MSNBC flees IAB ad unit coffin

MSNBC is abandoning banner ads, fearing that the rectangular IAB standard advertising units are becoming a commercial coffin.

Good for MSNBC!

We’ve been arguing since 2002 that IAB standard units were going to be first ignored by readers, then commoditized by advertisers. And now it’s happening.

The current short menu of industry standard ad units — basically just Google’s text ads and 728 x 90 pixel banners (and their boxy cousins) — is little changed in concept in the last 8-10 years. (Standard display ad units have gotten bigger, yes, but better… no.) And the menu of choices is incredibly impoverished when you consider the creative flexibility that the internet has unleashed for both publishers, advertisers AND audiences.

We’re still in very early days of ad units. We predict there’s an optimal ad format waiting to be invented to maximize results for every different type of advertiser in each different flavor social media. Yes, that’s potentially thousands of different combinations, but that’s where the market is headed.

We’ve got a couple of new ad units in the pipeline for launch next month. Hang on for the ride.