• by Joe Mandese , September 25, 2006

In what it's organizers believe will be the next big advertising trade association - and one representing what is expected to be one of the fastest growing new forms of media - organizers this week will reach out to as many as 40 companies to join the Out-of-Home Video Advertising Bureau. The bureau, known as OVAB, is intended to do for the burgeoning market of digital out-of-home video networks, what the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau did for cable in the 1980s and what the Interactive Advertising Bureau did for the Internet during the 1990s: Provide standards, guidelines, best practices and the structure to promote the medium as a distinct advertising opportunity to Madison Avenue.

OVAB, which has been operating in stealth mode, already has a core group of members lead by Gannett's Captivate unit and Premiere Retail Networks, operator of Wal-mart TV and other store-based digital advertising networks.

The outreach push is designed to build a core base of members that can help draft a charter for the organization, establish its initial goals and begin recruiting for an executive director to manage the organization.

Digital out-of-home video networks already are growing at a rate of about 10 a month, according to a recent report on the category published by Profitable Channels, and include channels in a variety of out-of-home locations ranging from elevators and supermarkets to movie theaters and gas stations.