Video advertising continues to play an increasingly important role in the digital advertising market. In fact, research shows that 69% of companies already invest in paid video advertising, and 88% of marketers consider video marketing to be the core of their digital strategy. Video content effectively communicates brand stories and captivates audiences, leading to deeper engagement. In line with this trend, A2 has introduced a new feature.
Specifically, we have added support for VAST (Video Ad Serving Template)-based video ads, designed to deliver the value of video advertising to both retail media operators and advertisers. The impetus behind this update is twofold: meeting advertisers’ demands for more immersive, rich ad formats and achieving A2’s goal of enhancing advertising revenue on retail media platforms.
What Is VAST Video Ad Support?
VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) is an industry-standard framework for serving digital video ads. Defined by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), VAST standardizes the communication requirements between ad servers and video players, facilitating the smooth playback of video ads. In simpler terms, through a video ad tag, the ad server provides an XML response to the video player containing the file location, playback method, and tracking elements of the video ad.
A2’s VAST Video Ad Support means that our platform fully supports this standard so advertisers can effortlessly place their video ad creatives on retail media inventory. Advertisers can simply upload video files to run standardized video ads. Meanwhile, retail media operators can offer a video ad inventory that complies with industry standards without complex development efforts—attracting more advertisers to the platform and boosting campaign management efficiency.
Detailed Overview of VAST Video Ad Support Features
With this latest update, A2 allows you to add video as an ad creative type and set the following options to deliver video ads as desired:
- Video Ad Serving Type: Choose either linear or non-linear formats. Linear ads appear pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll—that is, before, during, or after the main content. Non-linear ads appear as overlays, similar to banners that are displayed over the video content as it plays. This lets advertisers select in-stream or overlay placements according to campaign objectives.
- On-Page Display Method: Define how the video ad will appear on your retail media inventory. For instance, you can embed ads between main content segments or opt for full-screen playback. Depending on the retail site’s structure, you can either present a more subtle, natural insertion that doesn’t disrupt the user experience or employ an impactful, full-screen layout. These choices allow you to optimize ad display according to the characteristics of each placement.
- Ad Duration and Start Timing: Adjust the playback strategy based on the length of the video ad. A2 allows you to set minimum/maximum duration per placement and coordinate the ad’s start time. For instance, a 15-second or shorter ad may be set to play immediately, while a longer ad might be scheduled to appear a few seconds into the content to maintain a positive user experience. This approach maximizes the ad’s impact without compromising user satisfaction.
- User Interaction Options: Control whether your video ads can be skipped or clicked. A skippable ad may allow viewers to skip it after a few seconds, providing a more flexible user experience, while a non-skippable ad ensures full brand exposure. You can also enable click-throughs on the video itself, directing users to an advertiser’s landing page upon clicking. These settings can be tailored to meet advertisers’ goals and user preferences, enabling retail media to replicate familiar experiences seen on platforms such as YouTube (e.g., skip, click).
- Supported VAST Versions: A2 supports VAST 2.0 and 4.2, ensuring compatibility with the latest industry standards and any VAST tag an advertiser might use. This reduces technical barriers when integrating external ad sources and enables advanced video ad functionalities such as viewability tracking and companion banners.
By providing flexible settings, A2’s VAST video ad support allows both advertisers and operators to fine-tune their video ad campaigns, delivering ads in a format optimized for each inventory. All these options can be configured intuitively through the A2 platform UI, enabling you to launch video-based ad campaigns without additional development efforts. (Please note that certain constraints may arise depending on the video playback library being used.)
Expected Benefits of VAST Video Ad Support
Both advertisers and retail media operators can realize considerable benefits from introducing video ad support:
- Expanded Branding Opportunities for Advertisers: Video stands out in conveying brand stories with rich visuals and audio. Research shows people recall just 10% of what they read in text, but up to 95% of the information they view in a video. In other words, video ads can significantly enhance brand awareness and message retention. Through A2, advertisers can deploy various types of video creatives—such as how-to demos and brand campaign clips—that offer immersive ad experiences, ultimately boosting advertising efficiency and conversion rates.
- Increased Revenue for Retail Media Operators: Video ad inventory is typically regarded as a premium offering compared to standard display ads. Major advertisers often allocate higher budgets to video ads for branding campaigns, so having video ad placements available can lead to higher ad revenue. For instance, video ads often command higher CPMs, thereby generating greater revenue for the same number of impressions. Additionally, by delivering a range of ad formats (image, native, and video), retailers can expand their advertiser base and bolster platform competitiveness. Video ad support effectively broadens a retail media network’s advertising business.
- Enhanced User Experience and Improved Ad Quality: Well-executed video ads can enrich the user experience. For example, a product demo or review inserted during content playback can be perceived as valuable information rather than mere advertising. By leveraging A2’s VAST support to configure user-friendly video ads (e.g., muted auto-play with an option to unmute, brief intros followed by a skip option), you can enhance ad quality while keeping user attrition to a minimum. Ultimately, this leads to a higher overall quality of advertising on retail media platforms.
By implementing VAST video ad support, A2 empowers both advertisers and retail media operators with a robust, flexible, and highly impactful way to deliver video ads—creating new revenue opportunities, strengthening brand engagement, and ensuring a quality user experience.