• by Andrew , Sean , Paul DeBraccio , May 19, 2005

Click! By Paul DeBraccio

The implication of broadband is great for publishers: Increased click-through rates, new forms of media that will increase site stickiness, a great variety of creative that can be used and sold at higher cost-per-thousands. What is not to like? However, with every good advance in technology comes the need for guidelines so we can all reap its benefits.

Fairly regularly, we get request-for-proposals that ask for "big ideas" with little or no guidance as to what those ideas should include. Most agencies do not specify the format, thus making it a bit more difficult to present the best proposals. (Not everyone, please do not crucify me for this statement!) My clients feel that we should present specific unit standards for broadband akin to the Interactive Advertising Bureau's (IAB) universal ad package.

Yes there are broadband media guidelines, but with the recent explosion of the medium, there needs to be guidelines that all major agencies agree to and use.

I think the IAB-proposed minimum for streaming is a step in the right direction, but I think agencies need to adhere to a limited size for pop-up streaming and streaming theaters.

Do the same size limitations apply? Has there been research as to why the online industry has selected 15- and 30-second spots other than by default? My clients ask me what they should do to be competitive, and I tell them to do everything they can. I am happy that streaming has finally made it, but can't we all agree on specific units, lengths, mid, or pre-roll, etc.?

Counter-Click! By Jason Heller

"A broadband world" used to be an aspiration, but it has now become a reality. Nearly one-third of the U.S. population has a broadband connection, making better online experiences for the masses and allowing for more opportunities for emotive marketing in relevant environments. Savvy media buyers have been riding this wave for some time, leveraging the fact that most marketers are still sitting on the innovation sidelines and not using video and rich media units to break through the online clutter.

Enter 2005 and beyond. What happens when marketers significantly increase video and rich media advertising? What happens when these rich units become the norm? Will consumers become desensitized as they have become to other forms of online (and offline) advertising? Not if we keep it fresh and relevant. Incorporating video and rich media will vary from category to category. The result can be very engaging and effective.

As publishers begin to implement new advertising units and programs, it is important to remember that relevancy is still a key factor in online marketing effectiveness. "Richness" alone is not the golden bullet that the broadband preachers of yesteryear thought it might become. The fact that Google and Yahoo!'s combined revenue was greater than that of the big three TV networks' primetime ad revenue, as well as the surge in consumer-generated media, prove the value of relevance.

So, while some publishers and buyers will have a simple shootout at the OK Corral, the savvy buyers will be meeting with consumers at a common intersection of every city and town in the world  the corner of Rich and Relevant.