The advertising industry has long struggled with inconsistent creative ad specifications. Every publisher and platform has its own requirements, forcing brands and agencies to create multiple versions of the same ad—often for nearly identical sizes, like 300×250 vs. 300×300.
If you’ve worked in ad operations, you know this pain well. How many ads get rejected because of minor spec mismatches? Whether it’s the wrong file format, bit rate, or an unexpected size variation, the approval process can be frustrating and costly. And with Retail Media Networks (RMNs), in-game advertising, social media, CTV, and DOOH introducing even more unique formats, the problem is only getting worse.
It’s time for a change.
The Fix? Responsive Ads
For years, advertisers have designed fixed-size ads for specific placements. But as media consumption now spans across mobile, desktop, smart TVs, out-of-home, AR/VR, and gaming environments, this approach no longer makes sense.
Responsive ads solve this problem. Instead of rigid dimensions, responsive ads adjust to different screen sizes and environments. The IAB New Ad Portfolio, first introduced in 2017, replaces outdated fixed-size standards with flexible aspect ratios, allowing ads to scale seamlessly across devices.
Why It Matters
✅ Future-Proofing: Works across today’s devices and emerging formats like AR, VR, and 360-degree video.
✅ Better Performance: Faster load times, improved engagement, and a smoother user experience thanks to LEAN (lightweight, encrypted, AdChoices-supported, non-invasive) principles.
✅ Cross-Channel Consistency: One flexible ad can scale across mobile, desktop, and tablet without separate designs.
✅ Fewer Rejected Ads: Standardized specs mean less confusion, fewer errors, and reduced waste.
Despite these benefits, many platforms and publishers still demand fixed-size ads. That needs to change.
The Industry Must Get On Board
To fix this, publishers and platforms must modernize their systems to accept responsive ads. At the same time, advertisers and agencies need to push for this shift by designing flexible creative.
New media channels are making things worse by introducing non-standard ad sizes. RMNs, CTV, social media, and gaming platforms are all demanding custom formats, forcing advertisers into a cycle of unnecessary creative production and constant resubmissions due to misunderstood specs.
Instead of continuing down this fragmented path, these platforms should adopt the IAB New Ad Portfolio, allowing brands to create a single responsive ad that works across multiple placements.
Standardizing Ad Specs with the IAB Creative Spec Template
Beyond flexible sizing, standardized technical specifications are crucial. The IAB Creative Specification Requirements Template ensures that essential details—bit rate, codec, z-index, and more—are documented clearly, in one place.
For creative teams and ad ops, this means fewer rejections, smoother collaboration, and faster approvals. No more back-and-forth emails clarifying specs—everything is communicated upfront.
The Future of Digital Advertising is Flexible
The solution is clear: responsive, flexible ads built on standardized guidelines.
To make this happen:
✅ Publishers and platforms must accept responsive ads.
✅ Advertisers and agencies must stop designing fixed-size creatives and demand flexibility.
✅ Retail media, CTV, and social platforms should align with the IAB New Ad Portfolio.
✅ Creative teams need clear, standardized specs to reduce errors and rejections.
The benefits? Lower costs, faster creative production, fewer rejected ads, and ads that work seamlessly across devices.
The tools exist. The standards are in place. Now, the industry just needs to act.
How to get started?
If you’re ready to move away from fixed-size ads and embrace responsive, flexible creative, follow these steps:
For Advertisers and Agencies:
✅ Adopt Flexible Creative Design – Shift to designing ads based on aspect ratios instead of fixed dimensions to ensure adaptability across screens and platforms.
✅ Work With Partners Who Support Responsive Ads – When selecting media partners, encourage compatibility with the IAB New Ad Portfolio and push for broader industry adoption.
✅ Leverage the IAB Creative Spec Template – Use standardized documentation to streamline ad development and approval processes.
✅ Optimize Ad Operations Workflows – Ensure ad trafficking and creative approval processes are updated to support responsive ads, reducing the chances of rejections and unnecessary revisions.
For Publishers and Platforms:
✅ Update Ad Serving Capabilities – Modernize systems to accept and properly render responsive ads across all placements.
✅ Align with Industry Standards – Ensure your creative guidelines and ad specs follow the IAB New Ad Portfolio framework to reduce fragmentation and improve efficiency.
✅ Educate Buyers and Creative Teams – Provide clear documentation and support to help advertisers transition smoothly to responsive ads.
✅ Streamline Ad Operations for Responsive Ads – Update internal workflows and QA processes to accommodate flexible creatives, making it easier to approve and deliver ads without delays.
The shift toward responsive, standardized ads benefits everyone—reducing waste, improving efficiency, and enhancing the ad experience across all channels. It’s time to leave fixed-size ads in the past and move forward with a more scalable and future-proof approach.
For more guidance, visit IAB New Ad Portfolio.
