Taxonomy Definitions

• Ad agencies and marketing firms.

   For example: Adprime Media, Inc., Advanced Marketing Concepts

• Companies that produce, sell, or service cars, motorcycles, boats, and motorsports.

    Vehicle parts live in Shopping › Vehicle Parts & Accessories
    Auto insurance lives in Financial Services

   For example: Carvana, Hyundai, Chrysler Dealerships

  Automotive Marketplaces & Retailers

  Any place where one can buy and/or sell new or used cars.

  Automotive Research

  Any platform where one can go to view data about specific car makes and models.

  Gas & EV Charging Stations

  Anywhere one can refuel a car vehicle using gas or electricity.

  Motor Vehicles

  Any vehicle that is used on land or in water. Includes cars and trucks, watercraft, and off-road vehicles.

  Motorsport

  Anything related to motor vehicle racing.

  Vehicle Parts & Maintenance

  Vehicle maintenance, service, and parts and accessories.

• Aerospace & Defense

  Manufacturers of civil or military aerospace and defense equipment, parts or products. Includes defense electronics and space equipment.
    BOEING, Northrop Grumman Corporation

  Agriculture

  Companies that directly support crop and livestock production. May include fertilizers/chemicals/animal feeds aimed at agricultural professionals, not consumer gardeners or pet owners.
    Heavy machinery lives in Construction & Maintenance
    Bayer Crop Science (Bayer Agriculture), Corteva Agriscience

  Business Purchasing

  B2B brands purchasing items that do not fall into any other, more specific category.
    Industrial equipment lives in Industrial Materials & Equipment
    Supplies for processional cleaning live in CPG > Professional Cleaning & Paper Supplies
    Supplies for home or garden professionals live in Shopping > Home & Garden Professional 
    Amazon Business, Walmart Business

  Consulting

  The best way to identify these advertiser is to Google the company and see if they are described as consultants. For a more detailed definition, see the SIC definition of Management Consulting Services.
    Deloitte LLP

  Energy & Utilities

  Companies that distribute electric, gas, and water or provide waste, recycle, and related environmental services. Also includes companies that advertise solar panel incentives.
    Gas stations live in Auto > Gas & EV Charging Stations
    Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), 1-800-GOT-JUNK? LLC, Power Home Solar, LLC

  Heavy Machinery

  Heavy-duty vehicles specially designed to execute construction tasks, most frequently involving earthwork operations or other large construction tasks.
    Caterpillar Inc, Bobcat Company

  Industrial Conglomerates

  Highly dispersed businesses working across globalized value chains. Hint: if an advertiser seems to do too many things for any other single category, it's likely an industrial conglomerate.
    Siemens AG, Schneider Electric

  Industrial Supplies

  Products for which the intended purchaser is a factory or manufactering plant. Includes automation hardware/components and safety gear.
    W.W. Grainger Inc, Vention Inc

  Shipping & Logistics

  Mail and package delivery, freight transport.
    FedEx Corporation, DHL International

• Companies that make packaged items including food, beverages, household supplies that are consumed and need to be replaced, personal care (incl. oral care, cosmetics, skincare), and baby diapers, bath products, and food. Usually these items can be purchased in a grocery store or online.

   For example: Unilever, P&G, Kellogg Company, The Hershey Company, Estee Lauder

  Aromatherapy & Essential Oils

  Baby & Toddler

  Baby and toddler food, formula, diapers, baby wipes, and pacifiers.

  Food & Beverages

  All food and beverages, including alcohol.

  Household Supplies

  Cleaning supplies, laundry supplies, paper products, and consumable kitchenware.

  Personal Care

  Cosmetics, deodorants, feminine hygiene, haircare, oral care, shaving, and skincare.

  Professional Cleaning & Paper Supplies

• All insurance, banks, investment firms, and tax preparation.

   For example: Allstate, Bank of America, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., TurboTax

  Accounting & Auditing

  Business Finance & Business Solutions

  Any financial product that facilitates business operations.
  Examples of this are standard banking products (like checking and savings accounts), anything that would serve as a sort of cash register, anything that facilitates the taking of payment from customers or managing payment plans on behalf of the business, anything that assists a business in paying for its business costs (such as payroll or handling payments made in a foreign currency).
    Does not include: Business loans, business insurance, or business credit cards.

  Car Buying Services

  There are two main types of car buying services: 1) Membership programs 2) Car concierges.
  Membership programs: These programs, which are offered by companies such as Costco and USAA, are generally for members or existing customers only.
  Car concierges: If you prefer more help throughout the car-buying process, you can opt for a car concierge service that will handle negotiating for a good deal for you.

  Consumer Finance

  Any consumer product, service, or technology that facilitates checking, savings, consumer to consumer payments, consumer to business payments, cash management, personal finance education, or any sort of protection of any one of these things.
    Does not include: Loans, insurance, investments, or credit cards.

  Corporate, Institutional, and Wholesale Banking

  Similar to business banking, these banking products are non-consumer products.
  However, these products are intended for large companies, large organizations, corporations, and institutions.

  Credit & Lending

  Any access to funds that a business or consumer will then re-pay or any product that facilitates this process.
  Examples of this are a credit card, a line of credit, a loan, an installment plan, a loan comparison site, or an app used to manage your loans.

  Crowdfunding

  Finance Careers

  Anything related to hiring, careers, internships, or 'why we are great to work for!' messaging.

  Fraud Protection

  A service (usually offered by a consumer banking or credit card company) that identifies and alerts a consumer when it detects potentially suspicious activity regarding their credit card or account funds.

  Gift Cards

  Gift cards from financial institutions.

  Insurance

  Any contracted agreement that protects a person or business from financial loss should a specified item incur damage or a specified event take place.

  Investing & Financial Management

  Anything to do with investments, retirement, wealth management, asset management, financial planning, trading, crypto, or any other long-term financial management or strategy.

  Savings & Loan Banks (S&Ls)

  Usually has 'Savings & Loan' in the name.
  The main difference between S&Ls and regular banks are the way they are regulated, which won't be evident in the creatives. They offer many of the same products as a regular bank.

• Restaurants, fast food, food delivery, food and recipe blogs.

   For example: McDonald's, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.), GrubHub, Inc., The Kroger Co.

  Dining & Restaurants

  Dine-in and fast food restaurants.

  Food & Beverage Associations & Councils

    California Walnut Commission, American Egg Board, Almond Board of California

  Food Blogs, Coupons & Recipe Resources

  Mostly recipe blogs and websites.

  Food Delivery Services

  Grocery and restaurant delivery.

• Video games, mobile games, gaming systems and consoles, online real money gambling and sports betting.

    Government-run lotteries live in Law & Government
    Board games live under Shopping › Family & Parenting

   For example: Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., DraftKings Inc., Nintendo

  Online Betting & Real Money Gambling

  Any online game or app that involves betting and winning real money.

  Video Game Collectables

  Figurines, cards, and other memorabilia related to games, sold by gaming advertisers.

  Video Game Crypto, Blockchain & NFT

  Any game which interacts with cryptocurrencies, NFTs, or the blockchain.

  Video Game Distribution

  A brick-and-mortar or online gaming retailer that allows users to purchase video game hardware, software, or platforms, for which users pay a subscription fee to play games, either through downloads or streaming.
    Gamestop, Steam

  Video Game Media, Live-Streaming & Services

  Includes rewards sites, social sites and e-sports.

  Video Game Publisher

  Parent category of all games, including mobile, PC, and console gaming.

  Video Game Systems & Consoles

  Gaming hardware.
    Gaming PCs go in Computers & Consumer Electronics Shopping

• Hospitals, pharmaceutical companies/medications, dentists, eye care, vitamins, cannabis, gyms, fitness and weight-loss programs, races, first aid supplies, pharmacies, wellness apps, beauty services (hair stylists/barbers, med spas, tanning).

   For example: Pfizer Inc., Walgreens, Planet Fitness, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Smile Direct Club, Weight Watchers International, Inc., Great Clips, Inc.

  Beauty Services & Spas

  Spas, medical spas, nail salons, hair salons, tanning salons, massage therapy, tattoos and piercings.

  Cannabis & CBD

  Cannabis products and dispensaries.
    Cannabis Food Items live in CPG

  First Aid & Home Medical Devices

  Bandages, thermometers and first aid supplies.

  Health Associations, Organizations & Communities

  Professional associations, patient support groups and communities, charities and non-profit funding research.

  Health Care Services

  Hospitals, clinics, dentists, optometrists, glasses and contact lenses, pharmacies, and tele-health.

  Health Media & Publications

  Publishers of news, information, and content pertaining to human health and wellness.

  Medical Software

  Software as a Service (SaaS) specific to doctors' offices.

  Personal Health & Fitness

  Gyms and exercise, meditation and sleep trackers, nutrition and diet, period tracking, stres management and mental health apps.

  Pharmaceuticals

  All over-the-counter and prescription medications.

  Vitamins & Supplements

• Anything with ".edu" domain, job search tools, and adult online learning.

   For example: Purdue University System, University of Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute, Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd., LinkedIn Corporation, MasterClass, Skillshare

  Colleges, Universities & Post-Secondary Education Institutions

  Includes all 2-4 year institutions that give an associates, bachelor, masters, or doctoral degree.

  Community & Self-Improvement Education

  Self-improvement learning in the form of classes, workshops, and lectures delivered via video, text, or audio. Classes are free, open to the public, or available to purchase.
  Does not include: opportunities for certification, degrees, or continuing education credits.

  Continuing Education, Training & Certification

  Formal classes, workshops, and lectures for adult learners to gain a certificate, continuing education credit, or other training recognition. Classes are free, open to the public, or available to purchase.

  Educational Resources

  Resources and tools used in Primary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Education. Includes resources for teachers, students, school administrators, or parents. May be used inside or outside the classroom.

  Primary & Secondary Education (K-12)

  Includes online classes. May include resources only for K-12 teachers.

  Vocational Training & Trade Schools

  Education and training in a trade that results in certification or licensure.
  Does not include: Associates, bachelor, masters, or doctoral degrees.

  Job Boards

  Job postings and listings for job seekers and employers trying to fill a position.

  Professional Networking Resources

  Groups promoting career development and advancement. Includes focus groups and mentorship.

• Anything with ".gov" domain, government run agencies, lawyers, and military.

   For example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CA Lottery (California State Lottery), NewlinLaw.com

• Genealogy, senior living facilities, adoption services, custom printing, custom gifts, florists, wedding vendors, home cleaning services, pest control services, yard maintenance, vets, movers, and storage.

    Engagment and wedding rings live in Shopping › Apparel › Jewelry

   For example: Ancestry.com, Shutterfly, Inc., 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc., Zola, Inc., Rover.com (A Place for Rover, Inc.)

• Digital and in-person entertainment.

  Books & Comics

  Books, news, comics, magazines, and consumer comparison sites.
    Condé Nast, Penguin Random House, The New York Times Company, CNN

  Dating & Social Discovery

  Any sites or apps for dating or finding friends.
    Bumble Trading Inc

  Experiences & Events

  In-person entertainment like concerts, festivals, museums, theater, and ticket sales for in-person events.
    Professional sporting events live in Sports Entertainment
    Ski resorts and theme parks live in Travel & Tourism
    Live Nation Entertainment, Shen Yun Performing Arts

  Film & Television

  TV shows, movies, streaming services, movie studios, tv channels, and movie theaters.
    Hulu, Sony Pictures Entertainment, CineMark, Discovery Channel

  Music & Podcasts

  Music streaming platforms, music studios, music artists, albums, and podcasts.
    Spotify, Universal Music Group

  Social Media

  Sites and apps that enable users to create and share content and social messaging.
    Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp

  Sports Entertainment

  Professional sports teams and sport-related media.
    NBA, NFL, MLB

• Organizations operated for a collective, public or social benefit that are not religious in nature.

    Religious non-profits live in Religion & Spirituality

   For example: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Salvation Army

• Anything overtly political in nature: specific candidates, political action committees, lobbying, and anything specific to a political party (e.g., Democratic Party, Republican Party).

   For example: Bernie 2016, Americans for Prosperity, Democratic National Committee

• Property management groups, sites that are concerned with buying, selling, or renting property.

   For example: Zillow, Remax, Simon Property Group

• All churches and anything to do with religion, including religious non-profit organizations.

   For example: Mormon.org, Bible Gateway, Christianpost.com

• Apparel

  Clothing and accessories.
    SheIn Group Limited, Nike

  Beauty Retail

  Retail sellers of beauty and personal care items.
    Sephora

  Computers & Consumer Electronics

  Computers, phones (and phone cases), TVs, cameras, direct-to-consumer office supplies.
    B2B tech such as servers, conference room equipment, etc live in Software.
    B2B creatives for anything included in this taxonomy (laptops, printers, etc) are categorized here according the to product in the creative.
    Samsung, Apple Inc., Dell, Roku, Fitbit Inc., Epson, Fujifilm, Best Buy, Staples

  Convenience Stores

  Small markets open long hours, often paired with gas pumps.
    Wawa Inc., Dollar General Corporation, Circle K Stores Inc.

  Coupons & Rebates

  Companies that provide coupons for any product or service.
    Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy), Slickdeals, LLC

  Family & Parenting Shopping

  Toys, baby/child products (e.g., strollers), maternity clothes, and board games.
    Consumable baby products live in CPG
    Children's clothing lives in Apparel › Children's Apparel
    Hasbro, Inc., Buy Buy Baby, Inc.

  Grocery Stores

  Retail sellers of staple foodstuffs and other CPG items.
    The Kroger Co., Woolworths

  Hobbies/Interests Shopping

  Craft supplies, instruments, and music supplies.
    Michaels Stores, Inc., Guitar Center

  Home & Garden Shopping

  Anything you purchase to fix or furnish a home.
    Home Depot, IKEA, Whirlpool Corporation

  Luggage & Travel Accessories

  Suitcases, toiletry cases, etc.
    Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L, Eagle Creek Holdings, LLC

  Pet Supplies

  Anything you would purchase for pets, including Pet Food, Pet Supplies, Pet Health and Supplements, Pet Gear and Accessories, Cat Litter and Pet Waste. 
    Petco, Blue Buffalo Pet Food

  Sports & Outdoors

  Sporting goods, bikes, outdoor recreation equipment, hunting, anything to do with guns.
    Backcountry.com, Inc., Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc., AR500 Armor

  Vehicle Parts & Accessories

  Tires, vehicle accessories, vehicle fluids, etc.
    Advance Auto Parts, Inc., Firestone Tires

• Antivirus & Security

  Software used to prevent, scan, detect and delete viruses from a computer. Includes VPNs and ad blockers.
    Gen Digital Inc

  App Stores

  A digital marketplace where you can purchase and download apps and software.
    Marketplaces that sell only games live in Gaming > Video Game Distribution
    Android

  Business & Productivity Software

  Any software meant for the strictly workplace (that does not fall into IT or Programming & Developer Software) or any software meant to enhance productivity, inside or outside of the workplace.
    Payroll software lives in Financial Services > Payroll Services
    Monday.com Ltd, Microsoft 365 (Office 365)

  Generative AI

  Software with the primary purpose of producing text, images, videos, or other forms of data using AI.
    OpenAI, Claude.ai

  Information Technology (IT) & Computer Services

  Companies that provide consulting or integration services to other businesses relating to information technology. Includes providers of computer-system design, systems integration, network and systems operations, distributed ledger technology (DLT) consulting and integration, data management and storage, repair services and technical support.
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Dell Servers and Storage

  Multimedia & Design Software

  Software for editing photos, videos, audio, drawings, 3D models, animation, fonts, stock photos.
    Adobe Creative Cloud

  Operating Systems

  MacOS, iOS, Linux, Windows, etc
    Chrome OS

  Programming & Developer Software

  A program or set of programs which helps software developers by assisting them in creating, debugging and maintaining other programs and applications. You may also see creatives from a larger software company aimed specifically at developers
    Azure

  Utilities

  Apps and programs that fulfill the functional needs of the user. These are things that may be used for work but are used outside of the office as well, such as web browsers, cloud storage, screen recorders, etc.
    Bing

  Web Development

  Tools that facilitate the construction of websites, often (thought not always) without manual code editing.
    SquareSpace Inc

• Internet service providers, mobile network providers, and TV service providers.

   For example: Verizon, AT&T, Comcast Corporation, Spectrum, Deutsche Telekom

  Business Networks

  Telecom services aimed at large or small businesses. Includes internet service providers, mobile phone plans, office phone and voicemail services.

  Consumer Networks

  Telecom services aimed at individuals. Includes internet service providers, prepaid and postpaid mobile phone plans, and TV service plans available via cable, satellite, IPTV, and OTA (Over-the-Air) TV.
    Does not include: TV services delivered over the internet, such at OTT (Over-the-Top) TV.

• Hotels, airlines, casinos, resorts, travel sites and agencies, and car rentals.

   For example: Expedia, Alaska Air, Hilton Worldwide, Avis Budget Group, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

  Accommodations & Lodging

  Hotels, resorts, vacation rentals (such as AirBnB), and campsites.

  Cruises & Cruise Services

  Tourist Attractions & Destinations

  Ski resorts, theme parks, and tour operators.

  Transportation

  Air travel, buses, trains, car rentals, public parking, taxis, rideshares, and navigation apps.

  Travel Booking Services & Travel Agencies

  Provider of travel and tourism-related booking services. The service could be self-serve (in the case of travel booking sites/apps) or full service (in the case of travel agencies that hire individuals to work with people to schedule trips).

  Travel Media & Publications

  Services or platforms that allow users to write or read blog posts and reviews of travel services, destinations, and other tourist subjects. These could be online magazines or travel guide series.