In an open letter to advertisers published Monday, the Interactive Advertising Bureau isn’t mincing words. The time to focus on multi-channel advertising – particularly through the adoption of the HTML5 Web development standard for mobile ads – is now, says the IAB.
“To guarantee the ads you pay for actually appear and look great on all screens, you should insist to your ad agencies that your advertising creative be developed in a mobile-compatible format. And the one open, industry-standard, universal format for building mobile-ready creative is HTML5,” reads the letter.
Beyond the IAB, prominent co-signers on this letter include Google, AOL, Conde Nast, Forbes, IDG, Millennial Media, Slate, New York Post, The New York Times, Time Inc., The Wall Street Journal, The Weather Company, and more.
Your opportunity has never been greater. Nearly half of the US population has a mobile phone with internet access, and one out of five pageviews on the web happen on a mobile device – a number that is growing every month.
“HTML5 will enable you, your agencies and publishing partners to make your creative ideas captivating on every screen, elevate your brand image, and lower your creative costs,” the letter concludes. “We know this may mean a change in how you develop your ad creative. But there are many tools to augment work with HTML5, such as responsive design, and a multitude of suppliers available to assist.”
To review the letter in full, click here.