Universal Video Asset (UVA) - Freewheel Markets

• The VAST Video Ad delivers a growing number of player experiences. There are three required elements; video and at least one of the companion ads will always display.

• Video: Streaming ad – For the duration of the streaming element, see “video duration” in Ad Specification Details above
• Large Companion (Optional): 300x250 Present only on portal experiences, not on inline video.
• Small Companion (Optional): 300x60 Present in both portal and all inline experiences.
• Skin (Optional): 1000x650 Present where integrated.
• Wide Skin (Optional): 1380x650 Present where integrated.
• Rails (Optional): 1380x1024 Present where integrated.

MSN Video Preview (aka Stagedoor):

1. The user chooses to view streaming content.
2. The streaming ad plays and the 300x60 companion ad displays in close proximity to the player.  The Player will hide the control buttons during the streaming ad play which will not allow the user the opportunity to stop the stream during the ad. The only option the user will have to close out of the advertisement is by closing the player completely. 

MSN Video Overlay (Hero) Player User Experience

• The user chooses to view streaming content.
• The streaming ad plays and the 300x60 companion ad displays below the player.  If a skin is used it will be displayed during the streaming ad.
• The Player will hide the control buttons during the streaming ad play which will not allow the user the opportunity to stop the stream during the ad. The only option the user will have to close out of the advertisement is by closing the player.
• If the advertisement is closed, the user will not see the selected content stream.
• The selected streaming content plays. The 300x60 companion ad remains present during the first piece of content played.  If the user changes to a new piece of content, the companion ad will change.
• This combined ad experience appears after a market specific amount of content has played (duration varies by market between 120 and 240 seconds. Contact your account team for market specific details.)
  • This can be any number of short clips totaling the market specific time trigger or after a single piece of content longer than that duration.
  • In the case where a clip exceeds the minimum content duration, an ad will be played immediately after the clip is complete.
• Click through details: VAST ads feature clickable video.

Player with optional skin

MSN Video V5 Destination Player:

• The user chooses to view streaming content.
• The streaming ad plays and the 300x60 companion ad displays in close proximity to the player.  The Player will hide the control buttons during the streaming ad play which will not allow the user the opportunity to stop the stream during the ad. The only option the user will have to close out of the advertisement is by closing the player completely. 
  • If the VAST package contains a Wide Skin (1380x650) it will be displayed during the linear video ad.
  • If not Wide Skin is present the Normal/Hero Skin (1000x650) will be displayed during the linear video ad.
  • If no skins are present in the VAST package the linear ad will play with no skin displayed.

• If the advertisement is closed, the user will not see the selected content stream.
• The selected streaming content plays. The 300x60 companion ad remains present during the first piece of content played. 
  • If the VAST package contains a 1380x1024 Rails companion it will be displayed at this point

If the user changes to a new piece of content, the companion ad will change and rails will be removed.

NOTE: Not all Destination players support the Rails Companion as it relies on editorial including support code for this element within their page.

• After the video content is finished, end slate comes on.  The end slate contains the 300x250 corresponding to the last pre-roll ad displayed – e.g. in case on short form content where there is one pre roll only, the 300x250 is tied to pre roll.  The 300x60 persists till start of next pre-roll ad or piece of content.

• This combined ad experience appears after a market specific amount of content has played (duration varies by market between 120 and 240 seconds. Contact your account team for market specific details.)
  • This can be any number of short clips totaling the market specific time trigger or after a single piece of content longer than that duration.
  • In the case where a clip exceeds the minimum content duration, an ad will be played immediately after the clip is complete.

• Click through details: VAST ads feature clickable video.

MSN Video V5 Inline Player User Experience

• The user chooses to view streaming content.
• The streaming ad plays and the 300x60 companion ad displays below the player.
• The Player will hide the control buttons during the streaming ad play which will not allow the user the opportunity to stop the stream during the ad. The only option the user will have to close out of the advertisement is by closing the player.
• If the advertisement is closed, the user will not see the selected content stream.
• The selected streaming content plays. The 300x60 companion ad remains present during the first piece of content played.  If the user changes to a new piece of content, the companion ad will change.
• This combined ad experience appears after a market specific amount of content has played (duration varies by market between 120 and 240 seconds. Contact your account team for market specific details.)
  • This can be any number of short clips totaling the market specific time trigger or after a single piece of content longer than that duration.
  • In the case where a clip exceeds the minimum content duration, an ad will be played immediately after the clip is complete.

• Click through details: VAST ads feature clickable video.

MSNBC

• The user chooses to view streaming content.

• The streaming ad plays and the 300x60 companion ad displays in close proximity to the player. The Player will hide the control buttons during the streaming ad play which will not allow the user the opportunity to stop the stream during the ad. The only option the user will have to close out of the advertisement is by closing the player completely. The video streaming ad and the 300x60 share the same click through URL.

• If the advertisement is closed, the user will not see the selected content stream.

• The selected streaming content plays. The 300x60 companion ad remains present during the first piece of content played. If the user changes to a new piece of content, the companion ad will change.

• This combined ad experience appears after three minutes and can be of any number of short clips totaling three minutes which would trigger the next pre roll, or after a single piece of content longer than the three minute duration will trigger the next pre roll..
• In the case where a clip exceeds the minimum content duration, an ad will be played immediately after the clip is complete.

Minimum Video Requirements:

• MIME Type of WMV, MOV, MPEG, MPG, MP4, FLV
• 1280x720 (720p)
• 16:9 aspect ratio is required
• 3000 kbps video bitrate
• 30 frames per second
• 44khz audio sample rate
• 196kbps audio bit rate
• Stereo / CBR
  
  

Recommended Video Requirements:

• MIME Type of WMV, MOV, MPEG, MPG, MP4, FLV

• 1920x1080 (1080p)

• 16:9 aspect ratio is required

• 6000 kbps video bitrate

• 30 frames per second
• 44khz audio sample rate

• 196kbps audio bit rate
• Stereo / CBR

Detailed Codec Support:

• Sound is required

• Please check local market restrictions on length of video ad. 
• Video must be submitted by the advertiser pre-edited in a web-ready state in an acceptable codec (listed above).  No leaders or trailers should be included.  UVA does not provide video editing capabilities.

300x60 Companion Ad Requirements (Optional)

• 300x60 JPEG – required, SWF Optional.

• SWF may have animation but clickable regions are not supported.  The click-through URL in the VAST response is used for the entire unit.

• Unable to support .gif or animated .gif images

• Max file size = 20k per each file
  
  

300x250 Companion Ad Requirements (Optional)

• 300x250 JPEG file – required, SWF Optional.
• SWF may have animation but clickable regions are not supported.  The click-through URL in the VAST response is used for the entire unit.
• Unable to support .gif or animated .gif images
• Max file size = 20k per each file

MSN Video Preview (aka Stagedoor) Skin (1000x650) Requirements (Optional)

• 1000x650 JPEG file

• Unable to support .swf, .gif or animated .gif images
• Max file size = 500kb

Multiplayer (1000x650) & Hero Skin Requirements (Optional)

• 1000x650 JPEG file

• Unable to support .swf, .gif or animated .gif images
• Max file size = 100kb

Multiplayer (1380x650) Wide Skin Requirements (Optional)

• 1380x650 JPEG file

• Unable to support .swf, .gif or animated .gif images
• Max file size = 100kb
• Custom Companion size needs to be used in UVA Template for this file.

Multiplayer (1380x1024) Rails (Optional)

• 1380x1024 JPEG file

• Unable to support .swf, .gif or animated .gif images
• Max file size = 100kb

Ad requests (Microsoft)

Video Events (Vendor)

• Play
• First Quartile
• Midpoint
• Third Quartile
• Complete
• Pause
• Mute
• Unmute
• Close
• Impression
• Click

Companion Events (Vendor)

• Impression
• Click-tracking is NOT specified in the VAST Schema.  Vendors are requested to implement a redirect tracking link on the Click-through URL as necessary.

Microsoft cannot guarantee 3rd party served creative reporting within the Microsoft reporting system.

• Microsoft permits advertisers to collect user-provided personal information (for example, through web forms embedded in ads).Advertisers may be required to modify ad units or provided additional disclosure in order to be acceptable for advertising on Microsoft sites.
• Advertisers wishing to collect personal information  within advertisements (according to specifications above) must follow these guidelines:
  • Clearly identify organization 
  • Provide link to privacy policy (usually adjacent to the web form’s “submit” button)
  • Identify purpose for collecting information