likelihood to drive brand outcomes.

2. The AU curve methodology is transparent, reproducible, and independently verifiable.

By successfully reconstructing AU curves, MediaSense validated that AU is not a black box—its statistical foundations are robust, traceable, and repeatable.

3. Higher AU scores reliably correlate with improved performance in key advertiser KPIs.

AU’s predictive value holds across multiple KPIs and channels, supporting its use as an optimisation input to drive performance.

"This independent validation by MediaSense represents a pivotal moment for AU," said Marc Guldimann, CEO and co-founder of Adelaide. "Advertisers have long relied on easily-gamed metrics that degrade media quality and lead to diminishing returns. MediaSense's rigorous investigation confirms what we've seen across hundreds of campaigns: AU consistently predicts outcomes across channels and offers the market a trusted alternative to imprecise metrics."

"Adelaide's willingness to undergo rigorous independent testing shows a genuine commitment to transparency—an essential trait for the healthy evolution of our industry," said Adam Edelshain, business director at MediaSense. "AU’s ability to quantify attention and demonstrate alignment with media performance sets a new standard for media quality measurement."

Adelaide's omnichannel AU is already in use by top global advertisers, including The Coca-Cola Company, the NBA, and Jaguar Land Rover, as well as premium publishers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. AU is currently under review by the Media Rating Council, and Adelaide plays an active role in shaping attention standards through the IAB Attention Task Force.

Download the full MediaSense audit for a detailed look at their methodology and complete findings.