Demystifying VAST and VPAID Video Formats

Rahul Joshi | January 22, 2021

We all know that videos are possibly the most engaging and effective medium of Digital Advertising when compared to other formats such as Display Banners, Text or Sponsored Ads, Emailers, etc. Videos play a pivotal role in decision making across all stages of a consumer’s journey. For example, before buying any Electronic product or even a Vehicle, it is very helpful to see an Unboxing or a Review video which can help in addressing any concerns or in reinforcing faith in a product and ultimately influence the buying decision. Hence, Video Ads are always part of the Media Mix for all brands. Today, the world of Digital Video Ads is not just restricted to YouTube and Facebook. We have numerous OTT Platforms and Publishers offering premium and targeted Video inventory which can further be layered with 3^rd Party Audience Data from DMPs for sharper and more relevant filtering which can ultimately boost ROI.

Like all forms of Digital Media, Video Ads are also structured into formats by the IAB, primarily, as VAST and VPAID Video Ads. While both these formats can be loaded straight into any Video Player, the make-up and the end results largely vary and so does the measurability. At Sizmek by Amazon, we encourage brands to track and measure their Video Ads more aggressively to understand basic matrices such as Video Completions, Creative and Platform wise performance, Viewability, and many more. Today, let us understand the core differences between VAST and VPAID formats and what they have to offer.

VAST stands for Video Ad Serving Template. Most of the Video ads we see today which usually have a Close Button and a Single Call-to-Action Button such as ‘Learn More, Know More or Buy Now’ are VAST Ads. These ads enable the Video Ad Server and the Video Player to speak the same language. This also makes it easier for 3rd Party Measurement platforms like Sizmek by Amazon to serve them flawlessly across publishers and measure them at a very granular level. This also works for Brands as they need not worry about compatibility across various Publishers, Web, and In-App Environments and Manual/Programmatic Buys. VAST can help Brands understand the impact created by the Video Ads on each Publisher and map end Conversions. However, a major limitation of VAST is the lack of interactivity and innovation within the video player.

To address the same challenge, IAB came up with VPAID, which stands for Video Player Ad-Definition. VPAID promotes user engagement and interactivity within the Video Ad and hence, allows Advertisers to move beyond just Video Completion Data and control the decision-making process of the consumer better. At the end of the day, a user clicking or interacting within a Video Ad is a more valued trigger for the Brand than an impression. VPAID ads do have certain challenges in implementation on the Publisher side and there could be load issues due to Bandwidth or improper placement. However, Sizmek by Amazon solves that problem and takes away the headache from the Brands and Agencies by offering threefold support for VAST and VPAID Ads, namely,

• Creative Building
• Ad Serving
• End to End Measurement

Today, VAST Ads are advancing through newer versions being brought up by the IAB (Currently VAST 4.2). However, it is necessary for a Brand to understand the opportunities that exist with VPAID Videos and gain a thorough understanding of how their Marketing goals can be independently addressed by both VAST and VPAID Video Formats.

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