S.No. | VPAID | VAST |
1. | VPAID is Video Player Ad-Serving Interface Definition | VAST is Video Ad Serving Template |
2. | VPAID helps in establishing a common interface between the video ad and video player | VAST is universal specification developed by the IAB for serving video ads |
3. | VPAID helps to provide rich interactivity plus rich interaction, playback, etc. details which VAST alone can’t do | It only enables video ads to be served across all compliant video players i.e. it supports simple in stream video ad formats |
4. | VPAID enables ad interactivity | VAST enables common way of serving video ads on video players |
5. | It offers an API to facilitate increasing complexity in video advertising, enabling video players to accept more ads, and a platform that offers more value to advertisers and publishers alike | It provides uniform way for data to be passed from ad server to video players independent of any technology |
6. | VPAID enables the video player to preload an ad unit before rendering it | VAST does not have such feature |
7. | In simple words VPAID is a common language which helps in better communication between the video player and different ad servers, above to VAST it helps in transforming further details about the video ad activity on the player | Simply, VAST is a common language which helps in better communication between the video player and different ad server thereby helping to serve ads with an ease. No matter the ad is served via DFP, DCM, or any ad server the video player will understand and will display the ad |
Trying to explain the “difference” between VAST and VPAID is like trying to explain the difference between a mailman and a piece of registered mail. The mailman delivers all types of mail. Most mail delivery requires no special action (other than opening and reading, and maybe replying to the sender) on the part of the recipient. Registered mail requires the recipient to formally acknowledge delivery by signing for it as it arrives, to complete the sender / receiver transaction.
Similarly, VAST is an ad delivery template that can deliver different types of ad from an Ad Server to a publisher ad slot. VAST delivers the URL of a media file (flv, mp4, swf,…etc) to be loaded and played by the publisher player in a MediaFile element in the VAST template. VPAID ads (Flash swf files) are just one specialized type of MediaFile that can be delivered in a VAST template. the VPAID swf URL is passed to to a publisher player in a MediaFile element in the same way that flv, mp4, etc. URLs are. But, like the registered mail delivered by the mailman a VAPID ad unit delivered in a VAST template requires special treatment by the publisher player; it must implement the VPAID API and use it to run the ad, control it and receive and report on tracking events dispatched by the VPAID ad unit.
Industry insiders do habitually use the term “VAST ad” to refer to a non-interactive video file served in a VAST template and this generates unnecessary confusion for newcomers to the industry. While VPAID is independent of the template in which it is delivered (in the same way that video files are not always served to publisher players in a VAST template) VPAID is most commonly served through VAST.
So the real question should not be “What is the difference between a VAST ad and a VPAID ad?” but should rather be “What is the difference between a VAST Video ad and VAST VPAID ad?”
Thanks Steve for your input. Appreciate it. Nicely explained using the mailman example.
Thanks for a very clear example, Steve.
That’s a great way of illustrating it. Thanks for being so helpful. We’ve further elaborated on VAST and VPAID and why it is important for video advertising.
Would love to get your thoughts on the writeup here: http://www.mobileads.com/blog/vast-vpaid-why-is-it-important-for-video-advertising
Super!!!!!!!!!! I really understood the difference today
You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.
Thanks Steve!
can i ask what network for publisher of VPAID or VAST. for my video blog
Try for exchanges, you can mold and bid according to your traffic.