Why the NAI Matters

by Ben Plomion, Chango

Like many NAI member companies, Chango is on the front lines of the behavioral advertising debate. You see, we’re a search retargeting platform, which means that we allow brands to find new customers based on recent searches. 

Search retargeting is different from site retargeting, in which brands retarget consumers that have visited their site. Both models, however, face the same challenges in terms of adopting advertising best practices that are good for the consumer, the industry, and for yourself.

For us, that’s where the NAI delivers. We recognize that not all consumers want to be served behaviorally targeted ads, even if those ads deliver greater relevance and a better experience. We also want customers to be notified when data is collected and to understand that they have the ability to opt-out. It’s about meaningful choice. As a fast-growing company, however, it’s hard to do all of that on your own. That’s where the NAI comes in. 

NAI’s compliance review helps companies like Chango adhere to the NAI’s Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct. The NAI reviewed our data collection practices in great detail. The goal is to ensure that NAI members are complying with industry-wide best practices. It can be a tedious process but it’s worth the investment because it allows us to affirm with confidence that we have some of the most stringent requirements on data partners in the industry. This benefits everyone. 

NAI’s service and guidance also are invaluable to a young company like ours. Chango was founded in 2008. Since then, we’ve grown very fast. At this time last year, our company had 15 employees. Today we have more than 40 employees and offices in five cities. 

We work with 45 of the top 500 retailers. We’d like to work with more. NAI helps us do that by serving as a key partner on tough issues. We need to focus on our business, maintain our growth, and improve performance and levels of service to our customers while maintaining high standards for data collection and management. 

The NAI helps us do that, not only through their review of our data collection practices, but also through their role as the industry’s voice in Washington. They’ve been invaluable in sharing their perspective on the latest regulations and industry trends. 

As we continue to grow, we’ll continue our commitment to the NAI. We look forward to helping in any way we can.