IAB/CASIE PROPOSAL FOR VOLUNTARY MODEL BANNER SIZES

Banners have become a significant means of advertising and source of revenue on the World Wide Web. The number of types of banners and sizes have proliferated. In a recent survey, IAB members stated that this proliferation of banner types and sizes is inefficient and confusing and that identifying a baseline model would result in benefits for both buyers and sellers of advertising on the Web. Advertisers, agencies and media companies have asked the CASIE and the IAB to consider these issues In response to requests from the advertising community, the Standards and Practices Committee of the IAB with input from CASIE has used market data to examine the full range of banner types, for example, vertical, horizontal, half and button, and sizes currently in use.

The Committee has identified the following as the most commonly accepted:

BANNER SIZES

Click here for graphical representations of banner sizes

Use of any of these sizes as a model or standard is strictly voluntary.

The IAB and CASIE recognize and intend that its member companies and the advertising community remain free to experiment with, use, adopt, and propose other sizes and types of banners. The two groups also recognize that Web sites which chose to implement these models may wish to do so over a period of several months to allow those who sell space or create banner content to make any adjustments. Banners are currently the primary form of Internet and interactive advertising. However, the IAB and CASIE encourage the continuing exploration of other advertising models such as interstitial pages, push advertising (including Pointcast', Marimba' and Backweb') microsites, web advertorials and sponsored activities. To facilitate the continued growth of the medium and the industry, the Standards & Practices Committee of the IAB plans to convene six conferences during the coming year, three on each coast, to discuss the benefits of voluntary standards or models for emerging formats and to release additional proposals as appropriate. The IAB will continue to work closely with CASIE in fostering these discussions and invites all interested parties to participate.