What creative formats are accepted for India CTV advertising?
India CTV publishers accept video creatives in the following specifications: Format — MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio) is the universal requirement; VAST 3.0 or 4.0 XML tag wrapping the MP4 file. Duration — 15 seconds (non-skippable) is the standard unit; 30 seconds non-skippable is accepted by most publishers at a premium; 10 seconds bumper ads accepted by some publishers for frequency-capping supplemental units. Resolution — minimum 1280x720 (720p); 1920x1080 (1080p) preferred for smart TV screens; 4K not currently required. File size — maximum 50MB for the video file; some publishers require CDN-hosted files with India-region delivery enabled. Audio — stereo AAC at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz; loudness normalised to ‑23 LUFS to prevent volume spike complaints.
What content compliance does CTV advertising require in India?
India CTV advertising must comply with: (1) ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) guidelines — the same rules that apply to all Indian advertising: no misleading claims, no denigration of competitors by name, compliance with food and health advertising rules, alcohol and gambling advertising restrictions. (2) CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) — ads for films must carry the appropriate certificate; trailers classified A (adults only) cannot run on general audience CTV inventory. (3) Platform-specific content policies — JioHotstar, Sony LIV, and Zee5 each have their own prohibited content lists (tobacco, pharmaceutical claims without disclaimer, politically sensitive content). Get platform content policy documentation from the publisher’s ad ops team before creating assets, not after.
How long does India CTV creative approval take?
India CTV creative approval timelines: JioHotstar — 3–5 business days for standard creatives; 7–10 days for IPL or high-demand periods. Sony LIV and Zee5 — 2–4 business days. Programmatic platforms (DV360, TTD buying third-party SSP inventory) — 24–48 hours for technical compliance checks; no editorial review for standard display advertisers. For campaigns with custom interactive formats or brand integrations, allow 7–14 days for approval. Submit creatives at least 5 business days before the campaign start date — last-minute creative submissions are the most common cause of campaign launch delays in India CTV. Keep a contingency backup creative (simpler, pre-approved) ready if the primary creative requires revision after review.