Rival web trade body joins forces with IAB

by James Livesley, Media Week 14-Mar-06

IASH, a rival trade body of online sales houses, is set to become part of the Internet Advertising Bureau.

IASH was set up by 10 digital advertising sales houses in November to
introduce an accreditation system and a code of practice for their
business.

The founders were Ad2-One, AdLink, Adviva, AdPepper, Blue Lithium,

eType, MediaBrokers, VCMedia, Unanimis and 24/7 Real Media.

The new trade body employed ABC Electronic to complete an audit of
members and establish a code of conduct. Primarily the push to establish
accreditation was to provide assurance to advertisers that sales houses
do not use peer-to-peer or pornographic websites in their portfolio. Not
all sales houses signed up to IASH. Some felt the IAB has more pulling
power, and that a second trade body made too many demands on members'
time.

After a consultation with IAB chief executive Guy Phillipson, the IASH
members voted to become a council of the larger trade body. IASH
chairman James Aitken, managing director of MediaBrokers, will continue
as chair of the council at the IAB.

The code of conduct will now be ratified at the next JICWEB (Joint
Industry Committee for Websites) meeting and the first sales house
council at the IAB will take place in April.

Phillipson said: "We'll have a sales house council and the code will be
a key part of it."