This summer the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) will convene its Ad Sizes Working Group, a routine checkup of existing banner advertising guidelines.

For the first time since its inception, however, creative agencies have been invited to join in the process.

"Creative agencies were always missing from this conversation about standardization," lamented CEO Randall Rothenberg.

"We'll be revisiting some of the standards [and asking them], 'Does this allow for great, aesthetically engaging powerful communications to take place?'"

The IAB oversees standards for display advertising, among other online advertising formats. Earlier this month it proposed a series of definitions for common standards between online video players and advertisements. In the past, it has also overseen guidelines for AJAX and ad campaign measurement.

ClickZ believes the IAB's inclusion of agencies into the banner spec process will "close the gap" between the interests of publishers, which require the sales efficiency standardization affords; and advertisers, which increasingly perceive banners as wasteful and ineffective.

The institution set up an agency advisory board composed of both media and creative practitioners. A similar agency board, featuring members like MediaVest, MPG/Media Contacts and Universal McCann, was formed in 2003. It was later disbanded.