After successful tests with a small group of advertisers, the IAB determined that the new larger ad sizes enhanced impact and response and facilitated more attractive creatives. This is stated in a press release by Real Media Europe, a division of 24/7 Real Media, dispatched through Yahoo! News.

But is it really like this, I mean, the bigger the better? I'm not so sure. Sometimes I feel like the IAB provides the industry with guidelines and suggestions that don't really fit in the reality, but just the big portals' needs.
Online advertising is not only about size, it's about context, relevance, timing and quality of the content. Let's try not to forget it.

I am just as sceptical about the IAB guidelines and reports as you are. Read this article:
Lies, Damned Lies, and IAB Statistics
I do not believe in the future of huge, animated, dancing and giggling ad formats. They are only alienating web users, just like pop-ups did. Some industry groups still campaign about pop-ups' effectiveness when in fact, a huge chunk of the web user population is already blocking them with more blocking coming every day (think Google Toolbar or next year's Explorer service pack...).

I think big ad formats are destined to follow the fate of pop-ups. It's just a matter of time. Anything that gets in the way of a web user enjoying the web experience (be it content or shopping or reading the news) will ultimately fail.

Posted by: Kati at December 1, 2003 02:10 PM

I don't know if I agree with you Kati... while they certainly CAN be very overdone, in my Yahoo! account I have often been amused by the larger, animated ads that sit on the right of the screen when I first login. They don't annoy me like pop-ups and pop-unders. I can't say that I've ever clicked on one... but they have gotten my attention.

Posted by: jonathan at March 30, 2004 10:40 PM