Rich media best-practice ad guidelines unveiled by IAB

Emma Rigby,, Revolution UK 07-Oct-04, 08:00

LONDON - The Interactive Advertising Bureau is launching a raft of new best-practice standards, focusing on rich media ads.

It aims to help advertisers achieve effective campaign results with rich media, and standardise good online advertising design.

The guidelines, to be launched on October 11, draw on examples in the IAB's CreativeShowcase.net awards, and are part of the IAB's programme for standards and best practice in advertising operations and trading.

A summary of the standards includes advice to advertisers to clearly label the ad's "close" button on all rich-media formats, and clearly label any video controls such as play and stop on video format advertising. Sound control buttons should be clear and viewers should only see advertising delivered by the site they are visiting.

Danny Meadows-Klue, chief executive of the IAB, said: "Rich media has raised the impact of online even further. We've seen competitions, video and animations, and databases of content become routine parts of the ad without even needing the viewer to click though to a website."

He added: "But new formats bring technical and design challenges, and a little standardisation will help clients reach larger audiences and their customers engage confidently in the content."

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum here.