Pub Talk
By Rob Yoegel
About Rob
Rob Yoegel takes an active role in North American Publishing Company's online efforts including content, sales, marketing, usability, functionality and vendor relations as Vice President, e-Media. Rob works directly with publishers and editors in developing a consistent strategy from print to online.
A former journalist, Rob has been involved in Internet strategies since 1996 serving as an associate editor of Target Marketing magazine, where he regularly contributed articles related to the Internet, including e-commerce, Web site design/development, e-mail, fulfillment, customer service and marketing integration. He also spent one year as publisher of PhillyTech Magazine, a regional technology magazine published by Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. E-mail him at ryoegel@napco.com or call (215) 238-5344.
Media Vent
On the 'Power of Print' Campaign
Mar 5, 2010The campaign claims to target advertisers, shareholders and industry influencers. Well listen up, my friends, because you just insulted them...
Should You Join the IAB (or Show Up at ad:tech)?
ad:tech remains a robust event full of energy and excitement, but as one of my colleagues asked me, “You wonder how many of these companies will be here in three years?” Needless to say, a lot of nearby Wall Street funny money is responsible for the congested halls.
Many ad:tech exhibitors and attendees likely are members of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Both ad:tech and the IAB seem to be healthy, prospering organizations. The last time I checked, IAB dues were a minimum of $7,000 a year and increased on a sliding scale based on revenue. Association dues should come with a tremendous amount of benefits, but I just don’t see them with the IAB and continue to advise against us (NAPCO) becoming a member.
Regardless of my own personal feelings on the IAB, we follow its guidelines for Interactive Marketing Units (IMUs), which among other things allows us to respond to RFPs effectively. Most interactive agencies recommend to their clients some, if not all, of the approved IMUs.
A lot of publishers follow the IMU standards but continue to take liberties with what the units are called. Maybe it’s a 9-11 thing, but I frequently see a skyscraper (or a wide skyscraper) get referred to as a “tower.” The last time I checked, there isn’t a unit dubbed a “cube,” or what I saw most recently in one publisher’s media kit, a “boombox.”
Wouldn’t it be great if we all called online ad units by the same names? Maybe the IAB could even charge more by penalizing their members who don’t.
