Released on February 26, 2012, the new IAB Standard Ad Unit Portfolio includes a new range of formats designed to meet marketers’ communications needs across the purchase funnel. Read the press release.
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IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity. Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market. Rising Star Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page. Their file load limits are larger than for other ads, so not only would a Rising Star Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously.
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Creative Unit Name: | Billboard | Filmstrip | Portrait | Pushdown | Sidekick | Slider | |
Initial Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
970x250 view sample |
300x600 view sample viewable window in which total ad size of 300x3000 scrolls (5-300x600 segments) Please see style guide for details |
300x1050 view sample divided into THREE distinct modules Please see style guide for details |
970x90 view sample (optionally 970x66 is offered by some publishers) Please see style guide for details |
300x250 300x600 970x250 view sample |
970x90* view sample Width of publisher page by height of 90px - Active ad content centered in 970x90 Please see style guide for details |
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Download Style Guide (.pdf, 2.2 MB) |
Download Style Guide (.pdf, 930 KB) |
Download Style Guide (.pdf, 680 KB) |
Download Style Guide (.pdf, 1.3 MB) |
Download Style Guide (.pdf, 201 KB) |
Download Style Guide (.pdf, 5.5 MB) |
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Maximum Expanded Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
This ad unit collapses to “Show Ad” text with icon (or 88x31 image), or “Show Ad” text/icon with residual branding in 62x88 px or 196x31 px image. Please see style guide for details |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
Up to 580x460 depending on module. Expansion allowed only after user initiation. Please see style guide for details |
970x415 | 970x550 |
970x550 behind slider bar |
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Max Initial File Load Size: | 60 KB | 60 KB | 80 KB | 60 KB | 60 KB | 60 KB | |
Max Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance:1 |
5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | |
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: | 1 MB | 110 KB | 350 KB for creative files | 110 KB | 110 KB | 110 KB for user-initiated slider content | |
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: |
1.5 MB for Creative Files 10 MB for non-YouTube™ served video 10 MB total for Creative & Video combined |
2.2 MB | 2.2 MB | 2.2 MB | 2.2 MB |
After slider content initiated: 2.2 MB |
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Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: |
Not allowed for this unit | Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video | |
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | |
Maximum Animation Length: (i.e. Flash™) |
30-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 30-sec | |
Max Video Length: | Unlimited (user initiated only) | ||||||
Audio Initiation: | Must be user initiated (on click: mute/un-mute); default state is muted | ||||||
Hot Spot: |
Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. |
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Z-Index Range: | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 5000 - 1,999,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 5000 - 1,999,999 |
5000 - 1,999,999 Note: Make sure the z-index of the Slider Bar is higher than those of the page and the Slider Content |
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Max Percentage of CPU Usage:3 | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | |
Minimum Required Controls: |
Close X collapses ad 100% when clicked, with “show ad” button available that expands ad upon click.
Video must include: |
Video must include: Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) |
Video must include: Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) Expanding modules must include “Close X” in expanded mode Other controls dependent on applications used. See style guide for control details, styles and specifications. |
close button on expanded pushdown, initiated by click
Uninitiated expanded panel closes automatically and collapsed ad provides expand button that can be initiated with a click
Video must include: Other controls dependent on modules used. See style guide for control details, styles and specifications |
Close X on expanded Sidekick that closes and returns user to publisher page content
User-initiated expand control in the in-page display unit “slides” page content to the left
Video must include: |
Click or rollover initiates slider content.
Must contain “Close X” in expanded slider bar and in slider content.
Video must include: |
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Labeling Requirements, Font Size, etc.: |
Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) |
Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) |
Advertisement: width up to 270 px; height 15 px at the top aligned right
Logo header: 270x40 px below advertisement label
Optional header copy: 270x55 px below logo header
(15 px margins on right and left sides of entire ad unit) |
Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) and framed within 15 px border width
Logo max WxH: 239x68 px or 239x46 with brand copy height = 22 px below logo Logo Location: top left (15 px from each edge) |
Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) |
Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) |
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Submission Lead-Time: | Min 6 business days before campaign start | ||||||
Implementation Notes & Best Practices: |
Best Practice: Provide a 50 KB backup image while 1 MB polite load is in progress. Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file 300x600 px (the dimensions of the viewer window). |
The Rising Star Portrait ad unit is a template for including interactive modular apps. Detailed specs are provided for application options and their controls. Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
Note: Expanding Pushdown ad units “push” page content down rather than expanding over page content. Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard 1x1 px image file. |
Use a branding color for the gutter areas while keeping active ad elements in the center 950px. In the Slider Content, use a branding color for the bottom 90px while keeping active ad elements in the top 460px. The Slider Bar is anchored to the bottom and will be pushed up by any horizontal scroll bars. Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard 1x1 px image file. |
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Publishers: Please see |
Publishers: Please see |
Publishers: Please see |
Publishers: Please see |
Publishers: Please see |
Publishers: Please see |
* Width of publisher page by height of 90px - Active ad content centered in 970x90
** only if user interacts within first 10 sec of display (otherwise ad disappears)
1. Industry self-regulation guidelines have been established for companies who use online behavioral advertising (OBA): http://www.aboutads.info/participants
2. “User Initiation” defined: User initiation is the willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). With respect to user initiation for the purposes of these guidelines, a roll-over is defined as a willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least 1-second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand, etc.). This pause/ delay prevents unwanted user initiated actions, and false reporting of user engagement.
3. Percentage of CPU usage is based on the Publisher defined benchmark end user-CPU for its audience. Please consult with each publisher individually for their benchmark number for testing.
4. Publisher implementation note: Rising Star ad units are designed to be the only rich media ad unit displayed on a webpage. Because of increased file load size, displaying a Rising Star ad unit with any other rich media unit may compromise page-load performance.
Initial Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
300x250 view sample |
180x150 view sample |
160x600 view sample |
728x90 view sample |
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Maximum Expanded Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
Expansion not allowed for these units | ||||
Max Initial File Load Size: | 40 KB | 40 KB | 40 KB | 40 KB | |
Max Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance:1 |
5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | |
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: | Not allowed for these units | ||||
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: | Not allowed for these units | ||||
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: |
Not allowed for these units | ||||
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | |
Maximum Animation Length: (i.e. Flash™) |
15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | |
Max Video Length: |
Video not allowed for these units (see “In-Banner Video” & Rich Media units below) |
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Audio Initiation: | Must be user initiated (on click: mute/un-mute); default state is muted | ||||
Hot Spot: | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | ||||
Z-Index Range: | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | |
Max Percentage of CPU Usage:3 | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | |
Minimum Required Controls: | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Labeling Requirements, Font Size, etc.: | Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) | ||||
Submission Lead-Time: | Min 3 business days before campaign start | ||||
Implementation Notes & Best Practices: | Best Practice: For times when the user's browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
* Width of publisher page by height of 90px - Active ad content centered in 970x90
** only if user interacts within first 10 sec of display (otherwise ad disappears)
1. Industry self-regulation guidelines have been established for companies who use online behavioral advertising (OBA): http://www.aboutads.info/participants
2. “User Initiation” defined: User initiation is the willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). With respect to user initiation for the purposes of these guidelines, a roll-over is defined as a willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least 1-second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand, etc.). This pause/ delay prevents unwanted user initiated actions, and false reporting of user engagement.
3. Percentage of CPU usage is based on the Publisher defined benchmark end user-CPU for its audience. Please consult with each publisher individually for their benchmark number for testing.
4. Publisher implementation note: Rising Star ad units are designed to be the only rich media ad unit displayed on a webpage. Because of increased file load size, displaying a Rising Star ad unit with any other rich media unit may compromise page-load performance.
Initial Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
970x90 (optionally 970x66 is offered by some publishers) view sample |
300x600 view sample |
120x60 view sample |
88x31 view sample |
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Maximum Expanded Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
Expansion not allowed for these units | ||||
Max Initial File Load Size: | 40 KB | 40 KB | 20 KB | 10 KB | |
Max Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance:1 |
5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | |
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: | Not allowed for these units | ||||
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: | Not allowed for these units | ||||
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: |
Not allowed for these units | ||||
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | |
Maximum Animation Length: (i.e. Flash™) |
15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | |
Max Video Length: |
Video not allowed for these units (see “In-Banner Video” & Rich Media units below) |
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Audio Initiation: | Must be user initiated (on click: mute/un-mute); default state is muted | ||||
Hot Spot: | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | ||||
Z-Index Range: | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 | |
Max Percentage of CPU Usage:3 | 5% | 20% | 5% | 5% | |
Minimum Required Controls: | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Labeling Requirements, Font Size, etc.: | Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) | ||||
Submission Lead-Time: | Min 3 business days before campaign start | ||||
Implementation Notes & Best Practices: | Best Practice: For times when the user's browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
* Width of publisher page by height of 90px - Active ad content centered in 970x90
** only if user interacts within first 10 sec of display (otherwise ad disappears)
1. Industry self-regulation guidelines have been established for companies who use online behavioral advertising (OBA): http://www.aboutads.info/participants
2. “User Initiation” defined: User initiation is the willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). With respect to user initiation for the purposes of these guidelines, a roll-over is defined as a willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least 1-second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand, etc.). This pause/ delay prevents unwanted user initiated actions, and false reporting of user engagement.
3. Percentage of CPU usage is based on the Publisher defined benchmark end user-CPU for its audience. Please consult with each publisher individually for their benchmark number for testing.
4. Publisher implementation note: Rising Star ad units are designed to be the only rich media ad unit displayed on a webpage. Because of increased file load size, displaying a Rising Star ad unit with any other rich media unit may compromise page-load performance.
5. The Super Leaderboard is a provisional unit that was introduced in Q1 2012 as a result of industry demand for a wider Leaderboard option. If adoption proves successful, this new 970-wide unit will eventually replace the 780-wide Leaderboard. The 780x90 Leaderboard is still endorsed by the IAB and will remain so until industry adoption is obvious.
Creative Unit Name: |
In-Banner Video (file-loaded) |
In-Banner Video (streaming) |
Expandable / Retractable |
Pop Ups |
Floating |
Between-the-Page (Interstitial) |
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Initial Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
300x250 180x150 160x600 728x90 300x600 |
300x250 Lg. Pop Up: 550x480 |
Variable Initial Dimensions | Variable | |||
Maximum Expanded Dimensions: (WxH in pixels) |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
300x250 to 600x250 180x150 to 600x150 160x600 to 600x600 300x600 to 600x600 728x90 to 728x315 |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
Expansion not allowed for this unit |
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Max Initial File Load Size: | 40 KB | 40 KB | 40 KB | 40 KB | 80 KB | 80 KB | |
Max Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance:1 | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | 5 KB | |
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: | 100 KB | 100 KB | 100 KB | 100 KB | 160 KB | 160 KB | |
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: |
2.2 MB for video file load |
- N/A - |
2.2 MB for creative files |
2.2 MB for creative files |
2.2 MB for creative files |
2.2 MB for creative files |
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Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: | - N/A - | Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video |
Unlimited for Streaming Video |
Unlimited for Streaming Video | Unlimited for Streaming Video | |
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps | |
Maximum Animation Length: (i.e. Flash™) |
15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec | 15-sec |
10-sec (ad displays for only 10 sec and disappears if no interaction) |
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Max Video Length: | 30-sec | 30-sec | 30-sec | 30-sec | 30-sec |
30-sec only if user interacts within first 10 sec of disply (otherwise ad disappears) |
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Audio Initiation: | Must be user initiated (on click: mute/ un-mute); default state is muted | ||||||
Hot Spot: | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | Not to exceed 1/4 size of original ad (collapsed size). Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | Not to exceed 1/4 size of ad. Only initiated when cursor rests on hotspot for at least 1-sec. Must NOT initiate audio. | |
Z-Index Range: | 0 - 4,999 | 0 - 4,999 |
5,000 - 1,999,999 (for entire ad unit) |
N/A Pop-ups display in their own browser window, so pop-up ad content has its own z-index |
2,000,000 - 2,999,999 | N/A Unless the ad covers content on the target page, then use range for overlays: 6,000,000+ | |
Max Percentage of CPU Usage:3 | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | |
Minimum Required Controls: |
Controls = Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) |
Controls = Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) |
Control = “Close X” on expanded panel and “Expand” on collapsed panel Font = 8pt (11px) - 16pt (21px) Retract Feature = Either Click to close/expand or Enable Mouse-Off Retraction
Video must include: |
“Close” control provided by browser window.
Video must include: Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) |
“Close” control provided by browser window.
Video must include: |
“Close” control provided by browser window if ad displays in its own browser window. If overlaid on target page, include “Close X” button. Font = 8pt (11px) - 16pt (21px) Video must include: Play, Pause, Mute (volume control to zero (0) output may be included instead of or in addition to Mute control) |
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Labeling Requirements, Font Size, etc.: | Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) | Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) | Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content) |
In the browser bar, all Pop Ups must be clearly labeled with: Name of Network/Advertiser, Publisher, Browser Type [in this order] (ex.: “Advertising.com - CBS Market Watch - Microsoft Internet Explorer”) |
Label = “Advertisement” Font = 8pt (11px) - 16pt (21px) |
Label = “Advertisement” Font = 8pt (11px) - 16pt (21px) |
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Submission Lead-Time: | Min 6 business days before campaign start | ||||||
Implementation Notes & Best Practices: |
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
Expansion must be user initiated (note 2)
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality |
Best Practice: For times when the user’s browser does not support creative functionality (i.e. Flash™, HTML5), provide a standard image file. |
- N/A - | Duration of display: 10-sec max if no user interaction; up to 30-sec when user is engaged with ad within first 10 sec. |
* Width of publisher page by height of 90px - Active ad content centered in 970x90
** only if user interacts within first 10 sec of display (otherwise ad disappears)
1. Industry self-regulation guidelines have been established for companies who use online behavioral advertising (OBA): http://www.aboutads.info/participants
2. “User Initiation” defined: User initiation is the willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). With respect to user initiation for the purposes of these guidelines, a roll-over is defined as a willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least 1-second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand, etc.). This pause/ delay prevents unwanted user initiated actions, and false reporting of user engagement.
3. Percentage of CPU usage is based on the Publisher defined benchmark end user-CPU for its audience. Please consult with each publisher individually for their benchmark number for testing.
4. Publisher implementation note: Rising Star ad units are designed to be the only rich media ad unit displayed on a webpage. Because of increased file load size, displaying a Rising Star ad unit with any other rich media unit may compromise page-load performance.
Definition: | Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window. | ||||
Frequency: | Each user should be exposed to no more than one pop-up ad for each visit to an online site. | ||||
Labeling: |
Pop-ups should be clearly labeled with a header for the browser window with: 1. the network or advertiser name, 2. publisher name, and 3. browser type (if applicable).
Example: “Advertising.com - CBS Market Watch - Microsoft Internet Explorer” |
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Specifications: | Unit Type |
Dimensions (WxH in Pixels) |
Maximum File Load Size | Audio/Video Initiated | Close Box |
Pop-Up | 300x250 | See full guidelines in matrix above | User-Initiated | Controlled by browser | |
Pop-Up Large | 550x480 |
View a dynamic demonstration of IAB Z-Index guidelines
Z-Index Range | Content Type | Details |
< 0 | Background Elements | |
0 - 4,999 | Main Content, Standard Ads | Standard ad tags in place with regular content. Includes OBA Self Regulation Message (CLEAR Ad Notice) |
5,000 - 1,999,999 | Expanding Advertising | The entire expandable ad unit should be set within this range |
2,000,000 - 2,999,999 | Floating Advertising | Over The Page ads (OTP's) |
3,000,000 - 3,999,999 | Pop-up Elements | Chat windows, message notifications |
4,000,000 - 4,999,999 | Non-anchored Floating Elements | Survey recruitment panels |
5,000,000 - 5,999,999 | Expanding Site Navigation Elements | Drop down navigation, site warnings, etc. Only the expanding portion of navigation elements should be included on this level. |
6,000,000+ | Full-page Overlays | Full-window Over-the-Page (OTP) ads and Between-the-Page ads IF they cover page content |
Delisted Ad Units As of February 28, 2011
The following ad units have been retired as they are no longer commonly bought and offered throughout the market. Dimensions listed are the original (collapsed) dimensions of those previously used for for both standard and expanding ad units. Publishers may continue to offer and promote these ad units, however the IAB will no longer provide guidance on their use.
WxH (in pixels) | Ad Unit Name |
250 x 250 | Square Pop-Up |
240 x 400 | Vertical Rectangle |
336 x 280 | Large Rectangle |
300 x 100 | 3:1 Rectangle |
720 x 300 | Pop-Under |
468 x 60 | Full Banner |
234 x 60 | Half Banner |
120 x 90 | Button 1 |
120 x 240 | Vertical Banner |
125 x 125 | Square Button |
120 x 600 | Skyscraper |
These updated Display Creative Guidelines are the work-product of an exhaustive 9-month cross-industry working group effort to bring the industry inline with the creative demands of brand advertisers. The IAB had two overriding goals for this update:
- Issue guidelines that empower creative shops to exercise the limits of their imagination, only tempering creativity as it relates to positive consumer experience; and
- Further simplify the digital supply chain by making these new guidelines easily accessible, adoptable and understandable.
While the accommodation of every individual concern is beyond reach, near universal approval of these specifications and guidelines was achieved by the Working Group participants. Despite a few inevitable compromises, these updated guidelines represent a quantum leap forward— they embrace and foster creativity in ways never before possible. These guidelines should empower marketers and their creative shops to re-imagine online advertising, the result of which will represent a new generation of rich interactivity and "sticky" consumer experiences.
Availability and Adoption
Please be advised that these IAB guidelines represent an industry recommendation. Accordingly, not all publishers, nor all IAB member companies, adopt these guidelines without modification relative to their own unique business offering. Marketers, creative designers and media agencies are strongly advised to consult directly with publishers in order to obtain their exact creative specifications.
Following the release of these Guidelines, the IAB will begin work on an update to its Creative Specs Database (www.iab.net/creativespecs) – the update is expected to be final in Q1 of 2012. The Creative Specs Database allows qualified agencies and their creative partners access to individual creative specs made available by participating publishers.
Balancing File Load Size with Consumer Experience
Balancing the requirements of advertisers and publishers while ensuring that the consumer experience remains positive were considerations that heavily influenced these guidelines. Two important factors were: creative file demands and page load performance.
A separate IAB working group studying the effects of ad load performance on consumer behavior has offered valuable insights based on real research surrounding page abandonment and other effects of compromised page load performance. Influenced by this research and the concrete rationalization that consumers visit websites primarily to consume site content, it was decided that initial file load sizes be constrained across the board. However, to compensate for the trend towards more rich media, two additional categories for file size loading were added: subsequent polite load and subsequent user-initiated load.
In creating the new categories for subsequent file loads, creative limitations are lifted once a user indicates their intent to engage with an ad (i.e. after a click or mouse-over). In adopting these new specs, creative shops should design ads that progressively load content in reaction to a user’s engagement with the ad. The good news is that almost all publishers agree, once the user has shown their intent to engage with an ad, the page experience should yield to the ad's requirements for additional file weight to satisfy creative demands.
CPU Usage as a Gating Performance Factor
Ads that load faster can help web pages load faster, leading to higher user satisfaction, lower page abandonment, and most importantly for agencies and marketers, more brand engagement and increased opportunities for ads to yield higher conversions and click through rates.
Ads that use too much of a consumer’s processing power, load slower. Accordingly, limits on the percentage of CPU usage were introduced in this update to the guidelines. Users’ computers are limited in how much processing power is available for loading webpage elements and ads. The diversity of computers currently in use complicates the identification of a common CPU percentage across the industry— as such, creative designers should consult individual publishers about benchmark testing requirements based on the attributes of their unique audience.
Frame Rate Increase from 18 to 24-fps
The previous guideline for “Maximum Animation Frame Rate” was 18 frames-per-second (fps). While some in the industry argued for an increase to 30-fps, several research studies were presented to the working group that showed a significant increase in CPU usage when loading a file at 30-fps. Conversely, the increase from 18-fps to 24-fps was nominal. Another research study presented to the working group noted that for small-scale video playback (i.e. video played in a display ad on a computer screen), the human eye can’t distinguish a quality difference between video played at 24-fps vs. 30-fps.
Increased Video Play Time
The previous guideline for “Maximum Video Length” for Rich Media Units was set at 15-seconds. In order to better facilitate the transition of television commercial content online, it was decided to increase this maximum to 30-seconds.
Animation Length vs. Video Length
In this update, the previous guideline for “Animation Length” was divided into two sub-categories in order to help highlight the distinction between non-video animation (i.e. Flash™ effects) and video (moving picture images). Traditional non-video animation often uses a different technology than video and these updated guidelines now allow for different display lengths for each.
Z-Index Range Use Recommendations
The Z-index represents layers of elements on a webpage. When ad elements and other page elements are layered incorrectly, proper display of either page content or ad content (or both) may be compromised. The accidental “collision” of competing elements on a webpage that share the same Z-index value leads to a poor consumer experience, in the form of distorted or mangled images and text. Accordingly, the establishment of an industry accepted z-index hierarchy and associated numerical range is crucial to solving the occurrence of collisions. Please note that adoption of these new Z-index guidelines by all publishers will take time. Creative designers are advised to consult directly with publishers for their individual Z-index guidelines.
Submission Lead Time
In order to ensure timely and smooth campaign launches, this new guideline was added to allow publishers the minimum time required to test ad creative on their webpages prior to campaigns going live. Time, money and even user engagement can be lost when an ad doesn’t display properly on a webpage at the start of a campaign. Minimum submission lead times recommended in this document are an important step to improving the process for releasing a quality ad experience on publisher’s webpages. Advertisers, creative designers and media agencies are strongly advised to consult directly with publishers for their individual submission lead-times.
HTML5 and Flash™
Prior to the wide adoption of devices like the iPhone™ and iPad™, Flash™ formatted creative was widely accepted and easily displayed across the industry. In today’s market, adjustments have to be made to accommodate ads across multiple display devices. HTML5 has provided one solution, but is not yet widely adopted and requires different creative specifications than Flash formatted creative. Requests were made to call out a separate category of creative specs to accommodate HTML5 ads, but for this release of creative guidelines, it was decided to keep the specs “technology neutral.” An addendum for HTML5 for display advertising best practices is currently being pursued.
Delisted Units
In a move to embrace the enhanced creative requirements of brand marketers, the industry has created and adopted several new rich media ad units—the “IAB Rising Stars”. Other units whose usage has decreased over time have been retired. Accordingly, these delisted units are identified herein. It should be noted that while some companies may still promote and use delisted units, the IAB no longer provides guidance on their use and implementation.
Constructive Feedback
In updating these guidelines, the IAB and its member companies have made every reasonable attempt to include the perspectives of the entire digital supply chain. We realize however, that not every party involved in this vast ecosystem will have had an opportunity for individual influence. As such, we invite you to provide your constructive feedback. Most importantly, we are interested in hearing directly from the creative designers, creative directors and creative technologists that use these guidelines. Please email constructive feedback and input to chris.mejia@iab.net. When providing your feedback, be sure to mention the exact category name of the guideline(s) for which you are referencing in addition to real-world use-case examples. We’ll do our best to consider your input when making future updates to these guidelines. Thank you!
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. 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 guidelines 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 www.iab.net.
Note: The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for Internet websites.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Term | Definition |
Animation | A programmatically generated display of sequential images, creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving. Not digital video, as it relates to this document (see the definition for “Video”). |
Audio | The audible file that may accompany ads. Advertising audio should never play without user-initiation. |
Banner | Also known as “display ads”, banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage, typically including a combination of static/animated images, text and/or video designed to convey a marketing message and/or cause the user to take an action. Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height, represented in pixels. |
Between-the-Page | Also known as “interstitial” ads, between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage. The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page, but before the target page displays on the user’s screen. Typically, the ad is self-contained within its own browser window, but may also appear briefly as an overlay on the target page rather than in its own browser window. |
Billboard | An IAB Rising Stars ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishers’ webpage content. A distinct feature of the Billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesn't want to see the ad. |
Button 2 | A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120x60 pixels. |
Byte | A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures. |
Campaign | The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed. |
CLEAR Ad Notice | CLEAR is an acronym for “Control Links for Education and Advertising Responsibly,” a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner. Derived from: http://www.iab.net/media/file/CLEAR_Ad_Notice_Final_20100408.pdf |
Click | An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device, such as a mouse, to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device, triggering an event. In the case of touch-screen devices, the user “clicks” by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus. |
Close X | A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size. |
Collapse | An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size, or disappears completely. |
Controls | Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience. Examples of common controls include the “Close X” button in an expandable ad or the Play/Pause/Mute buttons in a video player. |
CPU | CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit, the key component of a computer system, which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions. |
CPU Usage % | A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to what’s available on an individual’s computer. CPU usage percentage can be measured directly, during the execution of an online ad. In addition to file size, the complexity of drawings, gradients, slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame. |
CPU Spike | A brief increase in central processing power, sustained for no more than a few seconds, experienced while “heavy” content is loaded/executed. |
Creative | An advertising unit created by an ad designer, in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines, for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisher’s audience. One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats, such as standard images, animation, video, execution files (.html, .js, etc.) and other files that work together for an interactive experience. |
Creative Dimensions | Measured in pixels, the width and height of an ad unit (WxH). The width is always the first dimension listed, followed by the height dimension (i.e. an ad that is 300x250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high). |
Cursor | The graphical representation of a “pointer” on a user screen, controlled by the user’s interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse, mouse pad, stylus or other input hardware. |
Expandable Ads | Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage. The user initiates expanding events, sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the user’s attention. |
Expanded Dimensions | The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded). Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement. Then, either by auto-play or by user interaction, the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension. |
Filmstrip | An IAB Rising Stars ad unit template that is 350x3000 pixels, divided into five 350x600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350x600 pixel placement “window.” |
Flash™ | Software developed by Adobe used to build, generate, and play animated files. Also used to define the creative files generated by the program. |
FPS | FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second, the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content. |
Frame Rate | The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes, measured as the number of frames per second (fps). |
GPU | GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit. In modern computers, the GPU handles graphical processing, decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU. |
Hot Spot | A “hot spot” is an area of an ad unit, which when rolled-over/rolled-on by the user’s cursor, such rollover triggers an event (i.e. expand ad). The hotspot should never be larger than 1/4th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit. The trigger event should not occur unless the user’s cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second. Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click). When hotspots are used, the trigger event should stop immediately upon the user’s cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i.e. ad collapses), and the ad unit should return to its original state. |
In-Banner Video | A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player. |
Initial Dimension | The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad. Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions. |
Initial File Load | The size of the creative file(s) for an ad, measured in KB or MB, that load along with (inline with) the webpage files that load when a user first initiates a page load. The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the user’s web browsing experience. |
Interstitial | See ‘Between-the-Page’ |
Kilobyte (KB) | A multiple of the unit ‘byte’ for digital information, used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1,000 bytes (or technically, 2^10 = 1,024 bytes). For the purposes of this document, this measure relates to creative file size. (See definition for Byte) |
Labeling Requirements | The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content. |
Megabyte (MB) | A multiple of the unit ‘byte’ for digital information, used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1,000 kilobytes (or technically, 2^20 = 1,048,576 bytes). For the purposes of this document, this measure relates to creative file size. (See definition for Byte) |
Mouse-off | The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad. Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event, such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress. |
Mouse-over | The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second. Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad. Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play. |
OBA |
Acronym for Online Behavioral Advertising. The collection of data from a particular computer or device regarding Web viewing behaviors over time and across non- Affiliate Web sites for the purpose of using such data to predict user preferences or interests in order to deliver advertising to that computer or device based on the preferences or interests inferred from such Web viewing behaviors. Online Behavioral Advertising does not include the activities of First Parties, Ad Delivery or Ad Reporting, or contextual advertising (i.e. advertising based on the content of the Web page being visited, a consumer’s current visit to a Web page, or a search query).
Definition from page 10 of the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising: |
OBA Self-Regulation |
Developed by leading industry associations to apply consumer-friendly standards to online behavioral advertising across the Internet, the Self-Regulatory Program consists of seven Principles that correspond with the “Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising” proposed by the Federal Trade Commission in February 2009 that also address public education and industry accountability issues raised by the Commission.
Definition from page 10 of the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising: |
Overlay | An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated. |
Pause | A video, animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video, animation, or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play. |
Pixel (as a unit of measure) |
The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery, used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i.e. 300x250 pixels). Pixels may also represent x/y coordinates relevant to a given space, such as the browser window, an application workspace or the user’s computer screen. (See also “Tracking Pixel”) |
Play | A video, animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video, animation or audio of an ad. |
Polite file load | Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded. |
Pop-up Ad | Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window. |
Portrait | An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350x1050 pixel space. |
Progress Bar | A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration. |
Progressive Load Video | A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a user’s computer, much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded. |
Pushdown | An IAB Rising Stars ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to, but larger than, an expanding leaderboard, with initial dimensions of 970x90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970x415 pixels. When the ad is expanded, it "pushes" page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do. |
Retraction | An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i.e. the expanded portion of the ad retracts). |
Rising Stars Display Ad Units | IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity. Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market. Rising Star Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page. Their file load limits are larger than for other ads, so not only would a Rising Star Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously. |
Rollover | The willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least one second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand event, etc.). This one-second pause/delay requirement prevents unwanted, user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement. |
Sidekick | An IAB Rising Stars ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions, but upon user initiation, “pushes” publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970x550 pixels full of rich interaction. |
Skyscraper | A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160x600 pixels. |
Slider | An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay “slider” (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisher’s page and when prompted by user interaction, slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970x550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement. |
Standard Ad Units | A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design. |
Streaming Video | A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server. Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the user’s Internet bandwidth. |
Submission Lead Time | The number of business days (non-weekend/non-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign. |
SWF | Acronym for Shockwave Flash™. “.swf” is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flash™ software. |
Tracking Pixel | A 1x1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an ad's placement. In many cases, a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served, in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed. Also known as: beacon, web beacon, action tag, redirect, etc. |
Universal Ad Package (UAP) | A set of four ad units (728x90, 300x250, 160x600 and 180x150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a 'package' where ads in in these four formats are used collectively across the publisher’s site, enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisher’s audience. |
User | An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content. |
User Initiation | The willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). When a user engages the ad using a rollover action, the user’s cursor must rest on the hotspot for at least one second before any action may be initiated in the ad. See the definition for rollover for more information. |
Video (aka "Digital Video") | In online advertising, the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format. |
Volume | A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative. Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output. |
Z-index | Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisher’s webpage. Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation, imagery, and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i.e. an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad). |