Dive Brief:

• After a period of testing and public comment, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released the finalized version of the IAB Standard Ad Unit Portfolio, with flexible ad sizes that adjust to various screen sizes and incorporate the IAB's LEAN principles of being lightweight, encrypted, AdChoices-supported and non-invasive within all mobile, display, and native formats, per a company press release. The ad portfolio is based on everything from mobile video to emoji messaging, AR/VR and 360-degree video. 
• The flexible screen size is the biggest news in the newly-released standards, reported TechCrunch. Ad units now have a maximum width and height as opposed to coming in fixed sizes, and Alanna Gombert, the general manager of the IAB Tech Lab, said the change reflects the move to cross-screen and responsive advertising. With the new standards, some ad formats like interstitial ads that take over the entire screen are intended to be on their way out.
• "This final release of the new 'IAB Standard Ad Unit Portfolio' is a reflection of the industry’s commitment to creating beautiful, user-friendly digital advertising that can easily scale,” Gombert said in a statement. "Whether on a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop computer, these ad units offer responsive solutions that captivate and inspire, while guidance for emerging platforms offers insights on how to approach consumers in new ways — even if they are looking at the world through a virtual reality headset."

Dive Insight:

The IAB announced its LEAN (Light, Encrypted, AdChoices-supporting and Non-invasive) program in late 2015, and has since continued to emphasize the idea of responsive, non-invasive digital ads, with the end goal of having marketers craft better user experiences that prevent the spread and adoption of technology like ad blockers.

These latest standards are more about helping advertisers meet the demands of marketing to an audience that will be coming across ads on multiple devices including bleeding edge hardware like VR headsets, with a wide variety of screen sizes. Their aim is to ensure the ads themselves are built on responsive design that seamlessly adjusts based on the device, pointing to how marketers are trying to optimize their efforts across channels and create a more cohesive overall brand experience.

Other changes in the new standards include: ad unit specifications for mobile apps as well as horizontal and vertical ad experiences, such as vertical video ads; guidance on use of video in display ads, with a maximum limit of 15 seconds for all videos that are not user initiated; updates and guidance on using audio within display and video ad units; and alignment with the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA) initial Better Ads Standards.