Ad marker rules

Create duration-based rules for automatic pre and post-rolls and mid-roll ad reminders

Sharon Taylor avatar
Written by Sharon Taylor
Updated over a week ago

Note: Once you opt into the ad marker rules system at the organization level, you will no longer be able to use the legacy ad marker settings.

Introduction

Omny Studio's Ad marker rules system allows publishers using Omny Campaign Manager (OCM) or the Triton Advertising Platform (TAP) to set rules that specify the minimum number of ad markers and ads per marker for a clip, based on the clip duration. The system can also be used to remind users to place the recommended amount of mid-roll ad markers based on the clip's duration before publishing that clip.

It's important to note that there are two distinct behaviors related to ad marker rules:

  • Pre and post-roll rules will work automatically - if a clip meets a rule, then the pre and post-roll ad markers (and ads per marker) will automatically be added where specified.

  • Because mid-roll ad markers need to be manually placed by users, rules relating to mid-roll ad markers will remind users to place the recommended mid-roll ad markers based on the length of the clip. The ads per marker setting will be automatic.

All rules can be optionally overridden by the user during publishing. If a rule is overridden, a warning email will be sent to the designated contact. You can read more about overriding ad marker rules here.

Like most settings in Omny Studio, the Ad Marker Rules system follows the settings inheritance hierarchy. This means that you can apply the same setting to all programs within a network or optionally override the setting for a single program, for example.

Example Rules

To demonstrate - you could set a duration-based rule which specifies that for clips longer than 30 minutes within a certain program:

  • a pre-roll marker with 3 available ad slots is automatically added to the clip

  • 2 mid-rolls are recommended to the user publishing the clip

  • a post-roll marker with 2 available ad slots is automatically added to the clip

For that same program, you could also set a rule which specifies that for clips shorter than 30 minutes:

  • a pre-roll marker is added with 1 available slot is automatically added

  • no mid-roll ads are recommended

  • a post-roll marker with 2 available slots is automatically added

Please note that the examples above are totally arbitrary and for demonstration purposes. Please configure rules that best suit your needs and content.


Configuring your duration-based ad marker rules

You can access the ad marker rules configuration screen at settings - monetization at the organization, network or program-level.

To add a rule, click the "Add new rule" button:

This will show configuration options for the rule/s you’d like to create which we'll go through top to bottom in the next section.

Clip length configuration

This is where you configure the length of the clip that your rule will apply to.

  • "Shorter than" sets an upper duration limit. For example, choosing 00:12:00 means any clips with a duration of less than 00:11:59 will have this rule applied.

  • "Longer than or equal to". For example, choosing 00:12:00 means any clips with a duration of exactly 00:12:00 or greater will have this rule applied.

  • Between allows two times to be chosen, the first value being longer or equal to, the second being an upper duration limit, less than and not equal to.

  • Any length means any published clip can be affected by this rule.

Pre and post-roll marker rules configuration

Once you've set your 'clip length', you can configure how many pre and/or post-rolls are required.

  • The 'Pre-roll required' and 'Post-roll required' checkboxes ensure that any clip which is published in the future that matches your rule will automatically have a pre or post-roll marker added.

  • The 'Ads per marker' value determines how many ads per marker will be applied to clips that match this rule.

  • You can optionally set the 'Ads per marker' value without making the pre or post-roll required. This will apply the ads per marker setting based on the clip duration rule to any manually placed pre-roll markers.

Mid-roll marker rules configuration

  • The 'Mid-roll(s) required' checkbox will display a reminder to place the recommended ad markers to users if the clip matches the duration rule. If a user tries to publish a clip without adding the recommended mid-roll ad markers then they can optionally override the warning which will trigger an email alert to the designated contact. Learn more about ad marker rules overrides in this separate help doc.

  • The ads per marker value determines how many ads per marker will be applied to midroll ad markers within clips that match the duration rule.

  • You can optionally set the ads per marker value without marking the pre or post-roll required. This will apply the ads per marker setting based on the clip duration rule to any manually placed pre-roll markers.

Adding multiple rules

Just click 'Add new rule' to be able to add additional rules so that all clip lengths are covered.

It's not possible to set two rules with overlapping durations.

Enforce settings

You can think of the 'enforce setting..' button as 'locking' your configuration at the child levels (i.e. program or network level). By checking this option, you will also overwrite any existing settings already specified at child levels. For example, if you enforce a setting at the organization, it will lock all programs and networks to that setting and overwrite any rules at those child levels.

Please note: Updating ad marker rules is not dynamic and does not update existing clips retroactively.


For information on how these rules can be overridden, please read this guide.

Did this answer your question?