Over the summer, the Interactive Advertising Bureau released its new standards for online and mobile advertisers. These new standards involve “sunsetting” a few practices — such as the giant, annoying ads that take over your screen and won’t let you click away — while also creating guidelines around new technologies such as AR, VR, 360-degree ads and emoji ads.
Entrepreneurs or independent companies that want to secure media dollars from brands and agencies need to be sure they understand the standard terms and conditions of the IAB. While these industry standard terms can seem overwhelming at first glance, they’re the best road map for anyone working on creative production or media-related activation with a major brand or agency, both domestically and globally.
The IAB’s framework also helps brands and agencies understand how to conduct business with new technologies, and the guidelines are designed to ensure media is lightweight and adaptable to various screen sizes and the creative is encrypted where needed and supportive of privacy concerns.
Most importantly, the IAB provides a clear road map for how media and media-led digital investments are governed and paid. Most media companies will not accept or pay for content or ads that do not follow IAB guidelines. As with any set of guidelines, some buyers will make an exception, but the standards are important because they establish a common language and best practices.
For entrepreneurs and independently held media companies looking to secure media dollars from a brand or agency, there are a few important points to consider:
1. Get the most bang for your buck.
Production fees for various ad unit sizes, rich media and ad serving can increase quickly. Determine the risk versus reward of proposing various ad units, and remember that skimping on production often does more harm than good.
Also, carefully evaluate how the creative message should best be conveyed. Is a 15-second ad going to garner more attention than a 30-second spot because the consumer is engaged? Is it worth it to create a separate or different mobile expense because smaller ad units won’t convey the message?
It’s also important to follow the IAB’s LEAN guidelines to ensure your ads can do their job. LEAN — which stands for…
