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Connected TV ads, bought by the pod

Vectravia buys CTV ad breaks with OpenRTB 2.6 pod bidding, reads how ads are stitched into the stream, and checks app-ads.txt before every bid.

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Living room at dusk seen from behind a sofa, one viewer watching a coastline at sunset on a large wall-mounted television

What is connected TV advertising?

Connected TV (CTV) advertising places video ads in TV programs and movies streamed through apps on smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles. The ads run in ad breaks, much like broadcast TV, but each break is sold programmatically.

A CTV ad break is usually sold as a pod: a set of slots with a total duration. OpenRTB 2.6 added the fields that describe pods, so a buyer can bid on one slot or several, and know whether the ad will be stitched into the stream on the server.

Bid request object
Video (ad pods), App
Key standards
OpenRTB 2.6 pods, VAST, app-ads.txt
How it is measured
Completion, reach and frequency; MRC video viewability where the device allows

How does Vectravia buy connected TV?

  1. Read the pod

    Pod fields such as podid, podseq, poddur and slotinpod tell Omni Buy how long the break is and where each slot sits.

  2. Check the seller

    Path Check matches the app against its app-ads.txt file, including INVENTORYPARTNERDOMAIN for shared CTV inventory.

  3. Read the stitching

    The imp.ssai field says whether ads and tracking are stitched server-side, client-side or a mix.

  4. Bid with the household in mind

    Frequency caps count CTV exposures together with your other channels, so the same home is not over-served.

Which CTV formats can you buy?

  • In-stream ad breaks

    Pre-roll and mid-roll slots in structured, dynamic or hybrid pods.

  • Pause ads

    Ads shown when a viewer pauses, where the seller signals the format.

  • Home screen and menu ads

    Placements on device or app menus, when the request carries the format signal.

  • Overlays and squeezebacks

    Ads that share the screen with the program, signaled through format metadata.

How is CTV buying standardized?

IAB Tech Lab has added CTV-specific structure to the bid request over the last few years.

How is connected TV measured?

CTV is measured mainly by completed views, reach and frequency. Signal Reports counts completions from VAST tracking events and labels reach and household overlap as modeled, because they are estimated rather than counted.

When ads are stitched server-side, tracking may also fire from the server. The imp.ssai value is kept with each impression so you can see which counts came from the device and which from the server.

Which standards apply to connected TV?

Standards that apply to connected TV advertising
Standard What it does here
OpenRTB 2.6 IAB Tech Lab Pod bidding fields on the Video object and the imp.ssai signal for server-side ad insertion.
CTV Programmatic Guide IAB Tech Lab Covers podded bidding, VAST, app-ads.txt validation and device attestation for CTV.
app-ads.txt IAB Tech Lab Authorizes sellers for apps in CTV app stores; INVENTORYPARTNERDOMAIN covers shared inventory.

Which Vectravia products power connected TV?

Each product has its own page with the capabilities, standards and questions behind it.

  • Omni Buy

    One budget, pacing and frequency view across seven channels.

  • Path Check

    Supply-path checks against ads.txt and sellers.json before every bid.

  • Context Engine

    Contextual targeting and brand suitability, no user ID needed.

  • Signal Reports

    Measured and modeled numbers, labeled apart.

  • Online video

    In-stream and out-stream video

    VAST, MRC 2-second video

  • Audio

    Streaming audio and podcasts

    OpenRTB Audio, pod bidding

  • Digital out-of-home

    Screens in the real world

    OpenRTB DOOH, Qty multiplier

What do buyers ask about connected TV?

What is an ad pod?

An ad pod is a group of ad slots played back to back in one break, like a commercial break on broadcast TV. OpenRTB 2.6 describes structured pods (fixed slots), dynamic pods (a total duration to fill) and hybrid pods (a mix).

What does SSAI mean for my CTV campaign?

Server-side ad insertion stitches the ad into the video stream before it reaches the TV. The imp.ssai field tells the buyer whether that happened, which affects how impressions and tracking are counted.

How do you check that CTV inventory is authorized?

Path Check reads the app-ads.txt file of the app selling the slot and compares it with the SupplyChain object in the request before a bid is placed.

Plan connected TV with the rest of your media

See how connected TV sits beside your other channels in one budget, with the supply path shown for every placement.

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