NEW YORK—As newer advertising formats become more popular on connected TV, IAB Tech Lab, a global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, has announced updates to its technical specifications to support standardized signaling for the CTV Ad Portfolio.
The release defines how newly standardized CTV ad formats, including emerging new formats such as Pause and Menu Ads, are communicated programmatically to improve consistency, reduce manual processes, and unlock more efficient transactions. The specification is now available for public comment until June 5, 2026.
“Standard formats are only part of the equation. You need a clear way to signal what is actually being bought and sold,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “This work helps the market move faster with more confidence, especially as new CTV formats gain traction. The CTV Ad Portfolio provides new real estate, which promises to help accelerate growth in the streaming ecosystem and provide high-profile consumer engagement opportunities for brands.”
The CTV Ad Portfolio introduced a range of new and additive ad formats. In addition to Pause and Menu Ads, other non-interruptive placement types include Overlay and Squeeze Back Ads.
While these formats have generated strong interest from both buyers and sellers, transacting them has remained largely manual due to the lack of standardized definitions that support programmatic workflows. This release addresses that gap by aligning signaling across core specifications so that each format can be clearly identified and consistently understood in the bidstream and ad serving process.
By establishing standardized signals, the update enables more efficient configuration and delivery of CTV ads while reducing ambiguity in transactions. Buyers gain greater clarity into what they are purchasing, while sellers can more easily package and scale new inventory. This opens new monetization opportunities for high-value streaming inventory, supports higher-margin revenue streams, and increases confidence across the ecosystem by ensuring that all parties are trading on consistent definitions, the group said.
Some industry leaders applauded the release. “These formats represent meaningful new inventory, but they need to be easy to transact,” said Ken Weiner, CTO, GumGum. “Standardization helps remove friction so we can bring more of this inventory into programmatic channels and accelerate revenue growth.”
“The next wave of CTV formats is shifting how we think about advertising from isolated moments to ongoing consumer engagement," added Christian Babeux, lead product manager, ads and data, Telly. “Standardization and signaling is what makes that shift scalable, giving the industry a common language to transact more easily and deliver the performance advertisers expect on the biggest screen in the home."
The work was developed through the Ad Format Hero Task Force, with consultation with Advanced TV Working Group and the Programmatic Supply Chain Working Group, with public comment supporting industry input ahead of finalization. IAB Tech Lab will continue collaborating with members on implementation, including updates across specifications and supporting resources to drive adoption.
IAB Tech Lab has invited the industry to participate in the public comment period until June 5, 2026. To review and comment on the new signaling, visit, https://iabtechlab.com/standards/ctv-ad-portfolio/
