Ad targeting parameters

When an ad server such as Google Ad Manager decisions a break, you can pass key-value parameters with the request to personalize the ads — for example the content genre, the placement type, or custom targeting values. In OptiView Ads, these parameters are called assetParameters. For Google, they map directly to the ad tag parameters (adTagParameters) on the ad request.

You can set assetParameters in two places: on the break in the backend, and in the OptiView Ads SDK on the client. Client-side values overwrite the backend values when the same key is set in both.

Asset parameters in the backend

When you schedule a break with a vendor asset, you can add an assetParameters map to the asset:

{
  "type": "vendor",
  "vendor": "gam",
  "vendorParameters": {
    "type": "pod"
  },
  "assetParameters": {
    "description_url": "https://www.example.com/sports/live.html",
    "cust_params": "genre=sports"
  }
}

OptiView Ads forwards these parameters to the ad server when the break is announced, and also delivers them to the player through the Break Manifest so they are included on the ad request. See Google Pod Serving for the parameters Google requires.

Overwriting from the OptiView Ads SDK

The OptiView Ads SDK can supply its own assetParameters and overwrite the backend values. There are two client-side layers:

• Session parameters — passed to startSession(), they apply to every break in the session.
• Live updates — passed to updateAssetParameters() during an active session, for values that change while the viewer is watching.

The three layers are merged per key, from lowest to highest precedence:

1. The break's assetParameters from the backend.
2. The session's assetParameters from startSession().
3. The latest updateAssetParameters() call.

Overwriting one key never discards the others, and live updates apply to future breaks only: a break whose ad request has already been sent cannot be retargeted.

Backend or client?

As a rule of thumb:

• Set through the backend the values that describe the break or the content and are the same for every viewer — such as description_url, the placement declaration, and campaign or content targeting that is known when the break is scheduled.
• Set through the SDK the values that depend on the viewer, the device, or the moment of playback — such as device identifiers, consent state, autoplay/mute state (vpa, vpmute), or audience context that changes during the session.

Platform examples

The examples below start a session with session-level assetParameters and update them mid-session. See the OptiView Ads SDK documentation for the full integration.

Web

await sdk.startSession({
  manifestUrl: 'https://us.markers.optiview.dolby.com/manifest/v1/ORG-ID/channels/CHANNEL-ID',
  assetParameters: { cust_params: 'genre=sports' },
});

// Update targeting mid-session — applies to future breaks, no restart needed
sdk.updateAssetParameters({ cust_params: 'sport=basketball' });

Android

sdk.startSession(
    SessionConfig(
        manifestUrl = "https://us.markers.optiview.dolby.com/manifest/v1/ORG-ID/channels/CHANNEL-ID",
        assetParameters = mapOf("cust_params" to "genre=sports"),
    )
)

// Update targeting mid-session — applies to future breaks, no restart needed
sdk.updateAssetParameters(mapOf("cust_params" to "sport=basketball"))

iOS

try await sdk.startSession(
    SessionConfig(
        manifestUrl: "https://us.markers.optiview.dolby.com/manifest/v1/ORG-ID/channels/CHANNEL-ID",
        assetParameters: ["cust_params": "genre=sports"]
    )
)

// Update targeting mid-session — applies to future breaks, no restart needed
sdk.updateAssetParameters(["cust_params": "sport=basketball"])

React Native

await ads.startSession({
  manifestUrl: 'https://us.markers.optiview.dolby.com/manifest/v1/ORG-ID/channels/CHANNEL-ID',
  assetParameters: { cust_params: 'genre=sports' },
});

// Update targeting mid-session — applies to future breaks, no restart needed
ads.updateAssetParameters({ cust_params: 'sport=basketball' });

Related resources

Resource	Description
Google Pod Serving	Required Google parameters and pod decisioning.
Breaks	Scheduling breaks with vendor assets.
OptiView Ads SDK	Integrating the SDK with your player.