Apple's rubber-stamped approach to iAd gives advertisers a headache

Apple's restrictive policies regarding app approval are known far and wide. The same major headaches that developers face with App Store seem to have transitioned to the mobile ads publishing process as well, reports the Wall Street Journal. iAd brings a way to monetize applications that are otherwise free, for both developers, who keep 60% of the advertising revenue generated from their software, and Apple. Google is having a rival service in the works with its AdMob purchase earlier this year.

The intial iAd partners are facing tight control over the creative process for in-app advertising, thus  campaigns creation is taking up to ten weeks from conception to the actual ad. Some of them, like Chanel, caved in under the pressure and ditched their iAd efforts altogether.

Others, such as Nissan and Unilever, have achieved good results with their interactive iAd campaigns. The ad for the all-electric Nissan Leaf, for example, lets you change the color of the car by shaking the iPhone, which requires much more engagement from the viewer, thus increasing the eventual click rate five times for Nissan over the usual channels.

Apple, on the other hand, still hasn't provided advertisers with the iAd SDK, which would allow them to understand how the system works, and will shorten the time to market. Cupertino also leaves its partners guessing where the ad will appear, and they have to explicitly look for it in the iAd ecosystem.

All in all, iAd seems to be a take-off effort for Apple, with more air pockets than initially planned, but it is still ahead at in-app advertising than anybody else, on account of the strict control. Hopefully the kinks will be ironed out in the next few months, so as we can enjoy our free apps with an interactive ad thrown in for a good measure.

source: WSJ via AppleInsider