IAB Releases Standard for Redefining Digital Media Types
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has launched a new standard for defining digital media types. The standard aims to clarify the classification of digital video and improve advertising planning and measurement.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), a trade organization for the digital advertising ecosystem, has released a new standard for classifying digital media types. Developed in partnership with IAB Tech Lab, the "Redefining Media Types" (RMT) Standard aims to establish uniform definitions for digital video formats, aligning them with viewer experiences across various platforms.
The RMT Standard categorizes digital video environments based on consumer viewing habits rather than technology. It introduces a two-layer classification system. The first layer groups advertising environments into four macro buckets based on the viewing experience: Lean Back Viewing, Personal Screen Viewing, and Passive and Communal Viewing. The second layer uses impression-level attributes, such as sound state, skip-ability, device, and ad format, for precise classification.
According to IAB, inconsistent or outdated media classifications have created significant challenges for advertisers, agencies, publishers, and ad tech providers. The RMT Standard seeks to address these issues by providing a shared, future-proof language that improves media planning, execution, and measurement across the entire digital advertising landscape. The public comment period for the standard remains open until August 8.
IAB Tech Lab's CEO, Anthony Katsur, highlighted that many existing technical systems rely on legacy classifications for video. This new framework connects definitions to the technical standards and infrastructure necessary for widespread industry adoption.
The standard is designed to foster clearer expectations and more consistent communication. It aims to help brands align media investments with intended viewing experiences, enable publishers to describe inventory more effectively, support interoperable reporting, and provide ad tech vendors with standardized signals for operational use. As digital video evolves, the RMT Standard intends to create a more stable foundation for the advertising ecosystem.