Power Video

Not Out of the Woods Yet

We’ve been following the recent moves toward standardization in the online video advertising space with a positive attitude. But as Steve Robinson points out on MediaPost’s Online Video Insider, there’s still too much “technical chaos” in terms of video player implementation and the variety of downloaded players.

Robinson compares the current online video situation with that of broadcast television. That is, a single, standard television model eliminated all of the technical hurdles for advertisers. Robinson outlines a four-point plan for developing ad-delivery standards. The key: a consortium similar to the Society of Cable and Television Engineers that will create, promote, and lead the utilization of advertising standards.

A group of the largest tech companies, publishers, and media buyers acting as the standards police for the industry won’t sit well with those who believe online video is about completely breaking the broadcast mold. But tossing aside all of the old methods isn’t necessarily a formula for success, either. Surely there’s a middle ground that incorporates what works in the broadcast model while encouraging what’s new and innovative about the online video space.

Robinson’s idea may or may not gain traction, but it’s a good reminder of how much work needs to be done.

Meet the New Standards

It’s official. The Interactive Advertising Bureau completed its industry guidelines for online video ads. You can read the actual document here (PDF format).

The highlights:

-- Overlay ads should run 5-15 seconds without audio until the viewer opts in.
-- Pre-, mid-, and post-roll ads should not exceed 30 seconds.

These practices have pretty much been in place already; the IAB has simply formalized these unwritten rules. But as paidContent points out, the industry still needs clarification on the best way to measure impressions and other metrics. Still, it’s a start.

Clarity Coming to Ad Formats?

The Interactive Advertising Bureau is scheduled to publish new guidelines for online video ads Monday, May 5. For the past month, the IAB has been accepting suggestions from industry members on its proposed guidelines (PDF format). The guidelines cover best practices for the most common current in-stream ads, including linear ads and companion ads.

It’s great that someone is taking the lead. Too many marketers have kept their distance from online video in part because of the lack of standards. Along with the Online Video Advertising ROI Council’s efforts to determine video advertising’s effectiveness, the IAB’s efforts should make it easier in the long run for marketers to justify launching online video campaigns. As eMarketer’s David Hallerman points out, “Video ads command higher prices than static display advertising.” And if standards make advertisers more comfortable with the format, they’ll be more comfortable with paying higher CPMs.

Critics will say that standards will stifle creativity. That may be true, but unbridled experimentation with ad formats has confused marketers and consumers alike. Sure, things get less exciting when you start talking about “standards” and “guidelines,” but that’s what happens when an industry enters its next phase. And this is clearly a sign that the online video industry has matured.