Online

The most recent studies show that people throughout the world are increasing the amount of time that they spend online. These studies also show that U.S. users alone spend an average of nearly an hour and a half (86.8 minutes) on the Internet every single day. As the amount of time spent online grows, so too does the power and effectiveness of online information for reaching various markets.

As it does with its AdWords search system, Google plans to sell spots based not only on price but on how well an ad performs. Better-quality advertising -- advertising the audience deems most relevant -- will be rewarded, as marketers will pay less for the same spot. Lower-quality advertising -- the ads deemed less relevant by consumers -- will acquire higher media bills. Simply put, Google's TV Ads could go a long way toward answering who is responsible for bringing viewers in and who is responsible for retaining viewers, the network or the advertiser?

The Interactive Advertising Bureau today released guidelines that would update the definition of rich media as well as revise guidelines for other ad formats. The IAB has asked for comment within the next 30 days before locking down them down. When asked about the highlights, Marla Nitke, IAB spokeswoman, pointed to the three bullet points in the IAB news release. The highlights are:

*Redefine rich media. It would refer to "advertisements with which users can interact (as opposed to solely animation and excluding click-through functionality) in a web page format," the proposed change reads. Rich media, under the proposal, also includes in-page and in-text digital video ads where the associated content isn't streaming in a player.

*Offer guidance on file weights and animation lengths for both rich and non-rich media online ads.

*Address ad formats such as banners and buttons as well as transitional and various over-the-page units such as floating ads, page take-overs and tear-backs. New units would include a 720x300 pop-under and a 300x100 or 3:1 rectangle.

Interactive Digital Advertising was developed based on conversations between EyeWonder and the leaders of several top interactive agencies, and was validated by results of a research survey recently conducted by EyeWonder to gauge perceptions of the efficacy of "rich media" as the category definition, as well as the perceptions of Interactive Digital Advertising as a more accurate and valuable category definition. EyeWonder found that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of industry influencers believe the technology to support and develop online video advertising changed enough over the past couple of years to warrant a new category, with 92 percent expressing a positive reaction to the new definition.

Adobe launched a new community development project on Thursday aimed at using its Flash and AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) technologies to create a consistent application interface across all devices -- whether they are smartphones, PCs or set-top boxes.

Pointroll has a variety of online interactive ad formats, some including video, with colorful names: FatBoy, TomBoy, BadBoy, TowelBoy, PaperBoy, FoldOver, PushDown and Synced. Check out some samples in their client showcase.

With more and more marketers becoming interested in the benefits of online video, it was only a matter of time before some of those advertisers banded together to research its effectiveness. Break Media and several other brands have formed the first online video advertising ROI council.

For some time, Pandigital has made digital photo frames. Soon it will combine this function with an HDTV and a digital cookbook to create the ultimate kitchen-based gadget. The 15 inch screen will display programs, photos, and even recipes. But I'm thinking down the road. With such a device hooked up to the internet, imagine preparing a tuna casserole recipe and getting in-recipe ads for Starkist and Campbell's mushroom soup. I don't know if Pandigital is thinking this way, but it should be.