Unveils Advisory Board & Members of New Council that Bridges the Gap Between Digital Publishers & Ad Technology Innovators

NEW YORK, NY (June 21, 2012) — The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the selection of Jonathan Bellack, Product Management Director, Publisher Ad Platforms at Google, and Jay Sears, Senior Vice President, Demand at the Rubicon Project as Co-Chairs of its Advertising Technology Council. The news was released at the IAB Advertising Technology Marketplace “Beyond Acronyms and Algorithms…Defining Value in the Marketplace” conference in New York City.

A new IAB body created in February to merge the fragmented advertising technology sector and progress toward the goal of developing technical standards and operating best practices, the Ad Technology Council also attracted 24 additional industry front-runners to serve on its Advisory Board:

“High-quality technical specifications with broad industry support, like VAST and VPAID for video, are key to the future growth of the online ecosystem,” said Bellack. “The talented pool of executives coming on board to join the IAB Advertising Technology Council reflect the overwhelming agreement in the tech field that we need to work together to move digital advertising forward.”

“The digital advertising industry and the underlying ad technology providers must be smarter about their collaboration,” said Sears. “When the IAB Ad Technology Council is successful, buyers and sellers will speak less about ‘the plumbing’ and more about the gain they receive. There will be significant value creation as a result of our work together.”

The broader list of IAB Advertising Technology Council general members includes 33 advertising technology leaders and influencers:

“We are very pleased with the positive reaction we’ve received from key players in the industry and their deep interest in participating in the IAB Advertising Technology Council,” said Patrick Dolan, Executive Vice President and COO, IAB. “With this strong leadership, notable advisors and members, we know the Council will be able to make meaningful changes in the interactive ad technology space, driving growth for all – from online publishers to agencies to marketers to ad technology businesses themselves.”

In addition, IAB announced that the first Advertising Technology Council meeting will be held on Thursday, August 16 at the IAB Ad Lab.

The Advertising Technology Council leadership encourages IAB member companies in the field of advertising technology to apply for membership. Those interested in more information about joining the IAB and/or the Council can email Nicole Horsford, Senior Manager, Member Services, at membership@iab.net.

About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.iab.net.

IAB Media Contact
Laura Goldberg
347.683.1859
laura.goldberg@iab.net