Bid Type Detection (banner, video, audio, native)

[SyntaxNode]

Background

OpenRTB 2.6 introduces a new bid response field "mtype" to explicitly define the media type / markup type of the bid (banner, video, audio, native). Prebid Server requires adapters to determine the type in their MakeBids code. I propose we move as much of this work as possible to the core logic such that adapters no longer need to extract this field.

Adapters will retain the ability to explicitly set the type, but this is now optional and fallback code is built into PBS-Core. Adapters will rely on the fallback code must provide a type hierarchy to inform PBS-Core which type to use if multiple are present.

Algorithm

1. Allow the adapter to optionally provide a type. If the type is not null, use this without any further logic. Otherwise if it's null,
2. Check if the bid response includes the OpenRTB 2.6 "mtype" field and use that if present, otherwise
3. Check if the bid response includes the Prebid specific extension and use that if present, otherwise
4. Match the impression from the request using the imp id and use a hierarchy provided by the adapter, otherwise
5. Reject the bid if there is no matching imp.

Open Questions

1. What happens if "mtype" is invalid? Ignore it and move on or reject the bid?
2. What happens if the Prebid extension is invalid? Ignore it and move on or reject the bid?
3. What happens if the hierarchy is not provided and fallback code needs to be used? Use a default hierarchy or reject the bid?

IX has implemented "mtype" in their adapter code and provided feedback on how they would prefer it works in the future.

[SyntaxNode]

Discussed (a while ago) in the Prebid Server Committee. Prebid Server requires adapters to provide an mtype field as part of our migration to OpenRTB 2.6, replacing Prebid proprietary fields. With this future in sight, there is no desire to build complex mtype resolution in Prebid Server Core code.

Instead, we will offer helper methods adapters can use to set the mtype field, if not present directly in their bid response.

Open Question Answers

What happens if "mtype" is invalid? Ignore it and move on or reject the bid?

Reject the bid if the adapter does not in some way provide an mtype field.

What happens if the Prebid extension is invalid? Ignore it and move on or reject the bid?

It is the adapter's responsibility to set the mtype field. If the field is missing the bid will be rejected.

What happens if the hierarchy is not provided and fallback code needs to be used? Use a default hierarchy or reject the bid?

Again, it is the adapter's responsibility to set the mtype field. If the field is missing the bid will be rejected.

[bretg]

PBS-Go has built a helper method for bid adapters to return the proper mtype. Two open items:

• bid adapter documentation ( @SyntaxNode )
• port this helper function to PBS-Java ( @bretg )