NEW YORK – The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the release for public comment of Video Player-Ad Interface Definitions Guidelines (VPAID). The announcement represents another important step in the IAB’s infrastructure initiative that seeks to build a common language for buying, selling, creating and delivering digital video advertising.

The series of definitions in the VPAID Guidelines help the interactive industry:

* Define a standard method for video ads to communicate with video players and enable ad compatibility across all VPAID-compliant players
* Provide specifications that can be implemented by any type of video player
* Cut production costs and improve ROI for advertisers while enabling a less intrusive experience for video content viewers.

Until now, video ads could only be posted on publisher sites that supported the same technology as an agency did when creating the ads. With VPAID, publishers adhering to these standards will be able to render any type of video advertisement from any video ad serving technology that also adheres to the standards. Likewise, advertisers that adopt the standards can be assured that the ads they create are usable by any ad serving technology and publisher.

Over the past year, the IAB has taken a lead role in the industry-wide effort to create a common structure across distinct areas of digital video. In addition to VPAID, the IAB’s efforts have included the release of the following documents as part of this initiative:

* Digital Video Measurement Guidelines
* Digital Video In-Stream Ad Format Guidelines and Best Practices
* Digital Video Ad Serving Template (VAST)
* Digital Video In-Stream Ad Metrics Definitions

All of these documents can be reviewed at: http://www.iab.net/iab_products_and_industry_services/508676/508950

“Interactive advertising is a bright spot in the current advertising environment, and digital video is one of its most promising formats,” said Jeremy Fain, Vice President of Industry Services at IAB. “VPAID is the final piece of the current Digital Video Infrastructure Initiative. All five parts of the initiative help define the digital video ecosystem, reduce costs and increase efficiency for all parties and, most importantly, make it possible for advertisers to more easily reach larger online audiences.”

“Advertisers and agencies today require more interactive formats that go beyond linear TV ad spots, demand more control over how they experience ads, and want the ability to learn more about particular subjects of interest,” said David Ku, SVP of the Advertising Technology Group at Yahoo!, a member company of the IAB’s Digital Video Committee. “VPAID provides a common standard for how video ads will interact with players and serves as an important step forward to deliver on the promise of digital video ad formats.”

Members of the industry (advertising agencies, advertisers, online publishers and technology vendors) are encouraged to read the proposed guidelines and submit comments on the IAB site at: http://www.iab.net/vpaid. After the comment period closes on March 5, 2009 the feedback will be reviewed and the guidelines will be finalized and released.

About the IAB’s Digital Video Committee:

The Digital Video Committee of the IAB is comprised of over 180 member companies actively engaged in the creation and execution of digital video advertising. One of the goals of the committee is to implement a comprehensive set of guidelines, measurement, and creative options for interactive video advertising. The committee works to educate marketers and agencies on the strength of digital video as a marketing vehicle. A full list of Committee member companies can be found at: http://www.iab.net/digital_video_committee

About the IAB:

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.iab.net.

In an environment in which television audiences now have access to digital video recorders that allow them to ‘skip’ traditional advertising slots, Comcast Networks recognizes that new approaches are required to put advertisers in touch with consumers. MirriAd’s embedded advertising technologies and expertise deliver that new approach by exposing brands to their target audiences in an environment in which the viewer is fully engaged. An advertiser’s presence can’t be skipped, but instead of detracting from the core content, they are fully integrated to maintain an uninterrupted viewing experience.

“Successful content production and broadcast today demands fresh thinking to address a rapidly changing environment. In this new digital age, in which the viewer is increasingly in control, we need to investigate fresh ways to deliver the advertising opportunities that underpin the industry,” said Dave Cassaro, President of advertising sales at Comcast Networks. “Traditional advertising still has its place but MirriAd’s innovative embedded advertising solutions enable us to realize new revenues from brand owners, without compromising the viewing experience.”

MirriAd CEO, Mark Popkiewicz, commented, “Product placement has traditionally been implemented pre-production and that approach is complex, expensive and uncertain. Nevertheless it is an advertising model that has always had the potential to produce significant returns for brands, content owners and broadcasters. MirriAd removes the complexity, expense and uncertainty by allowing for the identification, preview and assessment of opportunities prior to the relevant brand references being inserted. It is a sophisticated approach for what is an increasingly sophisticated broadcast and advertising environment.”

About MirriAd Limited

MirriAd seamlessly embeds advertising into any video content, as if it was always there. The company’s solutions allow content owners to effectively monetize their assets and deliver a means by which brands can capitalize on the worldwide shift from the analog broadcast model to multi-platform, on-demand digital video delivery.

London based MirriAd is the first and only company that has the ability to embed advertising, words, images and interactive hyperlinks cost-effectively, in small and large volume digital content and to a high quality on any platform using its proprietary ZoneSense™ technology.

MirriAd is funded by venture capital funds including London Seed Capital, Oxford Technology Management and South East Growth Fund and by private investors led by Seraphim Capital.

For more information: www.mirriad.com

MirriAd was recently named in Library House’s MediaTech top 100 list, which lists Europe’s hottest private media technology companies, likely to have the biggest impact on the industry.

About Comcast Networks

Comcast Networks is comprised of distinct channels that appeal to the passionate viewer looking for the best in entertainment, sports, lifestyle and children’s programming. Its core networks include E!, VERSUS, GOLF CHANNEL, Style, G4, and Select On demand for Video On demand and HD programming through VERSUS / GOLF CHANNEL HD.

For more information: www.comcastnetworks.com