VAST vs. VPAID vs. VPAID elements
Definitions
VAST = Video Ad Serving Template
- a universal script that allows simple videos to play on a publisher's platform
- allows the video player to know how to play the ad, which ad to play, duration of ad, redirect users to the URL, or skip the ad
VPAID = Video Player-Ad Interface Definition
- a more complex script that allows videos to play on a publisher's platform with additional interactive features and more granular measurement
- allows users to play with ad on the video player: play games, complete surveys, fill forms, expand the ad, or click on tabs for more information
VPAID elements
- Active View is a Google measurement solution that detects viewable display ad impressions. Google detects viewability via a piece of code that captures the cumulative time an ad has been viewed. This piece of code is a VPAID element in a CM360 VAST tag.
- VPAID elements can be turned off at the placement level or at the site level in the ad server.
The Analogy
VAST is the basic 1992 Honda Civic sedan model. VPAID is the 2020 electric SUV Tesla with GPS, 360 dash cams, auto-pilot technology, AC, heated seats, etc. Both get you from point A to point B but VPAID is fancier (at a cost).
Similar to adding fancy add-ons to your car such as the GPS and dash cam, you can implement VPAID elements to your VAST tag in order to use the fancy add-ons that VPAID tags have.
How It Works
VAST
- Trade Desk implements CM360 in-stream VAST tag
- Trade Desk wants to play a video on their site, so they call CM360
- CM360 hears Trade Desk and turns on their tag to play the video ads and click-through URLs
- They hang up
- Trade Desk plays the video and track the data from users who watch the video and click URLs
- Sends CM360 the data after
VPAID
- Trade Desk implements CM360 in-stream VPAID tag
- Trade Desk wants to play the video on their site, so they call CM360
- CM360 hears Trade Desk and turns on their more complex tag to play the video ads and click-through URLs
- Trade Desk plays the video and keeps CM360 on the phone, giving them the play-by-play, sending all sorts of information back and forth i.e., having a real conversation
- More data and information are collected and shared
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