• by August 19, 2005

The Rich Media Insider column asserts that publishers that provide online advertisers with rich media advertising, and do not pass along the additional costs, are "debasing the future of rich media as we know it." The author uses the rationale that innovation in the rich media space is primarily a function of the premium ad dollars being spent by advertisers; therefore less dollars coming in will equate to less innovation.

Rich media sits at a tipping point. Despite the tremendous growth in the space, rich media still represents a fraction of total ad dollars being spent online. As more advertisers are able to explore the myriad benefits that come with rich media advertising, everyone stands to gain - agencies, publishers, vendors, and consumers. Programs like PointRoll's included, in which publishers and vendors make rich media formats more accessible to traditional banner advertisers, serve to broaden the rich media playing field and, in the long run, drive revenue and growth in the space.

There are two kinds of "innovations" taking place concurrently in our industry. The first is technology innovation, which allows for more robust ad formats with increased interactive functionality. The second is creative innovation, which is driven by the many imaginative and fresh-thinking advertisers who use rich media development tools.

Although O'Malley does not distinguish between the two forms of innovation in his column, his implication is that technology innovation is "under attack" (he cites "pricing," competitor glut and 'one-stop-shop-ism' as reasons why). I, for one, have not seen a waning in technology innovation, even as top Web publishers like AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! are making strides to increase rich media's accessibility to advertisers. As for creative innovation, rich media will always be a catalyst to creative vision. As more advertisers gain access to rich media formats, consumers will be exposed to more engaging, brand-driving, and entertaining forms of Web advertising. The whole point is to offer technology and services that will continue to let agencies push the limits on what is possible.

The key to making rich media advertising a vibrant industry is adoption. In the long run, vendors, publishers, and programs that open doors to new users will strengthen our collective industry.