Members of the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) of UK have agreed to adopt a standard timeline by which they intend to impose penalties for the delivery of late advertising creative.
Following announcement last month of their intention to push for voluntary guidelines for publishers as a result of increased frustration over the effects of late delivery, members of AOP including Associated New Media, BSkyB, Channel4, FT.com, Future Publishing and Times Online have agreed to deduct incremental levels of inventory once creative is more than 24 hours late.
The "use it or lose it" message is seen by publishers as a more effective (and less administratively-heavy) penalty than charging a cash fee.
Several advertising agencies have welcomed the focus that the issue has been given by AOP. Richard Dunmore, managing director of agency mOne, said: "Collectively we have an opportunity to change the market in a positive and collaborative manner, which benefits us all."
In addition, the Interactive Advertising Bureau has responded to the AOP stance by forming a taskforce on the topic of late creative. AOP director Alex White says she hopes that IAB members will adopt a similar timeline: "The more media owners adopting these guidelines, the more effective the initiative will be."
Errol Baran, head of advertising and sponsorship for Channel4, and Daniel Ward-Lee, group digital advertising manager for News International, have taken the lead as co-chairs of the AOP Commercial Working Group, which comprises of the commercial heads of AOP member organisations and meets quarterly.
