IAB updates video advertising best practice guidelines

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released updated best practice guidelines for online video advertising.

The new guidelines have been produced by the IAB’s Video Council, which comprises broadcasters, publishers, agencies and networks.

The council has also launched an educational online resource www.iabuk.net/video and handbook which take practitioners through the process in running an effective video advertising campaign; an initiative that is the result of six months’ collaboration between the council members.

This is the first major project for the council in 2009, and will be followed up by a seminar on 4 June and a series of consultative roundtables on research, measurement and creativity.

The Council is also working towards developing ad serving standards based on the VAST standards in the US, and an industry research project in Q3.

Robert Black, rainmaker of Utarget.FOX and chair of the IAB Video Council, said: “The purpose of the IAB Video Council is to engage the industry on the power of video advertising and make it easier for all parties to do business.

“The new handbook and digital resource provide guidelines and case studies that will help to continue to build this exciting new way of reaching out to and engaging the online audience.”

Jack Wallington, senior programmes manager of the IAB, said: “Online video consumption is through the roof, yet marketers still need further persuading of its huge potential as an advertising channel.

“The IAB’s updated guidelines now cover every form of video advertising, and will serve to standardise the industry and provide reassurance for marketers that this is where their budgets should go.”