The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released a proposed set of definitions to standardize the video advertising industry. Dubbed Video Player-Ad Interface Definitions (VPAID), they outline how advertisers can ensure their video ads are compatible with all online video players.
Documents include:
- Digital Video Overview
- Digital Video In-Stream Ad Metrics Definitions
- Digital Video Ad Format Guidelines & Best Practices
- Digital Video Ad Measurement Guidelines
- Digital Video Ad Serving Template (VAST)
- Digital Video Player-Ad Interface Definition (VPAID)
Crucially, the definitions provide uniform specs for use across any type of video player.
"All five parts of the initiative help define the digital video ecosystem, reduce costs and increase efficiency for all parties and, most importantly, make it possible for advertisers to more easily reach larger online audiences," vowed VP-Industry Services Jeremy Fain of the IAB.
Advertisers, online publishers and tech vendors are encouraged to review and comment upon the guidelines before the comment period closes on March 5. After that point, the standards will be finalized and released.
In August of last year, the IAB released VAST, or the "Digital Video Ad Serving Template," whose goals were roughly similar to those of VPAID. The difference, however, is slight but crucial: VAST is intended to standardize communication between video players and ad servers; VPAID seeks to agnosticize the ads themselves across all video player formats.
