• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, November 7, 2011

For the first time since 2008, the Interactive Advertising Bureau on Monday announced a major update to its Rich Media Creative Guidelines.

Key changes include the addition of the IAB’s six recently launched Rising Stars display ad formats; the inclusion of maximum CPU usage as a key guiding metric; increased maximum frame rates for previously existing rich media formats; and increased length of in-ad video play.

Motivated by an increase in brand marketers’ use of the units, the IAB took nine months to iron out the new guidelines, according to Steve Sullivan, vice president of digital supply chain solutions at the IAB.

“The guidelines reflect the increased use of existing rich media formats, as well as improvements in technology available to and used by consumers,” according to Sullivan.

“Since we last revised the Rich Media Creative Guidelines three years ago, brands have greatly intensified their desire to engage consumers through interactive ads,” Sullivan added.

Separately, Adobe Systems Incorporated this week said it would support the full range of rich media formats -- including Rising Stars -- through a new creative validation service called “Project Adthenticate,” including standardized CPU measurement and rich media guideline checks.

With the new service, combined with its existing tools, Adobe is hoping that brands will trust it with their business.

“IAB's new Rich Media Creative Guidelines show that interactive advertising has moved beyond the banner ad to become a critical component of high-impact brand advertising campaigns,” said Todd Teresi, Vice President and General Manager of Media Solutions at Adobe.

Branching out even further from its roots as a multimedia platform provider, Adobe Systems just acquired video ad management and monetization platform Auditude. Reports put the deal in the range of $120 million, but neither Adobe Systems or Auditude would discuss financial terms on Tuesday. “All that’s out there is rumors and speculation,” Teresi, vice president and general manager of Media Solutions at Adobe, told Online Media Daily last week.

With the help of Auditude, Adobe plans to provide an end-to-end video offering by connecting authoring, publishing, monetization and optimization. “It’s a natural extension for us,” Teresi said. “We signaled our interest in the marketing side of the content equation when we purchased Omniture -- and that product, Adobe Digital Marketing Suite, is now a core offering for Adobe.”