In-stream Video VAST / VPAID

In-stream video advertising refers to traditional TVC ad creative streamed to either a dedicated player, e.g. media.smh.com.au or in-article embedded player environment. There is no difference in creative delivery methods, capabilities or creative specifications between them.

Vpaid & Vast

Fairfax is both VAST 3.0 & VPAID 2.0 compliant, which comprises the following sites:

smh.com.au/tv » smh.tv
theage.com.au/tv » theage.tv
brisbanetimes.com.au/tv » brisbanetimes.tv
watoday.com.au/tv » watoday.tv
canberratimes.com.au/tv » canberratimes.tv
goodfood.com.au/tv » goodfood.tv
dailylife.com.au/tv » dailylife.tv

Rules

The Advertiser is buying a pre-roll ad position
15 seconds recommended. The maximum duration for the pre-roll is 30 seconds, but please note limited inventory available. Pre-rolls that are 15 seconds or less may appear within article pages and on the main player.
A very strict delineation between ad and content must be maintained. An overlay or other non-linear element must not appear over the top of the content after the pre-roll ends.
The overlay or non-linear element must be user initiated by a click, not a hover.
When the overlay or non-linear element is activated, the underlying pre-roll pauses and the non-linear creative will then be displayed within the borders of the video player.
When the non-linear element is closed, the pre-roll resumes and when finished, the video content will start.
There must be a standard close button prominently displayed on all non-linear elements.
For all VPAID creative served by Fairfax, the maximum duration of the video elements shall not exceed 5 minutes in total (whether in one video or split across multiple videos).
Fairfax will need to approve all VPAID ads both before the commencement of a campaign and when the creative is being changed during a campaign. The advertiser must submit VAST creative 3 business days and VPAID creative 5 business days prior to live date (See lead times below). Fairfax reserves the right to reject VPAID creative if it does not meet Fairfax quality standards.
Customers supplying VAST/VPAID tags for video advertising are responsible for ensuring VAST compliance and in addition adhere to the rules outlined below within the ‘THIRD PARTY HOSTED VIDEO’ table.
Third party hosted campaigns and creative must be live for the entire contracted campaign duration and must not have any restrictive targeting placed upon them, such as frequency capping or any other form of setting that may cause ‘blank’ or unfulfilled inventory on the Fairfax network. Doing so may result in additional charges.
Player controls and advertising timer countdown is handled by the Fairfax player and is not to be present in the VAST/VPAID creative

Mobile

VAST only
Available on the following m. sites only: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Canberra Times, Brisbane Times, WA Today.

Deliverables

Common Specifications
Duration	15″ or less. Limited inventory available for preRolls of up to 30″
Aspect ratio	The Fairfax video player’s native aspect ratio is 16:9. TVCs in other aspect ratios will be displayed either pillar-boxed or letter-boxed
Frame width	620 pixels or greater
Companion Ad	Your TVC is ad is accompanied by an IAB Standard Medium Rectangle static image file. [300x250px JPG or GIF @ 40KB]

Fairfax hosted video
Media Type	TVCs may be received in either a data file format or on DVD.
Accepted File formats	Most major file formats are supported including: QuickTime (.MOV – H.264) Other formats: DVD
Data rate	2 Mbps or greater

Fairfax hosted video

Media Type

TVCs may be received in either a data file format or on DVD.

Accepted File formats

Most major file formats are supported including:

QuickTime (.MOV – H.264)

Other formats:

Data rate

2 Mbps or greater

Third party hosted video
VAST Lead time – Tier3 (3 business days)	Currently supported VAST 3.0 vendors are: DoubleClick DFA and Sizmek. Should you wish to use an alternative vendor for VAST 3.0 video ad-serving, please contact creativesupport@fairfaxdigital.com.au. The following formats must be loaded behind the VAST tag (http protocol): mp4 (iOS & android friendly) must be present in all VAST tags FLV required for D&A audience extension webm required for D&A audience extension
VPAID Lead time – Tier2 (5 business days)	VPAID creative must be delivered in a VAST response. See IAB’s VPAID PDF document for details. Creative messaging, hotspots or logos should not be placed within the bottom 40px of the video to avoid being obscured by the video controls. Currently supported vendors are: Innovid, Sizmek, Telemetry and Tubemogul. Should you wish to use an alternative vendor for VPAID 2.0 video ad-serving, please contact creativesupport@fairfaxdigital.com.au.

Third party hosted video

VAST
Lead time – Tier3 (3 business days)

Currently supported VAST 3.0 vendors are: DoubleClick DFA and Sizmek.
Should you wish to use an alternative vendor for VAST 3.0 video ad-serving, please contact creativesupport@fairfaxdigital.com.au.

The following formats must be loaded behind the VAST tag (http protocol):

mp4 (iOS & android friendly) must be present in all VAST tags
FLV required for D&A audience extension
webm required for D&A audience extension

VPAID
Lead time – Tier2 (5 business days)

VPAID creative must be delivered in a VAST response. See IAB’s VPAID PDF document for details. Creative messaging, hotspots or logos should not be placed within the bottom 40px of the video to avoid being obscured by the video controls. Currently supported vendors are: Innovid, Sizmek, Telemetry and Tubemogul. Should you wish to use an alternative vendor for VPAID 2.0 video ad-serving, please contact creativesupport@fairfaxdigital.com.au.

Lead Times

VPAID creative TIER 2 Rich Media Executions: 5 business days lead time.

Please note that if rich media creative includes non-standard aspects, it will be considered as a TIER 1 “Custom Ad” requiring 10 business days or longer lead time. Your Fairfax Account Manager will advise you about creative lead times at the time of signing your booking.

VAST creative TIER 3

Please deliver all creative assets at least 3 business days prior to start date. Custom executions may require 10 business or longer lead time. Your Fairfax account manager will advise you prior to signing your contract.

Revision: 7.15

Fairfax reserves the right to change the specifications without notice at any time!