Re: Text Banner Standards: Isn't it about time?

From: David Yancey <dyancey_at_intergen.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 10:11:08 -0600 (CST)

(The bulk of this message originally appeared today in the OP
discussion list - - I cross post here only because of the apparent
wide interest in the important issues raised by Andy Bourland of
Clickz. Apologies to those who have already seen it.)

As a developer of email publications and related sites, I
understand the reluctance of publishers of emailed
newsletters and discussion lists to accept any idea or
standard that might inhibit their editorial, business, or
messaging freedom. I, for example, anticipate the emergence
of quite lengthy "sponsored mini-articles" in the near
future, much like the occasional full-column text block
"educational" ads in magazines, and would be against any
standard that impeded the evolution of such value-added
messages.

But several comments in this and other web marketing lists
are missing two key elements of Andy Bourland's "text ad
standards" proposal, I suggest. First, any proposed email
ad block standard would of course be *voluntary*.

Second, without some kind of "metric" for eletter ads, it
will be very difficult to get agency people to take email
messaging seriously, since they, as responsible professional
space buyers, must be able to explain their buys to their
clients and principals in term of numbers. Unless we, the
people controlling the format, give them some sort of apples
to apples basis for presentation, it is not likely that many
of them will go to the mat for our alternative, no matter
how well-targeted or economically attractive it is.

More, the standards can be inherently flexible. Even if, for
example, we agree to speak of a few "common" line counts
like three, five, seven, twelve, or whatever, this need not
in any way inhibit ads of a different length. What is
vital, I suggest, is some sort of "unit of measure" that can
be then related to the key benchmarks such as clickthrough
etc. If we merely agreed on an n-character line, that would
be a good start, since a publisher could then state in
her/his "rate card" the average CPM *per line*, and derive
the "net CPM" based on his/her particular rules as to line
count. Publishers who chose to could then go on to state
their rates in the three or four agreed upon "standard"
block lengths, merely to make it easy for space buyers and
campaign planners to do their sums.

This is only one simple idea, but it would at least allow a
buyer to compare "actual" CPMs for copy of like lengths
across different publications, much as she/he can today
compare 468 X 60 banners. Couple that with our ever more
evident ability to "out-click" the average banner ad, and we
have a winning, *supportable* proposition for the space
buyers.

So let's please keep an open mind, realizing that the sort
of standards being suggested are merely guidelines that
could move our discussion along and help our mini-industry
evolve more rapidly into the professional alternative for
advertisers that so many of us are working to be. Let's
recognize that the sooner we make it easier for buyers to
analyze our performance, the sooner we can expect to be
given more opportunities to perform.

David Yancey
Managing Director, Intergen Associates
Internet Business Planning, Development & Management
"If you want an Internet presence, create a website; if you want
an Internet *business*, create an Internet Business Plan."
mailto:dyancey_at_intergen.co.uk
or call our office in Japan at 81-42-943-2637


========================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsor:
                                Conducent

   Don't Buy Hope! Get a 94% User Response Advertising with Conducent!
     Place Dynamic Ads in Downloadable Software. Invest in Results!
 http://www.conducent.com/advertisers.shtm or eisenstadta@conducent.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
========================================================================
Online Advertising Discussion List To Unsubscribe send UNSUBSCRIBE
http://www.o-a.com/ to online-ads-request@o-a.com



Received on Wed Feb 03 1999 - 11:28:12 CST