The NBC broadcast network and Peacock are NBCU’s primary platforms for coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Additional coverage will be available on Telemundo and NBCU cable stations (i.e., USA Network, E!, CNBS, Golf Channel, and Universo). Paris 2024 will have more programming hours on the NBC broadcast network than any previous Olympics.
All clients must be registered with Ad-ID and assign a valid Ad-ID code to each creative prior to submission of advertising creatives. NBCUniversal provides support in the onboarding process.
This page provides the digital specifications for Olympics Paris 2024.
*Guidelines as of September 2023 – subject to change
Questions?
Reach out directly to our ad Ops team: ads@nbcolympics.com
Ad-ID
- Contact Ad-ID customer service at cs@ad-id.org or call (704) 501-4410
- For information on Ad-ID, please visit http://www.ad-id.org/
Ad Formats
NBCOlympics.com, NBC Sports App, Peacock
Direct Campaign Options:
- Site Served (with optional 1×1 trackers):
-
Linear/Broadcast Ad-ID
-OR-
Hard Asset with Ad-ID (MP4/MOV)
- Third Party: VAST 2.0 with Ad-ID (Innovid, CM360, Extreme Reach only)
- Please be advised all sponsorship and time-based video executions will require site served assets with 1x1s
Programmatic Guaranteed:
- NBCUniversal will accept four DSPs: The Trade Desk, DV360, Roku OneView, and Yahoo.
- Programmatic Guaranteed does not run on STB
- Any distribution point inaccessible via Programmatic Guaranteed must be secured via separate insertion order
- VAST Acceptance: The Trade Desk, Roku OneView, and Yahoo are allowed to host creative as well as leverage other approved Olympics vendors which are Innovid, CM360, or Extreme Reach for the Games.
- If your VAST vendor is not currently Innovid, CM360, and/or Extreme Reach and you wish to run VAST not via the DSP creative hosting, NBCUniversal will connect you with a VAST vendor representative to set up your account, negotiate rates, and take you through the onboarding process.
- Any creative tags that dynamically alter the creative upon response to the SSP, based off identifiers (i.e. IP Address), are prohibited as to not affect the livestreaming environment.
- Programmatically-enabled Olympic inventory is solely available and accessible via Freewheel’s SSP.
- Programmatic Guaranteed requires individual deal IDs for each duration length
Video Ads – Required Specs
Site-Served:
Creative deadline:
- June 1, 2024
- Final creative (including Ad-ID)
- Standards approval
- 3rd-party login information
Dimensions:
- 1920×1080
Duration:
- Pre-roll – 6 seconds, 15 seconds
- Mid-roll – 15 seconds, 30 seconds
- Ad length dependent on content type. Speak to your account representative for more information.
Max file size:
- 10GB
File format:
- MOV strongly preferred
- MPEG-2 (.mpg)
- The file should include the ad creative only and must not require any editing or clipping before transcoding (i.e., no bars/tones, slates). Video duration must be the same length as the audio track or else the video cannot be transcoded.
Minimum bit rate (video):
- Greater than 15Mbps
Frame rate:
- 29.97fps based on native frame rate
- To ensure creatives are ingested and fulfilled in the most efficient and reliable manner, deliver content in native frame rate and scan mode. NBCUniversal doesn’t accept any pre-processing of creatives (i.e., Apply Telecine, Inverse Telecine, scan mode conversion), as pre-processing degrades the creative renditions, which can negatively impact monetization and viewer experience.
Aspect ratio:
- 16:9
Video codec:
- Preferred Apple ProRes 422 HQ codec (minimum video bitrate 800 Kbps)
- H.264 codec (minimum video bitrate 50 Mbps)
- DV codec | DVC Pro NTSC (DV25) or DVC Pro NTSC (DV50)
- Interlaced video is not accepted.
Scan type:
- Native scan mode, progressive, or interlaced
- For example, 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 coded/format:
- PCM, Little Endian
Audio tracks:
- 2-channel stereo
- If you are sending a promo without any sound, 2 MOS tracks are required
Audio track assignments:
- Audio must be discrete, single track audio (1 track per channel)
- CH 1 – LT Stereo
- CH 2 – RT Stereo
Bit depth/sampling:
- 24-Bit 48kHz
Audio 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
VAST 2.0:
Creative deadline:
- June 1, 2024
- Final creative (including Ad-ID)
- Standards approval
- 3rd-party login information
Dimensions:
- 4 total: mezzanine (mezz), high, medium, low
- Mezz – 1920×1080
- High – Variable based on bitrate
- Medium – 960×540 or 640×480
- Low – 640×360 or 416×234
Duration:
- Livestream – 15 seconds required; 30 seconds accepted
- Shortform – 15 seconds required (partner-preferred durations on partner tabs
- Multiple durations are not allowed within the same tag. Provide separate tags per duration.
Max file size:
- Mezz – 10GB
- High – Variable based on bitrate
- Medium – Variable based on bitrate
- Low – Variable based on bitrate
File format:
- Mezz – MP4 or MOV
- High – MP4
- Medium – MP4
- Low – MP4
Minimum bit rate (video):
- Mezz – Minimum of 15 Mbps required; 30 Mbps recommended
- High – 3.25-5 Mbps
- Medium – 1-1.5 Mbps
- Low – 340-460 Kbps
Frame rate:
- 23.98, 25, or 29.97 based on native frame rate
- To ensure creatives are ingested and fulfilled in the most efficient and reliable manner, deliver content in native frame rate and scan mode. NBCUniversal doesn’t accept any pre-processing of creatives (i.e., Apply Telecine, Inverse Telecine, scan mode conversion), as pre-processing degrades the creative renditions, which can negatively impact monetization and viewer experience.
Aspect ratio:
- Mezz – 16:9
- High – 16:9 or 4:3
- Medium – 16:9 or 4:3
- Low – 16:9 or 4:3
Video codec:
- Mezz – Apple ProRes 422 HQ or H.264
- High – H.264 only
- Medium – H.264 only
- Low – H.264 only
- Interlaced video is not accepted.
Audio codec/format:
- Mezz – Minimum 192 Kbps
- High – Minimum 96 Kbps
- Medium – Minimum 96 Kbps
- Low – Minimum 96 Kbps
- Sampling frequency should be 48000Hz or 44100Hz
- Creative volume should not exceed content volume and must be under -2dB
- Secure HTTPS only
Average loudness:
- Must follow CALM compliance loudness average of –24LKFS +/-2
Additional information:
- 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
- NBCU creative quality checks and descriptions
- VAST tags can also include MOV files, but MUST include a MP4 for each rendition: High, Medium and Low. If MP4 is not included for each then the asset will not pass and it must be revised or it cannot run.
- For TV shows and Movies, DDT (day, date and time) is not allowed
- Flighting, Capping and Targeting to be applied by NBCU only to ensure contractual obligations and correct delivery.
- Time targeting, Frequency caps, Demo targeting, Geo targeting, etc
- In order to secure the best livestreaming experience possible NBC Olympics will now require Ad-IDs to be associated with every video creative to run in live events. For any VAST tag running in Live, please provide a backup asset with Ad-ID and tracking 1x1s as a contingency to ensure delivery across all endpoints
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) – not allowed on movie brand sites
- 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)
