Traffic in-stream video redirects

In-stream video redirect creatives allow Campaign Manager 360 to track other in-stream video creatives, including those that are running on a non-Campaign Manager 360 ad server. The in-stream video redirect creative has no assets and redirects to a VAST URL you specify. You’ll add the VAST URL in your creative and can specify the same settings as a video creative, including companions.

In-stream video redirect creatives are not supported in Display & Video 360.

We recommend that you use the batch upload feature to add multiple in-stream video redirects and get the added benefit of Campaign Manager 360 automatically generating placements for your assets.

Components

VAST redirect URL

The standard for a VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) ad response allows for a redirect link to another VAST 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0 call. This redirected URL takes the place of direct links to video media files in your creative.

We recommend that you do not link to a VAST redirect URL that will further redirect. Additionally, we recommend you use a high-definition video that meets the following requirements:

Video:

• Supported file formats: .avi, .mov, .mp4, .m4v, .mpeg, .mpg, .webm, .wmv
• Dimensions:
  • Landscape/horizontal: 1280 × 720, 1920 × 1080, or 1440 × 1080
  • Portrait/vertical: 720 × 1280, 1080 × 1920, or 1080 × 1440 
  • Square: 720 × 720, 1080 × 1080, 1920 × 1920
• Aspect ratio:
  • Landscape/horizontal: 16:9 or 4:3
  • Portrait/vertical: 9:16 or 3:4
• Codec: H.264
• Frame Rate: 23.98 or 29.97
• Bitrate: At least 20 Mbps
• Length: 15 or 30 seconds
• File size: Up to 1GB
• Black bars: No black bars
• Letterboxing: No letterboxing

Audio:

• Codec: PCM (preferred) or AAC
• Bitrate: At least 192 Kbps
• Bit: 16 or 24 bit only
• Sample rate: 48 kHz
• Audio settings: Required
• Loudness aligned with IAB US spec of -24LKFS +/- 2LKFS (Campaign Manager 360 will normalize to target loudness of -24 LKFS)

Companion creatives (optional)

You can add image or HTML5 assets for Campaign Manager 360 to display around the publisher’s audio or video player. They are delivered in the same VAST tag as your serving files. Companions serve while the primary content is playing and remain after it's completed.

Planning process

The planning process for in-stream video redirects is almost identical to a video creative. First a media planner works with the site to get assets ready. Then a trafficker sets up creatives to serve in Campaign Manager 360.

Click here to see detailed media planning steps for video creatives, which apply to in-stream video redirects.

Traffic an in-stream video redirect creative

Use these steps to redirect from a Campaign Manager 360 creative to video content hosted by a non-Campaign Manager 360 ad server. When an ad with the redirect creative serves to a placement, the placement tag redirects the content request to the non-Campaign Manager 360 video. The non-Campaign Manager 360 video plays on the site.

1. Open your campaign or advertiser.
2. Click New > In-stream video redirect.
3. Name your creative in the Creative name field.
4. [optional] Enter any notes you have on your creative in the description.
5. In the Creative Asset section, add the URL for your VAST redirect.
6. In the Video Settings section, you can add the following settings. Note that these are only available for VAST 3.0  and VAST 4.0 compliant publishers with skippable inventory:
   • Skip button: If you check this box, your creative will track Video Skips and Video True Views on IMA SDK players with the skip button. 

   • OBA icon: If you're participating in an OBA (Online Behavioral Advertising) self-regulatory program, check this box to include the OBA icon, also known as the Advertising Option Icon. Please note that whether or not the OBA icon serves is dependent on the publisher’s video player.

     • Resource: Enter a link to the OBA icon file. Campaign Manager 360 only supports image and JavaScript icons. 
     • Program: Enter the name of the industry initiative that the icon supports, such as AdChoices.
     • Size: Enter the dimensions of the icon in pixels. 
     • Position: Use the drop-down to select where to position the icon over the creative. If you need to set a custom position, select "X, Y coordinates", and enter the precise X and Y pixel values to position the icon. 
     • Clickthrough URL: Enter the URL for your OBA program's informational page.
     • Click tracking URL: Enter a click tracker tag URL to record clicks to your OBA icon.
     • View tracking URL: Enter an impression pixel URL to record views of your OBA icon.
7. [optional] Set up companion creatives.
8. [optional] Set up third-party URLs.
9. [optional] Set up creative fields.
10. Save your creative.

Your third party can track impressions and clicks on your ad and creative. Campaign Manager 360 will automatically track impressions and clicks for the creative.

Default video ads and in-stream video redirects

If an in-stream video redirect is your first video creative, Campaign Manager 360 will not automatically create a default video ad for you. You’ll need to set up a separate default video ad if you want to use it, though default ads are not required for in-stream placements.

Reporting and Attribution

You can follow the same process for building reports for in-stream video redirects as you do with in-stream video creatives.

Note: Active View and Campaign Manager 360 Verification have reduced availability for in-stream video redirects. They are available if the publisher supports VPAID or uses the IMA SDK to serve video ads. You also need to set the VPAID measurement adapter in your placement in-stream video settings to "On" and cannot use the “Let Campaign Manager 360 decide” option. This prevents Campaign Manager 360 from sending a blank tag if a publisher does not support VPAID.

You can check with your publisher to see if these features will be available on their site.