IAB Releases General Terms for Digital Advertising Agreements for Public Comment

New Framework Aims to Cut Complexity, Lower Costs, and Speed Deal-Making Across the Digital Ecosystem

Public Comment Period Open For 60 Days Until July 21, 2025; IAB Invites Entire Digital Advertising Ecosystem to Participate

NEW YORK, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than one-year of collaboration with the entire advertising ecosystem – from agencies and brands to publishers and adtech – the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the digital media and marketing trade association, released its long-awaited updated General Terms for Digital Advertising Agreements, opening a 60-day public comment period through July 21, 2025.

"The original terms were created nearly a quarter of a century ago," said Michael Hahn, EVP and General Counsel, IAB and IAB Tech Lab. "This initiative brought together brands, agencies, publishers, ad tech, and legal experts to create something that truly reflects how the digital advertising business operates today — and prepares us for where it's headed next."

Helping The Industry Move Faster, Reduce Costs, And Support Innovation

Originally created in May 2001, IAB standard terms and conditions (T&Cs) for digital advertising media buys have not kept pace with changes in technology, transaction types, or platform capabilities — forcing teams to renegotiate from scratch and increasing both time and legal burden on all sides.

This new, clear, flexible foundation for digital ad transactions means any kind of buy can happen faster and with less friction, whether via direct buy or programmatic. Also, the foundation provides for easy engagement with different vendors that support digital ad transactions, such as measurement providers and ad verification providers.

Built by the Industry, for the Industry

The updated terms reflect over a year of cross-functional effort led by 276 IAB member companies — including major holding companies like Omnicom and Publicis, as well as independent agencies such as Butler/Till and Canvas Worldwide, brands such as Unilever and Bayer, publishers like Hearst and NBCUniversal, top ad tech firms, and leading law firms.

At the update's core is a modular framework designed to support the full range of today's digital transactions. It consists of a standardized foundation for most deal types, making it easier for all sides of the ecosystem to transact efficiently. Business-specific terms — such as cancellation rights or delivery requirements — will be addressed in separate addenda tailored to each transaction type, which are being developed in parallel by IAB's Terms & Conditions Task Force.

"This modular structure gives the industry what it's been missing: a balance of consistency and flexibility," said Angelina Eng, VP, Measurement, Addressability & Data Center, IAB. "Once adopted, these terms will help our ecosystem scale more efficiently — with less negotiation, lower legal overhead, and better alignment."

"Publishers have been asking for this for years — a standardized framework that reflects how deals are actually done today," said Rob Beeler, Founder & CEO, Beeler.Tech. "This is a big win for the entire industry."

Help Shape the Future of Digital Ad Deals

"The speed of growth and change in our industry has made way for multiple disconnected frameworks," said Shenan Reed, Global Chief Media Officer, General Motors, and Chair, IAB Board of Directors. "What IAB has done here is give the industry a shared language. That's how we unlock trust, creativity, and speed at scale."

"An update to T&Cs is long overdue and I'm glad to see this coming out of IAB," said Christy Loftus, SVP, Data Logistics, Canvas Worldwide. "Standardizing how we approach advertising agreements allows for greater consistency and gives the industry a baseline on the expectations for all sides of media. IAB's involvement in this will help expedite what I'm sure we've all experienced with legal hangups, and allow us to go to market faster, while addressing the numerous complexities of the ecosystem."

IAB invites all industry stakeholders to review and comment on the new General Terms by July 21, 2025. Feedback will help shape the final version, which IAB anticipates will become a new foundation for digital advertising agreements across the industry.

To review the proposed terms and provide feedback, click here. The comment period is open through July 21, 2025.

About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and collaboration of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.

SOURCE Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)