IAB Tech Labs starts to replace VPAID with more interactive SIMID ad specs

IAB Tech Lab has begun the process of replacing VPAID (Video Player Ad Interface Definition) with SIMID (Secure Interactive Media Interface Definition) specifications to support interactive video ads and give publishers more control over their video ads offerings.

Why we should care

The new SIMID specifications will enable a “player-centric” model that gives playback control to the player itself — providing publishers more control over the user experience and the videos that run on their pages. With server-side ad insertion (SSAI) support, SIMID will apply to all platforms including mobile and OTT.

Before SIMID, publishers were reliant on VPAID, an outdated specification that was originally designed for creating interactive ads but had been adapted for other use cases that were outside of its intended purpose. “This gave rise to significant problems with trust, transparency and creative freedom — all of which SIMID will resolve,” said IAB Tech Lab.

“SIMID meets the needs of a number of our publisher partners to support an interactive ad format that offers more control, while providing a flexible framework for building innovative ad creatives,” said Google group product manager Peentoo Patel.

More on the news

• IAB Tech Lab is accepting public comments on the new SIMID specifications until May 24.
• Along with the roll-out of SIMID, IAB Tech Lab is releasing an updated VAST 4.2 template that will support SIMID.
• When used together with OMID and VAST, SIMID will offer ad verification vendors more insight into how video ads perform.

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About The Author

Amy Gesenhues

Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.