Video creative and ad formats
What this domain tests
This domain tests format selection and creative readiness: skippable in-stream, bumper, non-skippable in-stream, in-feed, Shorts, and reservation formats. You need to match duration, aspect ratio, call to action, and companion assets to the campaign goal and inventory.
Core format rules
- Skippable in-stream: the viewer can skip after 5 seconds; you generally pay after 30 seconds of view, a click, or a full view for shorter ads. Use it for storytelling that earns attention.
- Bumper: 6 seconds maximum and non-skippable; typically bought on CPM. Use it for short, single-message reinforcement.
- Non-skippable in-stream: 15 or 20 seconds depending on region; typically CPM. Use it when the message must be seen in full.
- In-feed: a thumbnail plus headline and description in YouTube feeds; the creative must work as a static invitation to watch.
- Shorts: vertical, native-feeling video up to 60 seconds; do not simply letterbox a landscape TV commercial.
- Demand Gen: multi-format assets across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail; supply multiple aspect ratios and lengths.
Creative readiness
Use the ABCD framework: Attract attention in the first 5 seconds, Brand early, Connect with the viewer, and Direct to action. Supply 16:9, 1:1, and 9:16 assets where the format allows, keep text legible on mobile, and provide a clear end card or CTA. Companion banners and headlines should repeat the offer, not introduce a new one.
Worked example
A telecom wants broad awareness for a time-limited data plan. A 6-second bumper with a single price message, a 9:16 vertical cut for Shorts, and a 16:9 version for in-stream reach is a coherent set. A 45-second brand film would be a poor bumper because it exceeds the 6-second limit; it belongs in skippable in-stream, where the first 5 seconds must earn the skip decision.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating a long TV commercial as a bumper.
- Supplying only landscape assets for vertical Shorts inventory.
- Using a skippable format but burying the brand after 20 seconds.
- Ignoring the first 5 seconds because “the full ad explains it.”
- Choosing a format by habit rather than by duration and goal constraints.