Overview of VPAID creatives

Some video features might not be enabled for your network. To learn more about enabling video features for your network, contact your account manager.

VPAID (Video Player-Ad Interface Definition) is an IAB standard that allows a video ad and a video player to communicate with each other. VPAID defines a uniform run-time environment so that a compliant player can accept any compliant advertisement from any other party. Ad Manager supports VPAID 2.0 in HTML5.

Learn more about VPAID on the IAB site.

VPAID creatives should be used in a VAST ad, and they require a VAST template, either 3.0 or 2.0. VPAID is necessary for rich media ads that are displayed concurrently in a video player. For example, suppose you have an interactive overlay ad that should interrupt video content playback when the user interacts with the ad.

Benefits of VPAID creatives

• Allows interactive elements in video ads in a video player.
• Allows the ad to request that the video player pause the content.
• Allows the ad to update the video player when the ad finishes, so that the player can resume the video content.
• Allows the video player to override when an ad takes too long to load. In this case, VPAID stops the ad and unpauses video content.
• Allows the resizing of the ad (VPAID 2).

Set up VPAID

To allow VPAID ads that serve to the IMA SDK to interrupt the video content, you need to handle the CONTENT_RESUME_REQUESTED and CONTENT_PAUSE_REQUESTED AdEvent types for AdsManager .

In addition, you need to set the VpaidMode.

Add VPAID to opt-ins  

For inventory you'd like VPAID to be eligible to serve on, be sure to opt in to VPAID in Protections. 

Note that you don't have to opt in for redirects. Protections don't apply to redirects, which are automatically opted in.

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Protections  Protections  choose an option:
   • For a new protection, click New protection  Ad content, and set up your protection.
   • For an existing protection, under "Name," click the protection.
3. Under "Opt-ins," next to "Ad technologies," click Add.
4. In the "Search" field, enter "Interactive video ads (VPAID)."
5. Check the box for "Interactive video ads (VPAID)"  click Update.
6. To finish setting up your protection, click Save.

Create a VAST ad with a VPAID creative

Ad Manager supports trafficking VPAID 2 HTML5 creatives through VAST video redirects only.

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Delivery  Creatives  VAST creatives  New creative.
3. Select your advertiser, choose Redirect.
4. Enter your creative set name and click Redirect.
5. Enter the creative details, including the VAST tag URL, and click Test to test it.
6. Enter a Duration. This value should match the duration of the video assets, within two seconds.
7. Optional:
   • Enter third-party tracking URLs.
   • Enter information about companion creatives.
8. Click Save.

Ad Manager provides reports for impressions and clicks for VPAID creatives.

Event tracking should be handled by the creative.