This week, the IAB finally released the long-awaited update to its General Terms for Digital Advertising Agreements — the first major revision in almost 25 years. And it’s not just a legal update. It’s a strategic signal for the entire digital advertising ecosystem.
The draft is now open for public comment until July 21, 2025, and the timing couldn’t be better. With the complexity of modern media buying, programmatic growth, and the constant shuffle of tech and regulation, the industry needed this reset.
What’s actually new in the draft?
The IAB update isn’t just about tweaking a few legal phrases. It’s a full-scale modernization designed to reflect the way deals are made today and to prepare us all for what’s coming next. Here are the main changes worth noting:
A modular, flexible contract framework
Instead of a rigid, one-size-fits-all contract, the new terms introduce a modular structure. This means different types of deals (whether direct, programmatic, or hybrid) can now operate under one adaptable foundation. It's a much-needed shift toward flexibility without losing structure.
Faster execution, less legal back-and-forth
Old contracts often required extensive edits and negotiations just to cover the basics. These new terms aim to reduce legal friction, cut time spent with lawyers, and let teams focus on launching campaigns, not untangling contracts.
Simplified onboarding of third-party services
Think measurement providers, verification tools, or brand safety vendors. The revised terms now acknowledge their role directly in the agreement, which helps standardize expectations and makes it easier for advertisers and publishers to collaborate without extra paperwork.
Designed for both direct and programmatic deals
There’s specific attention to direct and PMP (Private Marketplace) transactions, recognizing that programmatic no longer means “open exchange only.” Deals today are increasingly about precision, relationships, and control. And the terms now reflect that.
Built by the industry, for the industry
This isn’t just an IAB internal project. The update was shaped by over 276 IAB member companies, including agency giants like Omnicom and Publicis, top brands like Unilever and Bayer, publishers like Hearst and NBCUniversal, and plenty of legal experts from firms that actually live in the digital media world.
The goal? To create a practical, usable agreement that teams can apply in real life, not just a theoretical legal document that sits on a drive collecting digital dust.
As Shenan Reed, Global Chief Media Officer at General Motors and Chair of the IAB Board, put it:
What IAB has done here is give the industry a shared language. That’s how we unlock trust, creativity, and speed at scale.
And she’s absolutely right.
Why this matters for SmartyAds (especially our SSP)
We’re particularly excited about this update because it reflects what we’ve already been building.
Our SSP (supply-side platform) was designed from day one to support customizable direct deals and scalable PMP transactions under a streamlined, transparent workflow. These new IAB terms validate the direction we took early on:
- Fewer legal blockers
- More modular deal setups
- Real-time onboarding of partners
- Smooth workflows that fit both supply and demand goals
With this industry-wide shift toward simplified, modular agreements, the way is paved for even smoother collaboration between SSPs, DSPs, and brands without endless revisions or legal hold-ups.
The updated terms also make it easier for advertisers to commit to direct and PMP deals confidently, knowing there’s now a baseline standard that both sides can understand and rely on. That’s a big win for everyone who wants transparency and speed in media buying…something we’ve been championing from the start.
A shared standard benefits everyone
Here’s what it means in practice:
- For publishers: faster onboarding of new partners, clearer deal terms, and better control over monetization.
- For buyers: easier access to premium inventory through direct and PMP channels without friction or legal ambiguity.
- For platforms like ours: more room to innovate on top of a strong foundation, with less time wasted navigating outdated contracts.
We already offer plug-and-play support for verification, measurement, and brand safety vendors, a key focus in the new terms. That’s why we’re optimistic this update will speed up campaign activation and make it easier for our partners to scale faster.
The bottom line
The industry is changing fast and it’s not slowing down. The IAB’s updated digital ad terms are more than just a legal refresh. They’re a signal that standardization, flexibility, and trust are now the core pillars of deal-making in digital advertising.
At SmartyAds, we’ve already aligned our SSP to meet those expectations. And with this draft now open for comment, we encourage everyone, from publishers to buyers, to get involved in shaping what becomes the new standard. You can review the draft and submit your feedback until July 21, 2025, right here.
Ready to future-proof your media buying strategy?
Register now on the SmartyAds SSP and start monetizing smarter with customizable direct and PMP deals.
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