New Standard for Audio Ads Aims to Strengthen Growth in Sector While Forming Basis for Universal Application
NEW YORK – The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released “Digital Audio Ad Serving Template (DAAST) 1.0” for public comment. Created by the IAB Digital Audio Ad Serving Template Working Group and utilizing principles learned from the organization’s highly successful Digital Video Ad Serving Template (VAST), DAAST provides a common set of specifications for audio ad delivery, execution, and reporting across a wide variety of devices and platforms. It is the organization’s first technical solution addressing the fragmented audio advertising market.
“Since IAB introduced VAST, we have seen exponential growth in the digital video advertising market, and we expect to see a similar trend in the audio advertising space with DAAST”
DAAST also addresses the concept of “thin client” devices, such as some in-car audio players that have limited functionality for tracking ads or identifying when they play.
“Since IAB introduced VAST, we have seen exponential growth in the digital video advertising market, and we expect to see a similar trend in the audio advertising space with DAAST,” said Scott Cunningham, Vice President, Technology and Ad Operations, IAB. “In addition to bridging the gap between proprietary codes, DAAST goes a long way toward making possible a true omni-channel approach to digital advertising. By refining and extending this solution through iterations in the years ahead, we can create a universal standard that allows any digital ad to be delivered, played, and tracked for any device on a global-scale.”
To increase adoption across the industry by making it easier for ad servers to reach publisher platforms, DAAST requires audio players to support linear ads and one or optionally more of the following ad formats:
- Companion ads
- Ad pods
- Skippable ads
“Bringing consistency to the digital audio advertising space is key to its potential growth, and we aimed to accomplish that with DAAST,” said Benjamin Masse, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Advertising, Triton Digital, and co-Chair of the IAB Digital Audio Ad Serving Template Working Group. “Currently, advertisers must create separate versions of their audio ads, one for each type of player in which they might be shown. By requiring that all audio players support at least one DAAST-compliant format, we are helping advertisers increase demand while maintaining flexibility for player manufacturers.”
“DAAST is a major breakthrough for digital audio advertising that is a crucial first step toward creating a truly universal standard that covers audio, video, and all other digital advertising,” said Chris Doe, Vice President, Emerging Media Products, Vindico, and co-Chair of the IAB Digital Audio Ad Serving Template Working Group. “With music streaming services gaining prominence, we must ensure that audio ads get their chance to flourish in a unified marketplace. Moving forward, we can expand the standards introduced by DAAST and VAST so they apply to all advertising on all devices.”
To review a copy of the public comment version of DAAST 1.0, please visit www.iab.net/media/file/DAAST_Public_Comment.pdf.
The public comment period will run through (Friday, October 10, 2014), after which the IAB Digital Audio Ad Serving Template Working Group will evaluate the comments received, make any necessary changes, and release a final version. Comments are being accepted by email at (jessica.anderson@iab.net).
In tandem, IAB is also releasing a “Digital Simplified” brief on DAAST to provide the marketplace with an easy-to-understand overview of the template, available at http://www.iab.net/media/file/DAAST_IAB_Digital_Simplified.pdf.
About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 600 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. The IAB empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. The organization 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.
