IAB And MMA Release Mobile Creative Guidelines

Gail Chiasson, North American Editor

The Interactive Advertising Bureau and Mobile Marketing Association issued finalized creative guidelines for mobile advertising last week, following a month-long public comment period.

new-iab-logoThe new guidelines were announced made at the IAB’s Mobile Marketplace conference in New York.

Initially released last January, the Mobile Phone Creative Guidelines offer ad specifications for both standard and rich media units, as well as mobile Web and in-app inventory across feature phones and smartphones.

The standard display units defined in the document supplement those the MMA published in its updated Universal Mobile Ad Package last year which makes buying and selling mobile ads easier and more effective. Additionally, the new guidelines provide directives that are necessary to empower creative shops and publishers to employ mobile for more dynamic, rich consumer experiences. They are also aligned with the IAB’s Displahttp://www.iab.net/y Advertising Guidelines.

mma_logoThe new set of rules provides additional instructions and tips for creative shops and publishers. Among these are submission lead time, labeling requirements, supported creative elements and best practices.

They also recommend advertising creative to be clearly distinguished from other page content to avoid confusion between advertising and editorial content. Further, they also advise that ad images and landing pages should be mobile-optimized and not use Flash technology. The submission time recommended is three days for standard banners and five days for rich media units.

“To fully harness the power of mobile, it is imperative to make mobile easier to adopt and integrate within the broader marketing mix,” said Michael Becker, managing director, MMA. “Although the breakneck pace of mobile evolution continues, these guidelines are a foundation for creative and media companies to build on, even as devices and software continue to transform.”

The guidelines address broader issues unique to mobile including factors such as the impact of different data connections (Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G), and carrier plans as well as the reduced processing power of mobile devices for file-loading and Web display.


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