[Techtaffy Newsdesk]
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released an update to “Video Player Ad-Serving Interface Definition” (VPAID) for public comment. An advanced communication protocol between video players and ad units, VPAID was initially released in 2009, offering cross-platform support for rich in-stream video ads.
Extending and enhancing those original specifications, VPAID v2.0 provides in-stream video ad designers even greater interactive capabilities and support for improved reporting.
Steve Sullivan (Vice president, Ad Technology, IAB): Adoption of VPAID v2.0 improves the capture of rich in-stream advertising interactions and offers advertisers even more data about the increasingly creative advertising experience they provide for their consumers.
VPAID v2.0 includes:
• Document Rewrite — The content in VPAID v2.0 has been reorganized and simplified.
• VPAID and VAST Integration — A valid VPAID object when layered with the IAB Video Ad-Serving Template (VAST) guidelines is highly recommended because VAST ads that include VPAID protocols can play in both VAST- and VPAID-enabled video players. This new version offers guidance on how to use VPAID protocols in a VAST ad unit.
• Support for HTML 5 — HTML 5 is a formatting language that has the potential to enable cross-platform/cross-device support for the latest trends in web media. Sample JavaScript code is provided with details that highlight the HTML 5 environment.
• Technical Feature Updates — Features to support advancing video capabilities such as skippable ads, self-regulation of online behavioral advertising, and interactions beyond the clickthrough have been added.
The public comment period for the IAB release of VPAID v2.0 will run through March 29, 2012. Once the public comment period closes, the IAB Digital Video Committee will meet to evaluate comments received, make any needed changes to the draft specifications, and release a final version.
Comments are being accepted by email at adtechnology@iab.net.
You can find a copy of the public comment version of VPAID v2.0 and more information about VPAID, the working group and its members, here.