OpenRTB Mobile Launches Standards Initiative

OpenRTB, a consortium of mobile advertising platforms, announced today the launch of OpenRTB Mobile, a committee dedicated to increasing the adoption of real-time bidding (RTB) standards in mobile advertising. OpenRTB Mobile’s membership includes Sell-Side Platforms (SSPs) Nexage, PubMatic, and Smaato; Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) DataXu, Fluent Mobile, and [x+1]; and ad network Jumptap. The group’s stated mission is to establish guidelines to enable technology platforms to create standard real-time bidding APIs with basic commonalities that increase speed of adoption and ease interaction between platforms.

“Our goal is to dramatically accelerate the adoption of RTB in mobile,” said Jim Butler, CTO & VP of Engineering of Nexage. “We believe that by striking first at the core supply and demand interfaces, we will eliminate substantial friction in the marketplace, while maintaining an atmosphere in which healthy competition and differentiation can thrive.”

OpenRTB Mobile’s first project is to set standards for the actual real-time bidding protocol, the primary dialog between a supply source (SSP or exchange) and demand platforms (DSPs or bidders).“Industry analysts report that mobile advertising will top $1 billion in 2011,” said Bill Simmons, OpenRTB Consortium Founder and DataXu CTO.  “Creating an open bidding interface between inventory suppliers and bidders will drive strong growth and drive greater innovation, cooperation and profitability for the entire ecosystem. We estimate a free and open standard will accelerate adoption of real-time bidding auctions by at least a year.”

Future OpenRTB Mobile projects will address the handling of rich media reliable click tracking, and mobile focused mobile best practices.

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