Overview

In Equativ's In-stream video solution, video content metadata describe the video content (TV series, news clips etc.) where video ads (e. g. pre-rolls) are displayed. The video content metadata include information such as the content video title, the content category, the content provider id etc.

You can:

• pass (attach) video content metadata when requesting a video ad from Equativ
• target in-stream video insertions (video ads) to the passed video content metadata
• use macros to pass video content metadata to third parties (e. g. to enrich a wrapper redirect call or to feed a third party tracking system)
• generate reports with video content metadata

Passing video content metadata

Video content metadata can be passed in multiple ways: 

• as ad request parameters
• using Equativ's video content metadata API
• using Equativ's open RTB endpoint

Video content metadata from multiple sources

If a video content metadata value is provided from multiple sources, the value included in the ad request is considered the most up-to-date source of truth and will be passed to demand partners.

Example

Assume the following object has been passed, using the Video content metadata API:

"content": {
 "id": "1234567",
 "series": "All About Cars",
 "season": "2",
 "episode": 23,
 "title": "Car Show",
 "cat": [
   "IAB2-2"
 ],
 "keywords": "keyword-a,keyword-b,keyword-c"
}

Additionally, assume the parameters ctid=1234567 (content Id) and ctn=The%20New%20Car%20Show (content name) are passed in the ad request. 

In this case, Equativ will send the title The New Car Show (taken from the ad request) to demand partners.

For more information, see Synch video content metadata (API).

Passing video content metadata as ad request parameters 

The way to pass video content metadata as ad request parameters, depends on the integration method in use:  

Video content metadata is passed in key=value format. Multiple values of a key must be separated by a comma - e. g.: ctc=cat1,cat2,cat3. you are free to choose your own naming convention for the values, provided you comply with the format rules stated in this article (see “Special case - passing video content tags” and “List of video content metadata” below). 

Passing video content tags

Passing video content tags is special, since any text can be passed (no predefined values). The following rules and restrictions apply:

• per ad call, only the first 5 video content tags are taken into account; any additional video content tags you may pass will be ignored!
• each tag can have max. 40 characters; this limit is for the actual tags (values) - the key name "ctk=" is not counted; any tags longer than 40 characters will be removed and ignored!
• multiple tags must be separated by a comma

Example 1: Video plugin integration method

Read the developer documentation to see how to pass video content tags when using the video plugin.

Example 2: Embedded Ad Manager (video plugin via VPAID) integration method 

http://diff.smartadserver.com/video/vpaid?siteid=20697&pgid=418654&fmtid=27153&ab=1&tgt=&ps=1&pb=0&visit=S&ctk=mycontenttag1,mycontenttag2

The VPAID call above passes the tags mycontenttag1 and mycontenttag2.

Example 3: Standalone VAST request integration method

http://diff.smartadserver.com/ac?siteid=20697&pgid=418654&fmtid=27153&ab=1&tgt=&oc=1&out=vast4&ps=1&pb=0&visit=S&vcn=s&tmstp=[timestamp]&ctk=mycontenttag1,mycontenttag2

The standalone VAST request above passes the tags mycontenttag1 and mycontenttag2. 

Recommended content metadata taxonomy

Equativ recommends to publishers to pass content metadata, as specified in the Equativ Content Metadata Taxonomy. The table below lists the content metadata types, for which Equativ provides a taxonomy of recommended values. Each row has the following columns:

• Content metadata type
• Key name - used to pass content metadata as parameters in ad requests (e. g. "ctc" parameter for “video content category”; see full list of parameters in the POST Ad API integration: parameter reference and GET Ad API integration articles.
• Description
• Recommended values - the recommended values including links to the Equativ Content Metadata Taxonomy
• Value example - an example of an actual value to pass 

* Key name - see full list of parameters in the GET Ad API integration and POST Ad API integration: parameter reference articles. ** Recommended values - the links mentioned in the "Recommended values" column refer to the Equativ Content Metadata Taxonomy which contains the recommended values.

Passing Video content metadata with the video content metadata API 

Video content metadata can also be passed to Equativ using the Video content metadata API. For more information, see Synch video content metadata (API).

Passing Video content metadata through Equativ's open RTB endpoint

Video content metadata can also be passed using Equativ's open RTB endpoint - see "Content object" in the Open RTB API integration: bid request specification (2) article. 

Targeting video content metadata

In your in-stream video insertion, go to the Targeting section and scroll to the Video Content section. 

• from the drop-down menu, select the type of video content metadata (e. g. Content Name), enter a value or pick one of the suggested values and click Add; repeat the process, to add additional values; for a description of each type of video content metadata, see section "List of video content metadata" below
• by default, the values of the same type of metadata are connected with the operator OR; to connect them with AND, click on the yellow OR label
• enable the Exclude option to express negative targeting of a value (exclusion); excluded values are always connected with other values through the operator AND
• you can target values of different types of video content metadata (e. g. Content Name and Duration as shown in the screenshot above); multiple types of video content metadata are connected with the operator AND 

Targeting video content duration

In the ad call, you can pass the video content duration in seconds. Equativ translates this duration into duration categories. You can target insertions to these duration categories but not to exact durations in seconds. The table below contains the durations in seconds (as passed in the ad call) and the duration categories they fall into:

The durations in seconds mentioned above are default values and can be changed upon request. Get back to your account manager at Equativ to have them modified.  

Other targeting criteria

You can combine video content metadata targeting with other targeting criteria, such as platform targeting (TVs, Set-top boxes, Game consoles etc.).

Macros for video content metadata

Equativ provides a macro for each type of content metadata (see “List of video content metadata” below). Each macro is replaced by the metadata (values) passed in the ad request to Equativ. For instance, the macro [sas_contentProviderName] is replaced by the Content provider name passed in the ad request. You can use the macros:

• in the Creative template editor; for more information, see Develop creative templates
• in user parameters of creative templates (e. g. in a field for third party trackers filled by the traffic manager in the Creatives section in insertions)

Parameters

To learn more about the parameters for video content metadata, see GET Ad API integration and POST Ad API integration: parameter reference.