CTV · 9 Jun 2026
OpenRTB 2.6 ad pods: structured, dynamic, and hybrid
Television is sold in breaks, not in single banners. Ad pods are how OpenRTB describes that break so a buyer can bid on the whole pod or on one slot inside it.
A streaming show does not stop for one six-second ad. It stops for a break: two or three spots, a fixed minute, or a mix. Before OpenRTB 2.6, exchanges pretended each spot was a separate auction. That wasted requests, made competitive separation clumsy, and did not look like the way television is actually planned.
Ad pods put the break in one bid request. The publisher describes the shape. The buyer offers creatives that fit.
Three shapes
Structured pods are a fixed lineup. The publisher says how many ads, and how long each one is. A common break is 15 seconds, then 15, then 30. The buyer knows the slot before bidding. This is the easiest pod to traffic, and the closest to a traditional TV order.
Dynamic pods fix the length of the break, not the lineup. “Fill 60 seconds” might become two 30s, or four 15s, depending on which creatives show up. Publishers get more flexibility. Buyers must send duration with the bid so the stitcher can pack the minute without guessing.
Hybrid pods do both. Some slots are reserved at a set length — often the first position in the break — and the remaining time is filled dynamically. Use a hybrid when a sponsor owns the opening spot and the rest of the minute should clear at auction.
Why one request is better than four
- The DSP sees the whole break and can avoid placing two competing brands next to each other.
- The publisher can cap how many ads from one buyer appear in that pod.
- Category separation (airlines, finance, gambling) can be applied to the break, not discovered after the ads are already stitched.
- Fewer near-duplicate bid requests means less wasted QPS. See transaction IDs and duplicate requests.
What the buyer has to send back
A pod only works if the bid says what the creative is. Buyers should return the media type and, for video or audio, the duration. The publisher should not have to open the VAST document and hope the length is what the bid claimed.
If you sell a structured slot of 15 seconds, reject a 30-second creative even if the price is higher. A break that overruns is a broken show, and the next bid will not fix the viewer who already left.
What publishers should decide first
- Is the break a lineup, a duration, or both? Pick structured, dynamic, or hybrid on purpose.
- Which positions are premium? The first slot in a pod is not the same product as the last.
- Will the ads be stitched with SSAI? Pods are only as honest as the play that follows.
- What is the minimum creative quality and the maximum number of ads per minute the viewer will tolerate?
FAQ
Is a pod the same as a pod of CTV apps?
No. In OpenRTB a pod is an ad break inside one piece of content. It is not a bundle of channels.
Can display use pods?
The feature was built for video and audio breaks, especially streaming TV. A banner auction is still one slot.
Do I need OpenRTB 2.6?
Yes for the standard pod objects. Some exchanges shipped pods early as extensions. If you rely on an extension, confirm the DSP reads those fields rather than assuming 2.6.
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