CTV

EMG uploads hundreds of creatives every month to The Trade Desk for delivery across numerous platforms. While EMG accepts many creatives, SSPs and publishers uphold strict, nonnegotiable creative standards that will reject unsatisfactory creative. Whether the creative is rejected on one or many streaming platforms for one or many violations, advertisers should align with these standards to maximize inventory options and prevent under delivery.

All campaigns have the opportunity to run on 100+ streaming platforms, but many miss out on certain inventories due to creative asset rejections. To prevent Audio and CTV video creative rejections and maximize inventory, the following resource will summarize the common rejections EMG receives, including what each rejection is, why it was rejected, and how to adjust it.

The Most Common CTV Video Creative Rejections:

1. Low Bitrate for the Video:

What is a video’s bitrate?

• The bitrate for a video asset is the amount of video data transferred over a given time, reflected in kilobits per second (Kbps). The bitrate effects the size and quality of the video. The lower the bitrate, the lower the video quality.

Why was the low bitrate rejected?

• Based on EMG rejection analysis, a “low bitrate” accounts for 72% of total video rejections. A low bitrate is rejected because it has a low visual quality (blurry, poor image quality) that does not meet streaming platform standards.

How do I fix a video’s low bitrate?

• In order to meet the bitrate requirements, the XML request of the VAST tag should receive a media file from within each bucket, specifically:
  • 5,000 kbps – 10,000 kbps
  • 10,000 kbps – 20,000 kbps, and
  • 20,000 kbps – 30,000 kbps
• The three media files in the VAST tag must include one file within each bitrate range. Specifically, one file needs to be uploaded between 5,000 kbps – 10,000 kbps, one needs to be uploaded between 10,000 kbps – 20,000 kbps, and one file needs to be uploaded between 20,000 kbps – 30,000 kbps. This will ensure the image quality of the video is high enough to be delivered across all streaming platforms. Any video files bitrate that is not within each of the three buckets will risk being rejected, affecting campaign delivery.

2. Duplicate Frames:

What is a duplicate frame?

• A duplicate frame is an editing error where the same still image frame is repeated within a video asset, creating a stutter or hiccup in the video.

Why is a duplicate frame rejected?

• Based on EMG rejection analysis, a video asset will be rejected for “duplicate frames” if more than one of the same single still image frames is detected in a video asset. This rejection accounts for 7% of all video creative rejections. Duplicate frames should be eliminated from the video asset because they create a visual stutter that lessens the quality of the video and is noticeable to the viewer. Platforms will not accept a video asset with duplicate frames because of its poor visual quality.

How do I fix a duplicate frame?

• In order to fix a duplicate frame rejection, the video asset will need to be re-edited to remove any duplicate frames and replaced with new still image frames to fulfill the duration requirement.

3. Incorrect Duration:

What is a video’s duration?

• The duration of a video creative is the amount of time the video file plays.

Why was the duration rejected?

• Based on EMG rejection analysis, 3% of total video rejections are for “incorrect duration.” A video asset will be rejected for “incorrect duration” if it does not exactly meet the ad millisecond requirement. This means that the video asset was not exactly 00:15.000 or 00:30.000. Once a video asset exceeds 00:30.000, meaning even if its duration is 00:30.001, it will automatically be rejected and is unable to be delivered on any 00:15 or 00:30 ad inventory.

How do I fix an incorrect duration?

• In order to fix the incorrect duration, it is necessary to check the milliseconds of the video asset. EMG recommends using the Kapwing tool to check the video’s exact duration, which will present the duration in milliseconds. It is important to be aware that the platforms EMG uses do not round at all, so even a millisecond over the limit will be rejected.
• Simply put, the video asset’s duration needs to be cut to exactly 00:15.000 for a 00:15 ad or exactly 00:30.000 for a 00:30 ad in order to be accepted and delivered.

4. Low Bitrate for the Audio in a Video Asset:

What is an audio bitrate in a video asset?

• Not to be confused with an audio asset, the audio within a video is the video’s audio soundtrack that plays over the video asset. The bitrate for the audio in a video asset is the amount of audio data transferred over a given time, reflected in kilobits per second (Kbps). The bitrate effects the audio quality that is heard in the video asset. The lower the bitrate, the lower the audio quality.

Why was the low audio bitrate rejected?

• Based on EMG rejection analysis, a “low audio bitrate” accounts for 3% of total video rejections. A low audio bitrate is rejected because the audio quality is too poor (muffled, choppy, etc.) to meet streaming platform standards.

How do I fix an audio’s low bitrate in a video asset?

• In order to fix a low audio bitrate, the audio within the video needs to be uploaded in the highest raw form that is possible, to maximize bitrate. This is a minimum of 192 Kbps, with an audio sample rate of at least 48 kHz.

The remaining 15% of video rejections is for other/multiple violations.

The Perfect Formula:

1. The video asset’s three media files need to be uploaded to (1) between 5,000 kbps – 10,000 kbps, (2) between 10,000 kbps – 20,000 kbps, (3) and between 20,000 kbps – 30,000 kbps
2. The video asset excludes any duplicate frames
3. The video asset’s duration is exactly 00:15.000 or 00:30.000
4. The video asset’s audio is uploaded to a minimum of 192 Kbps, with an audio sample rate of at least 48 kHz