IAB and EIAA make up to launch new ad formats

Aimed at simplifying the process of booking media space for online media planners and buyers, as well as ad creatives, the initiative will hopefully lead to an increase in ad spend across the web.

The two industry bodies, who have previously seen as rivals, have created a series of recommended ad sizes which will be adopted by the EIAA and IAB's member networks, to remove the confusion that often arises when multiple ad formats are made available, while also reducing the amount of ads per page.

The plan is also for agencies to be able to plan campaigns better, with ad formats able to be distributed across various sites, rather than ads needing to be tailored to fit specific sites.

New sizes, such as the 728x90 'Super Banner' and 160x600 skyscraper have been introduced to encourage creativity, while also providing greater impact for advertisers. All in all, six formats will be introduced, featuring the above, standard banner sizes and rectangular ads.

EIAA chairman Michael Kleindl said: "This initiative is a response to continued feedback from the advertiser, planning and buying communities regarding the need for simplified formats as a means to executing more effective campaigns."

IAB president Danny Meadows-Klue described the scheme as "another watershed in the internet's commercial development" and said it will be adopted by "thousands of European websites".

EIAA and IAB members include AOL, Lycos, MSN, Tiscali and Yahoo, sites in Europe that reach more than three-quarters of all residential web users (about 65 million individuals).

Analysts believe the European online advertising market will be worth more than EU4bn in five years time.

10 June 2003:

"www.eiaa.net ":http://www.eiaa.net

"www.iabeurope.ws ":http://www.iabeurope.ws

"Email us about this story ":mailto:editorial@netimperative.com