Rising Stars | Internet Marketing Blog

Advertisers want new ad units, but aren't quick to embrace them

For many advertisers, when it comes to ad formats, bigger and bolder is better. And for good reason: many consumers are blind to ads, so to get their attention, ads really have to stand out.

But as much as advertisers say they want new ad units that will stand out, they apparently aren't impressed with the bigger and bolder units the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) unveiled in 2011.

Let’s make this the year of mobile again. No, really.

Though 2012 showed promise, it was clear that no brand had yet to create a compelling experience in the mobile space.

The so-called 'year of mobile', almost a cliché at this point, turned out to be anything but.

Can new IAB-sanctioned ad formats lure brand dollars?

Incredible as it may seem, it’s been 10 years since the Interactive Advertising Bureau updated its standard advertising units. Six new formats selected in a “Rising Stars” competition will be officially sanctioned by the IAB if they gain sufficient market traction in the next six months.

The formats were chosen in large part for their brand-friendly canvases, rich-media functionality, and the control they give to consumers to engage without leaving the page they are on. Marketplace success will depend on how many publishers adopt the units to give them true scale. Whether these units alone can successfully unleash pent-up demand to pull in more brand dollars and stave off the commoditization of CPM rates is anyone’s guess, but getting the seal of approval from the IAB is an important first hurdle to clear.