Order Now AdSolution Sign Up | Login » Bits on the Run Sign Up | Login »

Forums

/

OpenX And Companion Ads

4 replies [Last post]
Reply

Howdy.

DISCLAIMER: I have a ticket open with OpenX as well for what its worth. This seems like an issue that is squarely between OVA and OpenX so I'm not sure if its something you can help me with.

PROBLEM: Ok, so the issue, in short, is that I cannot get companion ads working to save my life.

DETAILS: My real issue is I don't know how to configure things in OpenX. Is the video the companion to the banner? Or is the static banner a companion to the video?

In OpenX (Enterprise), I can do both. When I make the static banner a companion, it gives me javascript to embed in the page. When I make the video the companion, it gives me the VAST URL, e.g. [domain]/v/1.0/av?pgid=10430, which I would insert into my config file.

So i set up everything with the static banner as the companion. This means I embedded an openX script into the page which loads the companion ad, and in the OVA config file, I reference the video playceholder. I was able to display videos, but the companions weren't loading correctly. Id get any old 300x250 loading in the banner slot.

Next, I reversed the setup. I created a video companion slot, which gave me the vast URL above which I stuck into the OVA config file, and then I also reference a companion DIV ID in the config file for loading the banner. This produces nothing, no video or banner.

So I am wondering if anyone can help me get my head straight about how to set up the 'in between' of OVA and OpenX.

Cheers

Reply

CONFIG CODE FOR VIDEO AS COMPANION:

"displayCompanions": true,
"restoreCompanions": false,
"companions": [
{
"id":"companion",
"width":"300",
"height":"250"
}
],

"schedule": [
{
"tag": "[domain]/v/1.0/av?pgid=10430",
"width": 640,
"height": 368,
"zone": "1",
"position": "pre-roll"
}
]

CONFIG CODE FOR BANNER AS COMPANION

"schedule": [
{
"tag": "[domain]/v/1.0/av?auid=130946",
"width": 640,
"height": 368,
"zone": "1",
"position": "pre-roll"
}
]

Reply

Hi,

Ok, while I don't really know OpenX Enterprise, I can tell you how I set up companions in the Community edition. I assume it's pretty similar.

First of all, companions must be delivered with a VAST response - as part of a VAST response. Companions are "attached" in that response to either a Linear or Non-Linear ad. They cannot exist on their own, and the video ad cannot be attached to companions. The video ad (banner) always comes first, and the companion is specified as part of that.

So, step 1 is always to create the actual Video Ad Banner (either the Linear ad stream or a non-linear video ad).

Once the video ad has been created, Step 2 in the Community Edition is to add the companion to the video ad - in the Community Edition there is an option in the edit form for the video ad to add a "Companion" banner.

In my case, the companion was created as a "generic OpenX HTML banner" and have the HTML code inserted for it. In my case, I display an image, so the following code exists for the companion:

<img src="http://static.bouncingminds.com/ads/companions/companion_150_360.png" border="0"/>

Once this is one, when the VAST request is served detailing the video ad, the details for the companion are placed in the response. OVA then takes those details, tries to match the sizing info, and then pushes the companion banner to the code.

You can see a live VAST response with a companion in it here:

http://openx.openvideoads.org/openx/www/delivery/fc.php?script=bannerTypeHtml:vastInlineBannerTypeHtml:vastInlineHtml&zones=pre-roll:0.0-0%3D6&nz=1&source=&r=R0.5615734551101923&block=1&format=vast&charset=UTF-8

Paul

Reply

Thanks paul. In enterprise, there is no option to add companions within the line item or creative screen for videos.

In fact, there is no place in the UI to associate a banner with a video at any level.

I am opening a ticket with OpenX to find out what im missing.

Reply

Ah... gosh - seems strange that they'd have it in the Community version but not enterprise.. but come to think of it, I'm not sure I know of anyone using the Enterprise edition with Companions but I could be very wrong on that.

When you get this resolved would you mind posting the result back here in the Forum? - I'm very keen to understand more on this...

Sorry I wasn't of more help...

Paul

Post new comment

  • Allowed HTML tags: <code> <blockquote> <em> <strong> <strike> <ul> <li> <ol>
  • You may post code using <code>...</code> .
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

More information about formatting options