Background

In 1970, advertisers, agencies, and the television networks adopted the ISCI commercial coding system in order to standardize the identification of television commercials thus reducing errors in handling, scheduling, broadcasting and billing.  The 4A's and the ANA were the owners and operators of ISCI from 1992 until withdrawing it in October 2007.

To bring more accuracy to the coding process, consistency to ad identification, and provide the foundation for digital convergence, a new identification system was created for the industry.  The 4A's and the ANA launched Ad-ID in 2003.