The combination of linear television with digital precision opens up completely new possibilities for advertisers and agencies in the context of ATV campaigns. However, an ATV campaign can be set up correctly from a technical standpoint – including budget, targeting and target groups – and still not be played out. This is often due to incorrect settings in the demand-side platform (DSP), which can quickly lead to massive performance impairments in campaigns.
To prevent campaigns from disappearing into digital limbo, we present the most common pitfalls and practical solutions below:
Marlene Beck, Head of Technical Consulting at d-force, has identified the most common pitfalls for this article. Together, we use practical solutions to show how campaigns can be prevented from disappearing into digital no man’s land.
#1 The campaign is running, but the creative is not
A common mistake is the incomplete activation of campaigns and creatives. Often, the campaign is live, but the advertising material remains inactive or is still undergoing approval checks, meaning it is not being displayed. Many DSPs require manual activation of creatives, which must also be approved by the publisher. It is important to check whether the video format used meets the specific requirements for ATV, whether the file quality and length are correct, and whether the publisher has refused separate approval.
Symptom: Status ‘active’ but 0 impressions.
Cause: Creatives have not been manually approved or are in publisher review.
Quick Fix:
- Check in the DSP whether Creative is activated.
- Check the format (e.g. 15s vs. 30s) and file quality (e.g. 1920 x 1080 px or aspect ratio: 16:9 for ATV creatives).
- Check the approval status in the DSP. If the creative has been rejected, contact the publisher or adjust the creative.
#2 Temporal inconsistencies sabotage playback
Careful planning of the campaign is essential, as there are different levels: order, line item and creative, each of which can have its own duration. However, there are often discrepancies in the timing of these elements. Even the smallest discrepancies in start or end dates can affect programmatic delivery. For example, if the creative runs longer than the associated line item, the available inventory cannot be fully utilised.
Symptom: Campaign runs only sporadically.
Cause: Different start/end dates between order, line item and creative.
Quick Fix:
- Check all durations manually.
- Select in the system whether the durations should be transferred to the underlying line items and creatives.
#3 The CPM is below the floor price
A common reason for playback problems in the ATV environment is undercutting the minimum bid. This is usually defined by a fixed price or a deal floor price. If the bid submitted is below this threshold, it will not be considered. This is often caused by simple errors, such as when copying values or due to inaccurate work steps. In the DSP, the current floor price of a deal can be viewed using current bid request samples and the CPM can be adjusted accordingly in the campaign if necessary.
Symptom: No playback despite active deal.
Cause: The max CPM is below the deal floor price.
Quick Fix:
- Check the current floor price in the booking sheet and/or in the Active Agent UI.
- If necessary, adjust the CPM in the line item afterwards.
#4 The deal exists but is not correctly linked
As a rule, incorrect deal integration will prevent playback entirely. The supply-side platform (SSP) must be connected to the appropriate deal ID and the configuration must be made with the correct seat ID. Since all deals are usually seat-specific, an incorrect or missing ID can prevent the publisher from allocating the inventory. In these cases, no inventory allocation takes place, even though the campaign is formally activated.
Symptom: Campaign active, but 0 bid requests.
Cause: Incorrect deal ID or seat ID in the DSP.
Quick Fix:
- Compare the ID with the deal ID in the booking sheet.
- Check whether the deal is sending traffic.
- Check the Seat ID in the Active Agent UI or ask your Technical Consultant.
#5 Underestimated expenses: Fees that stop the campaign prematurely
A common mistake that is often underestimated is budget planning. If technical fees, agency fees or DSP fees are not taken into account, less budget is effectively available for net playout. In practice, this means that campaigns end earlier than planned or can only be delivered to a limited extent. As a result, the effective CPM increases disproportionately.
Symptom: Campaign ends weeks ahead of schedule.
Cause: Technical fees (e.g. DSP fees) have not been taken into account.
Quick Fix:
- Find out in advance about any fees that may apply.
- Enter the agreed budget plus the deposited fees in the line item.
#6 Too much of a good thing: Overloaded targeting
Another hurdle to reach and performance is over-optimisation of the delivery parameters. Overly restrictive specifications, such as a frequency cap of only one impression per day or fixed time slots for delivery, often clash with the non-linear usage behaviour of the ATV target group. In limited environments, such restrictions act as barriers.
The use of overly granular or redundant targeting criteria can also significantly limit the reach of a campaign. Often, certain target group characteristics are already integrated into the deal, for example in terms of household structure, region or interests. If these targetings are set too narrowly, the inventory may become too fragmented, which can severely limit or even completely prevent delivery.
Symptom: Low reach
Cause: Redundant targeting layers (e.g. age + household type in the deal).
Quick Fix:
- Check which filters are already pre-targeted in the deal.
- Ease up on the targeting bit by bit.
#7 The wrong bidding strategy in the premium environment
In the ATV sector, available inventory is naturally limited. If a restrictive bidding strategy such as ‘best price’ is used in these environments, it is possible that no reach will be achieved despite a sufficient budget. A bidding strategy that focuses on the maximum price in order to prevail in auctions is more effective, especially for first-look or premium inventory. An adapted bidding strategy is therefore crucial in order to remain competitive in highly sought-after environments.
Symptom: Campaign is running, but hardly any impressions.
Cause: ‘Best Price’ instead of ‘Maximise Reach’.
Quick Fix:
- Use the maximum price bidding strategy based on the agreed deal price.
#8 Rigid impression capping as a reach brake
Impression capping is often set so strictly that the campaign reaches its delivery limit after just a few days, which can stop delivery. This can be remedied by ensuring that budget or impression capping does not hinder the desired delivery target.
Symptom: Playout stops after 2 days.
Cause: Daily cap too low (e.g. 1,000 impressions/day).
Quick Fix:
- Check the impression capping that has been set and adjust it in the line item if necessary.
#9 Target group with low reach
Even with the correct technical configuration, a campaign cannot be played out if the stored target group segment has only a small reach. Without active user matching, there will be no bid response or no bid, which completely prevents playout. To prevent this, no outdated deals should be used.
Symptom: 0 bids or no scaling.
Cause: Segment data with low reach.
Quick Fix:
- Use incremental/reminder segments with campaign references, e.g. to a linear TV spot ID.
- If you have any questions about the booking sheet, please contact the technical consultants at d-force – they will be happy to help you. Alternatively, you can find helpful information and instructions at any time in the d-force Academy.
#10 Limited ATV reach
Even with a fundamentally functional setup, the desired reach of an ATV campaign may not be achieved if the current campaign setup has a limiting effect. If optimisations are not made, the reach potential will not be fully exploited – especially if the estimated reach has already been calculated ambitiously.
Symptom:Limited availability.
Cause:There does not appear to be enough inventory available during the desired time period.
Quick Fix:
- Consciously control the number of campaigns per deal for maximum impact or negotiate individual deals.
- Agree on suitable deals and volumes in advance in close consultation with the publisher.
- Take measures to scale up, e.g. additional target groups, broader targeting or FC relaxation.
Precise setup for maximum effect
All these examples show that technical infrastructure is the backbone of a campaign, but also its Achilles heel – because good advertising campaigns don’t stop at creative ideas and a well-thought-out media plan.
The examples shown are not isolated cases, but widespread factors that influence the success of an advertising campaign in the background. Those who are aware of them can take countermeasures. Those who ignore them risk visibility, reach and impact.
Every campaign tells a story. For it to be effective, it takes more than just a strong understanding of the target audience and an approved budget. Precise technical implementation and careful setup are just as crucial, as this is the only way to achieve the desired results.
‘An ATV campaign is not a sure-fire success: without clear settings for DSP, deal IDs and prices, even the best idea can come to nothing. If you lose track of the setup, you’ll be wasting reach and advertising impact,’ Marlene Beck concludes.
Ultimately, it is not just creative spark that determines success, but the seamless interaction of all components. Those who understand this will not only set advertisements in motion, but messages too.
