
According to gemiusAdReal data, one in seven ads displayed to Polish internet users is larger than 242,500 pixels. For comparison:
- In Romania, large-format ads make up 9% of the market,
- In Germany, they account for 8%,
- In France and Ukraine, only 5%.
At the same time, Poland ranks among the top countries where internet users block ads using ad-blockers. One in three internet users in Poland blocks ads, and according to data from 2017 published by Page Fair:
- 11% of internet users worldwide use ad-blockers,
- In 2017, ad-block usage increased by 30% worldwide.
Large-format ads have become a topic of public debate taken up by IAB Poland regarding setting visibility standards for online ads. In October of last year, viewability measurement recommendations were updated with specific guidelines for large display ads.
- The viewability standard for formats exceeding 242,500 pixels is 30% of the ad being visible for at least one continuous second.
- This is a lower threshold compared to other display and video ads, which must be at least 50% visible to be considered viewable.
Ad Visibility in Polish Online Space Declines
Meanwhile, as shown by Meetrics’ quarterly ad visibility studies, published for Q4 2017, visibility rates for display ads in Poland significantly declined. Compared to Q3, the display ad visibility rate fell by five percentage points, reaching 50% in Q4 (down from 55% in Q3). The average interaction time with display ads dropped to 20.7 seconds in Q4 (from 27.5 seconds in Q3).

- The drop in visibility rates clearly shows that while demand is rising dynamically, display ad resources are proving insufficient. Developing ad resources with greater viewability potential is a critical issue for the growth of the digital advertising market in Poland - commented Tomasz Piątkowski, Country Manager Poland at Meetrics. - It’s worth noting that 50% viewability means that exactly half of digital budgets were spent inefficiently in Poland in Q4.
The Future of Large-Format Ads
The future of large-format ads will also be affected by Google’s initiative to block ads in the Chrome browser that do not meet the standards set by the Coalition for Better Ads. This aims to enhance user comfort while browsing. Additionally, it is expected to reduce the demand for external ad-blocking software that blocks all ads on a given website.
- Changing standards in the online advertising market may certainly impact the viability of large-format ads. 2018 will show whether there is a place for them in this new landscape - comments Marta Wiercińska from Gemius.
Forecasts for the entire online advertising market aren’t always optimistic. The authors of the TMT Predictions 2018 report by Deloitte predict that by the end of 2018, half of all adults in developed countries will have at least two media subscriptions online. Consequently, some publishers are already viewing attempts to generate revenue from online ads as a waste of time.
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