NBCU Creative Guidelines

Olympics Paris 2024

Final creative (including Ad-ID), standards approval, and Third party login information due by May 1, 2024. to ensure that delivery is being reported accurately to Agency and Advertiser.

Any questions on the below you can use the following email alias to reach out directly to our ad Ops team: ads@nbcolympics.com

Ad Formats

 

Pre-Roll

  • Length: :6s, :15s, :30s
    Assets Allowed:
    Site Served:
    Linear/Broadcast Ad-ID
    -OR-
    Hard Asset with Ad-ID (MP4/MOV)
    Third Party: VAST 2.0 with Ad-ID (Approved VAST vendors to come)

Mid Roll

  • Length: :15s, :30s are accepted

 

 

Creative Guidelines:

All Clients must be registered with Ad-ID and assign a valid Ad-ID code to each creative prior to submission of advertising creatives.

  • Clients can contact Ad-ID customer service at cs@ad-id.org or 704.501.4410 for assistance.
  • NBCUniversal will provide support in the onboarding process.
  • For information on Ad-ID, please visit: http://www.ad-id.org/

 

Video Ads – Required Specs

 

NBCU-Served Video Submission/Encoding:

 

Dimensions:

  • 1920×1080 Minimum

Duration:

  • :6s, :15s, :30s accepted for Pre-roll
  • :15s, :30s accepted for Mid-Roll
    • Ad length dependent on content type. Speak to your account representative
  • Video duration must be the same length as the audio track or else video cannot be transcoded.

Max File Size:

  • 10 GB

File Format:

  • Formats Accepted:
  • Video Ad-ID is required
    • All clients must be registered with Ad-ID and assign a valid Ad-ID code to each creative prior to submission of advertising creatives. Clients can contact Ad-ID customer service at cs@ad-id.org or 704.501.4410 for assistance. NBCUniversal will provide support in the onboarding process. For information on Ad-ID, please visit: http://www.ad-id.org/
    • Quicktime (.MOV) strongly preferred
    • MPEG-2 (.mpg)
    • **NBCU also accepts MPEG-4 (.MP4), but .MOV & .mpg are preferred to ensure optimal transcode quality.
  • The file should include the ad only and not require any editing or clipping before transcoding:
    • Files must be formatted cut-to-cut
    • No bars/tone/slate or black is allowed at the top or tail
    • Content should begin at 01:00:00:00

Minimum Bit Rate:

  • Greater than 15Mbps

Frame Rate:

  • Native Frame Rate as 29.97fps
  • Frame Rate must be constant (CBR)
  • **In order to ingest and fulfill creatives in the most efficient and reliable manner, deliver content in native frame rate and scan mode. NBC does not accept any pre-processing (i.e apply Telecine, Inverse Telecine, scan mode conversion) of creatives. Applying any kind of pre-processing will hinder or degrade the creative renditions and thus, can impact monetization and viewer experience

Aspect Ratio:

  • 16:9

Video Codec:

  • Apple ProRes 422 HQ codec preferred (Video Bitrate must be at least 800 Kbps)
  • H.264 codec is accepted (Video Bitrate must be at least 50 Mbps)
  • DV codec | DVC Pro NTSC (DV25) or DVC Pro NTSC (DV50) accepted
  • Interlaced video is NOT accepted

Scan Type:

  • Native Scan Mode, Progressive or Interlaced (Ex. capture/edit in 23.98p, deliver in 23.98p, capture 29.97i/edit 29.97i, deliver 2997i)

Field Dominance:

  • Upper Odd (for 29.97fps)

Time Code:

  • Time code track & QuickTime wrapper. All 29.97 content must be Drop Frame. 23.98 must be Non-Drop Frame

Color Space:

  • 4:2:2

Audio Codec/Format:

  • PCM, Little Endian

Audio Tracks:

  • 2 CH Stereo
  • Note: If you are sending a promo without any sound, 2 MOS tracks are required.

Audio Track Assignments:

  • CH 1 – LT Stereo
  • CH 2 – RT Stereo
  • Audio must be discrete, single track audio (1 track per channel

Bit Depth/Sampling::

  • 24-Bit 48kHz

Bit Rate:

  • 96-194kbps

Average Loudness:

  • -24 LKFS (Full Program Mix, not just Dialogue) using the ITU-R BS. 1770-3 measurement method

True Peak Limit:

  • -2 dbfs

Duration:

  • Audio track duration must be the same length as the video duration

 

 

Sensitive Ad Categories that Require Preliminary Ad Standards Review:

The following categories of Creatives will require prior approval of NBCUniversal, provided in its sole discretion, 72 hours prior to campaign launch:

Categories That Require Review

  • Advertisements containing Contest and Sweepstakes
  • Alcoholic Beverages (Hard Alcohol, Beer, Wine)
  • Controversial Issue and Political Advertising
  • Dietary Supplements and Homeopathic Remedies
  • Fantasy Sports
  • Gambling
  • M-Rated Video Games
  • Medical Devices (including Pregnancy Tests)
  • Medications (Over-The-Counter and Prescription Drugs)
  • Personal Products (including Contraceptives)
  • R-Rated Movies
  • Telemedicine Platforms
  • Weight Loss

 

Prohibited Categories

  • Adult Products and Services
  • Astrology, Fortune Telling and Psychic Services
  • Cannabis, Marijuana and CBD Products
  • Competitive Streaming Content and Services
  • Firearms, Weapons and Fireworks
  • Get Rich Quick and Pyramid Schemes
  • Illegal Drugs, Products, Services, Publications or Paraphernalia
  • Lawyer Advertising
  • Religious Advertising
  • Tobacco Products (including E-cigarettes)

 

VAST 2.0:

 

  • In order to hit rendition targets reflected in the NBCU specification (Mezz, High, Medium and Low) it is NBCU’s recommendation to use the highest quality source file.
  • To ensure accuracy across the various transcoding platforms in market, we recommend a minimum bitrate threshold for source material of 50mbps.
  • Secure HTTPS tags only
  • All direct sold VAST tags are subject to internal NBCU QC processes and will be rejected if spec requirements are not met across all platforms.
  • For a detailed list of NBCU creative quality checks and descriptions, please Click Here
  • NBCU requires a total of FOUR files to run, no exceptions.
    • Mezz, High, Medium and Low. Details below.
    • This allows for the highest quality content and advertisement playback to run on all viewing endpoints: desktop, mobile web, apps and OTT.

 

Mezz
  • Dimensions/Resolution:
    • MP4/MOV: 1920×1080 HD
  • Max File Size:
    • 10 GB
  • Bit Rate:
    • A minimum of 15 Mbps required, but 15-30 Mbps recommended
  • Audio:
    • At least 192 Kbps
    • Sampling Frequency should be 48000Hz
  • Aspect Ratio:
    • 16:9
High
  • Dimensions/Resolution:
    • MP4 ONLY: 1920×1080 HD
  • Max File Size:
    • Variable based on bitrate
  • Bit Rate:
    • 3.25 – 5 Mbps
  • Audio:
    • At least 96 Kbps
    • Sampling Frequency should be 48000Hz or 44100Hz
  • Aspect Ratio:
    • 16:9 or 4:3
Medium
  • Dimensions/Resolution:
    • MP4 ONLY: 960×540 or 640×480
  • Max File Size:
    • Variable based on bitrate
  • Bit Rate:
    • 1 – 1.5 Mbps
  • Audio:
    • At least 96 Kbps
    • Sampling Frequency should be 48000Hz or 44100Hz
  • Aspect Ratio:
    • 16:9 or 4:3
Low
  • Dimensions/Resolution:
    • MP4 ONLY: 640×360 or 416×234
  • Max File Size:
    • Variable based on bitrate
  • Bit Rate:
    • 340-460 Kbps
  • Audio:
    • At least 96 Kbps
    • Sampling Frequency should be 48000Hz or 44100Hz
  • Aspect Ratio:
    • 16:9 or 4:3

Duration:

  • Livestream: :15s required, :30s accepted
  • Shortform: :15s required (partner preferred durations on partner tabs)
  • NOTE: VAST tag cannot rotate various durations within. A separate VAST tag per duration required.
    • Frame Rate:
    • 23.98, 25 or 29.97 based on native frame rate
    • In order to ingest and fulfill creatives in the most efficient and reliable manner, deliver content in native frame rate and scan mode. NBC does not accept any pre-processing (i.e apply Telecine, Inverse Telecine, scan mode conversion) of creatives. Applying any kind of pre-processing will hinder or degrade the creative renditions and thus, can impact monetization and viewer experience
    Progressive Scan Type
    Video Codec:
    • Interlaced video is not accepted
    • Apple ProRes 422 HQ or H.264 is accepted for mezzanine renditions
    • H.264 is required for all others (High, Medium, Low)
    Audio:
    • Volume should not exceed the volume of the content and must be under –2dB.
    • Must follow CALM compliance loudness average of –24LKFS +/-2.
    • Secure HTTPS ONLY