Customizing ad break behavior with ad suppression - AWS Elemental MediaTailor
Configuring ad break suppression

Customizing ad break behavior with ad suppression

When you create a configuration in AWS Elemental MediaTailor, you can specify optional ad break configuration settings that govern the behavior of ad breaks, including the ability to configure ad break suppression. This allows you to tailor the ad break experiences for your video content to meet your specific requirements.

Topics

Configuring ad break suppression

Note

Ad suppression is only available for live workflows.

You can configure MediaTailor to skip ad break personalization for live content. This is known as ad suppression, or avail suppression. This topic shows you how, and it also explains how configuring ad suppression works.

Ad suppression can be used for the following use cases:

  • Large manifest lookback window – If a viewer starts playback at the live edge of a manifest but the lookback window is large, you might want to only insert ads starting after the viewer started watching. Or, insert ads for a portion of the total lookback window in the manifest. You can configure ad suppression so that MediaTailor personalizes ad breaks on or within a specified time range behind the live edge.

  • Mid-break join – If the viewer starts watching a live video stream in the middle of an ad break, that user is likely to change the channel and not watch the advertisement. With ad suppression, you can skip ad break personalization if the ad break started before the viewer joined the stream.

Configuring ad suppression

To use ad suppression, you configure an avail suppression mode, avail suppression value, and avail suppression fill policy in the following ways:

  • In the MediaTailor console

  • Using the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI)

  • Using MediaTailor API, or as parameters in your client's playback session request

For information about configuration with parameters, see Configuring ad suppression parameters – playback session request.

Ad suppression configuration parameters

You can choose to turn on or turn off ad suppression. If you turn on ad suppression, you specify whether that suppression happens after the live playback edge or before the live playback edge of a live stream. In either case, you also specify a time, relative to the live edge, where MediaTailor doesn't personalize ads. When you turn on avail suppression, you can specify an avail suppression policy that MediaTailor uses for partial ad-break fills when a session starts mid-break.

The following are the ad suppression configuration parameters:

  • Avail suppression mode – Sets the ad suppression mode. By default, ad suppression is off. Accepted values: OFF, BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE, or AFTER_LIVE_EDGE.

    • OFF: There is no ad suppression and MediaTailor personalizes all ad breaks.

    • BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE: MediaTailor doesn't personalize ad breaks that start before the live edge, minus the Avail suppression value.

    • AFTER_LIVE_EDGE: MediaTailor doesn't personalize ad breaks that are within the live edge, plus the Avail suppression value.

  • Avail suppression value – A time relative to the live edge in a live stream. Accepted value: A time value in HH:MM:SS.

  • Avail suppression fill policy – Defines the policy that MediaTailor applies to the Avail suppression mode. Accepted values: PARTIAL_AVAIL, FULL_AVAIL_ONLY.

    • BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE mode always uses the FULL_AVAIL_ONLY suppression policy.

    • AFTER_LIVE_EDGE mode can be used to invoke PARTIAL_AVAIL ad break fills when a session starts mid-break.

Ad suppression settings examples

The way in which the ad suppression configuration parameters interact with one another lets you specify several different ways to handle ad suppression and avail filling before, at, or after the live edge of the live stream. This section provides examples that show you some of these interactions. Use these examples to help you set up the configuration parameters for your particular situation.

The following are examples of ad suppression settings:

Example 1: No ad suppression

When the avail suppression mode is OFF, there is no ad suppression and MediaTailor personalizes all ad breaks.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream or a personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Two ad breaks occur before the live edge, and another ad break is in progress at the live edge. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is OFF, MediaTailor personalizes all ad breaks that occur before the live edge on the timeline. MediaTailor also personalizes the ad break in progress at the live edge.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to OFF.
Example 2: BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with value in sync with live edge

When avail suppression mode is set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE and the avail suppression value is set to 00:00:00, the avail suppression value is in sync with the live edge. MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks that start on or before the live edge.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream, a personalized ad break, or a non-personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:00:00, overlaps the dotted line for the live edge. Two ad breaks occur before the live edge, and another ad break occurs after the live edge. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE, and the avail suppression value is set to 00:00:00 so that it's in sync with the live edge, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks that occur before the live edge on the timeline. MediaTailor personalizes the ad break that occurs after the live edge.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE and avail suppression value set to 00:00:00.
Example 3: BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with value behind live edge

When the avail suppression mode is set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks on or before that time. In this example, MediaTailor personalizes ad breaks that start within 45 minutes behind the live edge. MediaTailor doesn't personalize ad breaks that start on or after 45 minutes behind the live edge.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream, a personalized ad break, or a non-personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:45:00, occurs 45 minutes earlier in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. The 45-minute time period between the dotted lines represents the avail suppression period. An ad break is in progress at the beginning of the avail suppression period. Two other ad breaks occur during the avail suppression period. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE, and the avail suppression value is set to 00:45:00 behind the live edge, MediaTailor personalizes any ad breaks that occur within the avail suppression period. MediaTailor doesn't personalize the ad break in progress at the beginning of the avail suppression period.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE and avail suppression value set to 00:45:00.
Example 4: AFTER_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with no ad breaks occurring during the avail suppression period

When the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE and the avail suppression value is greater than zero, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks until the elapsed time of the session has reached that value.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream or a personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, occurs 30 minutes later in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. A third dotted line, representing the session initialization, occurs earlier in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. The 30-minute time period between the live-edge time and the avail-suppression-value time represents the avail suppression period. An ad break occurs after the avail suppression period. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, the avail suppression value is set to 00:30:00 after the live edge, and the session initialization occurs before the live edge, MediaTailor personalizes any ad breaks that occur after the avail suppression period.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, and session initialization occurring before the live edge.
Example 5: AFTER_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with PARTIAL_AVAIL fill policy and an ad break in progress at the end of the avail suppression period

When the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE and the avail suppression value is greater than zero, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks until the elapsed time of the session has reached that value.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream, a personalized ad break, or a non-personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, occurs 30 minutes later in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. A third dotted line, representing the session initialization, occurs earlier in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. The 30-minute time period between the live-edge time and the avail-suppression-value time represents the avail suppression period. An ad break is in progress at the end of the avail suppression period. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, the avail suppression value is set to 00:30:00 after the live edge, the avail suppression fill policy is set to PARTIAL_AVAIL, and the session initialization occurs before the live edge, MediaTailor personalizes any ad breaks that occur after the avail suppression period. For the ad break in progress at the end of the avail suppression period, MediaTailor personalizes the portion of that ad break which occurs after the avail suppression period, but doesn't personalize the portion of that ad break which occurs during the avail suppression period.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, avail suppression fill policy set to PARTIAL_AVAIL, session initialization occurring before the live edge, and an ad break in progress at the end of the avail suppression period.
Example 6: AFTER_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with PARTIAL_AVAIL fill policy and an ad break in progress from before session initialization to after the end of the avail suppression period

When the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE and the avail suppression value is greater than zero, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks until the elapsed time of the session has reached that value.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream, a personalized ad break, or a non-personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, occurs 30 minutes later in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. A third dotted line, representing the session initialization, occurs earlier in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. The 30-minute time period between the live-edge time and the avail-suppression-value time represents the avail suppression period. An ad break is in progress from a time before session initialization to a time after the avail suppression period. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, the avail suppression value is set to 00:30:00 after the live edge, the avail suppression fill policy is set to PARTIAL_AVAIL, and the session initialization occurs before the live edge, MediaTailor personalizes any ad breaks that occur after the avail suppression period. For the ad break in progress before, during, and after the avail suppression period, MediaTailor personalizes the portion of that ad break which occurs after the avail suppression period, but doesn't personalize the portion of that ad break which occurs before or during the avail suppression period.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE; avail suppression value set to 00:30:00; avail suppression fill policy set to PARTIAL_AVAIL; session initialization occurring before the live edge; and an ad break in progress before, during, and after the avail suppression period.
Example 7: AFTER_LIVE_EDGE ad suppression with an ad break in progress at the beginning of the avail suppression period

When the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE and the avail suppression value is greater than zero, MediaTailor doesn't personalize any ad breaks until the elapsed time of the session has reached that value.

In the following figure, various blocks are arranged horizontally along a timeline that progresses from left to right. Each block represents a portion of time where the content of the live stream or a non-personalized ad break plays. A dotted line represents the current live edge of the live stream. Another dotted line, representing the avail suppression value set to 00:30:00, occurs 30 minutes later in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. A third dotted line, representing the session initialization, occurs earlier in the timeline with respect to the dotted line for the live edge. The 30-minute time period between the live-edge time and the avail-suppression-value time represents the avail suppression period. An ad break is in progress from a time before session initialization to a time within the avail suppression period. As shown in the figure, when the avail suppression mode is set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, the avail suppression value is set to 00:30:00 after the live edge, and the session initialization occurs before the live-edge time but after the start of the ad break, MediaTailor doesn't personalize that ad break.

MediaTailor ad break personalization with avail suppression mode set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE; avail suppression value set to 00:30:00; session initialization occurring before the live edge; and an ad break in progress before but ending during the avail suppression period.

Configuring ad suppression parameters – playback session request

You can configure ad suppression settings via parameters in your initial server-side or client-side playback session request to MediaTailor. If you've already configured ad suppression settings via the MediaTailor Console or AWS Elemental MediaTailor API, these parameters override those settings.

Both the avail suppression mode and avail suppression value are required for ad suppression to work. These parameters can't be configured from different sources. For example, you can't configure one parameter with the MediaTailor console and another with a query parameter.

MediaTailor supports the following ad suppression parameters.

Name Description Accepted Values
availSuppressionMode

Sets the mode for ad suppression. By default, ad suppression is OFF. When set to BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE, MediaTailor doesn't fill ad breaks on or behind the aws.availSuppressionValue time. When set to AFTER_LIVE_EDGE, MediaTailor doesn't fill ad breaks on or behind the avail suppression period. The avail suppression period spans from the live-edge time to the aws.availSuppressionValue time, plus additional buffer time.

  • OFF

  • BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE

  • AFTER_LIVE_EDGE

availSuppressionValue A time relative to the live edge in a live stream. A UTF-8 URL-encoded time code in HH:MM:SS. For example, 1 hour and 30 minutes would be 01%3A30%3A00.
availSuppressionFillPolicy Defines the policy to apply to the avail suppression mode. BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE always uses the full avail suppression policy. AFTER_LIVE_EDGE can be used to invoke partial ad break fills when a session starts mid-break.

  • PARTIAL_AVAIL - not available for the BEFORE_LIVE_EDGE suppression mode

  • FULL_AVAIL_ONLY - the default value for the AFTER_LIVE_EDGE suppression mode

Server-side configuration

The base query parameter is aws.availSuppression, which is followed by optional parameter name and value pairs. To construct the query, append aws.availSuppression= to the end of the playback session request to MediaTailor, followed by parameter names and values. For more information about how to construct a server-side playback session request, see Server-side ad tracking.

Example: HLS

GET <mediatailorURL>/v1/master/<hashed-account-id>/<origin-id>/index.m3u8?aws.availSuppressionMode=BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE&aws.availSuppressionValue=00%3A00%3A21

Server-side query syntax is listed in the following table.

Query String Component Description
? A restricted character that marks the beginning of a query.
aws. The base query, which is followed by parameters constructed of name and value pairs. For a list of all of the available parameters, see Configuring ad suppression parameters – playback session request.
= Associates the parameter name with a value. For example, aws.availSuppressionMode=BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE.
& Concatenates query parameters. For example, aws.availSuppressionMode=BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE&aws.availSuppressionValue=00:30:00&aws.availSuppressionFillPolicy=FULL_AVAIL_ONLY>.
Client-side configuration

Include availSuppression parameters in your client's POST request to MediaTailor. For more information about how to construct a client-side playback session request, see Client-side ad tracking.

Example: HLS

POST parent.m3u8
    {
       "availSuppression": {
          "mode": "BEHIND_LIVE_EDGE",
          "value": "00:00:21",
          "fillPolicy": "FULL_AVAIL_ONLY"
       }
    }