The OpenDirect API has been released through the collaboration of the Interactive Advertising Beureau (IAB) and multiple large tech services to expedite the process of buying and selling online ad space. The IAB allows advertisers and agencies to consent to ad reservations, now consolidated under a single RESTful API for maximum efficiency.
Version 1.0 of the OpenDirect API allows publishers to programmatically track packaging, pricing, and delivery of their reservations. Buyers are now able to book deliveries across all web media, and assign creative objects to be published. The API has been constructed by technical analysts, PMs, and architects from AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft, Yieldex, MediaMath, Bionic, and is supported by the IAB. The API supports JSON and uses OAuth for user authentication.
This programmatic distribution of ad sales has been developed to prevent complicated communication between multiple APIs and providers. As Scott Cunnigham, Vice President of technology and ad operations at IAB mentioned, “this common set of API specifications sets the stage for direct programmatic ad sales and will allow buyers who want to access guaranteed inventory via automated processes avoid multiple, costly, custom integrations."
