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The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has just announced the release of In-game Advertising Measurement Guidelines. The IAB’s proposed new guidelines cover dynamic, in-game advertisements that appear in PC or console-based games and:

- Establish a common methodology for counting impressions, thus making it easier to buy and sell in-game advertising

- Provide key measurement definitions to help marketers better understand and quantify the value of advertising exposure within the gaming environment

The guidelines document (PDF) covers scope and applicability of the guidelines, a glossary, measurement definitions and other metrics, auditing guidelines, general reporting parameters, and disclosure guidance.

"Because the in-game environment is unique in advertising with regard to its level of consumer engagement and the way advertising is experienced within those environments, it requires specific methodology for counting impressions," said Jeremy Fain, Vice President of Industry Services of the IAB. "When these guidelines are widely adopted by game publishers and ad servers, it will be easier for marketers and agencies to justify larger investments as consumers spend more time playing immersive games."

"This is an important step in clarifying and simplifying the process of buying advertising within the in-game environment," said David Sturman, IAB Games Committee Co-Chair and Principal Architect for Microsoft’s in-game ad company Massive. "Clear standards and methodologies help to demystify a new and exciting form of advertising which will only bring more marketers into games."

The IAB is encouraging advertising agencies, advertisers, online publishers, and technology vendors to read the proposed guidelines and submit comments to the IAB's site here. The comment period will be closed on July 17th, at which point feedback will be reviewed, and guidelines will finalized.

Among the IAB's In-game ad measurement working group are Google, Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, and many more.