Gator and IAB To Develop New Companion Pop-up Banner

Posted on November 30, 2001

Gator and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced that they have tabled their ongoing differences and will cooperatively work together as Gator develops a new version of its Companion Pop-up Banner. The IAB will arrange meetings with leading IAB member companies to help Gator create a new version of their Pop-up Banner -- one that will support Web publishers' efforts. Gator has put sales of the Companion Pop-up Banner on hold while it discusses a more publisher friendly version with the IAB.

Earlier this year the IAB accused Gator of illegal business practices for its Companion Pop-up Banner, which follows recent consumer behavior to deliver a targeted banner advertisement. The IAB claimed the software delivered banners which obscured advertising and/or editorial content on websites through the use of specially designed pop-up windows and without the consent of websites or third party advertisers.

Gator filed a lawsuit Aug. 27 in federal district court against the IAB to protect Gator's use of its Companion Pop-up Banner software. Gator and the IAB have agreed to extend various deadlines relating to the lawsuit; thereby enabling ongoing discussions to focus on the positive ways Gator, the IAB and publishers can work together.

``As a leader in desktop behavioral marketing with 10 million active users and over 200 advertisers, we feel we have proven that behavioral targeting works,'' said Jeff McFadden, president and CEO of Gator. ``Now, as a gesture of good faith in our ongoing discussions, Gator has agreed to stop selling the Companion Pop-up Banner vehicle in its current form. We will put this product on hold as we talk with IAB members to co-develop a new version that is more publisher friendly, designed to create a revenue stream for them by monetizing unused banner inventory.''

``We are in the midst of an extremely crucial period in the growth of the online advertising industry and should not allow ourselves to be sidetracked by differences of opinion when we can work together for the benefit of all,'' said IAB president and CEO Greg Stuart. ``I commend Gator for its willingness to work with the IAB and its members to develop a new version of its banner product that could provide direct revenue to our member companies. While we both regret that these discussions didn't happen earlier, I believe that we can arrange for Gator and IAB member companies to meet and discuss their various points of view and arrive at a solution that works for all. We are all directed towards growing the online ad business and these discussions may very well help the cause.''