http://www.iab.net/recent_press_releases The latest press releases from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:51 -0600 greg.vanullen@iab.net (Greg Van Ullen) greg.vanullen@iab.net (Greg Van Ullen) http://www.iab.net/media/image/logo.gif http://www.iab.net/recent_press_releases 100 60 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-031210?gko=a6162 Leading Agencies, Publishers and Networks Converge to Discuss Operational and Sales Implications of Latest Advertising Tools NEW YORK, NY (MARCH 12, 2010) -- Seeking to lend order and clarity to an increasingly important yet confusing component of the interactive advertising ecosystem, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today convened the interactive industry's first interdisciplinary forum on ad verification companies and technologies. "Ad Verification Day: An Introduction and Discussion of Methodologies" is being held in New York City, with an invited roster of interactive industry executives representing marketers, agencies, publishers, ad networks, and technology companies. Companies claiming the ability to verify online ad buys have arisen during the past several years in response to advertiser and agency concerns that ads are running within content environments that have not been expressly included in a media buy or could harm an advertiser's brand equity. By verifying delivery of ad campaigns, advertisers and media buyers hope to identify and eliminate budget waste from their online campaigns and safeguard the reputation of their brands. The IAB, which represents the interests of the sellers of interactive advertising industry, has been a driving force in creating transparency in and removing friction from all stages of the interactive advertising buying process. Ad verification tools, when employed with sound methodologies, hold promise as a new resource for further improving confidence in the process of buying interactive advertising. But members of the association have grown uneasy about the proliferation of ad verification companies with differing, unaudited technologies, and the cost that ad verification is adding to the implementation and reconciliation of advertising transactions. "We need to make sure that the work of ad verification companies is about brand protection and not confused with currency," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. "These companies are not audited against any industry guidelines for counting impressions. It is our hope that the IAB, working together with organizations like the Media Rating Council, will be able to create a process and a set of open standards for this new type of tool, with the twin goals of creating a brand-friendly environment for marketers while not adding complexity cost to the ad buying process. Ad Verification Day is our first step in understanding the needs of the market." "Ad verification processes should complement existing work agencies and publishers have undertaken to make the interactive advertising supply chain more efficient and effective," said Dan Murphy, Senior Vice President Interactive Research & Ad Traffic for Univision Interactive Media, and co-chair of the IAB's Ad Operations Council. "In an attempt to drive integrity into the digital ecosystem, the very real side effect of many current ad verification companies is friction in the form of inaccurate reporting. This is the antithesis of what publishers and agencies sought years ago in creating the joint 4A's/IAB Reinvention Taskforce," Murphy added. The Reinvention Task Force is an ongoing and successful effort by the IAB and the American Association of Advertising Agencies to agree on workflow standards and processes, contractual relationships between agencies and publishers, and other friction-generating areas of the digital ecosystem. "We are excited by the opportunity to learn about ad verification services and how these services function," said George Ivie CEO and Executive Director of the Media Rating Council. "The value and trust these services bring is certainly enhanced by communication efforts such as today's IAB event, and beyond today, value and trust may be enhanced by efforts to seek methodological guidelines and transparency among the verification services; the MRC encourages these steps forward and supports assurances that advertising appears in contextual environments expected by marketers." "Today's summit gives ad verification companies a platform to explain how they use technology to validate impression delivery and provide a forum for publishers and ad networks to discuss the ongoing demand of accountability and transparency," said David J. Moore, Chairman and Founder, 24/7 Real Media, and Chairman of the Board of the IAB. "Marketplace trust among all stakeholders in our industry is key to growing the digital share of advertising and ad verification is one of many tools that may help us provide that assurance to marketers." About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-031210?gko=a6162 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-netex?gko=c89fc "Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines" Provide Marketers and Agencies with Greater Brand Safety and Trust CARLSBAD, CA (February 22, 2010) -- In a move that standardizes the information networks and exchanges provide to advertisers, enhances buyer control over placement and context, and builds brand safety, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released "Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines" for public comment. These guidelines provide full understanding of the sources and types of inventory offered, and the context and content surrounding advertising. The IAB announced these guidelines at its third Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, in Carlsbad, California, where leaders across the digital media landscape have converged to address the most critical issues facing the industry. "Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines" outline concrete measures that will allow for standardizing the buying and selling of advertising inventory in networks and exchanges and provide greater brand safety assurances to marketers and agencies. The guidelines: Allow for transparency of inventory sources, publisher relationships, content levels and ad placement details Provide universally defined content categories for advertisers Require that networks and exchanges rate content for audience segments Outline data disclosure terms for off-site behavioral targeting and third-party data Provide for mandatory IAB training of appointed compliance officers in each certified network or exchange Include a list of terms and definitions for targeting and data that will help eliminate confusion "These guidelines are the first of their kind in the U.S., and we believe they will go a long way to building more marketplace trust," said David J. Moore, Chairman and Founder, 24/7 Real Media, and Chairman of the Board of the IAB. "Networks and ad exchanges have transformed how advertisers can deliver targeted messaging to consumers and these guidelines further secure the promise of this extraordinary marketing resource." "'The Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines' represent a watershed moment in the ability of the marketplace to fully leverage the value of inventory placed on networks and exchanges. For the first time, there are definitions, standards and practices that will yield significant choice and brand safety when buying on networks and exchanges," said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. "Advertisers will have a high degree of confidence that consumers will get the right messages within the right environments and that's what interactive media is all about." "The IAB is continuing the process of improving transparency and accountability through issuing these Network and Exchange Guidelines," said George Ivie, CEO and Executive Director of the Media Rating Council. "The self-certification program outlined in the Guidelines represents a step forward in ensuring an appropriate contextual understanding surrounding network/exchange advertising, patterned after examples of existing processes for similar situations such as the Safe Harbor Program maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The IAB has expanded upon these existing examples by requiring certain self-certification training and periodic testing which will help provide assurance to advertising buyers and their Network and Exchange partners." The public comment period for the guidelines will remain open until Friday, March 26, 2010. About the IAB's Networks & Exchanges Committee: The IAB Networks and Exchanges Committee is comprised of senior leaders of ad networks and ad exchanges that are general member companies. The committee is dedicated to furthering the interests of ad networks and ad exchanges in today's complex ad marketplace. Committee objectives are to foster the highest standards of professionalism and accountability in relationships with publishers, advertisers and the agency community, to develop programs that enable revenue growth, and to create best practices that protect consumers and the industry. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/networks_and_exchanges_committee "Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines" and public comment survey can be found on the IAB website at: http://www.iab.net/ne_guidelines About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-netex?gko=c89fc http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-itv?gko=e71c1 Latest in Series that Charts Growth and Innovation in Emerging Advertising Technologies CARLSBAD, CA (February 22, 2010) -Today, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the release of "An Interactive Television Advertising Overview," the latest in its series of comprehensive Platform Status Reports aimed at educating marketers, agencies and publishers on the state of interactive advertising platforms. The announcement was made during its Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, in Carlsbad, California, where leaders across the digital media landscape have converged to address the most critical issues facing the industry. "An Interactive Television Advertising Overview" provides: An overview of the U.S. interactive television market, including audience segments and specific advertising options for reaching those consumers Key definitions and nomenclature used in interactive television and specific campaign metrics Case studies that highlight the available interactive television advertising products An overview of the different providers of interactive television advertising and their respective capabilities An explanation of key technological and strategic challenges facing interactive television "Interactive television turns passive TV-watching into yet another engaging digital media experience that marketers can make a part of their advertising mix," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "ITV brings the power of digital media to the home screen, transforming consumers' TV advertising experience," said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. "The IAB produced the report to bring the marketplace a comprehensive yet concise picture of the opportunities currently available to advertisers." "Interactive television advertising offers brands a unique and highly personal way to interact with consumers," said Chris Falkner, Vice President, Advanced Advertising Technology and Operations, NBC Universal, and a Co-Chair of the IAB's Interactive Television Committee. "This report will provide a better understanding of the huge potential of this evolving advertising platform." This document can be found on the IAB website at: www.iab.net/ITV_overview Interactive advertising is constantly evolving. In order to educate the industry, the IAB provides information and education on emerging interactive platforms in the form of overviews that are available at iab.net. To review these reports, please go to http://www.iab.net/iab_products_and_industry_services/508676/1488 About the IAB's Interactive Television Committee The Interactive Television Committee was formed in March of 2009. The goal of the Interactive Television Committee is to implement a comprehensive set of measurement and creative guidelines for interactive television advertising, as well as educate the marketplace on its strengths. The Committee has defined interactive television as interactive advertising occurring inside a television environment. The committee consists of various players in the interactive television ecosystem and will continue to grow as more interested parties become members of the Interactive Advertising Bureau. A full list of committee member companies can be found at http://www.iab.net/interactive_television_committee About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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 Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-itv?gko=e71c1 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-sm?gko=51307 CARLSBAD,CA (February 22, 2010) -- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the release of the industry's first-ever "Social Media Buyer's Guide," a resource that guides marketers and agencies through the social media advertising buying process. The announcement was made at IAB's third Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, in Carlsbad, California, where leaders across the digital media landscape have converged to address the most critical issues facing the industry. The "Social Media Buyer's Guide" offers marketers and agencies a handbook that explains how to buy social media advertising. The IAB Social Media Buyer's Guide: Details the steps involved in planning a social media campaign to meet both strategic and tactical marketing objectives Defines the different social media platforms that are in the market Provides case studies to illustrate successfully executed real-world campaigns Summarizes the pricing models available to purchase social media and the metrics used to evaluate success. "We developed the 'Buyer's Guide Series' because there was a need to offer marketers and agencies clear, concise guidance on planning and buying emerging, high growth interactive platforms," said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. "By detailing the essential elements of a successful social media campaign, we make it easier for brands to really leverage the power of social media." "The Social Media Buyer's Guide was developed to be a toolkit that demystifies social media for marketers and agencies and helps them create successful social media campaigns," said Nichole Goodyear, CEO/President & Co-Founder, Brickfish, and a member of the IAB's Social Media Committee. "From an agency perspective, the 'Social Media Buyer's Guide' will go a long way in answering questions that our clients have when they consider social media," said Anna Banks, Group Director, Strategy, Organic, and a member of the IAB's Social Media Committee. "This guide will be a terrific tool to help educate our clients so that together we can make informed decisions and execute effective social media campaigns that engage consumers--that's our goal." This document can be found on the IAB website at: www.iab.net/sm_buyers_guide The IAB Social Media Buyer's Guide builds upon a solid foundation of guidance previously released by the IAB Social Media Committee, which includes: Social Media Ad Metrics Definitions - http://www.iab.net/socialmetrics Social Advertising Best Practices - http://www.iab.net/socialads User-Generated Content & Social Media Platform Status Report - http://www.iab.net/ugcplatform About the IAB's Social Media Committee: The Social Media Committee of the IAB is comprised of more than 150 member companies dedicated to helping develop and expand the social media space as a viable advertising platform . The committee works to educate marketers and agencies on the strength of social media as a marketing vehicle. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/social_media_committee About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-sm?gko=51307 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-tc?gko=f4438 Focus Turns to Adoption for the Digital Ecosystem CARLSBAD,CA (February 22, 2010) -- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's) today announced that the "4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions Version 3.0" (Ts&Cs) have been finalized and are ready for adoption throughout the interactive industry. This is the first update to the voluntary standard advertising contract since 2002 and includes critical components that take into consideration how interactive advertising platforms have evolved. This contract will become the standard by which media companies and agencies or advertisers expedite the most common types of interactive media buys. The changes from Version 2.0 represent the input of more than 100 finance, legal, sales and buying leaders from a cross-section of media companies and agencies who volunteered to help improve the protracted, time-consuming negotiations that had plagued interactive advertising. The announcement was made at IAB's third Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, in Carlsbad, California, where leaders from across the digital media landscape have converged to address the most critical issues facing the industry. "This took an extraordinary amount of effort from leaders across the interactive advertising ecosystem," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "We are now doing everything we can to educate our members on the benefits of this voluntary standard and are confident that the industry sees the great benefit of streamlining the interactive buying process." "These revised Ts&Cs answer the current needs of the industry and take into account important newer platforms, such as social media," said Nancy Hill, President and CEO of the 4A's. "Implementation of the new document throughout the industry will help us all realize the important efficiency improvements we have been looking for." Buyers and sellers of interactive advertising have found themselves burdened with protracted, time-consuming negotiations and lengthy addendums for the past several years. To remove these frictions and delays, and work toward a standard document that could be utilized by all industry stakeholders, the IAB and 4A's launched a joint Ts&Cs Taskforce in April 2009 to create this new version of the Ts&Cs. The document now encompasses the breadth of advertising platforms and tools that are currently utilized in the creation of an interactive advertising campaign, including performance-based advertising and user-generated content platforms. This contract will become the standard by which media companies and agencies or advertisers expedite the most common types of interactive media buys. In addition to including new interactive platforms, the "4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions for Interactive Advertising Version 3.0" contain updates across the following key areas: Data usage Third-party ad-serving, tracking, and billing Billing and payment terms Cancellation terms Editorial adjacencies Late creative Indemnity As part of the process of educating the marketplace and encouraging adoption, the IAB and 4A's held two joint webinars for its members. A recording of one of those webinars can be found at: www.iab.net/member_seminars Additionally, the Taskforce has released "An Educational Guide to the 4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions Version 3.0," which documents the rationale behind both the new and unchanged language. The 4A's and IAB strongly urge all those who review the new version to read the Educational Guide first. Both the Educational Guide and the Ts&Cs can be found at www.iab.net/tscs3 About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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. About the 4A's The 4A's is the national trade association of the advertising agency business. The 1,196 member agency offices it serves in the United States employ 65,000 people, offer a wide range of marketing communications services, and place 80 percent of all national advertising. The management-oriented association helps its members build their businesses, and acts as the industry's spokesman with government, media, and the public sector. For more information, please visit www.aaaa.org. IAB Media Contact Marla Aaron Marketing Communications Director 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net 4A's Media Contact Kipp Cheng Senior Vice President, Communications 212.850.0720 kipp@aaaa.org Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022210-tc?gko=f4438 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022110-sales?gko=e1fe0 Recognizes Outstanding Performance and Achievements in Interactive Advertising CARLSBAD, CA (February 21, 2010) -- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the winners of its 2009 Sales and Service Excellence Awards. The Sales Awards honor IAB members for outstanding performance and leadership in interactive advertising sales. IAB Service Excellence awards honor outstanding member contributions to IAB industry-related initiatives. The announcement was made during IAB's third Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, in Carlsbad, California, where leaders across the digital media landscape have converged to address the most critical issues facing the industry. "The Sales Excellence awards are based primarily on customer feedback--the very best indicator of outstanding leadership and performance of both individual account executives and sales organizations. The Service Awards recognize individuals who made exceptional contributions to building the interactive advertising industry as a whole. Both awards acknowledge the hard work, dedication and excellence necessary to drive growth in our industry, particularly in such challenging times," said Sherrill Mane, SVP Industry Services for the IAB. "We congratulate all the winners and celebrate their achievements." Sales Excellence Awards The Sales Excellence Awards, given by the IAB and developed under the auspices of the IAB's Sales Executive Council in conjunction with The Myers Annual Survey of Advertising Executives, honor outstanding interactive sales organizations and individual account executives. The survey has been asking marketers, agency planners and buyers to evaluate the performance of interactive sales organizations since 2004.The IAB Sales Excellence Awards are based on proprietary questions and analyses of Myers' database. 2009 Sales Excellence Award Winners include: Long Term Achievement: Google Most Innovative: Yahoo!, Inc. Best Newcomer: Federated Media Publishing AE of the Year: Kevin Sullivan, Burst Media AE of the Year Finalists: David Antonelli, MTV Networks Digital Mike Chu, ValueClick Media Ryan Mayward, NBC Universal Digital Media Ali Van Putten, AOL, Inc. 2009 Service Excellence Awards Across the IAB's nearly 400 member companies, 18 IAB councils and committees, and dozens of working groups, hundreds of IAB members participate in shaping the interactive advertising business and driving educational outreach to the marketplace. The IAB Service Excellence Awards honor individual members who have demonstrated strong leadership and provided an exceptional contribution to one or more significant, completed IAB initiative over the past year. CAMERON CLAYTON, Vice President of Mobile & International, The Weather Channel, for his significant contributions on theIAB Mobile Buyer's Guide PETER CONTI, Executive Vice President, Borrell Associates, for his dedication and leadership to the IAB Local Road Show in 2009 RYAN CUNNINGHAM, for his leadership of the Digital Video Player-Ad Interface Definition (VPAID) working group RICK LANE, Vice President of Government Affairs, News Corp., for his dedication to improving the industry's policy positioning in Washington, D.C. JEFF LITVACK, General Manager, Mobile and Emerging Products, The Associated Press ,for his significant contributions to the IAB Mobile Buyer's Guide MARK LOPEZ, Chief Operating Officer, Terra Networks, for his dedication and leadership as co-chair of the IAB Hispanic Committee GARY MEO, SVP Print & Digital Media Services, Scarborough Research, for his dedication to and leadership of the IAB Local Road Show in 2009 BILL NIELSEN, Director, Industry Outreach, Microsoft Advertising, for his leadership as part of the IAB's broader online behavioral advertising self regulatory initiative ARI PAPARO, Product Director, Advertising Products, Google, for his dedication and leadership to the Video Ad Server Template (VAST) initiative DON ROSEN, Senior Director, Business & Legal Affairs, Yahoo!, Inc., for his dedication and leadership while part of the Standard Terms and Conditions Taskforce GARY SCHWARTZ, Chief Executive Officer, Impact Mobile, for his significant contributions to the IAB Mobile Buyer's Guide and his dedication as co-chair of the IAB Mobile Committee since its inception in 2007 SUZIE WHITE, Corporate Counsel, Transactions, Facebook, for her leadership while part of the Standard Terms and Conditions Taskforce About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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 Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022110-sales?gko=e1fe0 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022110?gko=b3783 650 Industry Luminaries Gather for Top-Flight Agenda and to Honor Industry Leaders, Wenda Harris Millard and Jim Spanfeller, with Founder's Awards CARLSBAD,CA (February 21, 2010)-- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) welcomed650 leaders of the interactive marketing and advertising ecosystem to Carlsbad, California, for the start of its 2010 Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave. The event, now in its third year, has quickly become the central thought leadership venue place for senior voices in the marketing and advertising ecosystem to discuss, debate and define the key issues facing the industry in the coming year. The festivities kicked off with the first-ever IAB Founder's Awards, recognizing contribution and service to digital media. This year, the inaugural awards honor Wenda Harris Millard, President and COO, Media Link LLC, and Jim Spanfeller, President and CEO, The Spanfeller Group, both former Chairs of the IAB. "Building an industry is no small task and both Wenda and Jim, in their roles as Chair of the IAB, helped key players coalesce around critical industry initiatives that supported the growth of digital media," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "I'm proud to have had the opportunity to work with both of them and to be giving them this award on behalf of the many leaders assembled for our Annual Leadership Meeting--this is where impassioned discussions and great debates will pave the way for ongoing innovation and growth." "Our Annual Leadership Meeting has earned--and continues to live up to--its reputation as the must-attend gathering for the media industry each year," said David Doty, SVP, Thought Leadership, Marketing and Events, IAB. "It is here where the industry's key players can ramp up their common commitment to taking the power of digital media and bringing it to consumers--wherever they are and however they want it." To see the daily recaps and video coverage of the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, Ecosystem 2.0: Revenue the Next Wave, please go to www.iab.net/ALM10Recap About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 460 leading media and technology companies who 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 Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-022110?gko=b3783 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-020810?gko=5e899 "Interactive Insider" Will Provide Sales Tools and Thought Leadership Exclusively to IAB Members New York, NY (February 8, 2010) -The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the launch of "Interactive Insider," a specialized area of iab.net available only to IAB members. This new service premieres with the release of the "IAB Seller's Guide: Automotive Industry," the first in a series of guides that will be available exclusively within "Interactive Insider." "As advertising continues to shift share to digital media, we can help our member companies build smarter sales forces through the 'Interactive Insider,' a regularly updated collection of tools and research available only to them," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. "As a key part of that effort, the Seller's Guide series marshals our expertise to provide strategic insight into important verticals, giving IAB members added intelligence on their customers, making them more effective sellers. That's good business." "Interactive Insider" will also feature a host of other industry-related resources, including platform-specific sales tools, primary and secondary research and whitepapers and exclusive videos from IAB events such as the MIXX Conference and the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting. The "IAB Seller's Guide: Automotive Industry," offers publishers an overview of advertising trends, opportunities and case studies from this important vertical. It answers critical questions that will help digital media sales people better formulate their advertising sales strategies: Automotive Advertising Trends: What are the key issues facing automotive manufacturers, dealers & consumers? Opportunities: Where are the opportunities to attract automotive marketers? Case Studies: How have previous interactive ad campaigns met automotive marketing objectives? The next Seller's Guide in this series will be focused on the consumer packaged goods industry. IAB Seller's Guide: Automotive Industry can be found at: www.iab.net/auto_sellers_guide Interactive Insider can be found on the IAB website at: http://members.iab.net About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:15:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-020810?gko=5e899 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-012110?gko=a459a Disrupts Classic Conference Model with "IAB Case Study Road Show: Digital Media Success Stories" New York, NY (January 21, 2010)-- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the launch of the "IAB Case Study Road Show: Digital Media Success Stories," a new event series that responds to the growing surge of interest in the best interactive advertising campaigns. Presented by the marketers, agencies and publishers responsible for crafting these integrated cross-platform messages, the IAB Case Study Road Show is the first of its kind--an event series devoted exclusively to a carefully edited selection of those case studies that define innovation in the digital age. "At the many conferences I attend, there is always one 'eureka moment' centered on a great case study," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "So we decided to create an entire day of only gems of interactive marketing that can empower our audience to put to work what they learn and continue to raise the creative bar for this industry." Some of the brands sharing their knowledge and expertise include: Ace Hardware Betty Crocker Clorox Electronic Arts Ford Motor Company Jack Daniels Mary Kay Cosmetics "The Case Study Road Show is based on our belief that the conference experience for marketers, agencies and publishers needs to change," said David Doty, SVP Thought Leadership, Marketing and Events, IAB. "We set out one objective with this new concept--to show what works and why in an unconventional format where the brands themselves take center stage. There's really nothing out there like it." The series kicks off in March 2010 in the following cities: San Francisco: March 9 Dallas: March 11 Chicago: March 16 For more information, and to register, please go to: www.iab.net/csrs About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:30:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-012110?gko=a459a http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-121709?gko=c4bd7 Addresses Auto-Play Ad Impressions to Improve Clarity of Digital Video Measurement New York, NY (December 17, 2009) - The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced an update to the "Digital Video Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines" that addresses an increasingly common occurrence--digital video content and ads that play automatically when a webpage loads. The first part of a broader auto-play initiative by the IAB's Digital Video Committee and the Media Rating Council (MRC), these revised guidelines address both measurement and disclosure and establish the latest parameters for the accurate counting of digital video ad impressions. An auto-play video ad is defined as "a video ad or a video ad linked with video content that initiates 'play' without user interaction or without a user actively starting the video." The revised Guidelines will now: Require companies that have obtained certification against the IAB guidelines to disclose the presence of auto-play ads and their parameters, such as frequency settings, site location, initiation environment (for example, upon first arrival on a home page) and the type of video ads involved. Not require web sites to disclose the presence of auto-play if users have a reasonable expectation that they are entering a video environment. "The IAB's measurement efforts over the past seven years have been focused on ensuring the continued high level of accountability the industry expects from interactive advertising," said Jeremy Fain, vice president of Industry Services at the IAB. "Digital video advertising is growing exponentially and the transparency this update brings will enable that growth to continue." "Auto-play content and ads are a material part of the ecosystem and the IAB and the MRC want the marketplace to be clear on how they are used," said George Ivie, Executive Director and CEO of the MRC. "This update will allow buyers to make informed decisions on how their digital video ad impressions are being presented." This update to the "Digital Video Ad Impression Guidelines" complements IAB guidelines for general ad impressions, rich media, click, and audience reach measurement. The updated Guidelines will be effective for all certification audits beginning January 2010. To view the guidelines, please go to www.iab.net/dv_measurement_guidelines About the IAB's Digital Video Committee: The Digital Video Committee of the IAB is comprised of over 145 member companies actively engaged in the creation and execution of digital video advertising. One of the goals of the committee is to implement a comprehensive set of guidelines, measurement, and creative options for interactive video advertising. The committee works to educate marketers and agencies on the strength of digital video as a marketing vehicle. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/digital_video_committee About the Media Rating Council (MRC): The MRC is a non-profit Industry association established in 1964 composed of leading television, radio, print and Internet companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-121709?gko=c4bd7 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-121609?gko=eeefe New Contract Solves One of Industry's Biggest Business Challenges NEW YORK, NY (December 16, 2009) --Since the release in 2002 of the "4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions v2.0," interactive advertising platforms have evolved dramatically. Buyers and sellers of interactive advertising have often found themselves burdened with protracted, time-consuming negotiations and lengthy addendums. To remove these frictions and delays, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Association of American Advertising Agencies (4A's) today announced the release of the "4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions for Interactive Advertising Version 3.0" for public comment. This new version of the Terms & Conditions (Ts&Cs) now encompasses the breadth of advertising platforms and tools that are currently utilized in the creation of an interactive advertising campaign, including performance-based advertising and user-generated content platforms. This contract will become the standard by which media companies and agencies or advertisers expedite the most common types of interactive media buys. In addition to including new interactive platforms, the "4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions for Interactive Advertising Version 3.0" contains updates across the following key areas: Data usage Third-party ad-serving, tracking, and billing Billing and payment terms Cancellation terms Editorial adjacencies Late creative Indemnity "This is an enormous accomplishment on behalf of the advertising industry," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "Streamlining business processes in interactive has been one of our main objectives as an organization and with the contributions from both advertising agencies and media companies we believe that we have accomplished this goal." "The revised Ts&Cs will have a dramatic--and positive--impact on the daily business practices in the advertising community," said Nancy Hill, President and CEO of the 4A's. "We brought agencies and media companies together with the idea of creating a document that will improve work flow and make it easier to buy interactive advertising and I think we've succeeded." The need for new Ts&Cs was identified by the 4A's/IAB joint Reinvention Task Force and the Version 3.0 initiative was launched in April 2009. More than 100 finance, legal, sales and buying leaders from a cross-section of media companies and media agencies volunteered to take part in updating the Version 2.0 document. "Updating the Ts&Cs is a perfect example of what the Reinvention Task Force was meant to accomplish. Instead of spending time negotiating the same things over and over again for each campaign, an industry-accepted Ts&Cs document will allow us to use our resources where they are needed most--ensuring campaigns maximize advertisers' results," said David Cohen, Executive Vice President, US Director of Digital Communications for UM, Chairperson of the 4A's Digital Marketing Committee and the agency lead of the Interactive Reinvention Task Force. "We now want to make sure that Version 3.0 of the Ts&Cs is adopted throughout the industry." One of the most important updates in Version 3.0 addresses the new challenges of data rights and usage. Media companies, agencies and advertisers want to utilize data to the benefit of brand advertisers while protecting consumers who use their sites. For the first time, the new document details a set of rules regarding the types of data at issue and how each side may use these types. "Advertising data use has emerged as a sensitive and complicated debate among agencies, advertisers and media companies. We are very happy that the new Ts&Cs represent an alignment around terminology and principles related to such a difficult issue," said Jason Ryning, a Senior Attorney at Microsoft and Co-Chair of the IAB Legal Affairs Council. "Version 3.0 represents a significant industry effort to build a contract that preserves the best of the Version 2.0 language and add terms that contemplate the rapidly evolving digital advertising marketplace. Standardized language that accounts for a variety of operational scenarios allows the industry participants to focus on providing a fantastic customer experience while minimizing the friction associated with individual transactions." As part of the process of educating the marketplace and encouraging adoption, the Task Force has released "An Educational Guide to the 4A's/IAB Standard Terms and Conditions Version 3.0" that documents the rationale behind both the new and unchanged language. The 4A's and IAB strongly urge all those who review the new version to read the Educational Guide first. To review the Educational Guide and the Version 3.0 document and provide your feedback, please go to www.iab.net/tscs3 The 4A's and the IAB will also co-host two webinars that will take participants through the major changes and give them the opportunity to ask any questions they may have. To find out exact dates and to register for those webinars, please go to www.iab.net/TCwebinar The public comment period will remain open until Friday, January 29, 2010 About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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. About the 4A's The American Association of Advertising Agencies is the national trade association of the advertising agency business. The 1,196 member agency offices it serves in the United States employ 65,000 people, offer a wide range of marketing communications services, and place 80 percent of all national advertising. The management-oriented association helps its members build their businesses, and acts as the industry's spokesman with government, media, and the public sector. For more information visit our Web site at www.aaaa.org. IAB Media Contact: Marla Aaron Marketing Communications Director 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net 4A's Media Contact: Kipp Cheng Senior Vice President, Communications 212.850.0720 kipp@aaaa.org Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-121609?gko=eeefe http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-120309?gko=59dd0 Demystifies Key Online Advertising Practices, Increases Awareness of Consumer Choice Tools Visit the "Privacy Matters" Web Site View the Campaign Creative To donate inventory to the IAB's "Privacy Matters" campaign, please contact Marla Aaron at psa@iab.net or (212)380-4714. New York, NY (December 3, 2009) -- To educate consumers and provide them with the resources to help them manage their privacy online, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the launch of "Privacy Matters," its first-ever consumer education campaign that will run across a broad cross section of top-tier online media outlets. While the digital media industry has done an extraordinary job of transforming the way consumers experience entertainment and information, it hasn't been as effective at explaining how it all works to the average person. The "Privacy Matters" advertising campaign and its accompanying website, www.iab.net/privacymatters , were designed by Schematic, a WPP company. The online campaign consists of a series of unique and visually striking aesthetics and bold headlines that will guide people to the "Privacy Matters" site, an information-rich website where consumers can access resources and tools designed to help them protect their online privacy and engage in conversation about their privacy concerns. "The 'Privacy Matters' campaign and website is an example of how the IAB is taking a leadership role in communicating with consumers in plain English about how to manage their privacy online and providing them with the resources to do it," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. "What's most impressive about this campaign is that the media partners and agencies involved in this effort donated their time and resources for free--a testament to their collective commitment to our work to protect consumers and allow digital media to keep transforming the way consumers experience entertainment and information." The "Privacy Matters" campaign is part of an ongoing, industry-wide effort to develop more robust and effective self-regulation of online behavioral advertising practices by increasing transparency, developing ubiquitous consumer choice mechanisms, improving data security and advancing consumer awareness of online privacy issues. In July 2009 the IAB joined the nation's largest media and marketing trade associations in the release of "Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising" to protect consumer privacy in ad-supported interactive media. The principles directly address public education and industry accountability issues raised by the FTC and include an Education Principle that calls for organizations to participate in efforts to educate individuals and businesses about online behavioral advertising. The "Privacy Matters" campaign launches with commitments of more than 500 million online advertising impressions and will run through 2010 with the goal being at least 1 billion impressions served, which would be sufficient to reach nearly every American online. "As a marketing partner to some of the world's largest brands, we are pleased to have been selected to develop the 'Privacy Matters' campaign in conjunction with the IAB," said Trevor Kaufman CEO of Schematic. "With consumers living such a large portion of their lives online, it's imperative that they understand how their information is used in providing them with a more relevant and personalized Internet experience. We applaud the IAB for launching this campaign and think Web users will find the information extremely helpful." To view "Privacy Matters," please go to: www.iab.net/privacymatters About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-120309?gko=59dd0 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-112409?gko=52327 Uptick in Online Ad Revenue Growth a Hopeful Sign in a Difficult Media Economy NEW YORK, NY (November 24, 2009)--Against a backdrop of ongoing recessionary forces that have hit other advertising sectors with more impact, Internet advertising revenues reached almost $5.5 billion for the third quarter of 2009, representing an increase of 1.7 percent from the Q2 2009 figures published in the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report 2009 Second-Quarter and First Six Month Results. Announced today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), the Q3 '09 numbers show nonetheless a decline of 5.4 percent over the same period in 2008. "The Internet has transformed the consumer experience of media, providing marketers with unprecedented opportunities to engage with their customers," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "The advertising sector overall has been hard hit by the economy, but digital media has been a bright spot within the larger economic downturn as it is capturing an ever-increasing piece of marketers' advertising spend." "While all segments of the media industry have experienced declines, online advertising remains resilient and is once again showing signs of growth," said David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Source: PwC/IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report ( www.iab.net ) The IAB sponsors the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, which is conducted independently by the New Media Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers. The results are considered the most accurate measurement of interactive advertising revenues because the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertising on the Internet. The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from Web sites, commercial online services, free e-mail providers, and all other companies selling online advertising. The full report is issued twice yearly for full and half-year data, and top-line quarterly estimates are issued for the first and third quarters. PwC does not audit the information and provides no opinion or other form of assurance with respect to the information. To view additional reports, please visit: http://www.iab.net/AdRevenueReport About PwC: PricewaterhouseCoopers ( www.pwc.com ) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for our clients and their stakeholders. More than 163,000 people in 151 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. "PricewaterhouseCoopers " and " PwC" refer to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL). Each member firm is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way. No member firm is responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any other member firm nor can it control the exercise of another member firm's professional judgment or bind another member firm or PwCIL in any way. About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net PricewaterhouseCoopers Media Contact: Steven Silber 646.471.4059 steven.g.silber@us.pwc.com Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-112409?gko=52327 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111609-adunit?gko=1641e Opens the Door to "Rising Stars" That Encourage Online Advertising Creativity New York, NY (November 16, 2009) - To set the stage for greater innovation and creativity in online advertising, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the release of the "Ad Unit Guidelines 2009 Update." For the first time, creative agencies lent their insights to the annual ad unit recommendations, joining the media agencies and publishers who have customarily been a part of the process. The news was announced at the IAB's annual Ad Ops Summit in New York City. Including creative professionals in the process of updating ad unit guidelines is a key aspect of the IAB's Reimagining Interactive Advertising initiative, which brings together leaders from creative agencies, media agencies, and publishers to discuss next steps in the creative evolution of digital marketing. The resulting joint publisher-agency working group, the Reimagining Interactive Advertising Task Force, took on as its first order of business updating the criteria for standard ad units by looking at industry-wide impression count reports, ad unit availability, agency-side effectiveness reviews and creative preferences. With the new criteria, it made recommendations on the current list of eighteen standard ad units, including: In order to be considered a standard, an ad unit must be commonly bought and offered throughout the marketplace; only seven of the eighteen ad units currently on the list meet the new criteria. Ad units will not be removed from the standard list in 2009, but must meet the criteria by the end of 2010 In 2010 the Reimagining Interactive Advertising Task Force will release "Rising Stars," the first list of ad units to be identified by the task force using qualitative criteria of perceived effectiveness and creative preference to encourage innovation and creativity in online advertising. "Rising Stars" may ultimately become standard ad units if and when they meet the quantitative requirements for adoption and marketplace impressions. "By bringing agencies into the process of developing standard ad units, we have taken a step towards improving the creative output and branding potential for interactive media," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "Our next order of business is to drive towards adoption of revised standards that we believe will spur increased investment in interactive advertising--we've already proven that there is no medium more accountable--now we have to bring all of its capabilities together to tell great stories to consumers--that's what advertising is all about." "Being a part of this process gave voice to the creative challenges that agencies faced with the existing standards, ad units, and technologies, and I believe we've found a solid way forward in overcoming those challenges," said Jim Russell, Partner, EVP, Director of Digital Strategy, McKinney. "Our goal was to simplify the existing list and I think we've developed a long-term strategy for doing this on behalf of the industry." To review IAB Ad Unit Guidelines Update 2009, please go to http://www.iab.net/adunit About the IAB's Reimagining Interactive Advertising Taskforce: The Reimagining Interactive Advertising Taskforce was formed to represent the entire interactive ecosystem. Members from creative and media agencies, publishers, networks, and vendors meet to discuss creativity, strategic marketing, media planning and buying, and publisher insights and challenges. Their goal is to create solutions that allow the ecosystem to further harness the power of digital media. About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111609-adunit?gko=1641e http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111609?gko=7d3a2 Improves Process of Buying and Selling Vibrant Digital Advertising Platform NEW YORK, NY (November 16, 2009) -- The lightning-quick pace of innovation in digital video ad platforms and tools has resulted in divergent technologies and systems that impact the successful deployment of advertising campaigns. To resolve this friction point and continue its leadership role in standardizing digital video the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), today released "VAST 2.0", an update to the Digital Video Ad Serving Template that it created in July 2008 to standardize the communication protocol between video players and servers. The announcement was made at the IAB's annual Ad Ops Summit in New York City. VAST 2.0 includes critical updates that: Permit optional tracking of companion ads and other ad elements Provide support for multi-part creatives Allow for a broader range of digital video ad products Clarify many technical requirements to ease implementation "As more and more marketers embrace digital video for its ability to engage consumers and showcase brands, standardization is critical," said Jeremy Fain, vice president of Industry Services, IAB. "VAST 2.0 will allow publishers who use it to be able to plug into multiple third-party digital video ad servers and networks without additional development, making it easier for marketers to reach large audiences through digital video." "By standardizing ad serving on VAST we can open the floodgates of agency media spend and allow publishers to maximize their yield per video view," said Ari Paparo, Group Product Manager, Advertiser Products of Google. "Vast 2.0" is the latest addition to the IAB's work over the past year dedicated to creating a common infrastructure across the digital video ecosystem. The IAB's efforts have addressed specific concerns around technology, metrics and consistent terminology. This ongoing initiative has included the release of the following documents: Video Player-Ad Interface Definitions Guidelines (VPAID) Digital Video Overview Document Digital Video In-Stream Ad Format Guidelines and Best Practices Digital Video In-Stream Ad Metrics Definitions All of these documents can be reviewed at: http://www.iab.net/digitalvideo To review "Vast 2.0," please go to: http://www.iab.net/vast About the IAB's Digital Video Committee: The Digital Video Committee of the IAB is comprised of over 145 member companies actively engaged in the creation and execution of digital video advertising. One of the goals of the committee is to implement a comprehensive set of guidelines, measurement, and creative options for interactive video advertising. The committee works to educate marketers and agencies on the strength of digital video as a marketing vehicle. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/digital_video_committee About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111609?gko=7d3a2 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111209?gko=2a903 700 Marketers say they require "Triple-Play Services" from Online Media Companies Learn more about Building Brands Online: An Interactive Advertising Action Plan from Bain & Company New York, NY (November 12, 2009) -- Interactive sales teams with category and relationship expertise, services that provide solutions to marketer challenges and better measurement are just some of the organizational and systemic challenges that inhibit online ad growth revealed in "Building Brands Online," a study released today by Bain & Company, the global business consulting firm, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) . The results were presented in New York at a meeting comprised of senior marketing, advertising and media industry executives. Key findings of the study "Building Brands Online" include: Online ad formats and creative have not evolved to meet marketers' needs Media companies lack category expertise when they sell to brand marketers and engage with them too late in the media planning process Marketers want integrated campaigns instead of platform-specific media programs While marketers see high value in online advertising and believe that it could be effective at all stages of the purchase funnel, current industry practices inhibit greater investment of brand ad dollars Marketers express needs for differentiated services for their brands and believe that media companies and agencies have to meet those differentiated needs for online advertising to grow. "The study provides a wealth of insights into how brand marketers perceive online media and what the marketers would like to see media companies do for them. The findings led us to develop an interactive advertising action plan for the industry as a whole, but more importantly, so that the sellers of online media can be more effective at garnering their share of brand advertising dollars," said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. "Unmet marketer needs create a major opportunity for media companies to collaborate directly with marketers," said John Frelinghuysen, a partner in Bain & Company's media practice and lead author of the study. "But few media companies currently have the capability to fill the gaps in online sales and service." The path forward for media companies consists of six steps based on the needs expressed by marketers: Create segmented offerings to meet the separate needs of advertisers who are focused on building brands and those who are looking for direct response Make brand-focused marketers a priority by building a sales force of category experts who respond directly to those marketers' specific needs Develop a full range of solutions with more engaging options and formats, including social networks, video and other rich media Offer deeper service and support customized to vertical industries, to help advertisers plan, create and measure the brand impact of online ads Optimize the ways that ad inventories are sold, with a range of approaches from full-service to self-service to partnership with ad networks and resellers Enhance organizational effectiveness by setting the right priorities, clarifying internal roles and accountability and investing in sales staff skills and incentives "Ultimately, marketers are looking for media companies to offer a true triple-play service model from direct response to awareness to high impact brand engagement," said Frelinghuysen. "This model is the key to staving off continued price erosion of online inventory." The IAB acknowledges the following member companies, whose financial support enabled this important research: 24/7 RealMedia AOL Everyday Health Meredith Corporation MTV Networks NBC Universal ValueClick Media Yahoo! For more information visit www.iab.net/BuildingBrandsOnline About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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 . About Bain & Company, Inc. Bain & Company, a leading global business consulting firm, serves clients on issues of strategy, operations, technology, organization and mergers and acquisitions. The firm was founded in 1973 on the principle that Bain consultants must measure their success by their clients' financial results. Bain clients have outperformed the stock market 4 to 1. With 41 offices in 27 countries, Bain has worked with over 4,150 major multinational, private equity and other corporations across every economic sector. For more information visit: www.bain.com . Media Contacts: Marla Aaron Interactive Advertising Bureau 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Cheryl Krauss Bain & Company 646-562-7863 cheryl.krauss @bain.com Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111209?gko=2a903 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111109?gko=68fde New York, NY (November 11, 2009)-- Email has revolutionized interpersonal communication in both business and private settings andmarketers increasingly seek effective means for using email to build deeper relationships with their customers. To provide a comprehensive resource for publishers and marketers, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the release of "Email Monetization Strategies," the next step in the IAB's ongoing efforts to establish a solid foundation of guidance and tools for the email marketplace. It provides publishers, agencies and marketers with recommendations and best practices for the successful execution of email marketing campaigns. The announcement was made today at the MIN Desktop Summit: How to Monetize Your Online Content & Audience Now. "Email Monetization Strategies" provides practical advice and the latest thinking across a broad spectrum of tactics that impact the success of email campaigns for marketers and publishers including: The use of email newsletters to reach valuable audiences Stand-alone email advertising to drive sales and site registration Revenue opportunities and pricing models for email newsletters and stand-alone email advertising Descriptions of emerging trends such as video in email campaigns "The email channel offers a unique opportunity to reach consumers with relevant, differentiated and personalized content and messaging," said Sherrill Mane, SVP, Industry Services, IAB. "'Email Monetization Strategies provides an in-depth assessment and guide to maximizing the success of email marketing." "Email is one of the most effective direct and brand marketing mediums," said Sean O'Neal, Chief Revenue Officer, Datran Media, and co-chair of the IAB's Email Committee. "These best practices provide the latest information and strategies to marketers and publishers so that they can maximize their email communications with their customers." "Email Monetization Strategies" is part of the IAB's efforts to build a solid foundation of guidance for the email marketplace. To view the document, please go to: http://www.iab.net/email_monetization To view all the email related guidance and tools from the IAB, please go to: http://www.iab.net/email_lead About the IAB Email Committee: The Email Committee's mission is to support and expand the use of email marketing by agencies and marketers. The committee works to address all email monetization related issues and recommends solutions, standards and educational tools as needed. The committee delivers these objectives through industry research, case studies and stakeholder education. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/email_committee About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0600 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-111109?gko=68fde http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-101509?gko=9fd43 View Randall Rothenberg's Open Letter Small Publishers: Find out how you can be part of the IAB NEW YORK, NY (October 15, 2009) -- The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to withdraw recently issued enforcement guidance regarding the opinions and commentary of bloggers and other participants in social media, saying the rules unfairly and unconstitutionally impose penalties on online media for practices in which offline media have engaged for decades. In an open letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Randall Rothenberg, the President and CEO of the IAB, called the FTC's distinction between offline media and online media, "constitutionally dubious." In his open letter to the FTC Chairman, Mr. Rothenberg said portions of the "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising," would explicitly muzzle online media, while exempting offline media from equivalent scrutiny or penalty. "What concerns us the most in these revisions is that the Internet, the cheapest, most widely accessible communications medium ever invented, would have less freedom than other media," said Mr. Rothenberg, "These revisions are punitive to the online world and unfairly distinquish between the same speech, based on the medium in which it is delivered. The practices have long been afforded strong First Amendment protections in traditional media outlets, but the Commission is saying that the same speech deserves fewer Constitutional protections online. I urge the Commission to retract the current set of Guides and to commence a fair and open process in order to develop a roadmap by which responsible online actors can engage with consumers and continue to provide the invaluable content and services that have so transformed people's lives." The Guides include revisions that specifically address online media and will require that bloggers who receive free products to review must disclose that they received those products for free or be subject to civil enforcement penalties. There is a longstanding practice in traditional media of providing products and services to journalists including freelancers, for the purpose of reviews. Mr. Rothenberg writes in his column: "They--and we--are not arguing that bloggers and social media be treated differently than incumbent media. After all, most newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television networks, in recognition that Americans are embracing new forms of social communications, have established their own blogs, boards, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and the like. Rather, we're saying the new conversational media should be accorded the same rights and freedoms as other communications channels." Pages 47 and 48 of the Guides emphasize the FTC's disparity in the treatment of online media versus traditional media: acknowledges that bloggers may be subject to different disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media. In general, under usual circumstances, the Commission does not consider reviews published in traditional media ( i.e., where a newspaper, magazine, or television or radio station with independent editorial responsibility assigns an employee to review various products or services as part of his or her official duties, and then publishes those reviews) to be sponsored advertising messages. [] In contrast, if a blogger's statement on his personal blog or elsewhere ( e.g., the site of an online retailer of electronic products) qualifies as an "endorsement" - i.e., as a sponsored message - due to the blogger's relationship with the advertiser or the value of the merchandise he has received and has been asked to review by that advertiser, knowing these facts might affect the weight consumers give to his review. To read the full text of the letter, and learn more about the IAB's Public Policy work, please go to www.iab.net/public_policy About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-101509?gko=9fd43 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-100509?gko=f0a27 Show Slight Fall Off Year-on-Year in Tough Economy NEW YORK, NY (October 5, 2009) -Today the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) released the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report for the first half of 2009. U.S. Internet advertising revenues were at $10.9 billion in that period, a 5.3% decline from the same period in 2008. Search and display-related advertising continue to represent the largest percentages of overall interactive advertising spend. Search revenues amounted to more than $5.1 billion for the first six months of 2009, up slightly from that same period in 2008. Display-related advertising--which includes display ads, rich media, digital video and sponsorship--totaled nearly $3.8 billion in the first six months of 2009, showing a relatively modest 1.1% decline from the same period in 2008. Digital video continues to experience robust growth with a 38% increase from the first half of 2008. "We are in one of the most difficult economic slumps in decades. Interactive is one of the advertising sectors that has been least affected," said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. "In recent years the digital revolution has driven a transformation of how consumers experience advertising and media. As the economy improves, we're confident that brands will devote an even greater share of their budgets to reaching consumers as they make interactive media a larger part of their lives." " While the overall advertising market has continued to be impacted by current economic conditions, marketers are allocating more of their dollars to digital media for its accountability and because consumers are spending more of their leisure time online," said David Silverman, PwC Assurance partner. The following data highlights key first six-month revenue data breakouts; dollar figures are rounded. ($ millions if not indicated): Advertising Formats: Search and Display-related ads continue to be leading formats. FH 2009 FH 2008 Search 47% ($5,148) 44% ($5,064) Display Related: 34% ($3,759) 33%($3,799) -Banner Ads 22%($2,394) 21%($2,418) -Rich Media 7% ($704) 7%($806) -Digital Video 4%($477) 3%($345)) -Sponsorship 2% ($184) 2% ($230) Classifieds 10% ($1,116) 14% ($1,611) Referrals/Lead Generation 7% ($728) 7% ($806) E-mail 1% ($149) 2% ($230) Industry Concentration: Percentages of revenues by the top 10, top 25 and top 50 have remained consistent. FH 2009 FH 2008 Top 10 71% 70% Top 25 82% 81% Top 50 89% 90% Pricing Models: Performance deals continue to be the leading pricing models, followed closely by CPM deals. FH 2009 FH 2008* Performance Deals 58%($6,363) 54%($6,260) CPM 38% ($4,059) 42% ($4,750) Hybrid 4% ($478) 4% ($500) * NOTE: FH, 2008 Pricing Models numbers have been restated based on additional data received after the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report covering the first six months and the second quarter of 2008 was published on October 7, 2008. The IAB sponsors the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, which is conducted independently by the New Media Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers. The results are considered the most accurate measurement of interactive advertising revenues because the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertising on the Internet. The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from Web sites, commercial online services, free e-mail providers, and all other companies selling online advertising. The full report is issued twice yearly for full and half-year data, and top-line quarterly estimates are issued for the first and third quarters. PwC does not audit the information and provides no opinion or other form of assurance with respect to the information. A copy of the full report is available at: http://www.iab.net/AdRevenueReport About PricewaterhouseCoopers: PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 140,000 people in 149 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. "PricewaterhouseCoopers" refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net PricewaterhouseCoopers Media Contact: Steven Silber 646.471.4059 steven.g.silber@us.pwc.com Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/pr-100509?gko=f0a27 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/959504?gko=1d691 Releases "Data Security Best Practices" for Advertisers and Publishers LAS VEGAS, NV (September 24, 2009) -- As consumers are sharing ever more details about themselves to obtain personalized information, products and services, it is critical that industries working with consumer data maintain the highest standards of security for the storage of that information. To provide a framework for monitoring security vulnerabilities, threats and potential fraud, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released "Online Lead Generation: Data Security Best Practices," a guide that ensures the safety and security of consumers' personally identifiable information. The announcement was made at the fourth annual TARGUSinfo Online Lead Quality Summit (OLQS), a premiere event where senior interactive marketing executives from the lead generation industry met to discuss best practices and emerging trends. "Data Security Best Practices" provides guidance across the following three areas: The storage and retention of consumer data collected in online lead generation Industry-specific government regulations for the protection of consumer data Procedures for network controls that ensure the security of proprietary networks through the monitoring of access and compliance within a defined security policy "The security of consumer data is essential to the continued growth and success of the lead generation industry," said Mike Zaneis, vice president of public policy, IAB. "These best practices were developed with leading online lead generation companies across all major industries and reflect the commitment of the lead generation industry to adhere to the highest levels of integrity as it relates to the use of consumer information." "The lead generation industry has exceeded a billion dollars in annual advertising spending. As we continue to grow, it is imperative that all companies engaged in the use of consumer information act responsibly," said Gayle Guzzardo, SVP Product Management, Q Interactive and Chair of the IAB's Lead Generation Committee. "The Data Security Best Practices provide any organization with the steps and information necessary to make certain that consumer data is properly protected.""The Data Security Best Practices will serve as an important resource for any organization that must process consumer data," said Paul McLenaghan, vice president of interactive markets, TARGUSInfo. "We are pleased that it is being launched here at OLQS where so many lead generation executives have gathered to discuss best practices and techniques to grow our industry." Data Security Best Practices, can be found on the IAB website at: http://www.iab.net/data_security The IAB has been actively engaged in providing clarity across the industry as it relates to the collection and usage of consumer data as well as driving strong self-regulation across the interactive advertising industry. In July 2009, the IAB, together with the nation's largest media and marketing trade associations, released self-regulatory principles to protect consumer privacy in ad-supported interactive media. This unprecedented collaboration among the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB), the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), and the IAB, was the first time that representatives of the entire advertising ecosystem had come together to develop principles for the use and collection of data in the interactive economy. To review the "Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising," and to learn more about the IAB's public policy work, please go to: http://www.iab.net/insights_research/public_policy About the IAB Online Lead Generation Committee: The mission of the IAB Lead Generation Committee is to define best practices that ensure lead quality and improve conversion, and to educate marketers and agencies on lead generation/customer acquisition as a cost-effective vehicle for advertisers to gain high quality customers. The committee also evangelizes lead generation targeting to new industries not utilizing lead generation today. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/member_center/councils_committees_working_groups/committees/lead_generation_committee About the IAB: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who 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: Marla Aaron Director, Marketing Communications 212.380.4714 marla@iab.net Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:30:00 -0500 http://www.iab.net/about_the_iab/recent_press_releases/press_release_archive/press_release/959504?gko=1d691