Pulse #3: VAST & VPAID
Building interactive ads
If you want to run video ads, you definitely need to understand what VAST and VPAID are.
It is one thing to serve ads to website, but serving ads into video players is a whole new deal, so let me introduce you to IAB’s VAST or, if you want to keep your distance, Video Ad Serving Template.
VAST is a script that gives video players information and instructions about which ad to play, how long it should show, and whether users can skip the video ad or not, among other details.
This template allows us to structure ad tags that serve ads to video players. It is capable of transferring important metadata about an ad from the ad server to a video player using XML.
Imagine being able to speak every language in the world. And no, Google Translate and your pocket dictionary do not count. That is what VAST does; in a world where all kinds of video players, ad servers, platforms, screen sizes, and connection speeds coexist, it basically allows for a smooth communication flow between video players and ad servers.
So what does VPAID have to do with all of this?
VPAID, or Video Player-Ad Interface Definition, is what happens when you take VAST and add rich in-stream ad experience to it, thus enabling in-stream video advertisers to achieve both their goals — to provide users with a rich ad experience, and to capture user interaction data.
So, if cross-platform compatibility and interaction are at the top of your agenda, then VAST and VPAID should definitely be your go-to tools for online advertising.
