Video & Audio Advertising
VAST
Adhese fully supports the VAST protocol, which was released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to empower video ad serving through a video platform. VAST facilitates the scalable distribution of video ads across a set of video players from different technology vendors. By supporting VAST, ad servers can implement a single ad response format suitable for a range of different video players.
If a publisher wishes to serve ads to video players, it must develop distinct video ad tags based on each video player's technology. The IAB has created a standard for video advertising, VAST, which allows for scalable delivery of ads to video players from different vendors.
VAST enables ad servers to utilise a single ad response format, independent of the video player's technology. The video player must be capable of requesting and parsing XML documents. Therefore, by utilising XML, VAST serves as a universal solution for video ad serving, comparable to HTML for browser-based ad serving.
Since the initial release of VAST, online video technology has advanced, enabling more sophisticated possibilities for online video advertising. To support this evolution, VAST has been enhanced with additional features and functionality. VAST 4.0 represents the current industry standard.
Adhese fully supports VAST: we are compliant with VAST 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 and can help you adopt its guidelines.
More info about the VAST standard can be found on the IAB's website
VAST offers a set of features intended to make online video advertising easy.
- Platform—and device-agnostic: Nothing about the protocol of VAST is specific to the functioning of a certain device or platform. This allows Adhese to serve ads across several video players in different situations, such as websites, mobile websites and applications, Internet-connected TVs, or set-top box environments.
- Support for different ad types: VAST supports different video ad formats. Next to the well-known linear and non-linear video ad formats, VAST enables the delivery of companion ads, skippable linear ads, and ad pods.
- **Tracking:**To provide details about the delivered ads, VAST enables the simultaneous tracking of several user events related to the video ad. That is to say, VAST can tell you, for example, whether a video ad was completely viewed or if the user has muted the sound. VAST can also notify you if a user skipped a linear ad by explicitly closing it before completion, or if the user clicked a non-linear ad away.
- Detailed error reporting: When a video player cannot display an ad, VAST enables the player to provide specific feedback to the ad server about why the ad can not be served.
Instream & Outstream
The biggest difference between instream and outstream video ads is the placement. Instream video ads are placed within an existing video player that will be used to play content, while outstream video ads are placed in a standalone player which gets embedded in a page similar to a display banner.
Instream
Linear
Linear video ads are played before, between or after the playback of video content. Linear video advertising is known to interrupt the playback of a video clip, with the linear ad taking over the full video experience for a period of time. There are three distinct formats of linear video advertising:
- Pre-roll ads play before the start of the video playback;
- Mid-roll ads play during the playback of the video clip;
- Post-roll ads play after the end of the video playback.
Non-linear
Non-linear video ads do not disrupt the playback of a video; they run alongside the video content within the video player for a brief period of time or after the ad is clicked away. The original video content remains visible throughout the duration of the non-linear video ad, which is displayed in a portion of the video player. Non-linear video ads are typically displayed in the bottom area of a video player.
An overlay ad is a banner ad delivered over the video content at the bottom of the video player. The ad uses text, graphics, or video overlays to convey the message of the advertiser.
Companion ads
To enhance the campaign's visibility, a linear or non-linear video ad can be paired with a companion ad that is in tune with the original video ad. A companion ad is served outside the video player's environment. Any display advertising format can be coupled.
An example of a companion ad is a branded player. A branded player consists of an outer layer or skin that is wrapped around the video player.
Outstream
Video creatives that are used for linear advertising can also be used for outstream advertising.