Ensures Stronger Connections Between Digital Publishers & Ad Technology Front-Runners
MIAMI BEACH, FL (February 28, 2012) — The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today announced the launch of the IAB Advertising Technology Council, a new IAB body to coalesce the burgeoning, but fragmented, advertising technology sector toward the goal of developing technical standards and operating best practices.
Founded in 1996, the IAB represents the interests of digital publishers, ad networks, online search providers, social media companies, and other enterprises whose primary business is the sale of online advertising inventory. The IAB Advertising Technology Council represents the first time the IAB has sought formally to organize companies whose main business is not advertising sales, but the technological facilitation of ad transactions.
The news was released at the fifth IAB Annual Leadership Meeting “Ecosystem 2.0: Beyond Time and Space” at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.
“From ad format standards to the digital video advertising infrastructure to measurement principles to workflow best practices, the IAB has long been a force behind critical technology initiatives,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. “In establishing the IAB Advertising Technology Council, we will assure that a vital component of the ecosystem – technology innovators – is fully and formally engaged in making the digital ad industry better and bigger.”
The new Ad Technology Council will consist of IAB member companies that have a primary business in advertising technology. It will collaborate with the IAB Ad Operations Council in developing important technical standards and operating best practices for the digital ad industry. A select group of leading member businesses in the space will also take part in the Ad Technology Leadership Board, advising IAB’s management and Board on top ad tech priorities. “By bringing digital publishers and ad tech leaders together to shape solutions and heighten benefits, our expectation is that both the larger Ad Tech Council and the more exclusive Ad Tech Leadership Board also will serve as important early alert systems on potentially disruptive ad technologies or opportunistic developments,” Rothenberg said.
Several top ad technology companies already have expressed interest in serving on the IAB Advertising Technology Leadership Board. The IAB expects 50 to 60 companies will join the Ad Tech Council.
“The advertising technology industry exists for one reason: to help the pie expand – to drive growth for publishers, agencies, and marketers by making their ad spend smarter. But if we’re going to help build our customers’ businesses, we absolutely need a place where we can convene as an industry, identify best practices, achieve consensus around technical standards, and communicate with each other,” said Frank Addante, Founder and CEO, The Rubicon Project. “We are thrilled that the IAB – the digital industry standard-setter since 1996 – is forming an Advertising Technology Council to bring us together and do the hard work of growing the digital ad marketplace. Rubicon Project is proud to play a leading role in this new IAB initiative.”
“The rapid innovation in ad technology is advancing at breakneck speed, and the number of players is almost mindboggling,” said Brian O’Kelley, CEO, AppNexus. “There are important decisions to be made together as an industry and we’re very pleased that IAB is launching a dedicated Ad Tech Council to create such a forum for open communication and collaboration.”
IAB is currently in the process of forming the Advertising Technology Council. If you are interested in more information, please email Patrick Dolan, Executive Vice President and COO, IAB at [email protected].
About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit iab.com.
IAB Media Contact
Laura Goldberg
347.683.1859
[email protected]